I was born in Fremont, California to Indian immigrants. Due to a complex childhood in an Asian American “tiger mom” community, I developed a character that is honest, action-oriented and ambitious. I followed that into three passions:
Business. As co-founder of Udemy, I helped build the largest platform for online courses. As CEO of Sprig, I tried to spark a food delivery revolution but failed. So I have the distinct pleasure of being both the founder of a unicorn and the founder of a massive failure :) I’ve also started many other non-profits and cash businesses along the way.
Writing. I was once fired from my job as Opinion Editor at my high school newspaper for being too controversial (hopefully I’ve learned some tact since then). I wrote for TechCrunch covering mobile as the iPhone was just starting out. Now, I write here and on my newsletter.
Marketing. Storytelling captivates me. I was part of the marketing movement known as “growth hacking.” When Lyft was still in beta, I asked the founders if I could help. I ended up as interim head of growth, helped launch their first outside market and consequently the ride-sharing industry.
I expect my writing will follow a few core principles:
Honest. I grew up in a household where you spoke what was on your mind, often with an exaggerated tone and extreme language (Indian and Jewish people can probably relate). You will get an unvarnished perspective that is sometimes jarring, but hopefully refreshing.
Global. A son of immigrants, I’ve aspired to become a global citizen. I have traveled to over 60 countries and spent nearly 3 years on sabbatical living in different cities around the world. Along the way, I’ve dined on rodents with indigenous people in the Amazon rainforest, celebrated Christmas with Colombian families in Medellin, enjoyed the orgasmic explosion of Shanghai soup dumplings, and danced until sunrise in Beirut.
Evolving. I don’t believe everything I write; I write to work through ideas and will gladly change them with new perspectives or data. My opinions change constantly, and I often try to hold two opposing viewpoints at the same time.