What It Really Takes

What happens when a kid from Surat, raised in the diamond city’s discipline, chooses not gemstones, but sound? When he trades factory shifts for midnight studios, walks into Goa with only ₹5,000 and a car full of instruments, and discovers that his fragile voice carries something raw enough to fill cafés, hearts, and now, concert halls?In this episode of What It Really Takes, Jaideep Trivedi, better known as Jogi - founder of the Jogi Experience reveals the unvarnished truth about:Starting as a rebel against family traditionSurviving factory mornings and teaching music by day, while producing by nightCarrying 50+ unreleased songs in a diary but battling self-doubtLeaving for Goa with nothing but faith, and finding his stageWhy he rejects the trial-gig hustle and only plays where he belongsThe pull of Sufi music and building an authentic sound in a world chasing trendsTopics We Covered:00:00 – Early Days in Surat: From Diamonds to Drumsticks06:15 – The Rebel Child & First Studio14:40 – Nights in the Factory, Days Teaching Music24:20 – Goa with ₹5K: Faith, Frustration & First Breakthrough39:50 – Why Jogi Never Asks for a Gig51:00 – The Weight of 50 Unreleased Songs01:05:25 – Finding Sufi: Authenticity Over Fusion01:20:15 – No Plan B: The Hardest Choices for an ArtistWe dive into the grind, the spirituality, and the silent battles behind the songs. If you’ve ever wondered what separates artists who chase applause from those who create spaces for souls to breathe, this conversation will stay with you.

What happens when an engineer walks away from a safe job, vanishes into cryptography, writes the book he couldn’t find, and then spends years fixing what makes crypto unusable for the everyday person?In this episode of What It Really Takes, Koshik Raj - author, builder, and co-founder in the blockchain space reveals the raw truth about: pausing to learn from zero, publishing independently, building for banks that weren’t ready, hackathon highs, the fragility of grants, and why Account Abstraction might finally bring crypto mainstream.Topics We Covered:00:00 – Early Days: Choosing Learning Over a Safe Job02:25 – First Steps in Startups: Leaving Corporates for Chaos04:41 – Security Background to Startup Engineering25:46 – Writing the Book: Pressure, Deadlines & Lessons Learned27:00 – Surviving on Publishing & Why It Wasn’t Enough28:37 – What Comes After: Money, Work, and the Search for Purpose01:21:45 – Co-Founders, Conflict & Building Trust That Survives01:22:25 – The Hard Truth: Why Some Crypto Founders Don’t Last If you’ve ever wondered what separates crypto hype from crypto survival, this conversation will change how you think about building.

What happens when an MBA graduate, who once thought he didn’t have it in him to be a founder, stumbles into crypto by accident, and ends up building companies that power nearly 20% of India’s crypto trading volumes?In this episode of What It Really Takes, Sharan a Co-founder of PYOR (Power Your Own Research) and Brown Rice Capital — reveals the raw truth about: accidental beginnings, watching a unicorn grow, applying the regret test, raising $4M on a one-pager, and pivoting from a working startup to build something bigger.Topics We Covered:00:00 – Sharan’s Early Days: Shorts, Not Suits & Accidental Entry into Crypto06:30 – The Startup Illusion: Why Glamour Fades in Chaos14:20 – Coinswitch: From 21 Employees to Unicorn Status26:15 – The Regret Test: Choosing Courage Over Comfort36:00 – Raising $4M on a One-Pager: Why Credibility over Ideas47:10 – Frugality as a Founder: Building with Interns, Not Vanity56:50 – PYOR: A Startup That Worked, But Not Enough1:08:30 – The Painful Pivot: Killing PYOR for Brown Rice Capital1:19:40 – Brown Rice Today: Quietly Powering 20% of India’s Crypto Volumes1:29:00 – What Founders Must Evaluate Before Starting Up1:40:15 – Nine Out of Ten Startups Fail: The Brutal Math of Survival1:52:00 – What It Really Takes: Sharan’s Closing Reflections on CourageIf you’ve ever wondered what separates startup dreams from startup survival, this conversation will change how you see entrepreneurship forever.

What happens when a management consultant from IIT Madras and IIM Calcutta leaves behind the safety of corporate life - ZS Associates, ADKearney, Swiggy, and dives headfirst into the wild world of cryptocurrency? In this episode of What It Really Takes, Amitej Gajjala the founder of Stader Labs & KernelDAO, reveals how he built one of the world’s leading blockchain platforms, managing billions in assets, while navigating policy battles, volatile markets, and the relentless pace of Web3.We go deep into his journey:Why India’s stable banking system slowed crypto adoption, and why that’s about to change.The soul-searching leap from Swiggy to staking billions in crypto.The mistakes that nearly broke him, and the learnings that shaped him as a leader.Why Bitcoin and Ethereum remain the ultimate hard assets when currencies everywhere are inflating.The real stress of building in a market that never sleeps, managing people, investors, and yourself.His vision to scale from billions to $100 billion in assets, and what it means for the future of finance. Topics We Covered:00:00 – The myth of “stable” currencies 02:47 – Amitej Gajjala’s leap: IIT → Swiggy → Crypto 07:13 – Crypto made simple: Bitcoin, Ethereum & ownership 13:54 – Why India is late to the crypto party 17:30 – How beginners can safely enter crypto 20:53 – High risk, high reward: crypto vs gold & stocks 27:28 – Stader Labs: reinventing fixed deposits on-chain 33:19 – From zero network to $1B in deposits 38:57 – Founder truths: hiring missteps, stress & scaling 51:09 – Staying grounded: yoga, family & perspective If you’ve ever wondered whether crypto is a passing fad or the foundation of the future economy, this conversation will challenge your perspective.

What do you do when the path you’ve been preparing for years… stops feeling right? In this episode of What It Really Takes, Ranga Vasudevan opens up about his journey, from IAS aspirations to building his own startup to pivoting from corporate life to finally honour his calling.We dive deep into the moments that tested him, the calling that tried changing everything in intervals and finally is being honoured, and the lessons in leadership where ethics were tested in the most vulnerable way that only come from walking the hard, uncertain road.If you’ve ever wondered how to align purpose with your actions instead of ignoring it, or how to choose a path that stays true to your values, this is the conversation you need to hear.Topics We Covered:00:00 – Intro & IIT Days: Early years, first spark in big data.03:30 – First Itch: PhD & Governance: Exposure to IAS officers.10:45 – Startup & Sales Lessons: Trust and people-driven sales.22:30 – IAS Aspirations & A Divine Sign: Quitting corporate and a pivotal family conversation.34:50 – Founding the Data Team: Bootstrapping with consulting, first clients.48:20 – Pivot to Product (Cadenz): From services to SaaS and first fundraising attempts.55:00 – Balancing Product & Services: Turning down service deals to focus on product.57:40 – COVID & Opening Up: Financial stress, team transparency, lessons in trust.1:05:00 – Fundraising Struggles: Indian VC realities, overseas investor talks.1:11:00 – Merger with Lentra: Pros and cons, cultural shifts.1:21:00 – Scratching the Itch Again: Returning to nonprofits, serving with patience.1:30:00 – Giving Back to Alma Mater: Teaching IIT students and the wonders of purpose.1:36:00 – Closing Reflections: On ethics, service, and redefining true success.

In this raw and unfiltered conversation, serial founder and technologist Nachiket Patel opens up about the real journey behind building multiple ventures. From starting as a freelancer to leading companies that impact hundreds of families.We explore the mindset shifts, the pivotal decisions, and the human relationships that shaped his career. Nachiket reveals: why true networking has nothing to do with business cards, why execution beats information, why partnership alignment is the foundation of lasting success.If you’ve ever wondered how to turn technical expertise into scalable ventures, or how to balance ambition with authenticity, this is the much needed.Topics we Covered:00:00 – Introduction & why this conversation matters02:15 – Early years, shifting schools & discovering computers07:40 – First jobs & the decision to take a leap without a safety net14:20 – Building Logicwind & lessons in scaling21:50 – The truth about partnerships & why most fail27:15 – Venture studio model & co-founding multiple companies34:50 – Why execution is everything in business41:00 – Advice for founders on finding the right opportunitiesIf this conversation inspired you, share it with someone who needs to hear it.

Anirudh Kala, Founder & CEO of Celebal Technologies: From 0 to USD 500 Million in 8 years unlocking his journey of Growth, Resilience and moments of Vulnerability. With two chairs, a broom, and a six-month-old daughter at home, he started Celebal Technologies in Jaipur, far from the spotlight of Silicon Valley. Today, the company solves AI first problems for Fortune 500 clients and Global Entreprises across 5 continents with cutting edge tech, with the vision to remain deeply rooted in India. But this conversation isn’t about scale. It’s about the choices, co-founder bond, strategies and Gita learnings. Topics We Covered:1. Why founders are never truly in “cruising mode”2. How to build systems that outlast setbacks3. Balancing company growth with personal responsibility4. Scaling globally without leaving your roots5. The role of trust in co-founder relationships6. Turning small moments into major partnerships In this episode of What It Really Takes, Anirudh opens up about what most founders learn privately: how to lead without ego, carry failures you didn’t cause, and build resilience not from strength, but from failures and criticisms. If you’ve ever felt the weight of building something meaningful, without shortcuts, without noise, this one will stay with you.

Learn how to lead without shouting in this powerful conversation with Rafael Santiago, SVP at JFrog. Discover the strength in stillness and the trust that grows when you let others rise.TIMESTAMPS:0:00 - Introduction: Silent Leadership Principles2:15 - Rafael's Path: From Startup Founder to Global Operator6:45 - The Startup He Built "Before" Social Media Existed11:20 - Why That Startup Failed (Lessons for Leaders)15:30 - Cross-Cultural Leadership: Japan Team Without Speaking First19:45 - Culture Shifts & Language Barriers in Global Teams24:10 - The AI Race: Why Speed Matters Less Than Silence28:30 - Replacing Rigid Routines With Reflection32:15 - The Strength in Stillness & Building Trust36:00 - Rapid Fire: Books, Life Lessons & Habits That Changed Everything41:00 - Final Thoughts: Leading with Quiet ClarityKEY TOPICS:- Silent Leadership Techniques- Cross-Cultural Leadership & Global Teams- Building Trust Through Presence- AI & Leadership in Changing Times- Emotional Intelligence for Leaders- Startup Lessons & Failure Recovery- Leading With Composition & ClarityABOUT RAFAEL SANTIAGO:Senior Vice President at JFrog | Former Microsoft Global Operator | Leadership Expert👇 watch my podcast What It Really Takes 👇WIRT Podcast - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_zUSIr-6MRglGoV-vAEh-3unNwgL3bPW&si=zDRZpUabo06ZNp2uWIRT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whatitreallytakes/WIRT Clips - https://www.youtube.com/@wirtclipsLife of a miracle 1111YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@karishmakhubchandaniInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/karishma_lom/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karishmakhubchandani/

Mohammed Basha on What It Really Takes to Build Global Tech Partnerships, Without Tech Background, Network, or Roadmap.This isn’t a story about credentials.It’s about presence, proof, and building trust without a map.If you’ve ever felt like an outsider trying to earn your seat, this one’s for you.What Basha Explains:Establishing enterprise partnerships from the ground up, without a roadmap or prior experienceBuilding trust with giants like Microsoft, AWS & UiPath, without chasingMaking visibility and backend ops essential for scalingTurning integrity, kindness, and consistency into long-term growth leversFULL EPISODE OUT NOW — and trust us, this one’s personal !Guest: Mohammed BashaSenior Director of Sales and Partnership Innova Solutions LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bashaspeaks1nce👇 watch my podcast What It Really Takes 👇WIRT Podcast - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_zUSIr-6MRglGoV-vAEh-3unNwgL3bPW&si=zDRZpUabo06ZNp2uWIRT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whatitreallytakes/WIRT Clips - https://www.youtube.com/@wirtclipsLife of a miracle 1111YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@karishmakhubchandaniInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/karishma_lom/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karishmakhubchandani/

In this heartfelt episode of What It Really Takes, we sit down with Gourishankar Mukherjee—Delivery Leader at Coforge and founder of The Listening Tree—to explore the quiet resilience behind his journey from selling fax machines to becoming a trusted counselor and mentor.No Ivy League path. No overnight success. Just decades of showing up, listening deeply, and leading with purpose.We talk about mental health in the workplace, emotional burnout, how to deal with imposter syndrome, and why true leadership begins with empathy. Gouri shares his powerful GRIT framework (Grit, Resilience, Integrity, Training), reflections on holding space without judgment, and how silence can be more healing than advice.Whether you’re a student, founder, or working professional battling stress, confusion, or burnout—this episode will make you pause, breathe, and reflect.🧠 Topics Covered:1. Mental health support at work2. Emotional resilience & inner clarity3. Real talk on therapy and counseling4. How to lead without burning out5. The power of active listening6. Gouri’s journey & The Listening Tree👇 watch my podcast What It Really Takes 👇WIRT Podcast - https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PL_zUSIr-6MRglGoV-vAEh-3unNwgL3bPW&si=zDRZpUabo06ZNp2uWIRT Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/whatitreallytakes/WIRT Clips - https://www.youtube.com/@wirtclipsLife of a miracle 1111YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@karishmakhubchandaniInstagram - https://www.instagram.com/karishma_lom/LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/karishmakhubchandani/