Episode 222 - From Hollywood to Building a Company: Steven Puri on Productivity, Wellness, and Building Business

Welcome back to the Shift with Elena Agar Podcast! In today’s episode, Elena sits down with Steven Puri—an accomplished entrepreneur whose career has taken him from engineering and Academy Award-winning film production to tech startups and, most recently, wellness innovation as the founder of the Sukha Company. Steven shares his unique journey from coding in his childhood, to producing special effects for blockbuster films like Independence Day, to leading at major Hollywood studios, and eventually pivoting to focus on productivity, wellness, and the science of flow.Together, Elena and Steven explore the real-life challenges of balancing ambition, hustle, and well-being. They discuss Steven’s personal struggles with procrastination and overwhelm, his lessons from both success and failure, and how a thoughtful, data-driven approach informed the creation of his company and its productivity tools. Along the way, they dive into the importance of self-awareness, mindfulness (inspired, in part, by yoga), community, and even healthy competition in driving both personal and professional growth.Whether you’re a leader searching for actionable strategies, someone struggling with productivity, or just curious about the intersection of creativity, technology, and wellness, this episode is packed with insightful stories and advice you can use right away. Tune in for an episode full of honest reflection, practical wisdom, and plenty of inspiration!Time stamps:00:00 Bridging Tech and Film at USC03:32 "Rethinking Career: Engineering Shift"07:39 Confronting Procrastination and Self-Awareness12:37 Hustle Versus Balance Debate13:55 Work-Life Balance Perspectives19:34 Vice Principal's PhD Journey22:49 "Understanding Flow States"23:37 Discovering "Flow" in Action29:52 Creating Conditions for Creative Leadership31:44 Expanding Creative Possibilities Together33:39 Generative AI Enhances Performance36:50 Flow State Productivity App Features40:11 "Why Do You Pay Me?"Connect with Steven on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/steven-puri-b0714436/Company website: https://www.thesukha.co/Follow Elena: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elenaagaragimova/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/elenaagaragimova/Website: https://elenaagar.com/Listen on:Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/shift-with-elena-agar/id1530850914Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5UKh6dWcuQwJlmAOqD8wij