The INDUStry Show

"A stand-up comedians' mentality of going up there with your material and constantly updating it based on the audience feedback is the core of entrepreneurship." Samson Koletkar is a Jewish Indian stand up comedian. Samson is the founder of Comedy Oakland - a live comedy stand-up experience. He is also the co-founder of Desi Comedy Fest - the largest South Asian Comedy Festival in the United States.

Harvinder Singh "Instead of getting a job, on the insistence of my dad, I started working part-time in the family business to pay my tuition. The business took on a life of its own after that." Harvinder Singh is the President, CEO of Ganesh Machinery - a privately held, broad-range CNC machinery provider. Ganesh machines' install base includes manufacturing businesses, technical schools, and machine shops across the United States. Harvinder is also the founder and CEO of Valley Financial Services, a leading machine finance provider based in Southern California.

"Growth motivates me. I look for people that are authentic, real, have grit, and the willingness to learn." Avetis Antaplyan is the founder, CEO of HireClout - a technology recruiting and staffing solutions company working with startups and Fortune 500 companies. Prior to HireClout, Avetis was the President and COO of The Mitchell Group, and held senior leadership positions at Kaplan Education, LA USD, and RiteAid. Avetis is an alum of Cal State University, Northridge.

"My morning routine, and the energy and smiles of our customers keep me going, day after day". Padmini Aniyan is the co-founder and CEO of Maruthi, Inc. and Mayura Indian Restaurant. Southern California's leading and critically acclaimed authentic Kerala cuisine restaurant, Mayura is frequented by Bollywood and Hollywood celebrities such as A.R. Rahman and Jack Nicholson. Padmini has a PhD in Marketing Strategies from University of Kerala and was a tenured Professor for 23 years before venturing into the restaurant industry.

"I love solving puzzles, helping customers figure out solutions to complex organizational problems. It's all about the why, and the focus." Smita Bagla is the CEO of Aligned Strategies LLC, and Managing Partner at Amritt, Inc. Smita is the co-founder of Women Initiative Network, and a board member of the South Asian Network. She was awarded the South Asian Woman Entrepreneur of the year (2013) by South Asian Business Alliance Network. Smita was the President of the TiE SoCal Chapter (2017-19).

"I am a life-learner. Every new day is a new challenge, new setback, new victory, and that has shaped me as an entrepreneur" Sagar Shah is the founder and CEO of Nature's Guru, a Los Angeles-based global tea brand focused on creating innovative and convenient healthy beverages. Prior to Nature's Guru, Sagar was an investment banker and financial advisor with CK Cooper and Morgan Stanley. Sagar is a Cal State Fullerton graduate and has a Gemological Institute of American (GIA) degree in Gemstones.

"Go out there, do the things that make you uncomfortable. It's all about the journey, and the evolution". Cary Burch is Managing Partner at Bryce Capital and Senior Operating Advisor at LLR Partners. An active investor, advisory board member, and C-level executive, he specializes in leading LegalTech, FinTech, and Enterprise SaaS companies. Cary was the Chief Innovation Officer at Thomson Reuters, and the COO and CEO at Thomson Reuters - Elite.

It was great talking to Sundi Sundaresh as he shared his management philosophy, guiding principles, and what continues to drive him. 'Sundi' Sundaresh is the President & CEO of Cinarra Systems. Prior to Cinarra, Sundi held various senior leadership positions at Adaptec, Jetstream and Hewlett-Packard. He also serves as an executive advisor and sits on the Boards of various startups and non-profit organizations. Sundi is an alum of IITM, Cornell University, and the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania.

Rohitava Banerjee is a young luxury womenswear designer. He made his New York Fashion Week debut in February 2016, showing a 30-piece collection inspired by Greek mythology. His brand seeks to make commentaries on current events by drawing historical parallels to offer perspective. Rohitava has incorporated his passion for storytelling through intricate embroidery and print work into his garments.

Atul Singh is the Founder, CEO, and Editor-in-Chief of the Fair Observer - a US-based, 501 c(3) nonprofit publication with 2,100 worldwide contributors. A true global citizen - Atul has worked as a corporate lawyer in London, led special ops on India's borders, and has taught at UC Berkeley and IIT-Gandhinagar. Atul studied at the University of Oxford and earned his MBA at the Wharton School.