Be Anomalous

Sai Menon

Be Anomalous is a podcast that amplifies bold, unfiltered stories from trailblazers, creatives, and changemakers who break the mold. Through raw, honest conversations, we explore what it means to defy norms, embrace individuality, and forge your own path. From cultural identity to reinvention, each episode delivers inspiration, real insight, and practical advice for those daring to succeed on their own terms—unapologetically.

  1. Why This Founder Refuses VC Money | Susanne Mitschke

    Jun 22

    Why This Founder Refuses VC Money | Susanne Mitschke

    What does it take to build a company that lasts decades—not just until the next funding round? In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Susanne Mitschke, co-founder and CEO of Citruslabs, the leading provider of decentralized clinical studies for consumer brands. With a background in biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health, Susanne has spent her career at the intersection of science, entrepreneurship, and healthcare. From founding her first startup in the digital health space to building a profitable company without venture capital, she shares a refreshingly practical perspective on what it really means to build something sustainable. We discuss: • Why she chose not to raise venture capital for Citruslabs • The lessons she learned from her first startup • What founders get wrong about fundraising • Building a profitable business from day one • Leadership, hiring, and company culture • Why women's health has historically been underrepresented in research • The future of clinical studies and consumer health brands • Founder health, burnout, sleep, and sustainable performance • Failure, resilience, and making unconventional decisions One of my favorite takeaways from this conversation: "The most unsexy thing is often the thing that moves the needle the most." In a world obsessed with headlines, valuations, and hustle culture, Susanne offers a different path—one built on ownership, discipline, and long-term thinking. Connect with Susanne: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/susannemitschke/ About Be Anomalous Be Anomalous is a podcast for founders, creators, innovators, and cultural disruptors who are building outside the lines. Through candid conversations, we explore unconventional journeys, hard-earned lessons, and the mindset required to create a life on your own terms. Subscribe for new episodes every week. Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous. #BeAnomalous #Entrepreneurship #FounderStories #WomensHealth #ClinicalResearch #Bootstrapping #Startups #Leadership #BusinessPodcast #HealthcareInnovation

    45 min
  2. From Cancer Research to Entertainment: The Unconventional Journey of Hiba Irshad

    Jun 8

    From Cancer Research to Entertainment: The Unconventional Journey of Hiba Irshad

    In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Hiba Irshad, founder of Twenty5%, a media, talent, and cultural strategy company dedicated to amplifying South Asian voices. Growing up as an Indian Muslim in the Midwest, Hiba learned early on how to embrace the parts of herself that made her different. But her path to entrepreneurship wasn't straightforward. She started in healthcare and cancer research before leaping entertainment, driven by a passion for storytelling, culture, and representation. We discuss: • Growing up between cultures and identities• Building confidence and self-belief • Leaving a stable healthcare career for entertainment • The power of cold outreach and networking • Why representation needs more nuance • Building Twenty5% from the ground up• Entrepreneurship, resilience, and self-doubt • Creating opportunities for South Asian creatives. This conversation is a powerful reminder that your career doesn't have to follow a traditional path and that the things that make you different can become your greatest strengths.

    1h 3m
  3. She Walked Away From Big Law to Build a Firm for Underrepresented Founders | Aravinda Seshadri

    Jun 4

    She Walked Away From Big Law to Build a Firm for Underrepresented Founders | Aravinda Seshadri

    What happens when you've achieved everything you thought you wanted—and it still doesn't feel right? In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Aravinda Seshadri, founder and CEO of Venturous Counsel, a startup law firm focused on helping diverse and underrepresented founders navigate the legal side of building companies. Aravinda's journey is anything but conventional. She went from being a self-described argumentative kid who loved courtroom dramas to becoming a partner at a successful law firm. But despite the title and the success, something was missing. That realization led her to leave the traditional path and build Venturous Counsel—a firm designed to close the access gap for founders who often don't have the networks, resources, or support systems that many others take for granted. In this conversation, we discuss: • Why success on paper doesn't always equal fulfillment • Growing up as a minority and how it shaped her worldview • Building a company while becoming a mother • The truth about imposter syndrome • Why diverse founders often face hidden barriers • Startup legal mistakes founders make early on • How to know when it's time to take the entrepreneurial leap • Creating a workplace built on trust, flexibility, and purpose

    58 min
  4. "I Am a Mama First" — How Helen Diaz Co-Founded a Spirit Brand in 42 States | Be Anomalous by Sai Menon

    Jun 1

    "I Am a Mama First" — How Helen Diaz Co-Founded a Spirit Brand in 42 States | Be Anomalous by Sai Menon

    In this episode of Be Anomalous, Helen Diaz, co-founder of Chareau, the world's first aloe spirit, shares the unfiltered story of building a brand from the trunk of a car to 42+ states, raising a son while raising capital, and why she leads her LinkedIn bio with "Mama first."Helen spent 20+ years in hospitality before becoming the very first employee at Chareau. She didn't have a business plan. She didn't know the industry jargon. She just believed in the product — and knocked on every bar door in San Francisco until people believed too. This conversation is about what it really takes to build something from nothing: the investor who went bankrupt, the pandemic that wiped out 90% of their business, the fundraising rounds, the pivots, and the moments she considered walking away. But it's also about something deeper — what success actually means when you're building a company and raising a child at the same time.

    1h 7m
  5. Refusing to Fit in a Box: On Identity, Foresight & Redefining What's Possible | Radha Mistry

    May 28

    Refusing to Fit in a Box: On Identity, Foresight & Redefining What's Possible | Radha Mistry

    What does it look like to build a career — and a life — entirely on your own terms? In this episode, Sai sits down with Radha Mistry, a foresight strategist, designer, and educator whose path has been anything but conventional. From growing up across India, England, and Taiwan, to walking away from architecture, moving to London for art school, and eventually finding her calling in futures research — Radha's story is about what happens when you refuse to let the world define you. They dig into: How Radha went from architecture school to leading foresight work at a global firmWhat "futures thinking" actually is (hint: it's provocation, not prediction)Why she struggled to call herself a designer — and how she found the language to own itGrowing up between cultures and never quite fitting inRedefining marriage, motherhood, and ambition on her own termsWhat it means to raise kids who feel free to contain multitudesWhy mentoring women of color in design is deeply personal to herBook mentioned: Trick Mirror by Jia TolentinoQuote: "We are called to be architects of the future, not its victims." — Buckminster Fuller

    1h 12m
  6. Stephanie Fisher | “I Got Laid Off… and It Changed My Entire Life.”

    May 25

    Stephanie Fisher | “I Got Laid Off… and It Changed My Entire Life.”

    What happens when the career you thought you’d have forever suddenly disappears? In this episode of Be Anomalous, Sai Menon sits down with Stephanie Fisher — engineer, mom of four, and content creator — to talk about the unexpected layoff that completely shifted the direction of her life. What started as posting videos after her kids went to sleep slowly became something bigger: confidence, creativity, community, and a new identity she never imagined for herself. But this conversation goes far deeper than content creation. Steph opens up about: • The fear of being perceived online • Motherhood and ambition • Internet pressure and trolls • Transparency around money • Building confidence later in life • Reinventing yourself when life forces you to pivot • Learning to stop living by other people’s expectations. This episode is for anyone questioning whether it’s too late to start over — or wondering if the version of themselves they want to become is actually possible. If you’ve ever felt different, stuck, or ready for something more… this conversation will stay with you. Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

    57 min
  7. How Alix Peabody Built Bev After 200 Rejections | Be Anomalous by Sai Menon

    May 14

    How Alix Peabody Built Bev After 200 Rejections | Be Anomalous by Sai Menon

    In this episode of Be Anomalous, Sai Menon sits down with entrepreneur and Bev founder Alix Peabody for an honest conversation about what it really takes to build something from nothing.From growing up between countries and cultures, to pitching 200+ investors, building in a male-dominated industry, and eventually exiting Bev, Alix opens up about the emotional and mental realities of entrepreneurship that rarely get talked about publicly.This isn’t just a conversation about startups.It’s about ambition, resilience, intuition, loneliness, reinvention — and learning who you are outside the company you built.In this episode, we talk about:* Building Bev from scratch* Navigating fundraising as a female founder* Why rejection became fuel* Founder burnout and life after exit* The emotional weight of leadership* Hiring, intuition, and building the right team* Entrepreneurship vs identity* Mental health, sleep, and rebuilding after success* Why there’s never a “perfect time” to startAlix also shares the mindset shifts that helped her survive the chaos of startup life — and the advice she’d give anyone bold enough to build something unconventional.“If you’re a founder, creative, or someone trying to carve your own path… this episode is for you.”Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.Subscribe to the Be Anomalous https://www.beanomalous.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/beanomalouspodcast/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/be-anomalous/New conversations with founders, creators, and unconventional thinkers.New episodes every Monday and Thursday —Follow Sai:Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iamsaimenon/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamsaimenon/

    54 min
  8. Why Rama Afullo Walked Away From SpaceX to Build Something Bigger | Be Anomalous by Sai Menon

    May 11

    Why Rama Afullo Walked Away From SpaceX to Build Something Bigger | Be Anomalous by Sai Menon

    What does it take to walk away from companies like Google, Tesla, and SpaceX to build your own vision? In this episode of Be Anomalous, Sai Menon sits down with Rama Afullo, founder and CEO of Satlyt, to talk about identity, ambition, startup culture, and building the future of orbital computing. Born in Kenya and raised across multiple countries, Rama shares how growing up between cultures shaped his thinking about resilience, confidence, and innovation. From being one of Tesla’s earliest employees in Africa to working at Google and later joining Starlink at SpaceX, his journey has been anything but conventional. But this conversation goes deeper than résumés and startups. We talk about: Walking away from prestige to build your own pathThe hidden realities of venture capitalWhat working inside Google and SpaceX actually taught himWhy confidence and identity matter in entrepreneurshipThe future of AI and orbital infrastructureBuilding with conviction before the world understands your visionThis is a conversation for founders, creatives, engineers, and anyone trying to build a life outside the lines.

    57 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Be Anomalous is a podcast that amplifies bold, unfiltered stories from trailblazers, creatives, and changemakers who break the mold. Through raw, honest conversations, we explore what it means to defy norms, embrace individuality, and forge your own path. From cultural identity to reinvention, each episode delivers inspiration, real insight, and practical advice for those daring to succeed on their own terms—unapologetically.

Information

  • Creator
    Sai Menon
  • Years Active
    2019 - 2026
  • Episodes
    68
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Sai Menon
  • Show Website
    Be Anomalous