I was ready to retire at the age of 22 however it turns out making fifty seven
however it turns out making fifty seven
however it turns out making fifty seven thousand two hundred and fifty dollars
thousand two hundred and fifty dollars
thousand two hundred and fifty dollars after one year doesn’t cut it that’s
after one year doesn’t cut it that’s
after one year doesn’t cut it that’s what that salary felt like it felt like
what that salary felt like it felt like
what that salary felt like it felt like true independence as you can tell from
true independence as you can tell from
true independence as you can tell from my color and accent I’m from India I
my color and accent I’m from India I
my color and accent I’m from India I grew up in a house of fourteen people
grew up in a house of fourteen people
grew up in a house of fourteen people and don’t get me wrong
don’t get me wrong my childhood was
don’t get me wrong my childhood was wonderful and I have lot to thank my
wonderful and I have lot to thank my
wonderful and I have lot to thank my family every day for who I am today
family every day for who I am today
family every day for who I am today but from the very early age I have been
but from the very early age I have been
but from the very early age I have been moved by this idea of independence
moved by this idea of independence
moved by this idea of independence that’s why I came
that’s why I came
that’s why I came 8,000 miles away the u.s. to study that
8,000 miles away the u.s. to study that
8,000 miles away the u.s. to study that first job that first paycheck meant so
first job that first paycheck meant so
first job that first paycheck meant so much the year was 2005 the job was at a
much the year was 2005 the job was at a
much the year was 2005 the job was at a computer company I was really happy to
computer company I was really happy to
computer company I was really happy to be there and those 14-hour days felt
be there and those 14-hour days felt
be there and those 14-hour days felt like it was totally worth it and then
like it was totally worth it and then
like it was totally worth it and then something changed my time my hours spent
something changed my time my hours spent
something changed my time my hours spent in the aisles between the racks of
in the aisles between the racks of
in the aisles between the racks of servers felt meaningless I wasn’t sure
servers felt meaningless I wasn’t sure
servers felt meaningless I wasn’t sure why I was doing what I was doing and
why I was doing what I was doing and
why I was doing what I was doing and then I realized work has two purposes
then I realized work has two purposes
then I realized work has two purposes one to get paid and second is the deeper
one to get paid and second is the deeper
one to get paid and second is the deeper purpose of actually connecting with what
purpose of actually connecting with what
purpose of actually connecting with what what the work stands for and how does it
what the work stands for and how does it
what the work stands for and how does it make a difference in other people’s
make a difference in other people’s
make a difference in other people’s lives and as I left my employment world
lives and as I left my employment world
lives and as I left my employment world to start my own company I realized that
to start my own company I realized that
to start my own company I realized that the burden of purpose is not only on
the burden of purpose is not only on
the burden of purpose is not only on those who seek it but it’s also on those
those who seek it but it’s also on those
those who seek it but it’s also on those who provide it
who provide it
who provide it our company based in Bay Area we are 270
our company based in Bay Area we are 270
our company based in Bay Area we are 270 people and what we do is we work with
people and what we do is we work with
people and what we do is we work with brands design digital experiences like
brands design digital experiences like
brands design digital experiences like apps websites recommendation engine and
apps websites recommendation engine and
apps websites recommendation engine and as the CEO founder it’s my job to tell
as the CEO founder it’s my job to tell
as the CEO founder it’s my job to tell my team what is the big lie and what is
my team what is the big lie and what is
my team what is the big lie and what is the purpose behind every project and it
the purpose behind every project and it
the purpose behind every project and it has to be beyond a paycheck and a set of
has to be beyond a paycheck and a set of
has to be beyond a paycheck and a set of deadlines and it’s important for a few
deadlines and it’s important for a few
deadlines and it’s important for a few reasons we are in the middle of high
reasons we are in the middle of high
reasons we are in the middle of high tech high tech area and in a 15-mile
tech high tech area and in a 15-mile
tech high tech area and in a 15-mile radius we have Google Facebook and Apple
radius we have Google Facebook and Apple
radius we have Google Facebook and Apple I don’t know if you know they’ve got
I don’t know if you know they’ve got
I don’t know if you know they’ve got money and I believe that our people can
money and I believe that our people can
money and I believe that our people can get a job anywhere and we bootstrapped
get a job anywhere and we bootstrapped
get a job anywhere and we bootstrapped the company since day one couple of us
the company since day one couple of us
the company since day one couple of us have paid salaries through our own money
have paid salaries through our own money
have paid salaries through our own money though we are on a much better footing
though we are on a much better footing
though we are on a much better footing today but that that mentality never
today but that that mentality never
today but that that mentality never leaves and and I feel that the if the
leaves and and I feel that the if the
leaves and and I feel that the if the team understands what the bigger
team understands what the bigger
team understands what the bigger relevance is they’ll go above and beyond
relevance is they’ll go above and beyond
relevance is they’ll go above and beyond as Mark Twain said your two most
as Mark Twain said your two most
as Mark Twain said your two most important days of your life the day when
important days of your life the day when
important days of your life the day when you’re born and the same day when you
you’re born and the same day when you
you’re born and the same day when you find out why why makes it important for
find out why why makes it important for
find out why why makes it important for instance we work with a healthcare
instance we work with a healthcare
instance we work with a healthcare provider they are they own more than 200
provider they are they own more than 200
provider they are they own more than 200 and 250 hospitals in the country and
and 250 hospitals in the country and
and 250 hospitals in the country and shortage it’s our job to implement the
shortage it’s our job to implement the
shortage it’s our job to implement the best feature and the best functionality
best feature and the best functionality
best feature and the best functionality but there’s a deeper meaning to what we
but there’s a deeper meaning to what we
but there’s a deeper meaning to what we are doing this client is responsible for
are doing this client is responsible for
are doing this client is responsible for 5% of newborn babies in America our work
5% of newborn babies in America our work
5% of newborn babies in America our work truly impacts lives and this is our
truly impacts lives and this is our
truly impacts lives and this is our opportunity to make a difference in in
opportunity to make a difference in in
opportunity to make a difference in in in these babies lives and the first-time
in these babies lives and the first-time
in these babies lives and the first-time experience of parents who will always
experience of parents who will always
experience of parents who will always remember this moment all their lives as
remember this moment all their lives as
remember this moment all their lives as a father of two I clearly
a father of two I clearly
a father of two I clearly member when my two boys were born those
member when my two boys were born those
member when my two boys were born those two moments are probably the most
two moments are probably the most
two moments are probably the most important moments of my lifetime and
important moments of my lifetime and
important moments of my lifetime and here’s the side here’s the other side of
here’s the side here’s the other side of
here’s the side here’s the other side of purpose which is that as employers it’s
purpose which is that as employers it’s
purpose which is that as employers it’s our job to give a bigger context to work
our job to give a bigger context to work
our job to give a bigger context to work and a deeper meaning every day and
and a deeper meaning every day and
and a deeper meaning every day and here’s the side of here’s the side of
here’s the side of here’s the side of
here’s the side of here’s the side of purpose which gets missed all the time
purpose which gets missed all the time
purpose which gets missed all the time which is consistency you know my friends
which is consistency you know my friends
which is consistency you know my friends tell me that I the stuff the timing of
tell me that I the stuff the timing of
tell me that I the stuff the timing of me starting the company was perfect and
me starting the company was perfect and
me starting the company was perfect and I tell them yes it was perfectly bad
I tell them yes it was perfectly bad
I tell them yes it was perfectly bad timing this is when I started my company
timing this is when I started my company
timing this is when I started my company exactly nine years ago in Feb of 2009 we
exactly nine years ago in Feb of 2009 we
exactly nine years ago in Feb of 2009 we tried to raise money we couldn’t in fact
tried to raise money we couldn’t in fact
tried to raise money we couldn’t in fact we were two weeks away twice to run out
we were two weeks away twice to run out
we were two weeks away twice to run out of cash and I can tell you with utmost
of cash and I can tell you with utmost
of cash and I can tell you with utmost certainty that I am the guy in this room
certainty that I am the guy in this room
certainty that I am the guy in this room who’s been fired the most number of
who’s been fired the most number of
who’s been fired the most number of times by the clients especially those
times by the clients especially those
times by the clients especially those first two years by that time life truly
first two years by that time life truly
first two years by that time life truly sucked you know things changed gradually
sucked you know things changed gradually
sucked you know things changed gradually and after four years of I have no idea
and after four years of I have no idea
and after four years of I have no idea what the hell I’m doing the fifth year
what the hell I’m doing the fifth year
what the hell I’m doing the fifth year was different the business tripled since
was different the business tripled since
was different the business tripled since then we have grown the company to 270
then we have grown the company to 270
then we have grown the company to 270 people across five offices and it felt
people across five offices and it felt
people across five offices and it felt like I’ve become an overnight success
like I’ve become an overnight success
like I’ve become an overnight success which took five years and during this
which took five years and during this
which took five years and during this journey something very special happened
journey something very special happened
journey something very special happened you know we were you were designing this
you know we were you were designing this
you know we were you were designing this app to teach kids ABCD one two three
app to teach kids ABCD one two three
app to teach kids ABCD one two three four this was an iPad app very early
four this was an iPad app very early
four this was an iPad app very early days and we push it out on the App Store
days and we push it out on the App Store
days and we push it out on the App Store and in 48 hours we’d get this email I
and in 48 hours we’d get this email I
and in 48 hours we’d get this email I love what you’re doing thank you
love what you’re doing thank you
love what you’re doing thank you let me know if we can help Steve I swear
let me know if we can help Steve I swear
let me know if we can help Steve I swear to God when we got this email we didn’t
to God when we got this email we didn’t
to God when we got this email we didn’t we felt like someone is messing around
we felt like someone is messing around
we felt like someone is messing around with us and this email was game-changing
with us and this email was game-changing
with us and this email was game-changing and as I said consistency is a big
and as I said consistency is a big
and as I said consistency is a big reason for my life’s work of building
reason for my life’s work of building
reason for my life’s work of building this company love happens over time you
this company love happens over time you
this company love happens over time you don’t earn the love of your wife or
don’t earn the love of your wife or
don’t earn the love of your wife or husband because you had that one
husband because you had that one
husband because you had that one touching moment you you you gave that
touching moment you you you gave that
touching moment you you you gave that one expensive gift or that bouquet of
one expensive gift or that bouquet of
one expensive gift or that bouquet of flowers it happens over time you work on
flowers it happens over time you work on
flowers it happens over time you work on that relationship every single day same
that relationship every single day same
that relationship every single day same with friendship same with trust once you
with friendship same with trust once you
with friendship same with trust once you stop working on it it dies and you know
stop working on it it dies and you know
stop working on it it dies and you know if you look at the top business leaders
if you look at the top business leaders
if you look at the top business leaders in the world Steve Jobs Bill Gates Jeff
in the world Steve Jobs Bill Gates Jeff
in the world Steve Jobs Bill Gates Jeff Bezos there’s one thing in common
Bezos there’s one thing in common
Bezos there’s one thing in common they have been working on they’re
they have been working on they’re
they have been working on they’re calling over 20 to 40 years consistently
calling over 20 to 40 years consistently
calling over 20 to 40 years consistently their life’s work is accumulation of
their life’s work is accumulation of
their life’s work is accumulation of small things over extended period of
small things over extended period of
small things over extended period of time and here’s the best part you don’t
time and here’s the best part you don’t
time and here’s the best part you don’t have to launch rocket or even car in the
have to launch rocket or even car in the
have to launch rocket or even car in the orbit like Elon Musk you don’t have to
orbit like Elon Musk you don’t have to
orbit like Elon Musk you don’t have to launch big businesses it can be done by
launch big businesses it can be done by
launch big businesses it can be done by anybody in fact it can be done by each
anybody in fact it can be done by each
anybody in fact it can be done by each one of us if we can connect with the
one of us if we can connect with the
one of us if we can connect with the deeper purpose of how we are making a
deeper purpose of how we are making a
deeper purpose of how we are making a difference in other people’s lives and
difference in other people’s lives and
difference in other people’s lives and we have to do it or an extended period
we have to do it or an extended period
we have to do it or an extended period of time
of time
of time for instance a teacher is making a
for instance a teacher is making a
for instance a teacher is making a massive difference in the lives of kids
massive difference in the lives of kids
massive difference in the lives of kids and not just that the teacher is
and not just that the teacher is
and not just that the teacher is influencing those kids but actually is
influencing those kids but actually is
influencing those kids but actually is building the future of this world same
building the future of this world same
building the future of this world same with a barista is the first point of
with a barista is the first point of
with a barista is the first point of contact for hundreds of people
contact for hundreds of people
contact for hundreds of people before they go to work and that that
before they go to work and that that
before they go to work and that that moment can influence how the day unfolds
moment can influence how the day unfolds
moment can influence how the day unfolds I believe today that when I walk into
I believe today that when I walk into
I believe today that when I walk into work every day and I if I get this
work every day and I if I get this
work every day and I if I get this feeling of this is my opportunity to
feeling of this is my opportunity to
feeling of this is my opportunity to make a difference in other people’s
make a difference in other people’s
make a difference in other people’s lives and I am lead to do its work
lives and I am lead to do its work
lives and I am lead to do its work versus the feeling I used to get in my
versus the feeling I used to get in my
versus the feeling I used to get in my first job which was I got to do this
first job which was I got to do this
first job which was I got to do this work I had to earn a living because it’s
work I had to earn a living because it’s
work I had to earn a living because it’s a requirement I hope you guys have found
a requirement I hope you guys have found
a requirement I hope you guys have found your life’s work if not it’s time to
your life’s work if not it’s time to
your life’s work if not it’s time to look thank you
look thank you
look thank you [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
Oh
Oh [Music]
”
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