
The 10X podcast features leadership interviews, growth strategies and key takeaways from business and self-development books. The podcast is hosted by Preethy Padmanabhan (@preepadu). Listen and gain insights to drive 10X growth in your career, business and life. Tweet @preepadu with your comments on books or leaders you recommend to be featured in the podcast. Credits- Kavya Sethu
Episodes

Thursday Aug 29, 2024
E82 - Masters of Corporate Venture Capital with author Andrew Romans
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
Thursday Aug 29, 2024
In this episode, host Preethy Padmanabhan features the book 'Masters of Corporate Venture Capital' with its author, Andrew Romans. Andrew, a seasoned venture capitalist and General Partner at 7BC Venture Capital, shares insights from his extensive career in Silicon Valley and corporate venture capital. The discussion dives into the motivations behind writing the book, key takeaways, and common challenges faced by CVCs. Andrew also highlights notable differences between corporate and financial VCs and offers practical advice for startups looking to raise from CVCs. The episode is packed with invaluable knowledge on navigating the fast-changing world of technology and innovation in corporate ventures.
Topics:
00:00 Introduction and Author Background
02:06 Career Journey and Venture Capital Experience
05:22 Motivation Behind Writing the Book
12:21 Key Takeaways from the Book
20:40 Common Challenges in Corporate Venture Capital
30:39 Differences Between VCs and CVCs
36:40 Tips for Startups Raising from CVCs
45:31 Final Insights and Conclusion
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Thursday Aug 15, 2024
E81 - Biased (Jennifer L. Eberhardt) with Gayathri Radhakrishnan
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
Thursday Aug 15, 2024
In this episode, our host Saradha Sriram features the book Biased by Jennifer L. Eberhardt. Our guest Gayathri Radhakrishnan has over two decades of multi-disciplinary experience across domains such as product management, product marketing, corporate strategy, M&A and venture investments. She is currently a Partner at Hitachi Ventures and in her role actively invests in technology startups that are enabling digital transformation.
We explore:
- Gayathri’s role in Venture investments and her insights from the book and her decision making process around unconscious bias.
- How do we talk about biases in the workplace, family etc.
- Need for institutional change and training and Gayathri’s experiences on this

Monday Jul 29, 2024
E80 - The Rise of Meritocracy (Michael Young) with Zoe Samuel
Monday Jul 29, 2024
Monday Jul 29, 2024
We feature the book “The rise of meritocracy by Michael Young '' with our guest Zoe Samuel and host Arthi Vijayaraghavan. The book is a satire on how the creation of the so-called merit based ruling class will reshape our society in the future. Our guest Zoe is a Venture partner at Starshot capital and she has previously worked at Google. At Google she co-created Anthropocene which supports Google Climate projects such as Project sunroof, Anthro Krishi and many more.
The book presents a historical context of how the merit based society has been shaped through the last century and its impact on the future as well.

Thursday Jun 27, 2024
E79 - The Steve Jobs Way (Jay Elliott and William L. Simon) with Sriram Krishnan
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
Thursday Jun 27, 2024
In this episode, our host Saradha Sriram features the book The Steve Jobs Way by Jay Elliot and William L. Simon. Our guest, Sriram Krishnan, a Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, has over 25 years of experience developing products and solutions leveraging advanced analytics and AI in life sciences and healthcare. He is the Chief R&D officer of Carenostics, a mission-driven startup focused on underdiagnosed and undertreated patients and getting them to Guideline Driven Therapy.
We explore Steve Jobs’:
- Leadership Style and Innovation
- Decision Making Process
- Impact on Technology and Culture
This book provides not only a portrait of a visionary leader and practical insights and principles that can inspire the current and future generations.

Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
E78 - The Startup of You (Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha) with Preetha Ram
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
Wednesday Jun 05, 2024
In this episode, our host Preethy Padmanabhan had a candid and insightful discussion about the book “The Startup of You”, with Preetha Ram, Managing Partner at Pier70 Ventures. Check out the episode and gain valuable tips on how to 10X your career.
"The Startup of You" by Reid Hoffman and Ben Casnocha is a guidebook for adapting the principles of entrepreneurship to personal career development. It emphasizes treating your career as a dynamic, ever-evolving startup. The authors advocate taking calculated risks, building valuable relationships, and continuously investing in your skills and adaptability. They stress the significance of embracing uncertainty and seizing opportunities for growth and innovation. Ultimately, the book encourages readers to adopt an entrepreneurial mindset to thrive in today's rapidly changing professional landscape.

Wednesday May 29, 2024
E77-The Triumph framework with author Talila Millman
Wednesday May 29, 2024
Wednesday May 29, 2024
In this episode, our host Arthi Vijayaraghavan discusses the book “The Triumph Framework" with author Ms.Talila Millman. Talila shares the framework which helps C-suite execs in startups, scale-ups to transform organizations through change management. Talila is a leadership expert and growth catalyst. Through her advisory service, MillmanTech, she is the secret weapon CEOs and C-suite executives of scaleups and mid-market companies rely on to fuel profit and expansion.
Tune in to listen to anecdotes shared by the author through her work and learnings. The framework will help you to drive your team towards growth and transformation.

Wednesday May 08, 2024
E76 - Power Score (Geoff Smart, Randy Street, and Alan Foster) with Bhaskar Kende
Wednesday May 08, 2024
Wednesday May 08, 2024
In this episode, our host Saradha Sriram will feature the book ”Power Score“ by Geoff Smart, Randy Street, and Alan Foster. Our guest Bhaskar Kende is an accomplished professional who has successfully transitioned from engineering to entrepreneurship. As the Co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of Prana Life Sciences, Bhaskar is pivotal in steering the company's strategic direction and operations, Prana Life Sciences is a technology consulting firm located in the Greater Philadelphia area that predominantly serves clients in the Pharma, Biotechnology, and Medical Devices sectors throughout the United States.
In this episode, we will explore how the Power Score can be applied to various professional contexts. Focus on understanding the formula for Power Score PWR – Priorities, Who, and Relationships. Discuss the challenges of implementation, the role of leadership, and measuring success.

Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
E75 - Multipliers (Liz Wiseman) with Lucie Newcomb
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
Wednesday Apr 17, 2024
In this episode our host Preethy Padmanabhan will feature the book "Multipliers" by Liz Wiseman. Our guest today is Lucie Newcomb, the CEO and Founder of The NewComm Global Group, a leading international Advisory and Training firm specializing in Global Business Development and Global Leadership. She holds a Master’s degree in Leadership and 2 related certifications. She specializes in go-to-market strategies internationally and global leadership development
"Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter" by Liz Wiseman explores the characteristics and behaviors of leaders who amplify the intelligence and capabilities of their teams. Through extensive research and real-world examples, Wiseman identifies two contrasting leadership styles: multipliers and diminishers. Multipliers are leaders who inspire and empower their teams, fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation. In contrast, diminishers often unknowingly inhibit the potential of those around them through micromanagement and control. The book provides valuable insights and practical strategies for aspiring leaders to adopt a multiplier mindset and maximize the talents of their organizations.

Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
E74 - The Worlds I see (Fei-Fei Li) with Diane Yu
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
Tuesday Apr 02, 2024
In the episode our host Preethy Padmanabhan has a thought provoking discussion with Diane Yu, Co-founder & CEO of TidalWave.ai on the book “The Worlds I See" by Fei-Fei Li. The book serves as a call to action for creating compassionate and inclusive technologies that address real-world challenges and foster a deeper connection among people.
Diane shares her journey as a serial entrepreneur and reflects on similarities of her experience to what Fei-Fei shares in her book. Diane’s current company TidalWave is on a mission to build the first ever generative AI application for mortgages. Before TidalWave, Diane held past roles as the CTO for Better, a digital mortgage lender and CTO for Comcast Advertising. Diane came to Comcast via Comcast's acquisition of FreeWheel, a company she co-founded and built from the ground up.

Thursday Mar 21, 2024
E73 - The Moonballer with author Nirupama Vaidyanathan Sanjeev
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
Thursday Mar 21, 2024
In this episode our host Saradha Sriram discusses the book “The Moonballer” with the author Nirupama Vaidyanathan. Nirupama is a former professional tennis player, a respected media commentator, an accomplished author, and an influential coach. They explore the multifaceted world of tennis through the experiences and insights of a true veteran of the game and talk about Nirupama’s maiden book ‘The Moonballer’.
- Her story of perseverance and excellence
- Passion for the sport of tennis
- Her comeback trail
Dive deep into the heart of the story with our podcast, where you'll hear directly from the author. It's your chance to experience the narrative in its most authentic form, unfiltered and raw, as intended by its creator.