Day One Diaries

Back to my Roots with Mantaj Sidhu

After five years at Google, Mantaj Sidhu walked away from the perks, the travel, and the security to return home to India and build something of his own. In this episode, Mantaj shares the story behind Gill Organics, a unique farming business built on trust, transparency and clean food. We talk about leaving corporate life, experimenting with business ideas, and why sometimes the best opportunities come from going back to your roots.

Amateur to Professional with Esther Mogada

From underground fashion shows in Belfast to building a global storytelling business, Esther Mogada shares the messy reality of turning creativity into a profession. In this episode, Esther talks about quitting her part-time job during the pandemic with nothing but a $47 filmmaking course, the insecurity of being self-taught, nearly losing her business after becoming a mother, and the painful transition from passionate creative to professional business owner. We also explore storytelling, identity, ambition, motherhood, and why "integration" has become the defining theme of this season of her life.

Risk & Return with Tim Byrne

Tim left a 12-year career in capital markets software to co-found a fintech startup. In this episode, he shares what it was like to build and close the business, and how that chapter propelled him into senior leadership roles across e-commerce and fintech. We talk about risk, employability, and why taking the leap strengthened his career rather than set it back.

Skip The Playbook with Manu Ravio

Manu Ravio didn't set out to become a founder. After roles at Google, in deep tech, and in product leadership, he found himself experimenting with AI and eventually launching Formidable - a platform that turns static website forms into live, intelligent conversations. In this episode, we talk about not fitting the corporate mold, building under financial pressure, and why starting narrow and skipping the playbook can be the smartest move of all.

Experiment, Learn, Return, with Pete McAvoy

After nearly two decades at Google, Pete McAvoy found himself navigating an unexpected turning point. Instead of rushing back into another corporate role, he chose to experiment. He explored startup advisory work, tested a short-term agency model, and tried building something on his own. Some things worked. Some didn't. The market proved tougher than expected. But what he gained was clarity. In this episode, we talk about identity after Big Tech, the challenge of articulating your value as a generalist, and what happens when you treat career risk as an experiment rather than a leap. Not every transition needs to be dramatic. Sometimes, real progress comes from testing, learning, and making your next move with greater certainty than before.