In this episode of the Second Innings podcast, hosts Atul & Suman talk to Anil Nair to explore his journey from a successful career in advertising to founding Goodwind Moto Tours, a premium motorcycle touring company. Anil shares his early influences, the challenges he faced in his career, and the importance of self-awareness and purpose in making significant life transitions. He emphasizes the need to embrace the unknown and the value of personal growth through experiences, ultimately leading to his passion for motorcycling and helping others.Anil Sadasivan Nair is the co-founder of Goodwind Moto Tours, a premium motorcycle touring company from India. GMT is the pioneer in premium motorcycle tours taking Indian riders to exotic routes in Europe, Africa and Asia. He also serves as the co-founder and executive director of Hyper-ready Technologies, an AI technology firm. Apart from these two he holds board positions in various companies, including Kalyan Jewelers and Candere.With 27 years of experience in advertising, Anil's last role in advertising was CEO and managing partner at L&K Saatchi & Saatchi, a leading global advertising agency from where he retired in 2020. He was also a member of the global leadership board for Saatchi & Saatchi Worldwide.In addition to his professional achievements, Anil authored "License to Fall," which shares insights from motorcycling about living life on one's own terms. The book is available on Amazon and in select bookstores. Anil is married to Arati Nair, an avid trekker who teaches social skills and English to children from less privileged backgrounds for the NGO Angel Express in Mumbai. He is a father to a young lady pursuing her master's degree in digital marketing and social media at the University of Dublin, Ireland.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction to Second Innings Podcast

00:02:12 Anil Nair's Early Life and Background

00:03:14 Transition to Mumbai and Early Career

00:04:10 Passion for Cricket and Its Impact

00:05:10 Injury and Career Shift

00:05:30 Discovering Advertising and Marketing

00:06:31 Family Influence and Motorcycling Passion

00:07:44 The Journey to Mumbai and Dreams of Motorcycles

00:15:49 The Challenge of Acquiring a Bike

00:18:06 Balancing Passion and Career in Advertising

00:20:07 The Near-Fatal Crash and Its Impact

00:21:48 The Decision to Buy Another Bike

00:23:22 Transitioning from Bikes to Cars

00:24:19 The Influence of Advertising on Passion

00:26:24 The Birth of an Agency

00:28:18 Navigating Success and Challenges in Advertising

00:30:49 The Desire for Independence

00:33:22 The Journey to Founding a New Agency

00:36:32 The Leap of Faith: Starting A New Agency

00:38:40 Navigating Risks and Rewards in Entrepreneurship

00:41:46 Financial Preparedness: The Reality of Starting Up

00:46:43 Building a Legacy: From Agency to Impact

00:48:27 Passion Meets Purpose: The Birth of Goodwind Riding

00:55:10 Self-Justification and Truth

00:58:47 The Race of Life: Running Your Own Race

00:58:57 The Journey of Writing a Book

01:01:51 Lessons from Motorcycling: Metaphors for Life

01:08:38 Reflections on the Journey: What Would You Change?

01:08:57 Advice for Transitioning: Start with Why

In this episode, hosts Atul S Nath and Suman Ghose engage in a conversation with Navyug Mohnot, a seasoned entrepreneur and life design coach. They explore Navyug's journey from his early life experiences, shaped by his father's career with the United Nations, to his education at IIT and his eventual transition into entrepreneurship. The discussion delves into the concept of 'Designing Your Life', emphasizing the importance of self-awareness, vulnerability, and intrinsic motivation in navigating life's challenges and opportunities. The conversation concludes with reflections on identity, the importance of chipping away at life's complexities, and the value of embracing both success and failure as part of the journey.

Navyug is the CEO of QAI, a transnational Process Improvement consulting organisation, and the Founder and CEO of QGLUE, a consulting, coaching, and training company that helps enterprises and individuals adopt and embrace the ‘design-led way’ to foster innovation and success.

Navyug’s passion for all things “design” led him serendipitously to the celebrated Stanford book and offering “Designing Your Life”. Navyug is a Stanford- trained “Designing Your Life” (DYL) Coach, Facilitator, and Educator for Universities, and brought the renowned program to India for the first time as Visiting Faculty at Ashoka University and at the Indian School of Business.

Navyug did his B.Tech from IIT Delhi and received the “Outstanding Contribution to National Development” award from the IIT Delhi Alumni Association. He pursued a Fellowship for a PhD program in the USA. He dropped out to pursue his dream of returning to contribute to the globalisation of the then-nascent Indian IT Industry.

Chapters

00:00:00 Introduction to Second Innings Podcast

00:03:16 Navyug Mohnot's Early Life and Influences

00:11:55 Navigating Education and Career Choices

00:17:20 The Concept of Accidents in Life

00:24:17 Finding Balance Between Decisiveness and Fluidity

00:29:52 Understanding Personal Values and Decision Making

00:31:42 Aligning Values and Purpose in Organizations

00:34:21 The Importance of Self-Reflection and Core Values

00:36:20 Embracing Failure and Learning from Mistakes

00:40:00 Transitioning from QAI to Life Design

00:45:52 The Power of Aha Moments and Self-Awareness

00:49:57 Navigating the Dichotomy of Life

00:54:57 Navigating Emotional Challenges in New Ventures

00:58:23 The Value of Effort Over Outcome

00:59:30 Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation

01:03:45 Life by Design vs. Default

01:04:12 Building a Portfolio of Identities

01:07:32 Reflections on Past Choices

01:10:11 Advice for Different Life Stages

Hosts Atul S Nath and Suman Ghose engage in a conversation with a person who has scaled Mt Everest - Hemant Soreng, an adventurer, entrepreneur, and author. Hemant shares his inspiring journey from a middle-class upbringing in Delhi to climbing Mount Everest and starting his own travel company, Rustic Travel. The discussion covers his early influences, the emotional challenges of entrepreneurship, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures. Hemant emphasizes the importance of taking risks, staying hungry, and embracing experiences as a way to grow personally and professionally.Chapters00:00 Introduction to Second Innings Podcast01:54 Meet Hemant Soreng: The Adventurer02:10 Early Life and Influences06:43 Transition to Engineering and MBA07:03 The Dot-Com Boom and Early Career11:34 Starting Up: The First Business Venture16:28 Navigating Challenges and Acquisitions18:50 Navigating Early Career Challenges21:35 The Thrill of Entrepreneurship23:45 Lessons from Personal Loss25:38 The Journey to Everest32:11 Starting Rustic Travel37:09 Reflections on Achievements and Future Aspirations44:57 The Challenges of Climbing and Descent45:34 Transitioning Between Startups47:57 The Importance of Financial Planning49:24 The Power of Commitment and Focus51:21 Navigating the Pandemic: A New Journey51:27 Reflections on Experience and Advice for Entrepreneurs