In this episode of Be Anomalous, Aparna Piramal Raje joins me for a rare, deeply honest conversation about ambition, mental health, and what happens when success — as we’re taught to chase it — stops working.

Aparna grew up in Mumbai, studied at Oxford and Harvard, and became a CEO in her twenties. From the outside, it looked like she had followed the “right” path.

But inside, the cost was mounting.

Living with bipolar disorder for over two decades, Aparna shares what it really takes to navigate mental health while carrying ambition, expectations, and leadership roles — and how she learned to move from chasing the outer scorecard of validation, titles, and approval to trusting an inner scorecard rooted in meaning, craftsmanship, and sustainability.

In this conversation, we talk about:

• Mental health as a medical condition — not a personality flaw

• The pressure to appear “normal” while struggling internally

• Why achievement alone doesn’t guarantee fulfillment

• Leadership is a set of everyday habits, not heroic moments

• The role of support systems — beyond crisis moments

• Redefining success in a way that protects your well-being

We also discuss Aparna’s books Chemical Khichdi and Working Out of the Box, and how writing became a way for her to make sense of her life — and offer others a path forward.

If you’ve ever felt like you were doing everything “right” and still felt deeply misaligned — this episode is for you.

When we recorded this conversation, Kaylee Lieffers was pregnant.Today, she’s a new mom — and the conversation feels even more relevant.Kaylee is the co-founder of Blanka, a beauty-tech platform that has helped 20,000+ entrepreneurs launch their own beauty and wellness brands by removing traditional barriers like high minimum order quantities, inventory risk, and complex logistics.In just a few years, Blanka became one of the top-performing apps in the Shopify App Store, raised an oversubscribed seed round, and built real infrastructure for founders who didn’t have access before.In this episode, we talk about: • What it actually means to scale a business • How leadership changes when thousands of people depend on your decisions • Why most founders misunderstand scale • And how to keep clarity when your personal life and professional life are evolving at the same timeThis is a conversation for founders, operators, and anyone building something meaningful — especially if life doesn’t pause while the business grows.If you’re new here, I’m Sai Menon, and I started Be Anomalous to have honest conversations with people who are building in real time, without the noise or performance.If this episode adds value to your life, please subscribe.I take that commitment seriously — and I promise not to waste your time.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Farah Meghji joins me for a grounded, honest conversation about identity, reinvention, and what it really means to navigate healthcare when the system isn’t designed to guide you.

Farah grew up as the only South Asian kid in a small town outside Toronto—raised by immigrant parents who believed in education, sacrifice, and blending in to stay safe. But her life and work eventually pulled her in the opposite direction: toward visibility, voice, and building something that challenges the way healthcare has always been done.

We discuss the tension that many of us carry—wanting to fit in as kids, then spending our adulthood unlearning that survival strategy. Farah shares how her worldview shifted as she moved through school, work, motherhood, and caregiving—until she realized the “rules” of healthcare aren’t neutral. They reward confidence, access, and self-advocacy. And most people aren’t taught how to do any of that.

That’s what led her to co-found Unum—a company built on a simple but radical idea: lived experience is expertise. Not as a nice-to-have. As something that should shape decisions, policies, and solutions.

We also get into the role AI is already playing in healthcare—how it can help patients translate complex information, prepare for appointments, and advocate more effectively—without replacing the human heart of care.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed inside a system that expects you to “just know,” this episode will make you feel seen—and better equipped.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Cici Stefanova shares her journey from growing up in Scotland to building a brand that landed in Sephora — and how the very insecurities she once tried to hide became her greatest strength.We talk about identity, feeling different, learning in public, and the quiet confidence that comes from building anyway — even when you don’t feel ready.This isn’t a highlight reel.It’s a conversation about turning self-doubt into clarity, curiosity into momentum, and difference into power.If you’ve ever felt like you didn’t quite fit — and wondered if that disqualified you — this episode will challenge that belief.What You’ll Learn • How Cici’s upbringing shaped her perspective and resilience • Why insecurity can sharpen intuition instead of weakening it • What it really takes to go from idea to Sephora • How to build confidence after you start, not before • Why being different is often an advantage🎧 New episodes every Monday and Thursday.Subscribe for honest conversations with founders, creatives, and cultural disruptors building outside the lines.Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Charlotte Trecartin— founder and CEO of CharCharms — joins me to share the real story of how she built one of the fastest-growing accessory brands in the country without funding, connections, or a roadmap.

Charlotte didn’t wait for permission. At 20 years old, during the height of the pandemic, she followed a tiny spark — a simple frustration with a hair tie and a water bottle — and turned it into an eight-figure brand now sold in Target, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Urban Outfitters, and more.

We talk about what most people don’t see: the two years she hand-made every product by herself, the discipline behind posting cringe-worthy TikToks until something hit, the emotional cost of building publicly, and the mindset it takes to act before you have certainty.

Charlotte breaks down the reality of scaling fast, being first to market in a category that didn’t exist yet, navigating early retail deals, managing money while bootstrapping, and learning how to lead a team while still becoming the person her company needs.

If you’ve ever had an idea you couldn’t shake — or felt underestimated because of your age, background, or lack of credentials — this episode will give you the push you’ve been waiting for.

This is a masterclass in audacity, momentum, and trusting yourself in the moments that matter.

Why I Started Be Anomalous — and 10 Lessons That Changed My Year

In this raw and reflective solo episode, I take you behind the creation of Be Anomalous — why it exists, who it’s for, and how it became a home for people building their lives outside the lines.

I share the real story behind living in the in-between: between cultures, between expectations, between who I was told to be and who I actually am. And how that experience led me to create a space for others who also feel different, ambitious, and deeply human.

I also break down the purpose behind each part of the Be Anomalous ecosystem — Off Script, Under the Hood, Skin Deep, and The Debrief — and how each one is designed to support you as you grow in your identity, your work, and your sense of self.

And since we’re heading into a new year, I’m sharing 10 lessons I learned from guests, books, and my own life that genuinely helped me evolve. They may sound simple, but they work — and they might be exactly what you need to hear right now.

If you’ve ever felt like you don’t fit a mold… if you’ve felt misunderstood, underestimated, or like your path doesn’t look like anyone else’s… this episode is for you.

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, Angela Ubias, beauty industry veteran and co-founder of Common Heir, joins me to talk about building with conviction, navigating identity in an industry built on perfection, and redefining what leadership looks like when you lead with values over validation.

Angela has spent over a decade behind the scenes helping shape some of the most influential beauty brands — including Native — before launching Common Heir in 2020, a clean, sustainable skincare brand that went on to be acquired by Flamingo Estate. Now, she’s the founder of Halo Haus, an agency helping purpose-driven founders build brands that actually mean something.

In this conversation, we explore what it means to stay grounded while growing fast — the realities of fundraising as a woman of color and queer founder, the lessons she learned from selling her company, and the power of leading with kindness in an industry obsessed with perfection.

If you’ve ever felt like the outsider in the room — and still chose to show up anyway — this episode is for you.

At nineteen, Troy Alexander’s life took a sharp turn: a fight landed him in prison. Two years later, he walked out changed — disciplined, faithful, and determined to rebuild from the inside out.

In this raw and revealing conversation, Troy shares how prison became the greatest pause of his life, how he learned to face himself through the mirror technique, and why he still wakes up at 4:30 a.m. to sit in the dark, pray, and write his goals as if they’ve already happened.

We talk about masculinity, vulnerability, purpose, and the mindset that turned pain into power — and how that journey led to the creation of T3603, a brand redefining what it means for men to care for themselves and lead with integrity.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re starting over, this episode reminds you that rock bottom can be the foundation for greatness.

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

Nicole Harvey didn’t wait for the perfect moment to start. While working full-time in tech and traveling nonstop, she built EmpowHer — a global community where women connect through honest conversations about money, health, leadership, and purpose.

In this episode, we talk about what it really takes to build something meaningful while balancing a career, why she’s chosen to stay self-funded, and how she’s redefining success on her own terms.

If you’ve ever wondered how to grow your dream without giving up your stability — or how to keep showing up for yourself when life is full — this episode is for you.