Best South Asian Trailblazers Podcasts (2024)

1
Navigating the AI Revolution: Practical Insights for Entrepreneurs 26:14

1d ago26:14

26:14

Is AI part of your business strategy? Well, if it’s not, it probably should be. Ethan Mollick, Wharton School professor of innovation and entrepreneurship, and Arun Jagannathan, two-time entrepreneur, enthusiastically agree on that. In this episode you’ll gain strategic insights and practical tools from an AI visionary and hear how one intrepid ent…

1
Bill Teck On The Trail Of Stevie Van Zandt 43:20

11d ago43:20

43:20

Bill Teck is a writer, producer, director, and the founder of the Generation ñ Media brand. His films include One Day Since Yesterday: Peter Bogdanovich & the Lost American Film (2014). A Cuban-American who grew up in Miami, Bill has been named by Newsweek Magazine as One of 20 Latinos to Watch and by Hispanic Business Magazine as One of the 100 Mo…

1
Expanding Globally: A Masterclass with Steve Ciesinski 31:56

11d ago31:56

31:56

Welcome to Grit & Growth’s masterclass on going global – a guide for expanding your business beyond borders. Steve Ciesinski, Stanford Graduate School of Business lecturer in entrepreneurship, walks you through the pitfalls and possibilities of making the move from local venture to global enterprise. It goes without saying that having an outstandin…

1
Bad Shah - Bollywood Drag King 44:40

22d ago44:40

44:40

We speak with Khushi, also known as Bad Shah, Canada's first Bollywood drag king. Khushi shares her journey as an international student from Mumbai to Victoria, BC, and how she found drag as an outlet to cope with the move. Her drag persona, Bad Shah, has become an icon among the South Asian LGBTQ+ community, making history by bringing representati…

1
Co-Intelligence: An AI Masterclass with Ethan Mollick 32:53

1M ago32:53

32:53

Welcome to Grit & Growth’s masterclass on AI — a practical guide for experimenting and engaging with artificial intelligence. Ethan Mollick, Wharton School associate professor of innovation and entrepreneurship, AI visionary, and best-selling author walks us through the hype, fears, and potential of this transformative and complex technology. AI is…

1
Anjali Virmani Talks Time Out 44:15

2M ago44:15

44:15

Anjali Virmani is the Global Head of Creative Solutions at Time Out Media. Shuttling between 10 global offices with a brief of 333 cities, she crafts and implements the Time Out global brand story, strategy, and identity, building bridges between the Time Out brand and its consumers globally. Anjali’s passion for diversity, uniting, and empowering …

1
Utkarsh and Kaly: Blazing The Trail for South Asian Rappers 47:15

2M ago47:15

47:15

Utkarsh Ambudkar, aka UTK, is an actor, rapper, and singer and is featured in the CBS hit show Ghosts. He is also known for his roles in Pitch Perfect, The Mindy Project, and Never Have I Ever. Kaly, aka Kunal Patel, is a highly-respected rapper who has collaborated with artists such as Indian musical composer and Oscar winner A.R. Rahman. As a sid…

1
Africa's Economic Horizon: A Conversation with Acha Leke, Chairman, McKinsey Africa 30:33

2M ago30:33

30:33

Meet Acha Leke, senior partner and chairman of McKinsey Africa and co-founder of the African Leadership Academy. Leke has been analyzing the economic prospects of the continent for decades, so he’s the perfect person to share insights on its future, from productivity and digital transformation to the impact of Africa’s youth boom and how to plan pr…

1
Jason Pillay - Vancouver's Fashion Stylist 47:07

2M ago47:07

47:07

We speak with Jason Pillay, a queer Indo-Fijian who has made his mark in the Vancouver Fashion scene. Jason Pillay is his own brand and he shares his hustle journey of attending fashion school to becoming a well-known stylist in Vancouver who got to style Ashanti in her latest movie! He has worked on many sets in Vancouver’s Hollywood and beyond. J…

1
Maryanne J.George is Celebrating Life, Music, and Motherhood 23:43

2M ago23:43

23:43

Maryanne J. George is a Grammy Award-winning artist and a clinical mental health therapist. With five Grammy wins and nine nominations attributed to her collaborations with Maverick City Music, her impact on the music industry is undeniable. Together with Maverick City Music, she has helped redefine the boundaries of contemporary Christian music (C…

1
Exciting Updates: Upcoming Events, Season 8, and our Agency 2:55

2M ago2:55

2:55

Send us a Text Message. Happy AAPI Heritage Month from South Asian Trailblazers! 👋🏼 In this short soundbite, I’m sharing exciting updates about events we’re hosting around the world(!), Season 8, and our Agency. The highlights: Season 8 goes live this Fall! But we couldn’t wait to share a sneak peek with you…which is why you can enjoy our latest LI…

1
From Local Startup to Pan-African Success: The Beem Story 32:16

3M ago32:16

32:16

Starting a business and growing it are challenging enough. But expanding globally, across the entire African continent with 54 very different countries, increases the difficulty exponentially. That’s what Taha Jiwaji, CEO and founder of Beem, is experiencing first hand. Hear what it takes to create a Pan-African business and gain strategic insights…

1
Syd & Dee Gill - Trailblazing Mother-Daughter Duo 1:01:53

3M ago1:01:53

1:01:53

We speak with Syd and Dee Gill, a mother-daughter duo who are on a mission to empower queer and trans individuals to be proud and live their authentic lives. Syd Gill works at Qmunity - BC’s largest Queer, Trans and Two-Spirit Resource center, as the fundraising coordinator. She is also on the board for the Vancouver Dyke March. Dee Gill is a clini…

1
Season 4 Trailer 2:05

3M ago2:05

2:05

Welcome back to Grit & Growth from Stanford Graduate School of Business. In Season 4, you’ll hear tales of entrepreneurial trials and triumphs, obstacles and opportunities, and, of course, plenty of grit and growth. Plus, we share insights from Stanford faculty and global experts on how to avoid the pitfalls of growth and achieve success. We’ll tal…

1
Zarrar Khan is Shining A Fresh Light on Pakistan 43:26

4M ago43:26

43:26

Zarrar Khan is an award-winning Pakistani-Canadian filmmaker. Born in Karachi and currently based out of Toronto, Zahra’s works have been screened and awarded in over 100 festivals, including TIFF, Bocarno, and BFI London. In Flames, his genre-bending feature directorial debut, premiered at the 76th Cannes Film Festival as part of the Director's Fo…

1
Anu Seghal and Priya Krishna Discuss Culture and Cooking 43:04

4M ago43:04

43:04

Anu Seghal is a children's author and the founder of The Culture Tree, a cultural literacy and language education company that celebrates South Asian culture. Priya Krishna is a food reporter and video host for the New York Times and the best-selling author of multiple cookbooks, including Indian-Ish and Cooking at Home. Her latest book is Priya's …

1
Short Takes: Trailblazing the Internet of Things in Bangladesh 7:16

3M ago7:16

7:16

Meet Mir Shahrukh Islam, cofounder and CEO of Bondstein Technologies Ltd. in Bangladesh. He created his IoT, or internet of things, company at a time when very few in Bangladesh even knew the term. Today, that future-focused, risk-taking spirit still defines and inspires his entrepreneurial journey. Taking bold risks is part of almost every entrepr…

1
SPECIAL LIVE EPISODE: Gurbir S. Grewal, Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement 1:21:00

4M ago1:21:00

1:21:00

Send us a Text Message. In this special edition of South Asian Trailblazers, Simi Shah hosts a LIVE podcast with Gurbir S. Grewal — the Director of the SEC's Division of Enforcement and former Attorney General of New Jersey — at the law offices of Morrison Foerster in New York City. WATCH this episode on YouTube. This event was proudly hosted in pa…

1
Rochelle Pinto Is Taking Vogue India Into A New Era 51:27

4M ago51:27

51:27

Rochelle Pinto is the head of editorial content for Vogue India. She has had quite a career and is exactly how you think a Vogue head would be-poised, intelligent, well-spoken, beautiful, and as a bonus, she’s totally down to earth. In case you were also wondering if she does gets to work with and receive advice from Anna Wintour, the answer is yes…

1
Harjant Gill - The Masculinity Trap 49:29

5M ago49:29

49:29

Harjant Gill is an award-winning filmmaker and associate professor of anthropology at Towson University in Washington DC. Dr. Gill’s research and films explore the intersections of gender, sexuality, religion, citizenship, transnationality and notions of belonging with a particular focus on Indian and diasporic masculinities. His films on Indian ma…

1
Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara: Breaking Barriers on Broadway 54:53

5M ago54:53

54:53

We're going to Broadway! Today, I am talking with the two South Asian leads in a very beloved Broadway show: Michael Maliakel and Sonya Balsara, who play Aladdin and Jasmine in Disney's Aladdin on Broadway. Michael made his Broadway debut with Aladdin in September 2021. He has had theater experience, including being part of the national tour of the…

1
Short Takes: Where Science Meets Culture 8:28

4M ago8:28

8:28

Meet Raj Prakash, cofounder of Zifo, a science informatics company in India. While growing revenues is on almost every entrepreneur’s mind, Prakash believes building a thriving culture should be too. Hear how creating a great place to work is helping his company achieve great results. Zifo is one of the largest global pure play science informatics …

1
Rohit Bhargava Discusses The Non-Obvious 52:41

5M ago52:41

52:41

In honor of SXSW coming up next week, I wanted to share a previous episode with one of the keynote speakers for the conference! Rohit Bhargava is the Founder and Chief Trend Curator of the Non-Obvious Company and is widely considered one of the most entertaining and original speakers on trends and marketing in the world. Rohit believes the world ne…

1
Kavita Mehra Is Changing Conversations On Gender-Based Violence 48:01

5M ago48:01

48:01

Kavita Mehta is a a non-profit leader with 20 years of service and a deep commitment to fostering cultural change, organizational transformation, and movement building. Kavita is the Executive Director for Sahki for South Asian Women, a survivor-led gender justice organization whose goal is to eradicate gender-based and domestic violence. Sakhi is …

1
Akruti Babaria Is Bringing Indian Kulture To Our Kids 44:30

5M ago44:30

44:30

When I met my next guest for the first time after getting to know her on social media, I felt like I’d known her forever. Akruti Babaria is the founder of Kulture Khazana , a business is dedicated to sharing Indian culture with children through educational and play activities. Her story began in 2018 after the birth of her son, Ayaan. When Akruti r…

1
Short Takes: Pioneering a Holistic Approach to Speech Therapy in Kenya 13:03

5M ago13:03

13:03

Meet Grace Macharia, a speech and language therapist and founder of SLT Support in Nairobi, Kenya. She created a social enterprise with a mission to support not only her patients, but also the profession of speech therapy in Kenya as a whole. “In 2011 there were about five speech therapists in Kenya, and all of them were trained out of the country.…

1
Norma Lize - Trans Activist and Refugee Advocate 51:05

6M ago51:05

51:05

We speak with Norma Lize, a trans activist and refugee advocate from Lebanon who has received awards for her advocacy work. We learn about refugee settlement into Canada and what that journey entails especially for LGBTQ+ individuals who are forced to leave their homes due to threats, violence, and imprisonment. Norma shares her personal story as a…

1
Nisha Pahuja Spotlights Social Issues Through Her Lens 33:57

6M ago33:57

33:57

How is it February already?? While we are working on a few other projects these past few weeks, we're going to share an episode from the end of last year that we also submitted for The Webby Awards this year. Please do go watch "To Kill A Tiger", it's one of the most powerful documentaries I've seen Nisha Pahuja is a writer, an artist, and director…

1
Amol Shah, Go-To-Market at OpenAI 50:00

5M ago50:00

50:00

Send us a Text Message. For our Season 7 Finale, we catch up with Amol Shah from OpenAI, one of the world's leading artificial intelligence companies and the creator of ChatGPT. Amol's career spans roles at tech giants like Facebook and TikTok, and more recently, he served as the Chief Revenue Officer for blockchain startup QuickNode. Before his fo…

1
Nick Rathod Is Bridging Hollywood and DC 51:35

6M ago51:35

51:35

Nick Rathod has been thinking a lot about the power of culture and using it as a platform for change. And he has some experience with that. Over the span of his 20-year career, Nick Rathod has built successful campaigns, businesses, governmental and non-governmental institutions and been a key advisor to the nation's leaders. Nick has served as spe…

1
Nishant Roy, Chief Communications & Impact Officer at Chobani 1:03:00

6M ago1:03:00

1:03:00

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, we meet Nishant Roy, Chief Communications and Impact Officer at Chobani. Chobani is one of the fastest-growing food companies in the world and has been a pioneer in the natural food movement for the last decade. Nishant has an incredibly variegated career to date. He began his career with distinguished servi…

1
Introducing the If/Then podcast from Stanford GSB 33:26

6M ago33:26

33:26

If/Then is a new podcast from the Stanford Graduate School of Business that we think will be of great interest to Grit & Growth listeners. This episode features Stanford GSB Professor Jonathan Levav analyzing the premise, “If we want to generate better ideas, then we need to get people back to the office.” To Zoom or not to Zoom? That is the questi…

1
Dr. Aditi Nerurkar: Resetting for 2024. 53:38

6M ago53:38

53:38

Dr. Aditi Nerurkar is a Harvard physician, stress expert, speaker, national television correspondent, and host of the podcast, Time Out with Eve Rodsky. She is also a lecturer at Harvard Medical School in the Division of Global Health and Social Medicine, and serves as the co-director of the Clinical Clerkship in Community Engagement. She has spoke…

1
Rahat Saini - Proud Bisexual Queen 1:08:23

6M ago1:08:23

1:08:23

Rahat Saini is an actor, storyteller, and comedian. Rahat is an actor in Make Me A Match, Hallmark's very first South Asian story! This movie touches on Indian Matchmaking with a twist. She also starred in the play Unexpecting, a production by Zee Zee Theatre, which celebrates queer love and provides insights into the realities of modern motherhood…

1
Akash Mehta & Niki Mehta, Founders of Fable & Mane 52:00

6M ago52:00

52:00

Send us a Text Message. In this episode, Simi welcomes our first-ever sibling founder duo: Akash and Nikita Mehta, Co-Founders of Fable & Mane. Fable & Mane is an Ayurveda-inspired hair wellness brand. Akash is a British entrepreneur and influencer. He graduated from Imperial College London with a degree in electrical engineering. His professional …

1
Megha Tolia Talks Shondaland 53:46

7M ago53:46

53:46

We're back! It's the new year and we hope everyone had a safe and peaceful holiday....and we also hope you're ready to get Tuckered Out this year! And what a way to start off 2024... Megha Tolia is the President and COO of Shondaland as well as a beacon of ingenuity and leadership. Her professional journey began at Neutrogena and spanned over 20 ye…

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