“Sometimes your greatest journey begins with no plan — just curiosity, courage, and a leap of faith.”

— Andrey Anikin, CEO at Alaris Labs, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

What happens when a linguist…

becomes a schoolteacher…

accidentally lands in technical support…

and ends up building one of the most trusted telecom software companies in the world?

You get a story like no other!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Andrey shares:

⚡ How a random job interview became the spark for a 22-year telecom journey

🚀 The guts it took to leave a stable salary and build Alaris Labs from scratch

🎸 The hidden musician with 10 guitars and a love for creating and performing

🥊 Why he believes amateur boxing is “more chess than aggression”

🏃‍♂️ How running long distances keeps his mind clear, focused, and creative

📚 His lifelong love for reading — from Pushkin and Bulgakov to Ray Bradbury

👨‍👧‍👦 What fatherhood has taught him about leadership, patience, and purpose

❤️ And the one belief that guides his entire philosophy of life and work:

“The greatest things are built on love.”

From Russia to Singapore to Dubai to every telecom conference around the world —

Andrey’s journey is a masterclass in resilience, discipline, humility, and heart!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“I didn’t chase telecom out of passion — I chased it out of necessity... But somehow, telecom became the nicest devil I could have sold my soul to!” ✨

— Polina Gardo, Roaming Wholesale Manager at Rakuten Mobile, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From studying analytical philosophy, logic, and existential risks…

To navigating roaming wholesale at Rakuten Mobile…

To finding grounding through nature, running, and the intimacy of Argentine tango…

Polina’s journey is anything but ordinary!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Polina opens up about:

🧠 How game theory, moral calculus, and long-term risk analysis unexpectedly shaped her telco mindset

🌍 Her global, nomadic life across Latvia, the UK, Vienna, Venice, Cape Town & Georgia

🔥 Why her first telecom event became a crash course in courage, honesty, and wearing the right shoes

💛 The experience of burnout — and the power of a team that gives you space to heal

🎶 Her secret life as a trained musician, logic nerd, and former national-level wakeboarding athlete

💃 And why Argentine tango teaches more about vulnerability, trust, and human connection than any classroom ever could!

Polina’s story is a reminder that telecom isn’t just about roaming agreements or routing tables — it’s about resilience, curiosity, community, and the courage to keep trying, even when life gets overwhelming!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“Learn to be a great teammate! I’ve played on teams where I was the best, and teams where I clearly wasn’t — and I learned a lot from both!” 🌍

— Craig Lennon, Global Partnerships Lead at Google, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From growing up on the Jersey Shore surrounded by the telecom greats…

To shaping the way phone numbers are administered in the U.S.…

To leading Google’s global partnerships in voice and messaging —

Craig’s story is one of grit, gratitude, and grounded leadership!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Craig reflects on:

🚀 How a chance first job at Lucent Technologies launched a lifelong telecom journey

🤝 The human lessons behind managing billion-dollar partnerships at Google

💡 Why taking chances (and even failing) early is key to growth

❤️ The discipline of saying “no” and the art of leading with empathy

🧭 His philosophy of service — as a leader, teammate, and parent

⛳ And why golf, family, and reflection keep him grounded amidst global chaos!

Craig’s journey reminds us that true success isn’t found in power, but in purpose —

in serving others, building teams, and believing in yourself before the world does!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

#HumansOfTelecom #Podcast #Telecom #HumanStories #Google

"I want to live to 150, and make every year to count — full of passion, gratitude, and laughter!” ❤️

— Carla Oliveira, Head of Sales (Wholesale) at Go4Mobility, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From being born in Angola and raised in Portugal…

To finding her calling in telecom — first in retail, then wholesale…

From interning at Portugal Telecom to leading global sales at Go4Mobility…

To becoming one of the top three women leaders in the telco industry —

this is the story of Carla Oliveira, a woman whose energy, authenticity, and zest for life light up every room she walks into!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Carla opens up about:

💫 How telco “found her” and why she fell in love with connecting people

🏆 The role of teamwork and purpose in creating lasting impact

💔 The deeply personal story of losing her mother mid-conference — and honoring her legacy through strength and professionalism

💃 The power of dance, discipline, and daily joy

🏋️‍♀️ Why her 7 a.m. gym routine keeps her grounded and sane

💰 That one time she won €10,000 on a TV contest

❤️ And her life’s mission — to live to 150 with passion, gratitude, and purpose!

Carla’s story reminds us that success is not only about achievement — it’s about authenticity, empathy, and the courage to keep dancing through life’s highs and lows!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“Scale sensibly to sustain — that’s the only way to build a lasting company!” 🚀

— Rajdip Gupta, Founder & Managing Director at Route Mobile Limited, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From bootstrapping Route Mobile in 2004 with just $2,000 and a second-hand PC…

To building a $1.2 billion publicly listed global 'proficorn' (profitable unicorn) that is proudly 'Made in India, Built for the World'…

To leading one of the largest CPaaS exits ever, and now steering the company within Proximus Group, along with Telesign and BICS as the newly formed Proximus Global…

Rajdip’s journey is a rare story of vision, resilience, and people-first leadership!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Rajdip opens up about:

💻 The early days of coding Route Mobile on a 486 second-hand PC

📈 The rollercoaster ride from bootstrapped startup to IPO on Bombay Stock Exchange in 2020

🌍 Scaling globally while staying rooted in values of profitability & sustainability

🏏 His unreal cricket story — from being denied a chance to play for lack of $30 spike shoes, to today owning Route Mobile’s professional cricket team

❤️ His most emotional moment: when office boys and drivers became shareholders and cried seeing life-changing money in their accounts

🌿 And - along with his brother Sandip - diversifying through Sanraj Family Ventures which spans across telecom, hospitality, renewable energy, sports, and even a 350-bed charitable cancer hospital in Mumbai

Rajdip’s story reminds us that success isn’t just about creating enterprises, but about empowering people, creating opportunities, and giving back to society!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

“Even when life strips you of everything familiar, you still carry the power to rise again!” 🌍

— Vimal Odedra, Founder & Director at LiYF Limited, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From being born in Uganda and forced to flee as a child during Idi Amin’s expulsion…

To starting over in England with nothing but resilience and hope…

From building an IT career at British American Tobacco…

To venturing into telecoms with Annecto, launching innovative companies, and now embracing World Mobile Group’s mission to connect the unconnected…

This is the story of Vimal Odedra — a journey of grit, reinvention, and purpose!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Vimal opens up about:

🚢 His family’s steamboat voyage from Uganda to the UK

👬 His brother Vj Odedra - one of the world’s leading breathwork masters — pioneering the use of CO₂ science to help unlock peak performance through the power of breath

📱 The moment a woman begging with two mobile phones made him see telecom as a life-changing force

💡 Why innovation is his constant north star

💃 Launching a fashion label at London Fashion Week and producing his first dance album

🌿 His grounding practices in Reiki, nature, and energy alignment

❤ How his company LIYF supports women’s health — tackling PCOS, endometriosis, menopause, and more

Vimal’s story is proof that technology is at its best when it serves humanity.

It’s about balancing ambition with empathy, finding harmony in chaos, and choosing courage — every single time!

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices shaping the industry and inspiring the human spirit!

"My wow moment hasn’t happened yet — and that’s what keeps me moving!" 🌟

— Mila Budylo, Chief Commercial Officer at BSG, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From lecturing in linguistics to leading one of the industry’s most prominent A2P hubs…

From juggling three jobs in Ukraine just to make ends meet…

To stepping — almost by accident — into telecom, and never looking back…

This is the story of Mila Budylo: fearless, vibrant, and impossible to miss (just look for the brightest hair in the room 💜💗💙)!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Mila opens up about:

🌍 Growing up and working in Western Ukraine during wartime, and the resilience it takes to keep building

📡 Navigating 19 years in telecom — from branded content to SMS, alternative messaging, AI voice & beyond

💡 Why her most “wow” career moment is still to come

🐕 Finding calm in mountain walks with her three quirky Chinese-crested dogs

🎬 Her second life as a movie blogger with 80k followers

🎉 And why she embraces color, rebellion, and a little irreverence in everything she does

Mila’s journey is a reminder that telecom isn’t just about connections between devices — it’s about courage, joy, humor, and the human drive to keep showing up.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices that shape the industry and inspire the human spirit!

"Curiosity, courage and listening — that's what being human is to me!" 🌟

— Eva Gildum, Managing Director at Yaana Solutions, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From a chance internship at Telia during Denmark’s GSM revolution…

To learning the ropes in data & financial clearing at Dan Net…

From employee #1 at NeuString (building analytics where none existed)…

To today leading Yaana Solutions — supporting 130+ mobile operators worldwide.

This is the story of Eva Gildum — a people-first leader who turned questions into products, and products into impact.

In this candid episode of Humans of Telecom, Eva explains how she:

🔎 Challenged the status quo by putting autonomy and real decision-making back in the hands of telecom professionals

📊 Built analytics that translate complex roaming data into actionable value (and proved customers would pay for it)

💡 Gained her masterclass in customer experience from none other than Disney!

Plus — the human side you’ll love:

🏃‍♀️ A “meditative runner” who clears her head on the road

🎷 A saxophone player who learned to perform for hundreds (and survived the stage nerves)

🧩 Quiet moments: puzzles, knitting and the introvert who also lights up the after-party

Eva’s story is a reminder that innovation is equal parts tech and trust — and that curiosity + courage + listening make the best product teams.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices that shape the industry and inspire the human spirit!

"You can sell a company — but you can’t sell the heart you’ve poured into it!" ❤️

— Andreas Felke, Board Advisor at IDM and AnyMessage, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal.

From a chance encounter with mobile messaging in a Coca‑Cola sweepstake… to building IDM into one of Europe’s largest telecom aggregators!

From selling it to a global player… to the rare moment of buying it back years later!

This is the story of Andreas Felke — a journey of vision, grit, and coming full circle!

In this episode of Humans of Telecom, Andreas shares how a non‑tech founder built a global telecom business from scratch, navigated the highs of acquisition, endured the lows of watching his vision fade, and seized the once‑in‑a‑lifetime chance to take back what he started!

Beyond work, Andreas opens up about his unconventional adventures and passions:

⚾ Surviving a near‑fatal baseball accident during his university days

🌊 Kite‑surfing as his ultimate escape and source of energy

🤝 Building businesses where respect outweighs titles every single time

Andreas’s story is a reminder that business is never just business — it’s deeply human. It’s about protecting what you’ve built, staying true to your values, and finding the courage to return to where it all began.

🎧 Listen now on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices that shape the industry and inspire the human spirit.

"Life is not a race. There is always time to grow, and always a chance to start again." 💫

— Simona Maga, Head of Sales and Operations at Sparkle, in conversation with Anurag Aggarwal

From a small Italian town near the French border…

To Brazil, Switzerland, the U.S., and back to Rome...

From dreams of being a painter…

To leading global telecom strategy at one of the most respected names in the business…

This is the story of Simona Maga — and it's anything but ordinary.

In this deeply personal episode of Humans of Telecom, Simona opens up about her journey across continents, cultures, and career pivots. 𝗦𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗮 “𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘇𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱,” 𝘄𝗵𝘆 𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘆𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗺𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗿𝗼𝗼𝗺 — 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗶𝗰𝗲. 💪❤

🎨 From brushstrokes to business strategy

🏋‍♀ From the gym to the global stage

🌍 From Rome with curiosity and courage

Simona’s story is a beautiful blend of strength, creativity, and self-kindness — a reminder that being human means being strong yet soft, driven yet gentle, and above all, true to yourself.

🎧 Tune in to this unforgettable episode on your favorite podcast platform, and follow Humans of Telecom for more extraordinary voices that move the industry forward and remind us what it means to be human!