1. What have you found most challenging as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise?

Being a part of the start-up journey has been an experience in itself. Interestingly, the challenges are similar in nature which is building a balanced ecosystem across all your stakeholders. Employees, business partners, investors, colleagues and families. The added aspect is the DIY attitude that is important at all levels. As one CEO mentioned, if the General Manager of that warehouse is not able to come to work, you should be able to step-in and ensure that work continues.

2. How did you become a CEO or executive of a large enterprise? Can you please briefly tell the story?

When you are working in a start-up, it is always the prior relationships you have with the founders of the organisation. They have worked with you in the past and hence are comfortable with working with you again as that element of "trust" & understanding the ways of working have already been established.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

My typical work day starts with exercise at least 3-4 days a week. This is mandatory. It has become increasingly important for managing self first. There are blocked out slots for self-management. It is possible in our business to do that. However, there are days when everything goes for a toss. It is important to steady that ship as soon as practically possible. 30 mins before sleep.. digital embargo.

4. What's the most recent significant leadership lesson you've learned?

Leadership is an attitude and learning always continues. It is not dependent on the role you are at nor related to age. Just being at the top does not make you a leader.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

Toughness - By Jay Bilas has been such an inspiring book. Simple to understand, practical to implement and related to all aspects of your life. It articulates how every single person around you is important and how you are important to everybody else as well. Is a leader a coach or is coach a leader? Toughness explains it all..

6. How do you build leadership capacity in a large enterprise?

As highlighted earlier, Leadership is all about attitude. Bringing out that attitude at every level in the role that they are performing, is the key to a successful business.

At every stage and level, mentoring, coaching, and training need to go hand-in-hand to build an ecosystem of leaders. The empowerment and opportunities always present themselves. It's about learning to recognize them which has to be understood.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a CEO or executive of a large enterprise so far?

While this story is not from my time in a leadership role, it is worth sharing. It was the Billion Dollar Day celebration happening on the campus and I was late for the event. For any event the first row is always empty and nobody wants to sit. Since I was late and I did not see any “Reserved” boards on those seats, I just went ahead and sat in one of them. After that, those seats started filling quickly. There was one seat next to me which was still empty. A gentleman came along and asked me if he could sit in the chair next to me. Imagine the shock and awe on my face when I saw this co-founder of the company who took my permission to sit in a chair at an event which was celebrating the Billion Dollar Revenues Day !! Right through that evening, I could not see a single co-founder and the executive leadership team sitting on any chair because there were none!! A true display of leadership where the leadership were one of us.. either sitting on stairs of the stage or standing amongst the crowd.