Mitali Saxena went from being an engineer in a male-dominated industry to launching two fashion-tech companies rooted in something the industry rarely talks about: real women and real bodies. No filters. No fluff. Just smart tech, thoughtful design, and a deep “why” centered on empowerment.

In this episode, we talk about what it actually takes to leave the safe path, build from scratch, and stay soft while doing hard things. Mitali shares the unfiltered truth about fundraising as a woman in tech, what she got wrong about her first customers, and why operations (not aesthetics) almost broke her.

We discuss burnout, mindfulness, and what it means to lead with empathy, especially when the world rewards hustle over healing.

This isn’t just a founder story. It’s a reminder that your difference is your power, and you don’t need anyone’s permission to start where you are.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, we sit down with Katherine, founder of Francis Henry—a curated children’s clothing retailer bringing international baby and toddler brands to the U.S. market through both brick-and-mortar stores and online retail.

Katherine shares her unconventional journey from aspiring wedding planner to PR professional at Neiman Marcus, and ultimately to becoming a multi-store founder and entrepreneur. We dive deep into how she navigated career pivots, built a business during the pandemic, and balanced entrepreneurship with raising three young children.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Shahezad — founder of Cousins Burger — who spent over two decades in IT before walking away from a stable, predictable career to build something completely different.

What started as a last-minute decision to show up at a food festival turned into a fast-growing restaurant brand doing millions in revenue.

But this conversation isn’t just about business.

It’s about unlearning the beliefs you grew up with.

Choosing uncertainty over comfort.

And building something that feels true to you — even when you’re not sure it will work.

We talk about fear, risk, identity, scaling a brand, and how success evolves over time.

Shahezad shares the real side of entrepreneurship — the parts that aren’t always visible, but matter the most.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re ready to start…

This episode might change how you think about it.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Melissa — founder of a K-beauty brand designed specifically for melanin-rich skin — to talk about identity, representation, and what it really takes to build something that challenges an entire industry.

This conversation goes deep into:

• Why K-beauty hasn’t historically worked for darker skin tones.
• The science behind melanin-rich skin and why most products miss the mark

• What it takes to build a brand in a saturated industry.
• The reality of fundraising as a female founder.
• Moving to Korea and working directly with labs and the government
• Balancing entrepreneurship and motherhood.

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New conversations with founders, creators, and unconventional thinkers.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Priya Ravindra shares how a simple question turned into a mission-driven company. Priya didn’t start in sustainability. She was an engineer, working in tech, navigating spaces where she was often the only woman in the room. But during the pandemic, something didn’t sit right. As consumption increased, she found herself asking: Where does all this go? That question led her down a path into textile waste, ethical production, and eventually into building Punar — a sustainable brand focused on recycled materials and conscious consumption. But this conversation goes far beyond business

We talk about:

• Building a company without a traditional background

• Why curiosity is one of the most underrated founder traits • Learning an entirely new industry from scratch

• The reality of entrepreneurship — failures, delays, and self-doubt

• Why speaking about your work is essential (especially for women)

• How self-belief is built when things aren’t working.

This is a conversation about trusting yourself before you have proof.

Subscribe to the Be Anomalous https://www.beanomalous.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beanomalouspodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-anomalous/New conversations with founders, creators, and unconventional thinkers.—

Subscribe to the YouTube Channelhttps://www.youtube.com/@iamsaimenonNew episodes every Monday and Thursday. —

Follow Sai:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsaimenon/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamsaimenon/Thoughtful insights on entrepreneurship, identity, and building a life outside the lines.—About Be Anomalous: Be Anomalous is a podcast for trailblazers, creators, and founders who chose the unconventional path. Hosted by Sai Menon, the show explores the real stories behind people building meaningful work outside the lines. Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode, we discuss:

• How Natalie built a career across multiple industries

• The real value of an MBA

• Starting a consulting business from your network
• Time management when you work for yourself
• Why quitting the wrong things can unlock growth

• How founders can turn strategy into action

• Reframing failure as learning.

Subscribe to the Be Anomalous

https://www.beanomalous.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beanomalouspodcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-anomalous/

New conversations with founders, creators, and unconventional thinkers.—

Subscribe to the YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/@iamsaimenon

New episodes every Monday and Thursday.

Follow Sai:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsaimenon/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamsaimenon/

Thoughtful insights on entrepreneurship, identity, and building a life outside the lines.—

About Be Anomalous:

Be Anomalous is a podcast for trailblazers, creators, and founders who chose the unconventional path. Hosted by Sai Menon, the show explores the real stories behind people building meaningful work outside the lines.

Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Sai Menon sits down with a founder whose path is anything but conventional.

She began her career as one of the youngest U.S. diplomats, representing the United States overseas in her early twenties. But the company she’s building today didn’t come from politics or policy; it came from navigating the healthcare system while trying to help a family member get the care they needed.

What followed was a journey through empathy, leadership, technology, and entrepreneurship.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Becoming one of the youngest U.S. diplomats

• Leadership at a young age
• Navigating identity and representation abroad
• Building a startup from lived experience
• What founders should understand about AI today
• Why empathy can be a founder’s greatest advantage

This episode is a powerful reminder that some of the most meaningful companies start not with a business plan but with a personal problem

Subscribe to the Be Anomalous

https://www.beanomalous.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beanomalouspodcast/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-anomalous/

New conversations with founders, creators, and unconventional thinkers.

What does it take to walk away from corporate and build something aligned with who you truly are?In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Deepa Mani — former IT consultant turned founder — to talk about leaving stability, building a cultural dance institution, and launching a beauty brand that centers people of color instead of treating them as an afterthought.We talk:• Founder loneliness & imposter syndrome• Bootstrapping from scratch• Protecting your energy• Marketing yourself with confidence• Building in seasonsIf you’re navigating a pivot or building something unconventional — this one will resonate.Follow for weekly conversations with founders and creatives building outside the lines.Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Mayssa Chehata — founder and CEO of Behave Candy — shares what it really looked like to rebuild her life while building a company from scratch.In the span of a single year, Mayssa got married, divorced, checked a parent into rehab, and continued growing her business — all while navigating the emotional and financial realities of entrepreneurship.This conversation goes beyond startup strategy. We talk about:- Growing up between cultures and learning adaptability as survival- Leaving a high-paying job to step into uncertainty- The nervous system side of entrepreneurship no one prepares you for - Why women deserve to want money, power, and influence — without shame- Trusting intuition when logic alone isn’t enoughThis episode is for anyone building something — a company, a new chapter, or a version of themselves that feels more honest and aligned.If you’ve ever felt like life and work were happening all at once, this conversation will meet you where you are.Subscribe to  @iamsaimenon  for more honest conversations with founders, creatives, and cultural disruptors building outside the lines.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Jessica Williams joins me for an insightful conversation about how culture, community, and psychology shape the brands we trust. Jessica is a senior brand and marketing leader who has spent her career inside some of the most influential companies shaping modern commerce. She currently leads Brand Marketing at Shopify, where her work sits at the intersection of creators, founders, and community-driven entrepreneurship—helping millions of entrepreneurs around the world build and grow sustainable businesses. Before Shopify, Jessica held leadership roles at Coinbase, where she helped build and lead the company’s first brand team following its public listing, and at Visa, where she worked across product, partnership, and brand marketing on global initiatives tied to the Olympics, FIFA, and the NFL. But Jessica’s perspective doesn’t come only from the rooms she’s been in . She grew up in a home where her mother ran a psychology practice out of their living room—surrounded by athletes, high performers, and people navigating mental health challenges. That early exposure shaped how she understands behavior, ambition, and decision-making—and why she believes marketing isn’t just a business function, but behavioral psychology in action. In this conversation, we talk about what it really means to build influence without being the loudest voice in the room. About why “playing it safe” is often the most dangerous strategy. About how creator-led brands succeed—or fail—based on authenticity and community. And about how ambition evolves as life, leadership, and responsibility grow. This episode is for founders building from scratch and for corporate leaders navigating power, culture, and change from inside the system.

If you’re building a brand, a career, or a life that doesn’t fit neatly into a box, this episode is for you.