Taking Chances

What better way to get to know our quest than a round of snappy and energising Quick Takes.

There are no short cuts in life says our guest - Raj Gopalakrishnan the Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) at KOGO Tech Labs - India’s only AI travel expert app.

Raj is a professional with more than three decades of rich experience in media, entertainment, design, content, video technologies and AI under his belt.

Adept at building businesses from the ground up he has founded and transformed six start-ups into successful corporate brands.

An avid biker and traveling enthusiast, his passion for travel and culture became a huge part of his professional journey with KOGO.

In this episode he talks about his life’s pursuits, motivations, leadership mantras and of course KOGO.

This is Taking Chances.

What better way to get to know our guest here on The Taking Chances podcast than a round of snappy and energising Quick Takes.

Our guest today is Nikhil Taneja, a multi-award-winning writer, producer, storyteller, entrepreneur, teacher and youth mental health advocate. He’s the co-founder and Chief of Yuvaa, India’s first Gen Z-driven youth media, research and impact organization. He also serves on the Board of Directors of the girls’ education focused international non-profit, Girl Rising. Nikhil is currently the creator and host of Be A Man, Yaar! - the viral chat series on positive masculinity.

In this episode, he tells us to listen to young India, shares all that is important and interesting to him and why he believes Shahrukh Khan is a champion of positive masculinity.

This is Taking Chances.

Our guest on this podcast is Kanika Saxena, only the 2nd master scuba diving trainer in India. And that is just one of the many pies in which she has her fingers. A VP at a telecom major, a chef, a teacher, media honcho and an entrepreneur; she also graces the list of the most influential professionals of India.

With her vast and varied experience she has lot to say about what makes the consumer tick and how hard work always pays off.

In this podcast she talks to us about her life lessons and how if you try hard enough you will always find a way. But don’t forget to have fun while you are at it, she says.

This is Taking Chances.

We have with us Anupreet Dhody, co founder of I’m wholesome a food service startup that aims to provide healthy, sustainable and gourmet food services to guests

She has 15 years of experience in finance, management, and entrepreneurship, plus a certification in permaculture design, which enables her to apply ecological principles and practices to food production and distribution.

She has been recognized as one of the 99 Women Achievers of India for 2023

In this episode she talks about her passion for ingredients, customer service and the importance of innovation in food.

We discovered what grazing tables are and how cool they have become in the last few years.

This is Taking chances.

Our guest today is Tarun Katial Founder & CEO, coto (come together), a Web3 based social crypto community platform for women.

A Kellogg’s alumnus and a TEDX speaker, Tarun excels at blending technology and consumer insights in building digital products.

With an experience of over two decades, Tarun began his career with advertising. Later, he became the Head of Content and Communications at Star Network India before moving to Sony Entertainment Television as Business Head. He led BIG FM as the Founder COO-CEO before moving on to steering ZEE5, to a leadership position in the cluttered OTT market in India.

He has been recognized as a Dreamer-Disruptor by Bloomberg-Quint, voted as NewsCorp Achiever for Asia and included among the best in the ‘India Today 30 on 30’ list. He was also part of the team that won the first Media Gold at Cannes.

A digital thinker, Tarun is also a Vipassana practitioner and is single-mindedly focused on creating a decentralised web space designed for women that grants equal status to all.

In this episode, he shares his content philosophy, importance of purpose and the need for self-talk.

This is Taking Chances.

Our guest in this episode is one of the first woman to do stand-up comedy in India, the witty and incredibly funny Aditi Mittal. 

She is a comedian, writer, actor and podcaster with many shows and accolades to her credit in India and abroad. Her stand up specials ‘Things they wouldn’t let me say’ and ‘Girl Meet’s Mic’ are on Netflix. She actively tours across many countries giving live performances and stand-up comedy workshops.

In this podcast she speaks to us about her trials, challenges, passions and goals, in her now familiar humorous and candid style.

With her mother as her muse and her wit on her sleeve, she takes life in her stride and is laughing her way through it.

Just stop thinking, she says, go out there and do exactly what you want.

This is Taking Chances.

Sam Balsara, has near 50 years’ experience in marketing and advertising, of which the last 34 years have been entrepreneurial. Sam has served as President or Chairman of almost every Industry body in the country.

The Economic Times Brand Equity Ad Agency Reckoner ranks Sam as "India's Most Influential Media Person" for 11 years. Sam is also the recipient of the Advertising Agencies Association of India's Lifetime Achievement Award, Ad Club of Kolkata's Hall of Fame Award and has entered the International Advertising Association’s (IAA) Hall of Fame. Over the past 34 years, Madison has grown to become India's largest Indian owned communications company.

In this episode, Sam talks about his journey, the chances he takes and the importance of integrity.

This is Taking Chances.

Our guest today Shahana Goswami started her career at the age of 19 with Naseeruddin Shah's directorial début - Yun Hota Toh Kya Hota. Most known for her performances in Rock On, Firaaq, Midnight's Children, she more recently has been seen in Mira Nair's A Suitable Boy, Amazon's show Hush Hush, Netflix's Bombay Begums and most recently in Nandita Das's Zwigato.

Shahana has varied interests - trained in classical dance, sports, fitness and spirituality.

In this episode Shahana talks about her craft, her role models and why it is important to be in the moment fully.

This is Taking Chances.