Jun 17, 2023
Raju Reddy
Raju Reddy is a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in the IT industry. He is the co-founder of Sierra Atlantic, a global IT services company that was acquired by Hitachi Consulting. Raju is known for his strategic vision and leadership, having successfully grown Sierra Atlantic into a successful company with a global presence. He is also a mentor and advisor to several startups, helping them navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. Raju’s expertise in technology and business has made him a respected figure in the industry, and he continues to be a driving force in the IT sector.
One Line Life Lessons from RajuR
![good mentors can change life](https://theindustryshow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1027-Raju.png)
![volunteer your time where you can](https://theindustryshow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1028-Raju.png)
![spend time on people](https://theindustryshow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1029-Raju.png)
![give time to yoursself](https://theindustryshow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1030-Raju.png)
![values and culture are important](https://theindustryshow.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/1031-Raju.png)
Episode Highlights
- 0:35 – Reflecting on the entrepreneurial journey and lessons learned from building Sierra Atlantic.
- 2:15 – Enthusiasm about the increasing presence of Indian entrepreneurs in the technology sector and the broader impact of their success.
- 4:50 – Rapid advancements in initiatives within the sandbox and key trends in Indian entrepreneurship and funding perceptions.
- 7:20 – Emphasizing the importance of mentors, volunteering, and establishing a foundation of values before pursuing knowledge and wisdom.
Show Transcript
Transcript - Full Episode
Nitin Bajaj
Welcome to the industry show. I’m your host, Nitin Bajaj. And joining me today is Raju Reddy. Raju, welcome on the show.
Raju Reddy
Thank you, Nitin. Glad to be here. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
Pleasure is all ours. So let’s start with who is Raju?
Raju Reddy
That’s the kind of question. If you ask my wife, you might get a very different answer. Most bosses know their do that too. Yeah. Yeah. Most bosses know know know their partner better than, we do. But, anyway, let me attempt that. So I I was born and brought up in a small town called Nizamabad, that’s in North Telangana on the border of Maharashtra and Karnataka. Being a border town, you know, across 3 different states, I often look at that as kind of a wonderful microcosm of India, meaning, you know, different languages, cultures, and all of that. And early on when I was about a 10 year old, my dad decided to send me to a military school, school, Korokonda, nearby Zach. And, I couldn’t get in the armed forces. That’s where they train you for the NDA. So most of the top army army, navy, and air force officers today in India come from actually science schools, different science schools across India. So but I just wasn’t cut out for that. And, so I then I went, did my engineering at BITS Pilani and then came here, in early eighties for my masters and, you know, built my professional, career all here, including my life as an entrepreneur. One of the things that I, you know, often tell people is, you know, in while I couldn’t quite get in the armed forces, you know, I I believe that the values that you build up early on, a lot of that that comes from your family, from your teachers, and, you know, and knowledge and wisdom comes later. And in many ways, you know, back to the question that you are asking, I believe, you know, the values of what kind of shape you your thinking and your philosophy and everything, irrespective whether I chose to be an entrepreneur or a corporate exec or whatever. So that’s kind of my background. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
So true and so wonderfully put. I did not know about your schooling background, so that’s that’s where all the discipline and the hard work comes from. So that’s Yes.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Well, it’s things like, you know, putting the T Mobile self and integrating. It just, but, anyway, it’s good. I no. No. I’ve I’ve been fortunate. It’s good good, you know, educational background as well from Pilani and other places. So yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
And it definitely keeps you grounded. I know you to be one of the most humble and down to earth people, so
Raju Reddy
I really expect that.
Nitin Bajaj
Raju, I know you are involved with many different successful teams, businesses, and even philanthropic initiatives. I would love for you to share with us in a few minutes, you know, a a good composition of what your day looks like.
Raju Reddy
Oh, okay. Yeah. So, you know, I mentioned I started my sort of professional career, right here in Silicon Valley, worked at Intel for about 10 years, then built a company called Sierra Atlantic, that grew to be a, you know, sizable company for a 17 year period that is bought by Hitachi. And we are about 25 100 employees at that time back in 2010. So my life in many ways, post 2010 has been quite different from, you know, before that. You know, once you have an exit like that, which is a fairly, you know, significant, outcome for our investors and, obviously, all shareholders. You know, you you, then start wondering, you know, how to best use the resources that you didn’t have before, time and money. I mean, you never had enough of either, but, in my case, I’ve been Reddy involved with, you know, investing and, serving in the boats of a lot of tech startups, and, both in Silicon Valley and those coming out of India, building for a global market, and in philanthropy, both here in the US and in India, because I I believe it’s really important for us, the Indian Americans, to be visible, you know, more as positive change makers, you know, in this country or adopted homeland. So, you know, while, my philanthropic pursuits are, you know, quite significant in India now, I think the work here is also important. I’ve been involved with India Community Center, in the earliest, started a program called SevaThon that’s still very active. And, that brings together, you know, people with from different backgrounds with an interest in a positive change in the communities they live. And, specifically in India, there’s an initiative called Kakatiya Sandbox, that is in rural India, modeled after the work that Deshpande Yes. Has been doing it hopefully for over 15 years. And we started this about 10 years ago. When I say we, and that’s me and another, tech entrepreneur who has built a sizable company in India, a a company called Reddy, Panindra Sama. It is much younger than I was, 20 years younger, and so he and I started this, about 10 years ago. And, the main purpose of that is to, you know, improve income level in rural India. So if you pick a close knit geography, roughly 10,000,000 population. So everything we do is in that area. This is in North Telangana again, back to my hometown being the center of that. And so we work with a lot of farmers and agri income, you know, improvement and, also with, you know, students who come out of colleges without degrees. But it’s the focus on employ employability, skilling with the focus on employability. And micro entrepreneurs, a lot of women entrepreneurs, things like that. So it’s it’s a fairly sizable operation today and, yeah. So those that’s kind of how this you know, enough to keep me busy, and I’ve been a big beneficiary of, great mentors like. And so, you know, I enjoyed that process working with mostly young first time entrepreneurs as well. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
Ajay, thanks again for sharing that. And, again, your humility is reflecting all through, and I’m not surprised at all. Those are some really big numbers, and I would love to hear a little more about Kakatiya. And you mentioned the geography you work in, but if you could share with us the the impact, of, you know, how many people you’ve been able to help and what are the projections here in the next couple of years?
Raju Reddy
Sure. Sure. Yeah. Again, the basic idea behind this, Nathan, is see, for India to become an economic superpower, we have to create, you know, more economic opportunities outside the metros. And even this sort of spirit of innovation and, the startup ecosystems. Now it’s, you know, it’s very, very well established now in India. Well, a lot of that, I think the results started pouring in, I would say, mostly in the last 3 to 5 years. It is a long experiment. Took a good 15, 20 years. A lot of the investors who put capital into India to start seeing these kind of returns. Right? And people kind of take it for granted, hey. But it there’s a lot of so I think it’ll take time. In our case, they’re not necessarily just your tech startups, but, you know, lot of, not so so so at a high level, I would say there are 3 main constructs to what the sandboxing is about. 1, it’s a bottom up form of socioeconomic development, meaning unless the local people are an active part of the solution, these changes are not sustainable. So it can be somebody sitting in Hyderabad or Bangalore, let alone Silicon Valley. Right? So I spend a lot of time actually, I make trips to India. Typically, 4 to 5 trips every year. So I’m there once every 2 to 3 months and mostly out in the villages and all that. And today, we have, you know, about 300 employees, just in Kakatiya sandbox across different villages. There’s another 700 or so in, Desh’s, Hubli sandbox. So between the two place, it’s 1,000 employees. It’s the same legal entity that runs these programs. And, so it’s a fairly sizable organization. And, in Telangana, Kakatiya Sandbox, I would say we have touched roughly about 2,000,000 lives over the last 10 years. Wow. And half a1000000 of that in life altering ways where their income has sort of doubled or, you know, a lot of people getting new jobs or, you know, things like that. And, so it’s still a small fraction of, you know, the potential and the possibility. I I tend to think of it like if there are 10 such ecosystems, around the, the 20 such ecosystems around the country, that’s 10,000,000 people for Reddy. So that’s 200,000,000 people. That’s 25% of rural India. Right? Now that’s kind of the big picture, if you will, of what’s possible, if you can create these sort of transformations. I’ll give you an example. Today, there’s a Thai chapter in Islamabad started about 5 years ago. One of the most vibrant chapters anywhere in the world, certainly the smallest city with the Thai chapter, a city of just 5 lakh people, but it’s all run by young people in their twenties, late twenties, early thirties, and also non tech businesses. Almost exactly the kind of things that high global really needs to. Right? And that so that, that’s very exciting when you see this sort of change. And, you know yeah. So so the way I look at this thing is, you know, I do it for my own joy. I’m not, you know, I don’t view any of this as, like, I’m trying to do anybody any favor, because I get a lot out of these, especially when you can see the impact with such little intervention. The amount of difference it makes to whether the farmer or, you know, some of these young, students coming from the villages who have very little sort of access to, you know, the outside world in terms of the opportunities and all that. And when they get jobs, or to to see a vibrant Thai chapter from, you know, in this small town where I was born and grew up. Yeah. Yeah. It it it’s very rewarding. It takes time, but it’s very rewarding when it happens. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
It is rewarding indeed, and, you know, I’ve I’ve come to realize that giving back is a very selfish thing. Right?
Raju Reddy
Okay. You get so much
Nitin Bajaj
more back in return.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
But, and and you can only know that once you start doing it. And, I try to encourage as many people as I can. And then, of course, with examples from leaders like you, makes things so much easier for people to understand and comprehend that giving is the only way to receive.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Wonderful. I I completely I mean, I’ve been a big beneficiary of that, you know, and Thai, Silicon Valley. I mean, that’s one thing we take for granted, but Silicon Valley does have a beautiful culture, and not just in the Indian American community, but across all, you know, just in terms of, mentoring and all of that. Right? And I’ve been a huge beneficiary of that. And yeah. So it’s I just continue. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
But I have to say congratulations and kudos to you for doing what you do, for creating such huge impact. I mean, touching 2,000,000 lives in a positive way and, you know, many of them in a substantial way. I mean, I know for a fact, a lot of these people, their household incomes is doubling, quadrupling, and it’s it’s a life size altering event for them. And what comes with that in addition to the money is just that sheer confidence that we can do this, and we can go on and, you know, not just support ourselves, but our families. That’s huge. That’s the generational change.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. No. You bring up a very good point. One of the big things is, you know, I I am big believer in this, the power of relatable role models. Right? In other words, when when I see one of these young kids, students, you know, who come from a village where her dad is a BD worker or a day laborer, and then, you know, she goes to one of these programs and gets a job. And some of the things that got into companies like Accenture and Google, MNCs, and, who were previously unemployed. Right? And then that makes a huge difference to the other people in that village. Then they start believing what’s possible. They even though I may be from that part of the country or the world, you know, they can’t relate to me because, you know, whatever if you can call it success with my career, I had that somewhere outside India and, you know, even if I’m from same place. Whereas when one of those people, you know, coming from that background is, it’s same thing for me. When I chose to be an entrepreneur Mhmm. could see people like Kanwal Kanwal Ricky or Suhas Patler said, hey. They can do it. I can. True. I could relate to Bill Gates or, you know, any of the other guys who were immensely successful here in US. So so I I I think that’s a big, big factor. Once that starts happening, then, you know, sort of the flywheel starts moving if you get enough of those. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
So true and and very valid point, and that’s what we’re hoping that that small spark, you know, through these. And we’ve been fortunate to share some of these amazing stories through which we are able to make that connection and say, hey. Maybe I can do this too. Right? That’s huge. Absolutely. Yeah. Raju, despite all of these successes, I would love for you to share if there is a challenge. And and if so, what is that one big challenge that, you’re facing?
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Oh, yeah. Of course. There are plenty of I mean, in you you mean, with the things that I’m doing today or just overall things that yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I mean, I could probably talk about multiple things. But, one of the things is, you know, early on, since I talked quite a bit about, you know, the sandbox. Yes. Yeah. People, you know, were very suspicious in a way and, you know, out when we went to the villages, skeptical, I must say. And, naturally, I, you know, they thought, why is this guy doing does he want to get into politics? Or, you know and and I’m glad they had those questions for me. And, honestly, I you know, all I could say is, hey. Listen. I really don’t have any of that, and this is my background app from this place, so I care for the place, and I’m in a position. I was not in this position 3 years ago, 5 years ago, and, you know, I’m still experimenting with this. I think here are some ideas that will work, and that’s why it’s called sandbox because we experiment with different ideas and, you know, some. And, so they gave me enough benefit of doubt, I suppose, and now nobody asked that question. Right? And then, Yeah. One of the big issues, especially in the rural areas, is, you know, getting the right sort of talent to run. I said we have 300 people. Yes. And, you know, whether it’s for profit or not for profit or nations for that matter, leadership Reddy, you know, it all comes down to leadership. So having the right sort of, people leading the organization and, you know, building the right culture that can use to attract, nurture great talent, that’s extremely important, and that becomes, orders of magnitude more challenging in a small town because the metros is where a lot of the opportunities are for people to move and you know? But it’s okay. You don’t need too many people. You just need enough good ones. So in fact, we have now, a young guy in his late twenties as the CEO, Manish Jaiswal, who came in, about a year and a half ago. He’s from Gorakhpur and NIT, Trichy grad, brilliant person. And, you know so there are enough people like that who still have that idealism and want to do something for the community. And, so he actually moved in Zumba then building the organization. He’s been doing fantastic work. So I I would say that’s the hard part and also trying to build enough local capacity for, you know, this change. And, yeah. Yeah. And we’ve, this is all, funded by, you know, Deshwan AI and, you know, some of the who’ve been very generous in supporting us. And, of course, the CSR program actually in India has been Reddy impactful, so that gives us more avenues. Yeah. Yeah. So I would say those are it’s mainly the capacity, the human capacity, the leadership capacity to run, initiatives like this in rural areas. I would say that’s the top one. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
I think with the success and the ongoing impact you’re able to show, but also with the the leadership, you know, you, Fani, Desh, all of you being there, that makes it a little easier for people to make the choice and come to say, you know,
Raju Reddy
this is Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. We like to think so. I mean, I’ve you know, I have, at least 2, 3 calls. I mean, every week, I have a scheduled call with my CEO and in between 1 or 2 other calls, but also drop level. And then, like I said, I go there once every 2 to 3 months. Right. You know, one of the things is, I think as an my entrepreneurial background, I believe, is also helpful in this, for all of us, actually, for Desh, me, and Fani. In many ways, it’s sort of taking entrepreneurial mindset to addressing social challenges. Right? And that, as Desh likes to say, if you can combine the compassion of the nonprofit world with the execution excellence of the for profit world, then you get outstanding results. And I think that’s a little bit of what, you know, I I I think we’ve been able to bring to our sandbox initiative. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
And, you know, I would like to remember this one thing that Desh said when I met him the first time. He said, the goal and the business of a nonprofit should be to get out of the business. So you do such a good job with the nonprofit that it does not need to exist anymore.
Raju Reddy
Absolutely. Yeah. That’s right. It it’s not a market share issue or anything. Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yeah. Good. Completely. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
Raju, on the flip side of this challenge, what’s an opportunity that you’re most excited about?
Raju Reddy
Yeah. I you know, one thing, of course, for the sandbox that’s, I think it’s very real. When I see these lives transformed and, like the Thai chapter that I gave as an example, for sure. And it’s very real and it’s happening. India, there is now so much more optimism in general, you know, all across India, wherever you go. And, so that’s very encouraging. And, we’ve got a young population, which is both a challenge and, of course, a great opportunity, and I believe the latter is, you know, more likely how we’ll sort of evolve. And, one specific area, that sort of, not so much in philanthropy, but really it’s entrepreneurship. It’s a rise of these product startups from India. The young first time entrepreneurs coming from middle class families that are building some exceptional companies. And, I honestly believe they’re comparable to the very best that you find in Silicon Valley today. And these are big dreamers. I mean, the scale of their ambition, they’re not thinking about just building, you know, another unicorn or whatever that measure might be, but truly become build the the top global brand in that space. I mean, like, company like Postman, for example.
Nitin Bajaj
Yes.
Raju Reddy
Avinashana, a young man in his thirties, you know, most of developers use almost 25,000,000 developers use their product. There’s a company called Quizizz, which has 70,000,000 monthly active users. Not many people know about this company. One half of all US schools are using the product, and it’s got a PS of, 81. Just amazing. Very quietly, he’s built built up this company. Yeah. And their company is like GreyOrange. You know, they are market leader in building warehouse robotics. Again, these are all young first time entrepreneurs, and, Pixel, which does, you know, satellites for hyperspectral imaging. Again, this is just 3 years out of college, young man from a in a small town in Karnataka. So when you see all these, and truly each of them is thinking of building a global brand and not and some of them already have evidence of that. Right? So I I think that’s the most exciting part, for India because the downstream impact of that is very significant. True. A lot of Indian Americans who’ve done well in Silicon Valley, while I love that and it’s good to see their success, when one of these young people coming from India build a company of that scale here in in the global market, which primarily means US market, then the, you know, that has a much bigger impact than other Indian Americans starting or building another unicorn or whatever in Silicon Valley. Right? So that, yeah. Yeah. Because again, back to our conversation earlier about the power of relatable role models. Yes. And these people start doing it. I can already see that in my alumni group, actually. Yeah. That’s one that I’ve been very actively involved with. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
True. Raju, as we look forward, I would love for you to take a moment and reflect back on your own journey and, share with us 2 examples. 1 in which things blew your own expectations and became a success beyond your imagination. And on the other end, something that did not work out as you had expected was a failure became a lesson.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Yeah. So, I think my most sort of direct, you know, experience has been in just building my own startup Sierra Atlantic over a 17 year period. Mhmm. And, I mean, that’s a long time. So I’m one of the slow entrepreneurs to create value, I suppose. And, you know but I had great, mentors and people on the board. There was a time I struggled with as the company was scaling, and the board also had to, you know, get a new CEO, because that was a time when we thought we might be filing for an IPO, and they thought, okay. It’s better to get somebody who is a better face, that’s, you know, non Indian, I suppose, or whatever. Right? But this is back in early 2000 time frame. And, so that that that is a hard lesson for me. I mean, I sort of had to, you know, go through that personally myself. There’s no other way to sort of learn from it. And, and in many ways, I and subsequently, I was brought back, you know, and the person who came in as the CEO, unfortunately, for him, he is a good man, but he just the timing just didn’t work out for him. And it is a tough market as soon as he came in and, you know, subsequently was brought back. So I think, that was very useful. And then, you know, I always, so so we we actually we as in Sierra Atlantic, we bought 4 companies before Hitachi bought us. So I always had this sort of a reluctance, to consider buying companies and growing organ inorganically. And, but scale does matter. So it’s a learning that I had to go through. And, and personally, I feel that helped me a lot when Hitachi bought my company because I had been on the other side of the table. So I kind of knew how to be a good partner, when you’re on the other side. And, yeah. Yeah. So I would say the Sierra Atlantic journey was, quite, you know, significant. And then at each stage, you keep learning. I mean, this, you know, entire thing about we talked briefly earlier. This entire entrepreneurial ecosystem in India that’s now thriving. I mean, it took 15, 20 years to get here.
Nitin Bajaj
Yes.
Raju Reddy
And, so I guess I’ve learned that, yeah, patience is important. So same thing with my sandbox, some of these initiatives. It’s gonna take a time, but when it happens, it happens very rapidly, you know, when it starts producing those results. And we feel like we are kind of getting to that stage in some of our initiatives in the sandbox now. And, yeah, it’s it’s it’s exciting. And yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
Yeah. I have noticed 2 very strong trends, both of which you hinted upon. 1, the rise of the Indian entrepreneur, the culture, and that ecosystem. Back when I moved to the US, the India that I brought with me was one where we used to joke and make fun that if you are going to become an entrepreneur, nobody’s gonna give you their daughter. From there to now where, you know, startups are considered cool and, you know, there is that expectation, that energy, that positivity around it. That’s one major shift that I’ve noticed. The other one that you mentioned where companies wouldn’t get funded or couldn’t go IPO if an Indian was leading it. Yes. 2, going to startups that are pitching for money and would not get funding unless there was an Indian who was a corporate.
Raju Reddy
It’s only become unfair advantage now. Yes. You know? Yeah. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
So really proud on both fronts to not just be seeing it, but to be participating in this on on both ends. And, again, congratulations to you with Sierra and Plant Tech and and what you were able to accomplish with that team. And I don’t think by any means, you know, 17 years is slow. Most overnight successes are 10 plus years anyways. So
Raju Reddy
Yeah. That’s a that that that’s a good way to put it. Yeah. Yeah. Actually.
Nitin Bajaj
Raju, I would love for us to transition into my favorite part of the show, which we call the one line life lessons. Mhmm. And, would love to hear your life lessons for us.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So a few things that come to mind. 1 is, good mentors can really change lives, you know. And, and mentoring is always a two way street. It’s not like I’m parting with any great wisdom and I’m you know, I learn as much and grow with it, and it’s a privilege. Right? And, so that’s one thing, I feel irrespective whether it’s building a start up or a career in a company professionally or not not for profit. I think, having, you know, good mentors in your life, I think, goes a long way. And and for people who are in a position, a privilege to do it it is a privilege to do that, to be mentors to others. Right? And, the other thing, you know, I can think of is, volunteer your time, you know, when you can, for whatever cause appeals to you. Personally, for me, some of my best friendships, both professionally and at a personal level, I’ve actually come through the nonprofits. In fact, so many of the entrepreneurs that have invested where I had the best outcomes financially, intellectually, emotionally, or people that actually met in some nonprofit context somewhere. So it actually is, you know, in some ways, you know, a selfish motive if you think if you think about it. So because what happens is when you go volunteer at one of these places, it’s a self selected group of people. They’re coming there because they care about something, and there are also people who have certain talent to offer. And, so, yeah, it’s crazy when I look back at the number of, people that I’ve met, you know, who have I later on invested in their start up or something like that or or that I’ve done, you know, like, the entire FalconX initiative that I do today. You know, most of the founders there are people that I met in some nonprofit context. So so I I strongly recommend that. Volunteer time, where you can. Yeah. And, you know, the other thing is we we we spend too much time when we talk about startups. We spend too much time on tech, product, markets, and not enough on the people and culture. At the end of the day, start ups is a people business. So the people and culture that make it happen are many ways a lot more important than, you know, the other things, that we talk quite often about. Yeah. I don’t know what else. Yeah. These may not be just short one line, but, we talked about this. I’m a big believer in the power of relatable role models. So if you are the person who’s trying to drive a change, you know, in philanthropy or under whatever, Yeah. Try and get those sort of relatable role models and not just, you know, people who have done well and who can be a role model. Yeah. Yeah. And, Yeah. And building a start up, I mean, it’s it’s very stressful. It’s a very high risk thing, but the rewards last a lifetime, when you get it right. And I would say give yourself time to breathe because too often, you know, people are so caught up with it, and, you have to have the discipline of just, you know, getting that time for yourself, whether it could be a walk or a run or bike or a swim or whatever it is. Right? Just, I think I think being, you know, sort of, emotionally, mentally, and physically, you know, fit. I think it’s it’s very important, especially when you’re doing startups and yeah. I mean, those those are some of the things that, you know, I and and I mentioned early on about the sort of importance or role of values, you know, and those are often shaped by your early years in life, coming from your family, your parents, teachers, school. Knowledge and wisdom can come later, but I think the values, yeah, that and in many ways I believe one of the reasons why Indian Americans are so much more successful than most other communities, today, you know, either as CEOs or tech entrepreneurs, not just they have good math and, you know, educational background, that’s absolutely important part of it, but in the culture and the values that, you know, we were fortunate to grow up with, I think, are a very important part of, you know, what makes these leaders, so successful. Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
So true. And I love what you said about knowledge and wisdom can come after. Right? Oftentimes, we are trying to seek that knowledge, seek that wisdom without having that foundation of values in place. And, culture, your teachers, your relatives, your elders can give us that good foundation upon which the knowledge and wisdom can come
Raju Reddy
Yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
And guide us in that right direction. So I I love how you put it.
Raju Reddy
Yeah. Well, thank you. Yeah. Again, this is just sort of my you know, when I think about what what may have worked for me or you know? And and, through the experience of others that I’ve, had the opportunity to work with closely. But yeah.
Nitin Bajaj
Good. Raju, thank you so much for sharing your journey, your story, and your life lessons with us. We really appreciate it, and thanks again for all you do, for who you are, and, wish you continued success in all your for profit and nonprofit ventures. As you said, you know, it’s not truly nonprofit because it’s again, gives us so much more to to look forward to and, and learn from the success of others. So thank you.
Linkedin Profile: Raju Reddy is a seasoned technology executive and entrepreneur with a wealth of experience in the IT industry. He is the co-founder of Sierra Atlantic, a global IT services company that was acquired by Hitachi Consulting. Raju is known for his strategic vision and leadership, having successfully grown Sierra Atlantic into a successful company with a global presence. He is also a mentor and advisor to several startups, helping them navigate the challenges of entrepreneurship. Raju’s expertise in technology and business has made him a respected figure in the industry, and he continues to be a driving force in the IT sector.
Summary: In the YouTube video titled “The INDUStry Show with Raju Reddy,” the speaker reflects on their entrepreneurial journey, sharing insights and lessons learned from building their startup, Sierra Atlantic. They express enthusiasm about the growing presence of Indian entrepreneurs in the technology sector and highlight the broader impact of their success. The conversation delves into the rapid advancements in initiatives within the sandbox and discusses key trends in Indian entrepreneurship and funding perceptions. Furthermore, the importance of mentors, volunteering, and establishing a foundation of values before pursuing knowledge and wisdom is emphasized throughout the discussion.
Show Notes: Title: The INDUStry Show with Raju Reddy – Reflecting on Entrepreneurship and Indian Tech Advancements
In this episode of “The INDUStry Show,” Raju Reddy takes us on a reflective journey through his entrepreneurial endeavors, particularly his experiences in building Sierra Atlantic. He shares valuable insights and lessons gleaned from his startup journey, offering a glimpse into the world of Indian entrepreneurship in the technology sector.
Raju Reddy’s enthusiasm for the increasing presence of Indian entrepreneurs in the tech industry is palpable throughout the conversation. He emphasizes the profound impact of their success, shedding light on the broader implications of their achievements.
A significant portion of the discussion revolves around the rapid advancements in initiatives within the sandbox, highlighting key trends in Indian entrepreneurship and shedding light on funding perceptions. This offers viewers a valuable understanding of the current landscape and future trajectory of technology startups in India.
One of the central themes that permeates the conversation is the importance of mentors, volunteering, and establishing a foundation of values before pursuing knowledge and wisdom. This underscores the significance of a holistic approach to entrepreneurship, emphasizing the role of ethical principles and the guidance of experienced mentors in shaping successful ventures.
Throughout the episode, Raju Reddy’s insights provide a rich tapestry of entrepreneurial wisdom, offering viewers a deep understanding of the evolving landscape of Indian entrepreneurship in the technology sector.
Blog Post: Title: Unveiling the Entrepreneurial Journey: Insights from “The INDUStry Show with Raju Reddy”
In a world where entrepreneurship is becoming an increasingly popular career choice, the stories and insights of successful entrepreneurs have the power to inspire and guide aspiring business leaders. The recent YouTube video titled “The INDUStry Show with Raju Reddy” offers a compelling and insightful reflection on the entrepreneurial journey, providing valuable lessons and perspectives from Raju Reddy’s experience in building Sierra Atlantic, a prominent startup.
The video captures the enthusiasm of Raju Reddy as he shares his entrepreneurial journey, offering a deep dive into the challenges, triumphs, and pivotal moments that shaped his path to success. Through this engaging conversation, viewers are treated to a wealth of insights that can serve as a source of inspiration and knowledge for anyone embarking on their own entrepreneurial endeavors.
One of the key highlights of the discussion is the growing presence of Indian entrepreneurs in the technology sector. Raju Reddy passionately emphasizes the broader impact of their success, shedding light on the transformative influence of Indian entrepreneurship in the global landscape. This not only celebrates the achievements of Indian entrepreneurs but also serves as a source of motivation for others seeking to make their mark in the industry.
Moreover, the conversation delves into the rapid advancements in initiatives within the sandbox, offering a glimpse into the evolving entrepreneurial ecosystem in India. Key trends in Indian entrepreneurship and funding perceptions are explored, providing a valuable understanding of the current landscape and potential opportunities for budding entrepreneurs.
Throughout the video, the importance of mentors, volunteering, and establishing a foundation of values before pursuing knowledge and wisdom is consistently emphasized. These fundamental principles serve as guiding lights for individuals looking to navigate the complex and dynamic world of entrepreneurship, reinforcing the significance of integrity, learning from others, and giving back to the community.
As the video unfolds, viewers are treated to a wealth of wisdom and practical insights, making it an invaluable resource for entrepreneurs at all stages of their journey. The authenticity and candor with which Raju Reddy shares his experiences make this conversation not only informative but also deeply engaging and relatable.
“The INDUStry Show with Raju Reddy” is a testament to the power of storytelling and shared experiences in empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. By providing a platform for seasoned entrepreneurs to reflect on their journeys, it not only celebrates their achievements but also offers a roadmap for others to navigate the complexities of entrepreneurship with resilience and purpose.
Whether you are an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned business leader, or simply someone interested in the dynamic world of startups and technology, this video is a must-watch. It offers a rare opportunity to glean insights from the firsthand experiences of a successful entrepreneur, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the evolving entrepreneurial landscape in India.
In conclusion, “The INDUStry Show with Raju Reddy” is a captivating and enriching exploration of the entrepreneurial journey, offering a tapestry of insights, lessons, and inspiration for anyone with a passion for entrepreneurship. Watch the video, absorb the wisdom, and embark on your own entrepreneurial odyssey with newfound clarity and purpose.