The Quest for Success

In 1996, Kelly Veit applied to be a dispatcher at Veit and was told she didn't get the job. A week later they called back, and today she is the CEO of the nearly 100-year-old company. We loved this conversation about grit, care for people, and what it really takes to lead a family business into its next century.

Kelly is the CEO of Veit, a specialty contracting and waste management company founded in Minnesota in 1928, and its first female CEO. Her path was anything but a straight line: a lawn mowing business at 14, a horse ranch, Prince's Paisley Park Studios, bartending through college, and 15 years with German bioplastics company FKuR, where she became president of its US operations. She opens up about losing her father and her sister, the toughest calls she has made as a leader, why she refuses to let Veit act its age, and how she is using AI in her own work today.

In this episode, we cover:

- Why Kelly defines success as leaving something better than she found it
- Starting at Veit as a dispatcher after first being turned down
- Working at Prince's Paisley Park Studios and putting herself in spaces she wasn't "qualified" for
- Becoming the first female CEO in a male-dominated industry, and wanting to be known for more than that
- Balancing legacy and innovation in a family business in its 98th year
- Building a culture of care, and why the strategy is to never be the biggest but always be the best
- Lessons from the Harvard OPM program
- How AI is changing construction, and why she thinks it could reach executive roles before blue collar work
- Parting with people, hiring for values, and why going without beats the wrong hire
- Grief, family, and the advice she would give her 20-year-old self

Connect with Kelly Veit:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelly-veit-b37398214
Veit: https://veitusa.com/

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Kelly Veit and Veit
02:20 Defining Success: Leaving Things Better Than You Found Them
03:21 Kelly's Early Days and Diverse Experiences
06:46 From Bioplastics to Construction: Sales and Grit
08:01 Kelly's Biggest Influences and Mentors
10:06 Stepping Into Leadership and Breaking Barriers
12:17 Culture and Employee Loyalty
15:36 The History and Growth of Veit
17:14 Balancing Legacy and Innovation in a Family Business
21:04 Leading in a Male-Dominated Industry
24:26 Building a Culture of Care and Responsibility
26:00 What Is Behind the Growth
28:11 Lessons From Harvard and the OPM Program
30:26 AI and Technology in Construction
43:28 Fears and Opportunities of AI in Business
44:53 What Keeps Kelly Awake at Night
49:27 Personal Sacrifices and Family Priorities
54:09 Advice to Her 20-Year-Old Self
56:50 Kelly's Legacy and Future Goals
01:00:47 Traits of a Successful Leader
01:01:44 Closing Remarks

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Website: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com

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What happens when a seventh generation spice trader, who once formulated pesticides for Australian fruit farmers, goes back to the family business and decides to get his hands in the soil? We sat down with Parneet Swani, Jam's classmate from Harvard Business School, and it's one of the warmest and most practical conversations we've had about family business, legacy and doing the right thing when it's hard.

Parneet's family has been in the spice trade in Mumbai since the 1860s, and today he's a Director at Swani Spice alongside his brother Harjiv. After an MBA at UTS in Sydney and a few years working in Australia, he followed a gut feeling back to India, opened an office in Rajasthan before he turned 30, and spent the next 20 years building a sustainable farming program from scratch. He shares how Swani became the first company in India certified by the Rainforest Alliance for sustainable spices, how a QR code on the pack can show you every farmer behind your jar, and why, when COVID hit at harvest time, they bought every kilo farmers brought in and paid them on the spot. He also opens up about earning respect in a family business, giving his team real authority, and the "green footprint" he hopes to leave behind.

In this episode, we cover:
- Why Parneet measures success by impact, and by his team going from bicycles to motorcycles to cars
- Going from formulating pesticides in Australia to leading an organic farming program in India
- The gut feeling that took him to Rajasthan, and opening an office six months ahead of schedule
- Lessons from his dad and granddad, including "don't grow too fast"
- Why a family business is a platform, not something you have to give up your own ambitions for
- Vintage values, tomorrow's technology, global presence: balancing legacy and innovation
- Passing a Rainforest Alliance audit years before customers even had guidelines for it
- Traceability with the GPS and names of every farmer in a batch
- Changing generations of farming practice as "an evolution, not a revolution"
- Buying every kilo during COVID, and honouring more than 700 farmers who've been with them for over 10 years

Connect with Parneet:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/parneet-swani-6a225875
Swani Spice: https://swanispice.com
Swani Spice on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/swani-spice

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and guest background
01:24 What success means to Parneet
02:22 Measuring success through impact and growth
03:41 Early days and upbringing in the spice industry
08:36 Deciding to go back to the family farm
12:33 Lessons learnt from family elders
17:22 Balancing legacy and innovation
22:44 Innovation and sustainability in spice processing
27:47 Gaining respect and trust in a family business
31:53 Creating space for the team to excel
39:24 Traceability and transparency in the supply chain
43:03 Engaging farmers and changing farming practices
48:27 Decisions during COVID for farmers and the business
52:20 Harvard and continuous learning
54:06 Future opportunities in the spice industry
55:17 The next generation and family succession
56:06 Lessons for the next generation
57:25 Reflections on success and legacy
58:43 Final thoughts and closing

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Website: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com

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What does it take to go from a small village in eastern Kazakhstan, speaking only Kazakh, to building one of the country's largest non-bank lenders? We sat down with our dear friend Dulat Tastekey, Jam's classmate at Harvard, and we loved every minute of it. It's honest, funny and full of lessons you can take straight into your own life and work.

Dulat grew up loving maths and dreaming of running a bank one day. He finally landed a job at the bank he'd always wanted to work for, took a lower salary to get there, and drove a taxi after hours to make ends meet, only to leave within a couple of months because the culture wasn't what he'd hoped for. With 50,000 US dollars in savings, he bought an unprofitable pawn shop branch in Almaty, and 16 years later TAS Credit has more than 600 employees and branches right across Kazakhstan. Dulat opens up about scaling, the culture lessons that came with growth, and why speed, not money, is what his business really sells. He also shares his work on the Almaty City Council, his Assyltas Foundation, and the values he's trying to pass on to his four children.

In this episode, we cover:
- Why Dulat defines success across every area of life, not just business
- Learning English as his third language, and the cost of going back to Harvard, Stanford and Oxford
- Moving from his village to Almaty and changing schools four times, and how it taught him to adapt
- Taking a pay cut for his dream bank job, then walking away to build his own
- Starting with 50,000 US dollars and an unprofitable pawn shop branch he still runs today
- Why culture keeps breaking at 50, 100 and 500 people, and the five values that hold his team together
- The one minute late rule: miss the 9am meeting and learn a poem by Abai by heart
- Getting money to clients in 30 minutes, and why 40% of new clients come through recommendations
- Kazakhstan's opportunities, its Soviet legacy, and living "between the dragon and the bear"
- Giving back through his foundation, and why "your starting point doesn't decide your finish"

Connect with Dulat:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dulat-tastekey-3a832354
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dulat_tastekey/
TAS Group: https://tasgroup.kz/en/
Assyltas Foundation: https://assyltas.kz/

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Dulat's background
02:14 What success means to Dulat
05:27 Learning English and personal growth
06:46 Early life and childhood in Kazakhstan
11:12 From student to entrepreneur
18:31 Milestones in scaling the business
23:55 Building organisational culture
32:16 Digital transformation and innovation
38:05 Kazakhstan's business landscape and opportunities
44:50 Challenges and limitations in Kazakhstan
53:15 Philanthropy and giving back
1:00:45 Values and lessons for the next generation
1:08:05 Reflections on learning and future plans
1:09:14 Success and ongoing growth

#Kazakhstan #Loans #TASCredit

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“I got bullied every single day. But I made a decision that it wasn’t going to define me. It was going to fuel me.”

Jeff Horn’s journey from a quiet kid who copped relentless bullying in school to becoming the WBO welterweight champion of the world is one of the most remarkable underdog stories in Australian sport. But the full picture of what it took to get there, and what came after, is something most people never hear.

In this episode of The Quest for Success, Jeff sits down with us to share the raw, unfiltered version. Growing up without confidence, finding boxing as an outlet, the gruelling years of training with no guarantee of anything, and then the moment everything changed: the night he defeated Manny Pacquiao in front of 51,000 people at Suncorp Stadium. A result almost nobody outside his camp believed was possible.

But Jeff’s story doesn’t end with a belt around his waist. He opens up about the pressure of being champion, the toll that losses took on him mentally, and the difficult transition out of professional sport. And he talks about what drives him now: Bullyproof Australia, his organisation dedicated to helping young people stand up to bullying through resilience, confidence, and self-belief.

This is a conversation about what it really means to fight, in the ring and in life.

What we cover:

• How childhood bullying became the catalyst for Jeff’s boxing career
• The role his parents played in building his resilience and self-belief
• The years of sacrifice and discipline behind his rise through the ranks
• What really happened in the Manny Pacquiao fight, and how he prepared for it
• Managing expectations and pressure as world champion
• The mental toughness required to come back from devastating losses
• Why the transition out of professional boxing was harder than any fight
• Building Bullyproof Australia and turning pain into purpose
• Goal setting frameworks and how Jeff approaches challenges today
• His advice for young people facing adversity

“You don’t have to be the most talented. You just have to be the one who refuses to quit.”

“The hardest fight I ever had wasn’t against Pacquiao. It was figuring out who I was after boxing.”

Connect with Jeff Horn:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jeffhornboxer/
Bullyproof Australia: https://bullyproofaustralia.org.au/

Chapters:
0:00 Introduction and Welcome
0:46 Early Life and Growing Up
2:35 Experiences with Bullying
5:19 The Impact of Parents and Family Support
8:03 Finding Boxing and Early Career
11:42 Turning Professional and Key Fights
15:28 The Manny Pacquiao Fight and Rise to World Champion
20:14 Life as World Champion and Managing Expectations
24:50 Mental Toughness and Handling Pressure
28:36 Overcoming Setbacks and Losses in Boxing
32:12 Transition from Professional Boxing
35:47 Starting Bullyproof Australia
39:30 Mission and Vision Behind Bullyproof
43:15 Goal Setting, Resilience, and Self Belief
47:00 Community, Mentorship, and Giving Back
50:45 Advice for Young People Facing Adversity
54:20 Reflections on Success and Legacy
57:21 Closing Thoughts and Where to Follow Jeff


#JeffHorn #Boxing #WorldChampion #MentalToughness #Resilience #BullyproofAustralia #Bullying #AntiBullying #Pacquiao #WBO #AustralianBoxing #SuccessMindset #GoalSetting #SelfBelief #MindsetMatters #Podcast #TheQuestForSuccess #Inspiration #Motivation  #Underdog #Champion #FightBack #BoxingLife 

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"Success is shown through the people you surround yourself with."

In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Hugo Inglis, a four-time New Zealand Olympic hockey player and founder of High Impact Athletes, for an honest conversation on what success actually looks like when you strip away the medals and the scoreboard.

Hugo shares his early childhood and the sports experiences that shaped him, the cultural bonds and rituals that make New Zealand's sporting environment so distinctive, and why he believes small groups with the right culture can produce genuine breakthroughs. He reflects on competing across four Olympic Games, the goals and motivation that kept him going, and what he learnt from setbacks, injuries and the moments that didn't go to plan.

The conversation moves beyond sport into Hugo's transition from elite athlete to impact-driven entrepreneur. He opens up about founding High Impact Athletes, an organisation that channels the influence and platform of athletes into global causes including climate action. He shares what he's learnt about building trust, storytelling and impact-driven teams, and why he believes the role of athletes in driving societal change is only just beginning.

Hugo also offers practical advice for young athletes navigating their careers and thinking about life after sport, and reflects on the relationships, not the results, that he wants to define his legacy.

This episode is a powerful reminder that the most meaningful form of success is rarely something you achieve alone.

What we cover:
Hugo's definition of success and why relationships matter most
Early childhood and the sports experiences that shaped him
Building high-performance teams and the role of culture
Goals and motivation in elite sport
New Zealand's sporting culture and why it punches above its weight
Cultural bonds and rituals that bind New Zealand teams
Hugo's Olympic debut and career highlights across four Games
Reflections on setbacks, injuries and Olympic disappointments
Memorable moments and lessons from the Olympic experience
The impact of culture and teamwork in elite sport
Transition from athlete to impact-driven entrepreneur
The mission and work of High Impact Athletes
Building impact teams and future vision
Advice for young athletes and life after sport
Hugo's vision for his legacy and what success means to him

"Success is shown through the people you surround yourself with." Hugo Inglis
"In small groups, you can build a culture that leads to breakthroughs." Hugo Inglis
"Focus on relationships, trust, and impact for a meaningful life." Hugo Inglis

Connect with Hugo Inglis:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hugo-inglis/
High Impact Athletes: https://www.highimpactathletes.org/

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Hugo's background
02:10 What success means to Hugo
04:18 Early childhood and sports influences
06:19 Building high performance teams and culture
08:37 Goals and motivation in sports
10:07 NZ's sports success and secret sauce
11:21 Cultural bonds and rituals in New Zealand
12:38 Olympic debut and career highlights
15:03 Reflections on Olympic experiences and setbacks
17:57 Memorable moments and lessons from Olympics
20:24 Handling injuries and setbacks
22:44 The impact of culture and teamwork in sports
24:44 Transition from sport to impact entrepreneurship
37:30 High Impact Athletes' mission and projects
43:42 Building impact teams and future vision
54:03 Advice for young athletes and life after sport
56:56 Hugo's vision for his funeral and legacy
57:57 Reflections on success and relationships
01:00:37 Closing thoughts and gratitude

#QuestForSuccess #HugoInglis #Olympics #Hockey #Leadership #TeamCulture #HighImpactAthletes #ClimateChange #Impact #Entrepreneurship #NewZealand #SuccessMindset #Podcast #Inspiration #AthleteLife

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Most founders start with a solution and go looking for a problem. Jevon Le Roux says it should be the other way around.

In this episode of The Quest for Success, hosts Dylan and Jam Pathirana talk with Jevon about his journey from professional surfer to business leader and startup founder. After building Nike's Hurley brand in South Africa and leading major retail and e-commerce businesses, Jevon Le Roux is the founder of Keeyu, an Ecommerce automation and AI Ecommerce Operations company. You can find Jevon and Keeyu at https://keeyu.com.

Jevon shares how early failures shaped his approach to business, what he learned from making tough leadership decisions, and how a warehouse sale during COVID revealed a costly problem with online orders. He also explains why Keeyu's first product was more of a "vitamin" than a "painkiller," how customer feedback led the team to rethink its product, and what it takes to keep going through fundraising rejection and startup uncertainty.

In this conversation:
 - Why Jevon sees success as constant evolution, not money or status
 - Lessons from professional surfing that carried over into business
 - What it takes to move from selling a product to building a company
 - How listening and collaboration can help leaders earn trust
 - The difference between a "vitamin" and a "painkiller" product
 - Why founders should find a real problem before building a solution
 - How Jevon and his co-founders divide responsibilities and handle challenges
 - What resilience, customer discovery, and fundraising look like in practice

Whether you're building a startup, leading a team, or considering a career change, Jevon's story offers an honest look at the setbacks, decisions, and persistence behind business growth.

Chapters
00:00 Intro and meeting Jevon Le Roux
03:03 Jevon’s definition of success
04:17 Growing up competitive and discovering surfing
07:41 Family support and values for the next generation
08:35 Funding a surfing career through hustle and self-promotion
11:03 From professional surfing to building a business
12:15 Retail sales vs. B2B SaaS go-to-market
13:11 Learning to run a business while building Hurley
15:05 Learning from failure and making reversible decisions
16:13 Leading Gloria Jeans through a difficult turnaround
17:11 Making SurfStitch profitable and learning e-commerce
18:55 Leadership mistakes and earning trust
21:13 Jevon’s 90-day plan for listening before making changes
22:41 The COVID warehouse sale that revealed a hidden problem
26:12 Turning that problem into the idea for Keeyu
28:25 Validating the problem before building a solution
29:55 Why Keeyu’s first product was a “vitamin,” not a “painkiller”
33:29 How Keeyu helps retailers prevent order problems
36:14 Why distribution and go-to-market matter
38:12 Winning early customers and learning from product feedback
40:36 Building a strong co-founder relationship
42:02 Dividing roles across the founding team
43:10 Raising $7 million and navigating fundraising
46:29 What early-stage investors are really backing
48:51 Returning to startup life after corporate leadership
50:24 Product lessons and Keeyu’s evolving direction
52:24 AI, changing roles, and the future of work
54:02 Keeyu’s global growth plans
55:25 The values Jevon hopes to pass on to his son
57:05 Advice for corporate leaders considering a startup
59:23 Jevon’s long-term definition of success

#QuestForSuccess #JevonLeRoux #Keeyu #Entrepreneurship #StartupJourney #AI #Leadership #Resilience #ProductMarketFit #Fundraising #SuccessMindset #BusinessPodcast #Inspiration #FounderStory #Ecommerce

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Twitter: https://x.com/quest4success_
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-quest-for-success
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Website: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com

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"Success means you are free to choose."

In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Cristina Marques for an honest conversation on leadership, legacy, and what it actually takes to lead, and eventually let go of, a family business.

Cristina shares her early life and the influence of her parents, her unexpected journey from a technical career in engineering into leadership, and the moment she was asked to take over the family business her father had built. She reflects candidly on how that felt, the key lessons she carried from him, and what it actually took to build credibility and earn respect as a leader who hadn't always been part of the business.

The conversation explores how she innovated inside a long-standing company, built a genuine culture of trust and transparency, and led the business through the uncertainty of COVID-19. Cristina also opens up about one of the most difficult chapters of her career, negotiating the sale of the family business, and what came after, from organising family and estate matters to figuring out her next chapter.

She shares the values she hopes to leave her own children, and reflects on how her personal definition of success has evolved at every stage of her life and career.

This episode is a powerful reminder that leadership isn't just about building something. Sometimes it's about knowing when, and how, to let it go.

What we cover:
 Cristina's early life and family influence
 What success means to Cristina, and how that's changed over time
 Her journey from engineering into leadership
 Family business history and the transition of leadership
 Lessons learned from her father
 Working outside the family business before taking over
 The moment she was asked to take the reins
 Building credibility and reputation as a new leader
 Innovating inside a long-standing business
 Building a strong, trust-based company culture
 Navigating COVID-19 as a leader
 Negotiating the sale of the family business
 Organising family and estate matters
 The values she wants to leave her children
 Reflections on success and what's next

"Success evolves over time." Cristina Marques
 "Success means you are free to choose." Cristina Marques
 "Every problem has a solution." Cristina Marques

Chapters:
 00:00 Introduction and Cristina's background
 01:40 What does success mean to Cristina?
 05:00 Early life and family influence
 07:25 Cristina's journey into engineering
 11:12 Family business history and transition
 16:00 Lessons from her father
 18:39 Working outside the family business
 20:43 The moment Cristina was asked to take over
 21:29 Cristina's feelings about taking over
 22:56 Key lessons from her father
 26:07 Building credibility and reputation
 28:34 Innovating in a long-standing business
 29:55 Building a great company culture
 31:07 Handling challenges during COVID-19
 37:34 Selling the family business
 42:47 Negotiating the sale
 48:49 Post-sale plans and future ambitions
 54:52 Organising family and estate matters
 01:00:16 Values Cristina wants to leave her children
 01:08:47 Reflections on success and next steps

#QuestForSuccess #CristinaMarques #Leadership #FamilyBusiness #Entrepreneurship #Success #Negotiation #Transformation #Trust #Empathy #BusinessLegacy #WomenInLeadership #SuccessMindset #Podcast #Inspiration

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-quest-for-success
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Website: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com

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"Success is satisfaction with what you are and have."

In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Buddhist monk Ven Thalpavila Kusalagnana for a profound conversation on success, happiness, mindfulness, and what it actually means to live a meaningful life.

Ven Thalpavila Kusalagnana explores the Buddhist view of gain, loss, praise and blame, and why success should be defined as satisfaction rather than accumulation. He walks us through three ways to understand yourself, mindfulness, virtue and wisdom, and explains the difference between healthy goals and the kind of craving and clinging that leads to suffering. He also addresses a common misconception directly: that Buddhism rejects wealth or success. Instead, he explains the principle of right livelihood, earning and living in an ethical way rather than a harmful one.

The conversation moves into some of life's hardest questions. What does it mean to truly understand that everything, our bodies, our minds, our relationships, is temporary? How do you stay steady through the eight worldly conditions of gain and loss, praise and blame, fame and disrepute, pleasure and pain? Ven Thalpavila Kusalagnana offers practical wisdom on fear, failure and authenticity, and speaks candidly about how Buddhist principles intersect with modern mental health challenges, including stress, depression, anxiety and overthinking.

He also shares a simple morning practice anyone can start today, guidance on choosing good people, good thoughts and good habits, and how to begin approaching Buddhism as a practical way to overcome suffering, regardless of religious background.

This is one of the most reflective and genuinely useful conversations we've had on the show. Sometimes the deepest wisdom is also the simplest.

What we cover:
The Buddhist view of gain, loss, praise and blame
Success defined as satisfaction rather than accumulation
Three ways to understand yourself: mindfulness, virtue, wisdom
Healthy goals versus craving and clinging
Wealth, lay disciples, and why Buddhism does not reject success
Right livelihood and earning in an ethical way
Wanting things while accepting their temporary nature
The impermanence of body, mind and relationships
The eight worldly conditions and staying steady through change
What a good life looks like in Buddhism
What a trained mind notices that an untrained mind misses
A simple morning practice for lay people
Choosing good people, good thoughts and good habits
Fear, failure and being authentic in interviews and work
Buddhism, mental health, stress, depression and anxiety
Overthinking, OCD, and not feeding unnecessary thoughts
Letting go after breakups and other losses
How to begin exploring Buddhism and what it means to be a good human
Buddhism as a practical way to overcome suffering

Some of our favourite quotes:
"Success is satisfaction with what you are and have." 
"Being content with your thoughts and actions is success."
"Understand that all things are temporary." 

Chapters:
00:00 The Buddhist view of gain, loss, praise, and blame
03:02 Success defined as satisfaction rather than accumulation
06:26 Three ways to understand yourself: mindfulness, virtue, wisdom
08:35 Healthy goals versus craving and clinging
10:46 Wealth, lay disciples, and why Buddhism does not reject success
12:47 Right livelihood and earning in a harmful versus ethical way
15:35 Wanting things while accepting their temporary nature
17:15 Impermanence of body, mind, and relationships
20:35 The eight worldly conditions and staying steady through change
22:04 What a good life looks like in Buddhism
25:53 What a trained mind notices that an untrained mind misses
30:35 A simple morning practice for lay people
33:10 Choosing good people, good thoughts, and good habits
34:42 Fear, failure, and being authentic in interviews and work
38:13 Buddhism, mental health, stress, depression, and anxiety
42:15 Overthinking, OCD, and not feeding unnecessary thoughts
44:30 Letting go after breakups and other losses
45:48 How to begin Buddhism and what it means to be a good human
48:15 Buddhism as a practical way to overcome suffering
52:02 The one takeaway: be happy and live in this moment

#QuestForSuccess #Buddhism #Mindfulness #Success #Happiness #Contentment #Impermanence #Wisdom #MentalHealth #Spirituality #LifeLessons #Podcast #Inspiration #SriLanka #Meditation

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Website: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com

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He inherited a family legacy. Then he rebuilt it from zero to one.

In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Jeevan Gnanam, a Sri Lankan entrepreneur and third-generation business leader, for an honest conversation on purpose, legacy, and what it takes to build a genuine entrepreneurial ecosystem in a country most investors overlook.

Jeevan shares his early influences and the pressure of carrying a family legacy forward, reflecting on the lessons in humility and discipline he learned from his grandfather. He opens up about recognising problems and building ventures from a young age, and what it actually took to rebel against old mindsets within his own family and community in order to create new opportunities. He speaks candidly about the zero to one mindset, the importance of visualisation, and why getting others to genuinely buy into a vision is the most important skill any founder can develop.

The conversation moves into Sri Lanka's evolving startup ecosystem, the unique talent and investment potential the country holds, and how artificial intelligence is giving Sri Lanka a rare opportunity to scale and innovate rapidly on the global stage. Jeevan also shares his vision for building a vibrant innovation district that brings creatives, investors and entrepreneurs together in one place, along with the personal challenges of balancing family, faith and business.

This episode is a powerful reminder that legacy isn't something you simply inherit. It's something you have to earn, question, and ultimately rebuild in your own image.

What we cover:
Jeevan Gnanam's background and early influences
Defining success and purpose
Family legacy and the pressure of being a third-generation entrepreneur
Recognising problems and building ventures from childhood
Rebelling against old mindsets and creating new opportunities
The importance of continuous evolution in business
Sri Lanka's talent and investment potential
Convincing family and community to innovate
The zero to one mindset and the power of visualisation
Communicating vision and leadership in startups
Bringing entrepreneurial thinking into legacy businesses
The role of AI and Sri Lanka's tech future
Building a vibrant innovation district
Balancing family and business life
The importance of faith and purpose
Learning from failure and resilience
Legacy, impact, and how Jeevan wants to be remembered

"Success is fulfilling your purpose and serving others." Jeevan Gnanam
"AI gives us an opportunity to scale and innovate rapidly." Jeevan Gnanam
"I want to be remembered as someone who gave back and made a difference." Jeevan Gnanam

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Jeevan Gnanam's background
02:29 Defining success and purpose
04:16 Early influences and family legacy
07:15 The pressure of being a third-generation entrepreneur
10:40 Recognising problems and building ventures from childhood
13:36 Rebelling against old mindsets and creating new opportunities
16:10 The importance of continuous evolution in business
17:27 Sri Lanka's talent and investment potential
20:13 Convincing the family and community to innovate
22:32 The zero to one mindset and visualisation
27:26 Communicating vision and leadership in startups
28:13 Bringing entrepreneurial thinking into legacy businesses
35:28 The role of AI and Sri Lanka's tech future
40:57 Building a vibrant innovation district
45:11 Balancing family and business life
48:27 The importance of faith and purpose
49:58 Learning from failure and resilience
52:52 Legacy, impact, and how Jeevan wants to be remembered

Connect with Jeevan Gnanam:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeevangnanam/

#QuestForSuccess #JeevanGnanam #Entrepreneurship #SriLanka #AI #StartupEcosystem #Purpose #Innovation #Leadership #FamilyBusiness #Investment #Tech #SuccessMindset #Podcast #Inspiration

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"To assess a city, look at the street level, not the skyline."

In this episode of The Quest for Success Podcast, Jam and Dylan Pathirana sit down with Dr Sarath Mataraarachchi, an urban planner and academic whose life spans Sri Lanka and Australia, for a thoughtful conversation on what actually makes a city great, and why the answer has almost nothing to do with height, density or spectacle.

Dr Sarath shares his early childhood and influences growing up in Sri Lanka, his education and early career in land economics and town planning, and the formative years he spent working alongside informal settlements, where he witnessed firsthand the impact of poverty on how communities live and grow. He reflects on what he learned from international experience, particularly in Australia, and how those lessons have shaped his thinking on empowering local authorities and genuinely engaging communities in the decisions that shape their own neighbourhoods.

The conversation explores the real challenges facing Sri Lankan urban development, the role of mentorship in shaping his career, and his belief that a great city is ultimately one where people want to come and belong. Dr Sarath also shares his vision for the future of smart cities and sustainable urban environments, his hopes for Colombo and Sri Lanka more broadly, and the unique assets he believes Sri Lanka holds that the rest of the world often overlooks.

This episode is a compelling reminder that the health of a city, much like the health of a life, is measured not by what impresses from a distance, but by what actually happens on the ground, every single day.

What we cover:
Dr Sarath's early childhood and influences in Sri Lanka
What success means in the context of urban planning
Education and early career in land economics and town planning
Experiences with informal settlements and community life
The impact of poverty on city development
Lessons learned from international experience, including Australia
Challenges in Sri Lankan urban development
The importance of local authority empowerment
The role of community and mentorship in planning
What makes a city great and why street level matters most
The future of smart cities and sustainable development
A vision for Colombo and Sri Lanka's urban future
Overcoming obstacles and implementing real change
The unique assets and qualities of Sri Lanka
Core traits of a successful life and leadership

Chapters:
00:00 Introduction and Dr Sarath's background
00:28 What success means to Dr Sarath
00:36 Early childhood and influences in Sri Lanka
00:41 Education and initial career in land economics and town planning
01:10 Experiences with informal settlements and community life
01:37 The impact of poverty and community stories
01:41 Understanding town planning and its purpose
01:49 Learning from international experiences and Australia
02:17 Challenges in Sri Lankan urban development
02:35 The importance of local authority empowerment
02:42 The role of community and mentorship in planning
03:11 What makes a city great and the importance of street level
03:40 The future of smart cities and sustainable development
03:47 Vision for Colombo and Sri Lanka's urban future
04:10 Overcoming obstacles and implementing change
04:39 The assets and unique qualities of Sri Lanka
05:09 Core traits of a successful life and leadership
05:33 Closing thoughts and message to listeners

#QuestForSuccess #SarathMataraarachchi #UrbanPlanning #SriLanka #Australia #CityDevelopment #SustainableCities #Community #PlaceBasedPlanning #UrbanJustice #SuccessMindset #Podcast #Inspiration #SmartCities #Colombo

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TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@thequestforsuccesspod
Website: www.thequestforsuccesspodcast.com

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