Priya Ramachandran

When Gujarat’s leaders stepped onto the national stage, they brought the state’s vision, discipline, and growth-oriented mindset to India. Their leadership not only elevated Gujarat’s presence but also set the foundation for national transformation, proving that strong regional representation can lead to collective progress. Today, in the ICAI elections, Surat has a similar opportunity to shine. With dynamic and capable leaders like Jay Chhaira and CA Ishwar Jivani (Jivani Ishwarkumar Ramjibhai), Surat can bring its unparalleled spirit of innovation, resilience, and growth to the forefront of ICAI’s future. Just as Gujarat’s leaders transformed India, Surat’s representation can transform the ICAI, ensuring progress for members across the country. Let’s make this moment count—vote for Surat, vote for growth, vote for Jay Chhaira and Ishwar Jivani. #LeadershipMatters #SuratForICAI #ICAI2024Elections #VoteForProgress #JayChhaira #IshwarJivani #SuratLeadership #VisionForGrowth #FutureOfICAI #StrongRepresentation #SuratShines #EmpowerLeadership #ICAIChangeMakers #VoteForChange #GujaratToIndia #SuratToICAI #ProfessionalExcellence #LeadersFromSurat #ICAIInnovation #TogetherWeGrow

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💡 Leadership Lessons from Ram and Krishna: Discipline vs. Adaptability Leadership often demands a choice between two approaches: 🔹 Lord Ram: Leading with honor, discipline, and unwavering principles. 🔹 Lord Krishna: Mastering adaptability, clever diplomacy, and pragmatism. Both paths have their strengths, depending on the challenges at hand. 📌 Thought Starter: In your professional journey, do you lead with steadfast discipline, or do you adapt your strategies to navigate complexities? 💬 Share how Ram or Krishna’s leadership resonates with your approach! #LeadershipWisdom #RamVsKrishna #DisciplineVsStrategy

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𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝗱, 𝗧𝗼 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. Charming, brilliant, and hilarious—Huggy Hayagreeva Rao had the Sand Technologies team glued to our seats during our most recent company-wide "Thursday Late Discussion" session. Huggy is the co-author of "Scaling Up Excellence" and a professor of Organizational Behaviour at Stanford University. So when he speaks, we're all ears. One of the key takeaways that really struck a chord with us was Huggy's perspective on scaling excellence. He described it as "multiplying curiosity with generosity." Huggy pointed out that as companies grow, they often fall into the trap of "addition bias" and "time poverty." We just can't help but pile on more and more, until we're so overwhelmed that our curiosity and generosity take a backseat. Next thing you know, we're just going through the motions, feeling depleted, and lacking that sense of accountability. But the truth is that scaling isn't just about addition. In fact, sometimes it's about smart subtraction. We need to identify and remove the obstacles that stifle our team's ability to be curious and generous. When people are in that mindset, magic happens, problems get solved, everyone brings their A-game, and we all go home feeling energized rather than drained. Also, subtraction is like mowing the lawn: it's not a one-and-done deal—you've got to keep at it regularly. It's not just about efficiency, but about giving our team the gift of time, which inspires them to reciprocate with their best efforts. We have been on a massive scaling journey over the last three years. Our operations have grown from one site to 30 sites and the number of engineers we are developing has grown by 5,000X (which if my math is correct is about 500,000%). We are just getting started, so we’re always curious about what we need to do as an organization to maintain our scale, and not lose quality, dynamism, agility, and our innovative spirit. The team is already lobbying for Huggy to host our TLD every week 😄—a testament to how insightful, thought-provoking, and relatable his lessons are. We have homework, though; time to put these ideas to work and start scaling up excellence.

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What drives a leader to embrace transformation and innovation? For Manoj Govindan, it began in India, where societal expectations steered him toward engineering, even as his heart leaned toward politics and policy. Manoj’s story is one of self-discovery and evolution. Moving to the U.S., he transitioned from technical roles into business consultancy, where he realized that leadership isn’t just about strategy—it’s about connection. Early on, he discovered the power of authentic networking: building relationships that create opportunities and drive meaningful change. Through the Catalyst Leadership Trust, Manoj deepened his understanding of being a Catalyst. For him, it’s not just about achieving personal success; it’s about scaling growth and development to help others unlock their potential. But Manoj doesn’t shy away from the hard truths. He talks candidly about the challenges of navigating risk aversion and political agendas in large organizations—forces that can stifle innovation. His solution? Strategic partnerships and assembling the right talent to tackle these obstacles head-on. And who inspires him most? His father, whom he calls his favorite Catalyst, leaving us with a teaser of the invaluable lessons he’s learned from him. Dive into this powerful conversation about leadership, connection, and driving change. Listen to the full episode here: https://lnkd.in/gCghmhji

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Few have left as indelible a mark as Bill Campbell, whose guidance has shaped some of the most successful leaders and companies in Silicon Valley. Known affectionately as "The Coach," his principles on leadership continue to inspire leaders across industries. Today, I reflect on how his work has influenced my own practices and the way I coach leaders in embracing their roles not just as managers, but as visionary guides. Remembering Names, Building Trust Bill Campbell believed in the power of personal connection. He had an uncanny ability to remember names and took the time to get to know people, recognizing that trust starts with genuine engagement. In my own coaching, I stress the importance of leaders making similar efforts, as small acts of recognition can significantly strengthen team bonds. Seeing Beyond Ego For Campbell, ego was a potential obstacle to effective leadership. He fostered environments where leaders were encouraged to put team success above personal glory. This resonates deeply with my philosophy that the best leaders are those who focus on collective achievements, and building environments where every team member can thrive. Innovative Pairing and Collaboration One of Campbell’s effective tactics was pairing team members on projects, which not only enhanced deliverables but also fostered deeper mutual understanding and trust. I've observed that when leaders implement this strategy, it not only enhances productivity but also builds a resilient team culture. It forges bonds that enable better communication for future problem solving scenarios. Empowering through Listening Perhaps one of Campbell's most enduring lessons is the importance of listening - truly listening to one’s team. This practice of 'free-form listening' - being fully present and open to understanding others without immediate judgment or responses - has helped me in my personal and professional life, and the way I coach. It underpins the belief that effective leadership is as much about hearing others as it is about being heard. Bill Campbell's legacy teaches us that leadership is a practice that requires a balance of empathy, strategy, and unwavering commitment to the growth of individuals and the team. To all aspiring leaders, I encourage you to take a closer look at Bill Campbell’s methodologies. For more insights into his philosophy, explore resources such as Eric Schmidt, Jonathan Rosenberg and Alan Eagle's book Trillion Dollar Coach or visit online tributes that delve into his monumental impact on leadership. A special hat tip to Li J. with whom I had a conversation at a recent AI event in San Francisco. When we turned to the topic of leadership and Bill's name came up, he shared some of his first-hand personal experiences and notes about Bill. That in part inspired me to revisit the well of inspiration. Did you ever get to work with "The Coach"? What are your Bill Campbell memories?

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Failure is often viewed as a setback, but I’ve come to see it as one of my most valuable teachers. Early in my career, I faced a significant challenge with one of my first startup ventures TAXI121. Despite my enthusiasm and dedication, the project didn’t really seem like it would fly, and I had to make the difficult decision to pivot. At first, it felt like defeat. I questioned my decisions, my abilities, and even my passion for entrepreneurship. But as I reflected on the experience, I realized it was rich with lessons that shaped my growth: Research is Key: What didn’t work in my initial approach helped me understand that I need to evaluate the market before getting in. Embrace Feedback: Constructive criticism opened my eyes to new possibilities and improved my future projects. I keenly remember one of the taxi vendors telling me “Ye game bahot bada hai (This is a big game)”, implying that a small player like ourself could not do much. Resilience Builds Character: It’s not about how many times you fall; it’s about how you rise and learn from those experiences. Value of a Support Network: I discovered the significance of surrounding myself with mentors and peers who believed in me. And also, strengthened my belief in the saying that, “You are the average of 5 people you spend most time with” Redefining Success: Each disappointment paved new paths with new possibilities. Today, I approach challenges with a mindset that embraces failure as part of the process. I encourage everyone, especially other entrepreneurs, to view setbacks as opportunities for growth. It’s all about how we respond to what happens. 𝐖𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭? Follow me on Instagram for behind-the-scenes insights and many more personal and intellectual anecdotes: https://lnkd.in/gTdJP3qs

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This article explores how agile leadership can revolutionize customer service by emphasizing innovation, flexibility, and collaboration - creating a customer-centric approach that goes beyond transactional exchanges to form collaborative journeys. Key Takeaways - Agile leadership transforms customer service by promoting innovation, adaptability, and direct communication, fostering a culture that swiftly meets changing customer needs. - The principles of agile leadership include embracing change, fostering transparency, empowering teams, and prioritizing customer-centricity, creating a responsive and personalized customer experience. - Agile leadership in action emphasizes collaboration, customer feedback, cross-functional teamwork, adaptability, and empathy, transforming customer service from a transactional exchange to a collaborative journey. - Quantifying the impact of agile leadership on customer satisfaction involves tracking metrics like net promoter scores (NPS), customer retention rates, and the time taken to resolve issues, as well as acknowledging less tangible, human aspects of customer satisfaction. - Agile leadership is crucial for the tech industry to navigate rapid changes and sustain high levels of customer satisfaction, serving as a blueprint for organizations aiming for service excellence by placing the customer at the center of their operations. This blog explores how agile leadership can transform customer service, emphasizing innovation, adaptability, and customer-centricity - share your thoughts in the comments below and let's start a conversation about enhancing customer satisfaction together! #leadership #agile https://hubs.la/Q02yx5zK0

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💼 Collections, Collections, & Collections! 💼 As we approach December, it's crunch time for law firms to collect on outstanding invoices. This is a critical period to ensure cash flow is maximized before year-end. In this insightful article by Saurabh Mehra, published on Law.com, you'll find strategies that many of our customers and law firms have successfully adopted to improve collections and drive stronger financial outcomes. 📈 Don't miss the opportunity to implement these proven practices and finish the year strong! #LawFirmOperations #Collections #CashFlowManagement #LegalTech #Finance #LawFirmStrategy

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When you find a practical use of AI in an area that has strong tailwinds in the India growth story, you know this is a venture that has a high potential not just for value creation but for job creation in the country. Delighted to back TraqCheck founders Jaibir Nihal Singh, Armaan Mehta and @rishabh jain as they make it easier for over 200 corporations to embrace the new way of work. Traqcheck's Ai-enabled background checks of employees is way, way faster and far more reliable than traditional methods of background verification. Pankaj Bansal (पंकज बंसल)Karann Mittal Danish Dogra Aman Khan Yukta Kelkar Atreyi Dass

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“Only the improbable is important” Loved this @Ted talk by Vinod Khosla who shared some interesting insights about how tech will evolve in the future and how entrepreneurs will spearhead that evolution A few points worth noting:  •⁠ ⁠Expertise enabled by AI will be free - At least a lot of it will be, we see this happening now with ChatGPT, Gemini and now Meta AI •⁠ ⁠Computers will adapt to humans rather than vice versa - been a big believer of this! •⁠ ⁠Meds will solve the disease at the source, rather than solving the symptoms - something I always stand by for every solution we build too.  •⁠ ⁠Flying taxis will become a thing - it's already started (Uber Air Taxi is coming to Gurgaon too) - imagine the wonders this could do for deliveries - quick commerce getting quicker? The future of tech is bright, tech that will shape commerce, healthcare, and every other industry. And entrepreneurs will be at the centre of it all! Because entrepreneurs dream of the improbable, turn it into a vision, and then into a reality. Thanks for sharing this Jay Jayaraman https://lnkd.in/gKXgyqki

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🌟 India’s Incredible Contributions to AI in the U.S. 🌟 Did you know that Indian innovators are leading the charge in building some of the largest AI-focused billion-dollar companies in the U.S.? 🇮🇳✨ Here are some remarkable achievements: 🔸 HighRadius – Valued at $3.10 Billion 🔸 Uniphore – Valued at $2.5 Billion 🔸 Eightfold.ai – Valued at $2.2 Billion 🔸 Moveworks – Valued at $2 Billion 🔸 H2O.ai – Valued at $1.5 Billion 🔸 Cambridge Mobile Telematics – Valued at $1.5 Billion 🔸 SparkCognition – Valued at $1.4 Billion 🔸 SeekOut – Valued at $1.2 Billion These companies are transforming industries with cutting-edge AI technologies, thanks to Indian founders and co-founders. India’s talent continues to redefine global innovation in technology and artificial intelligence. 🚀 #AI #ArtificialIntelligence #India #Innovation #TechLeadership #Startups #Entrepreneurship #Technology #GlobalImpact #IndianTech

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🌟In this candid interview, Mr. Vinod Singh, Co-founder and CTO at Concirrus and former Amazon employee, opens up about the work culture at Amazon. From high-pressure environments to valuable life lessons, this conversation is a must-watch for anyone navigating the corporate world. 🔍 Key Insights: - Amazon's Pulse: Discover what makes Amazon's work culture unique. - Pressure Points: Vinod shares how work pressure impacted his life in the long run. - Lessons Learned: Valuable takeaways for professionals striving for success. Don't miss this eye-opening discussion! 🚀🎙️ #AmazonWorkCulture #LifeLessons #CorporateInsights #ConcirrusCTO

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Interesting and relatable piece by Nutgraf / The Ken Praveen Gopal Krishnan in my inbox today. Few VCs balance this line well, even fewer can project an authentic narrative of what they actually do. In my observation of actions, a VC is a financier first and last, and anything else is marketing until proven otherwise. #vc #startups #india #founder

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Well said, Pramod Varma: “Designing what works at scale is very different from trying to scale something that works" A typically geeky way of articulating what we entrepreneurs face while moving from startup to scale-up. #startup #scaleup #entrepreneurship #digitalpublicinfrastructure #DPI #innovation #opendata #openbanking #openfinance

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🎯 The Art of Investor Outreach and Follow-ups Fundraising is a lot like sales—if you don’t ask, the answer is already no. But many founders make the mistake of self-rejecting before they even reach out to investors. I’ve seen it happen: we assume an investor won’t be interested, and we miss opportunities that could have opened doors. Here’s what I’ve learned from experience: sometimes, all it takes is one cold email to get the ball rolling. Even if you think an investor is “too big” or “not a fit,” reach out anyway—you might be surprised. Here are a few things which have worked out for outreach and follow-ups: 1. Keep Cold Emails Short and Specific: Busy investors don’t have time for long emails. Focus on a hook (problem/solution), traction, and why you’re reaching out to them specifically. Example: “We’ve grown 150% over the last quarter, solving X problem for Y audience. I believe you’d be the perfect investor to help us scale. Can we get on a call next week for 30 mins?” 2. Handle Rejections with Grace: Not every investor will say yes—but every rejection is a chance to build a relationship. Thank them, ask for feedback, and keep them updated with your progress. You never know when a “no” might turn into a “yes” later. 3. Follow Up (Politely, but Persistently): Silence is not a rejection. Investors get swamped. If you don’t hear back, follow up in a week or two. The goal? Get a yes or no. Leaving threads open only wastes time. 4. Track Your Outreach: Treat it like a funnel - track who you’ve reached out to, when, and what stage the conversation is in. This helps you stay organized and spot follow-up opportunities. (There are a lot of free CRMs available, which could be a good starting point). 💡 Pro tip: The right investor will appreciate your persistence. Fundraising isn’t just about finding capital—it’s about finding partners who believe in your vision. If you’re feeling stuck with investor outreach or need help with follow-ups, I’m here to help! 👉 Let’s strategize together. Schedule a call with me here: https://lnkd.in/guwMgERK #fundraising #venturecapital #angels #startup

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Imagine a world where leaders are not just managers, but mentors - guiding lights inspired by the ancient guru-shishya tradition. This millennia-old practice, rooted in wisdom and personal connection, is quietly reshaping the future of leadership development in the technology sector. In the fast-paced tech industry, where innovation is relentless and skills become obsolete overnight, the need for a deeper, more meaningful mentorship has never been more critical. The guru-shishya tradition, with its focus on holistic development and personalised learning, offers a blueprint. Picture this: a young tech enthusiast, brimming with ideas but struggling to navigate the complexities of the industry, is taken under the wing of a seasoned professional. This isn't just about transferring knowledge; it's a journey of shared growth. The mentor, acting as a guru, doesn't just impart technical skills but also instils values, ethics, and a sense of purpose. The results? Remarkable. Companies that embrace this model are witnessing transformations not just in their employees but in their organisational culture. Innovation flourishes, employee retention soars, and leadership pipelines strengthen. So, why is this ancient practice making a comeback in the modern corporate world? Because, at its core, the tech industry is about pioneering. And what better way to navigate uncharted territories than with a mentor who combines the wisdom of a guru with the insight of a seasoned industry insider? Let's champion the cause of mentorship in tech. Share your story of a mentor who made a difference in your career. Let's inspire a movement where the guru-shishya tradition isn't just a relic of the past but a beacon for the future of leadership development.

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Excited and looking forward to discussing the evolving challenges of raising capital for early-stage startups at SAASCON24. Join me as I dive into the current trends, what founders need to know, and how we can navigate this more challenging environment. #SAASCON24 #StartupFunding #EarlyStageStartups #SaaS #Entrepreneurship

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