One year and 27 interviews old, Real Leader Interviews has been a significant part of the three of our lives. The inspiration behind Real Leaders was simple – stories of real people doing great things are a wonderful source of inspiration. While blogging a learning a day is primarily about ideas, these stories put all these ideas into a practical context. They make them real.As a result, I began with interviewing my Mom and very soon realized that this little initiative could be a lot more than just interviews of family and friends. It was a wonderful excuse to meet people who inspired me. And I can barely explain my delight when I was on a Skype call interviewing Joanne, a person I had only known through commenting on her blog.
I was fortunate to then have Dhanya and EB join me in January. And, we have been on this journey together since January this year. We are very proud of what we have created so far. While it has been very difficult at times, we have learnt and re-learnt the power of discipline and the magic of routines. Catching up every weekend and meeting our fortnightly Monday deadline despite the commitments in our separate lives has been challenging, frustrating and great fun, all at once. Most importantly though, the joy of speaking to incredibly inspiring people is one that gives us the energy we need to keep building this initiative.
As a tribute to the year that has gone by and as a milestone for the journey ahead, we have compiled a video of the best of moments from our interviews. Our sincere thanks to all these wonderful leaders who took time off to interview with us. We hope to do our bit to pay it forward.
We don’t rake in tens of thousands of views or clicks with every interview yet. However we’ve been fortunate to hear from many of you over this year. A big thank you for supporting us and encouraging us! It means a lot.
Bijan Sabet
Partner at Spark Capital
It’s hard to under emphasis that the relationship with my kids and my wife is a defining moment. They mean more to me than anything else! They’ve had an endless impact on my life. And you know it’s a juggle to be involved in your family and at work. At the end of the day family means more to me than anything else!
Joanne Wilson
Entreprenuer and Angel Investor
First of all, we always hear that there aren’t enough women in corporate offices at the top level, not enough women CEOs, not enough women in technology, not enough on boards of directors etc. Let’s say I find 100 women entrepreneurs, now we have a 100 women CEOs. So you can change that. Second is that women have childern. They are the only ones who can! There is more of a partnership in the last couple of generations be it picking up groceries or changing diapers but at the end of the day
women speak in terms of we, men speak in terms of I. Women have this innate nurturing quality. If you can be a woman entrepreneur at any level, its empowering for your children, particularly for your daughters to see that you can figure out how to balance your life. And if you run the company, you run your own show! If you need to go home, go to a basketball game, take a 2 week vacation or be home with your kids, no one is telling you “You cant do that because you dont have 2 weeks vacation”.
CEO and Co-founder of MilaapI think risk and safety are over-rated. By that I mean putting your bets on one thing that will happen next is over rated. I think you need to enjoy the moment and live in it. Be it a small hobby project or be it a trip or be it starting a company as well. I don’t think you should sit and wait. I think you should take the plunge.And not think about what will happen if this or that does not work out. Life in the end is about experiences. Each experience makes your life richer and richer. That is so much more important than anything else!Brad Feld
Venture Capitalist at Foundry Group
Try to spend as much time as you can on things you are intensely passionate about! There’s no way you can spend 100% of your time on it. There’s always things to be done, the overhead of life or something else that needs your attention. Work as hard as you canand spend time on things you are incredibly passionate about! Your life is over before you know. If you want to be a leader or an entrepreneur spend a happy life. Be with the people that you want. Sickness, death and unhappiness are all part of life. So spend time on things that you care about!
Daniel Ha
CEO and Co-founder of Disqus
You are never too good for any opportunity. That was very helpful to get my foot in the door for various things. You really need a lot of advice for how to do things. People do put a lot of ideas around how valuable your time is and how you should do something. Never let that cloud your judgement for taking up opportunities! Anything that comes up that could lead you to something new, you should go for it.
Aaron Klein
CEO and Co-founder of Riskalyze
I feel it’s my job as a CEO to make sure that we are always headed in the right direction; that we are not stuck on the wrong trajectory. That’s one of the biggest learnings.Assessing the trajectory you are on in a startup is quite important because running a start up is a bit like taking a leap off a cliff. And they don’t allow parachutes!
Eric Weiner
Author of Geography of Bliss
You say youngsters and I am struck by how many young people from your age are so damn serious about everything! They feel like they are very behind in their lives. How can you be? You are 23! They have to take their tests go to graduate school and what not. If you look at great people like Einstein, they were terrible at school and would appear to be goofing off. My message, if you don’t take things so seriously. If you lose that sense of playfulness – what the Thais call ‘Sanuk’, you have lost everything. The moment work feels like work, you are not going to do anything great. When it feels like play. it doesn’t feel like a burden. So, Chill out and have some fun!
Founder of BlaBlaCarThat money is the by-product of a good product. Make a good product and money will follow. Our focus was on making the best product.Jane Jenkinson
Owner of Hill-Crest, Bed & Breakfast
In so many businesses, not just service industry, people don’t seem to get customer services right. Even you smiling when someone new walks into your place is a small gesture that goes a long way. It makes people welcome wherever you are.
Titima Suthiwan
Associate Professor for Thai Language and Literature
I think people should be sincere to themselves. When they do something they should really like it. It will be better if you know what you want to study, what you want to be or what you want to do for your living. Of course these are not constant wishes – they evolve as you grow up every day. But the earlier you find out what your passion is, the better!
Subhashini Balasubramanian
Artist
I would say that if you are really interested in what you do, you should never worry about what other people say. You should gain the strength to carry on. I know it is hard. If you are really passionate, you should be at it. Minimum of 10 minutes everyday is also good. That will give you the best results. And when you feel the reward in any small way it would make you happy!
C Sivakumar
CEO of Prabha Engineers
You might peak at the age of 35. But are you going to stop then? Or are you going to have another dream. Can you dream at the age of 60 or 70 for a new career? Think that you are going to live for 100 or 120 years. And feel the need for energy. Spend it on your health, on the right people. You need the right connect in your life. Everyday of your life, ask yourself ‘Have I helped three people today?’ If you are able to do this, I hear even from psychiatrists that you will be the most positive person in this world!
K Balasubramanian
Founder of DS Constructions
In my early days I used to fire people whenever they made mistakes. Anybody is bound to make mistakes. We have to be a little patient with them and teach them. We have to make them understand how difficult it is to keep a client. We have to make them understand that unless the company grows you cant grow. As a leader, ensuring this will be your role. Take people along with you and that will give you a rich support system.
Md Shariff Abdullah
Professional Athlete
Keep at what ever you are doing. Don’t ever give up. Never encourage negative thoughts or the people who talk so. If it’s your dream and your wish, you can make it happen. If it does not come now it will come in later. I don’t use the word difficulties; I think it is more like challenges!
Joe Hill
3D Pavement Artist
I would say don’t let the negativity in. There are a lot of people who will tell you that you can’t do things, who would ask you to do that or who would ask you to focus on what is important. What is important to them is probably not necessarily important to you.So you just have to do what you think is right! Don’t let anyone try and put it down on earth.And believe in yourself I guess!
Guitar Teacher and MusicianI think you should never stop learning. Even a master is always a student. He is and should be continuously learning. I think there is always something to learn.
May the force be with us!
Rohan
On behalf of the Real Leaders Team (Dhanya, EB and Yours Truly..)
A Learning a Day 