🎙 Human Unicorn Podcast

Episode: Tejpaul Bhatia — The Most Trusted Man in Space

In this episode of Human Unicorn, Nihal Mehta sits down with longtime friend, three-time (now fourth-time) founder, and former CEO of Axiom Space, Tejpaul Bhatia — a man who’s helped take humanity off the planet while staying deeply grounded in community, friendship, and purpose.

Nihal and Tej go way back — New York tech, shared investors, shared runs on the West Side Highway, shared wins, shared heartbreaks. What unfolds is not just a conversation about space, startups, or sales — but a rare, honest look at timing, identity, trust, and what it means to do your life’s work.

Tej opens up about leaving Axiom at a pivotal moment, the Rangers game conversation that changed everything, and the quiet clarity his wife saw before he did. From there, he breaks down how he helped close hundreds of millions of dollars in space contracts, why he considers himself only a B+ salesperson, and how ecosystem management and strategic narrative became his real superpowers.

Along the way, they explore:

• Why founders often fuse their identity with their startups — and why that’s dangerous
• How Tej went from Google to space by being the most trusted person in the room
• The difference between selling a product and mobilizing an entire country
• Why the secret to magic, success, love, and leadership is… practice
• What happens when you stop thinking first — and start feeling first

This is an episode about serendipity without coincidence, about miracles built over decades, and about learning to face yourself when everything changes.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to sell $100M deals, build trust at a planetary scale, or redefine success after you’ve “made it” — this one’s for you.