One lesson that has served me well over the years: Don’t carry bad blood.
In any long career you will be misunderstood. You’ll disagree. You’ll feel wronged. Sometimes even betrayed. Decisions won’t go your way. People will make calls you don’t agree with. The temptation is to keep score.
But resentment is expensive. It clouds judgment. It narrows perspective. It limits future opportunity and is neither rational nor helpful.
I’ve learned that making things right is both good relational practice and good business practice.
Industries are small. Reputations compound. People you disagree with today may become partners tomorrow. And often, when you sit down and have the hard conversation, you discover the situation was more complex than you initially believed.
There is real freedom in choosing not to carry offense. In picking up the phone and saying, “Let’s reset.”
Over time, it builds a network of people who know you value relationships. Early in my career I valued results over relationships. Now, I know relationships trump results. Relationships are far more enduring and valuable than the near term results I used to favor.
That’s good for business. More importantly, it’s good for the soul.
𝐈 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡
𝐇𝐞 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐛𝐥𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐡𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞
𝐈 𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭…
He told me, “I don’t manage from the P&L statement. I manage from the service bay.”
Every morning, before he looks at a single report, he walks the shop floor with two cups of coffee, one for him, one for the first tech he sees.
He doesn’t ask about deadlines or billable hours.
He asks about their lives. He asks what’s frustrating them. He asks what tool would make their job 10% easier.
Last month, a tech mentioned they were wasting 30 minutes every time they had to track down a specific diagnostic tablet because they were all shared.
The next day, every technician had their own.
His leadership team thought he was crazy. It was a $30,000 unbudgeted expense.
But he knew the real cost was in the lost time, the mounting frustration, and the risk of a great tech walking away over a simple tool.
That one-time expense has already paid for itself in reclaimed billable hours and improved morale.
The most profitable dealerships I see aren't run by the best accountants.
They're run by leaders who understand their most valuable asset isn't the equipment in the yard, it's the people in the bays.
In 1992, I arrived in Silicon Valley from Iran with $700, unable to speak English and knowing only a handful of people. My first home here? An attic above a yogurt shop where I worked.
It wasn’t much, but it was a start. That attic was the foundation of a journey that would lead me from working at a car wash to becoming a seed investor in some of the world’s leading companies, like Dropbox and DoorDash. Here are a few lessons from that journey:
1. Solve Real Problems, Not Just Big Ideas
The best entrepreneurs are deeply connected to the problems they’re solving. It’s not about chasing the “next big thing” but addressing a real, specific issue. Start with a problem you’ve experienced firsthand and understand deeply.
2. Perseverance Is Key
I’ve learned that building anything worthwhile is hard, often unpredictable. Setbacks are part of the journey, and success comes to those who adapt and keep pushing forward. When I struggled, it was my commitment that kept me going.
3. Strong Co-Founder Chemistry Matters
Founding a company is a long, challenging journey. Teams with a history of working well together tend to weather storms better. Chemistry and mutual trust among co-founders are invaluable assets.
4. Be in It for the Right Reasons
The best founders think long-term. Their drive isn’t just about quick financial wins; it’s about making an impact. Focus on creating value—whether that’s through happier users, meaningful jobs, or industry transformation.
5. Stay Paranoid (in a Good Way)
A little paranoia can be healthy. The best founders plan meticulously, double-check every step, and make decisions carefully. Yet, this caution is balanced with kindness—a quality I look for in leaders who inspire loyalty in their teams.
6. Never Give Up
My journey began with hope and the belief that I could make something of myself. Today, I’m grateful for that hope and resilience.
From that yogurt shop attic to investing in groundbreaking companies, I’ve learned that every humble beginning holds the potential for greatness if you stay focused, work hard, and never, ever give up.
My candidate landed a ₹15 LPA offer at a top MNC without even applying.
No resume drop.
No job portal.
How?
✅ She unlocked the hidden job market that most candidates never see.
So, how did she do it?
Not with luck.
But with a strategy anyone can use:
1. She built her brand before she needed a job.
She shared her wins, projects, and insights on LinkedIn consistently.
Example: Every Friday, she posted a carousel breaking down a real-life analytics problem she solved at work, tagging teammates and sharing key takeaways.
This made her visible as a problem-solver in her field.
2. She reached out to industry peers, not just HR.
No generic “Hi, can you refer me?” Instead, she started real conversations about trends, challenges, and solutions in her field.
Example: She messaged a data scientist at her dream company, commenting on a recent paper he’d published: 👇
“Hi Raj, I loved your article on predictive analytics in retail. I’ve been working on similar models for FMCG clients and would love to exchange notes!”
This led to a meaningful chat, not a cold request.
3. She gave before she asked.
She offered feedback on others’ work, shared resources, and celebrated others’ milestones.
Example: She congratulated connections on promotions, shared helpful webinars in group chats, and offered to review a peer’s resume before asking for any help herself.
4. She followed up, politely and persistently.
After every conversation, she sent a thank-you note: 👇
“Thanks for your insights, Priya! I’ve already started applying your advice. Hope we can catch up again soon.”
She stayed top of mind, not just top of the inbox.
You don’t need a massive network.
You need genuine connections, a clear story, and the courage to show up before you need help.
If you’re still waiting for the “perfect” job post to appear, you’re already late.
The best opportunities are shared in DMs, whispered in meetings, and offered to those who are already visible.
Start building your presence, your relationships, and your reputation today.
#jobsearch#jobopportunities#jobinterview#careergrowth
If you don’t grab a serious opportunity by 46,
there’s a strong chance you’ll be pushed into early retirement by 52.
Not by choice—
but because the system will quietly stop picking your resume.
It’s sad.
It’s unfair.
But it’s very real.
I’ve been in leadership hiring for 25+ years.
And every time I forward a capable, experienced candidate aged 50+,
the response from HR is almost always the same:
“Let’s hold for now.”
“Maybe too senior for the role.”
No response at all.
Meanwhile, reports say human life expectancy is increasing.
People are living longer, healthier lives.
But strangely, the professional shelf-life hasn’t moved an inch.
Why?
Because we’ve been conditioned to rely on our resumes to open doors.
But after a certain age, your resume alone stops working.
So how do you stay relevant?
If you want to keep getting hired after 50,
you must start building your network like your career depends on it—because it does.
Make people remember your name.
Be present in industry circles, offline and online.
Join forums, write, speak, mentor, and stay visible.
Build relationships where you are seen as a business enabler, not just a job seeker.
Because while HR may pause at your age,
decision-makers won’t—if they know you and trust your value.
This isn’t about being social.
This is about survival.
The future belongs to those who are known, respected, and remembered.
Don’t wait for your resume to do the talking.
Be in the room. Stay in the game.
📄 Women’s Leadership — What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Missing
I invite you to read this new review co-authored by Ana María Muñoz Boudet, Francesca Bramucci , and Mariana Viollaz that examines policies to promote women’s leadership.
Here are the takeaways for practitioners, governments, and development partners:
🔍 Main Findings
1. Women remain underrepresented in leadership across politics, business, and community institutions due to barriers in capabilities, motivation, and opportunity.
2. Quotas do not always yield substantive influence (i.e. real decision-making power).
3. Role models can inspire women and shift norms. Training, mentorship, and capacity-building often boost advancement potential, yet less clearly move women into top leadership positions. Success of organizational reforms and anti-discrimination policies depends on leadership buy-in and norm change.
4. Poorly designed interventions can provoke backlash, tokenism, or reinforce stereotypes. And without complementary supports—networks, legitimacy, access to resources—women leaders may struggle to influence outcomes meaningfully.
💡 Recommendations (and Reflections)
• Adopt multidimensional strategies: To promote women’s leadership at scale, we must tackle multiple barriers—capabilities, motivation, and opportunity—simultaneously.
• Design quotas in alignment with meritocracy and apply them with accountability and support systems.
• Support role models and narrative change to boost women’s aspirations and shift norms.
• Reorient training toward leadership outcomes: Align capacity-building with the “last mile” challenges women face stepping into top roles—navigating power dynamics, influencing strategy, leading teams.
• Strengthen institutional architecture: Incentivize equal opportunities for women in leadership pipelines, evaluation and promotion systems.
• Monitor “substantive representation” beyond counting women in leadership roles to assessing whether those roles yield real influence and improved outcomes.
This paper resonates with my experience:
• It confirms what I have observed: engaging women as leaders is not just about opening doors, but transforming systems so those roles are meaningful.
• It underscores the importance of pairing structural reforms (laws, quotas) with norm change, institutional incentives, mentoring, and support.
• It reminds us to evaluate substance and impact, not only representation. How do outcomes change when women participate in decision making?
Let’s design leadership ecosystems that empower women not only to lead, but to shape agendas and drive better outcomes - and let’s measure the impact.
🔗 Read the full paper: Promoting Women’s Leadership: What Works, What Doesn’t, and What’s Missing https://lnkd.in/dn-J4P27#GenderEquality#WomenLeadership#WorldBank
7 Ways Great Leaders Leave a Lasting Legacy:
(and why someone still thinks of you today)
We often think leadership is about results.
But the true mark of a great leader?
How they make people feel.
There’s someone out there who remembers you not for what you did —
but for how you valued them.
Want to be that kind of leader?
Here are 7 powerful habits that leave a legacy:
1. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁
→ Trust is the foundation of belonging and performance.
→ Great leaders show trust before demanding it.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Start every relationship with belief in their potential.
2. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗦𝗲𝗲 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗮𝗻 𝗕𝗲
→ Employees remember those who saw more in them than they saw in themselves.
→ Visionary leaders spot and nurture hidden potential.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Regularly ask, “Where can I help you grow?”
3. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗱
→ Leaders who listen create safety and trust.
→ People perform better when they know their voice matters.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Ask more than you tell. Listen more than you speak.
4. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘀
→ Celebrating effort builds intrinsic motivation.
→ People remember those who noticed the small wins.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Give specific praise for the work behind the result.
5. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗜𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗶𝗿 𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀
→ Leadership is tested in tough times.
→ Loyalty is born when leaders stand by their people.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Defend them when it matters most—even when it’s not easy.
6. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗼𝗽𝗹𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀
→ Everyone wants to feel seen beyond their job title.
→ Human-first leadership builds lasting bonds.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Ask “How’s your family?” and mean it.
7. 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝗺
→ The greatest gift you give is growth.
→ Legacy isn’t a title. It’s impact.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗮𝗯𝗶𝘁: Mentor, coach, uplift—and let them outgrow you.
What else would you add?
Let me know in the comments below 👇
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“What you build after success matters more than the success itself.”
In real estate and leadership, success often arrives as a milestone. A landmark project delivered. A business scaled. A challenge overcome. It feels defining in the moment, but its true value lies in what follows.
Because success, on its own, is temporary. What sustains it is intent. What extends it is responsibility.
Across the industry, we have seen how the most enduring organisations are not the ones that celebrate the win the longest, but the ones that ask the next question the earliest. What do we build from here? How do we make it more meaningful, more inclusive, more future-ready?
This is where the shift happens. From delivering projects to shaping ecosystems. From meeting targets to creating spaces that hold families, aspirations, and everyday life together. The focus moves to sustainability, to communities that grow together, to developments that are not just world-class in design but thoughtful in impact.
And somewhere along the way, the definition of success evolves.
It is no longer just professional. It becomes deeply personal.
Because what we build outside is often a reflection of what supports us within. The families that stand behind long days and uncertain decisions. The people who hold space when work takes over. Growth, in its truest sense, is rarely individual. It is enabled, sustained, and made worthwhile by a support system that grows with you.
The same philosophy extends to leadership. Building beyond success means investing in people. Creating room for new voices, encouraging diversity in thought, and enabling the next generation to lead differently and better. It means recognising that succession is not a handover, it is a responsibility.
Success without what follows can become stagnation. But when it is used as a starting point, it becomes legacy.
So the question is simple.
After the win, what are we choosing to build next?
#Success#Winning#Family
I stopped obsessing over publishing… and that’s when my research career took off. (Here’s what I discovered)
Four years ago, I believed publishing was the only path to academic success.
My inbox? Empty.
My collaborations? Stagnant.
My impact? Limited to footnotes in other people’s papers.
Then, I did something radical: I shared my work outside journals.
A blog post about the LCA work I did for a partner. A LinkedIn post breaking down techno-economic assessment and process design methods. A webinar sharing my research outputs.
Crickets. For weeks.
Until a founder DM’ed: "Liked the recording of your webinar. Can you do something like this for us to verify our TEA?"
A week later, an academic mentor slid into my DMs: "Saw your recent work on carbon capture. Can we co-write a research bid?"
I wasn't sure what to do.
This wasn’t “real” academic work. I’d been pre-conditioned to share my work only in scholarly journals and conferences. But suddenly, my research was solving problems, not merely gathering dust.
So I leaned in.
I built a simple system:
1. Every paper made available as PDF with posts on problem, method, outputs
2. Conference slides became PDFs shared with key takeaways
3. Complex science converted into trade magazines and blog posts
The response?
A FTSE 250 energy company invited me to perform a market study for their new direct air capture business strategy. Learned societies invited me as a keynote speaker for their events.
And yes, citations keep coming, but now tied to real-world impact.
Here’s what academia won’t tell you:
Visibility isn’t vanity.
It’s the bridge between your work and the problems it can solve.
You don’t need 100 papers to make a difference. You need the right people to see your work.
Now? I teach researchers to build this bridge.
Because your career shouldn’t hinge on how many journals you’ve cracked.
It should hinge on how many minds you’ve changed.
Start there. Let the papers follow.
P.S. What is the most significant challenge that pre ents you getting your research seen by others?
#science#scientist#research#publishing#phd#postdoctoral#professor#academia#highereducation
I used to poison myself (and my company).
It was 2017, and I was burned out. We had just sold part of Ampush. From the outside, everything looked amazing.
A $30M revenue business managing hundreds of millions in ad spend for clients like Uber and DoorDash.
But inside, I felt lost. I was questioning everything.
One night, staring at my whiteboard filled with charts and goals, I thought, "I've built my career on ads and marketing tech. Why didn't I do something more meaningful like curing cancer?"
When I brought these thoughts to my executive coach, Dave, I expected him to agree with me. But he didn’t.
"Jesse, your problem isn't what you're working on. It's the motivation you're using to run your business. You're running on dirty fuel."
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Over several coaching sessions, Dave showed me how leaders rely on different "fuels" to drive themselves and their teams.
Some are clean and powerful, others corrosive and unsustainable.
Let's break em down:
1. Fear Energy - My default mode. Driven by urgency and crisis. "We have to hit these numbers." Works short-term, but burns out your team and breaks culture.
2. Status Energy - The fancy office, big title, "look how much we've grown" mindset. Seductive but fleeting. I fell into this after our exit.
3. Achievement Energy - The "beat last quarter's numbers" energy. Great for growth but limited. A treadmill of always wanting more.
4. Genius Energy - Operating in your natural zone of excellence. Things that feel effortless yet make the biggest impact. For me, that's spotting opportunities and coaching entrepreneurs.
5. Impact Energy - The purest fuel. Focusing on helping others grow, succeed, and thrive.
"You could run a cancer-curing company with fear," Dave said, "and it would still feel miserable. Or you could run Ampush with love and genius energy, and it would feel completely different."
I started making changes. Stopped reacting from fear. Started seeing my role as a teacher. Focused on what energized me. Trusted others with the rest.
My days became lighter. Meetings more productive. Team more creative. The same business that once drained me became energizing.
Today at Gateway X, we intentionally cultivate genius and impact energy. It's transformed everything - not just for me, but everyone around me.
So, if you’re feeling burned out or stuck, here’s my challenge to you:
Ask yourself, "What energy am I running on?"
"Fear, status, achievement?"
"Or love and genius?"