In this powerful episode, we sit down with Sheikha Al Otaibi — first-gen college grad, co-founder of a fast-growing remote staffing startup, and Babson College’s Entrepreneur of the Year — to talk about what it really takes to build something from the ground up.

Born in Boston, raised by her grandmother in South Jersey, and navigating life between her Saudi and American roots, Sheikha opens up about identity, resilience, and the hard decisions that shaped her. From interning at Jimmy Choo to launching a company that helps U.S. businesses hire top talent across Latin America, her story is one of grit, reinvention, and radical self-belief.

We talk hustle culture, cold emails, cultural disconnection, money mindset, and the very real mental toll of trying to “make it.” Sheikha doesn’t hold back — and her honesty will resonate with anyone who’s ever felt like the outsider in the room.

If you’ve ever felt torn between expectations and your truth, this conversation will meet you right where you are.

Kalsoom Lakhani, a woman who defies every box—and then builds new ones.

Kalsoom is the co-founder and general partner of i2i Ventures, Pakistan’s first female-founded venture capital fund. She’s spent over a decade building the startup ecosystem in Pakistan and other overlooked markets as the founder of Invest2Innovate, launching the country’s first startup accelerator and supporting more than a thousand entrepreneurs across South Asia. She’s also a published writer, global speaker, and host of “The Comparable,” a podcast spotlighting voices from emerging markets.

Born in Dubai to Bangladeshi and Pakistani parents, raised across continents, and never fully at home in any one place, Kalsoom embodies what it means to be a true third-culture kid. Her journey has taken her from international schools in Dhaka and Islamabad, to the University of Virginia, to the corridors of Washington, DC, and into the highest-stakes rooms of venture capital, where she invests in the builders and change-makers the world usually overlooks.

In this episode, we dive deep into what it takes to lead as a woman of color in a male-dominated industry, the grit required to keep going through rejection and uncertainty, and the life-changing impact of building with empathy and curiosity. Kalsoom opens up about starting her first blog while working in defense contracting, fighting imposter syndrome, redefining power, and why betting on the “unusual suspects” can change the world.

If you’re ready for a masterclass in resilience, cultural identity, and self-trust, Kalsoom’s story will hit you right where you need it.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Margaret Trainor, the visionary founder of Atmo Home—a clean home care line built on science, design, and deep intentionality.

Margaret’s journey isn’t a straight path—it’s a lesson in reinvention. She moved to Germany for love, walked away from her first startup, and grappled with identity as she built Atmo from the ground up. All of this gave her clarity on what truly matters—both in business and in self.

We dive into the moments that matter: surrendering a “good” idea, untangling self-worth from venture-worth, and finding alignment in work that sustains rather than depletes you. Margaret shares real-world advice—no fluff, no hype—for anyone navigating pivots, burnout, or the messy middle of building something that actually aligns with who they are.

If you’re forging your own path—uncertain, unfinished, but unrelenting—this conversation is for you.

Be bold.Be real. Be anomalous

What happens when you stop waiting for permission and start building what’s missing?

In this episode, we sit down with Aravinda Seshadri, founder of Venturous Counsel, a startup lawyer, and an unapologetic advocate for equity in tech. Aravinda shares how she went from being the only woman of color at a big law firm… to launching her own legal practice while pregnant… to creating a workplace that actually honors balance, humanity, and purpose.

We get into:

• • How growing up as a South Asian girl in Salt Lake City shaped her fight for representation

• • The real reason imposter syndrome exists — and how she flipped it into fuel

  • What it takes to say “no” in a culture obsessed with overwork

  • Why legal access is a justice issue — especially for underestimated founders

  This is not your average lawyer story. It’s a conversation about power, self-trust, and building systems that reflect our values, not just the status quo.

  If you’re a founder, creative, or anyone who’s been told to shrink yourself, this one’s for you.

  
  

  Be bold. Be real. Be Anomalous.

What does it really look like to say no—over and over—until life finally says yes back?

Devreet Dulay joins us to unpack the bold, messy, and deeply intentional path she’s taken—from playing college basketball in Canada, to working multiple jobs, to breaking into tech and landing her dream role at an AI startup in San Francisco… only to walk away and build something of her own.

We talk about what it means to grow up between cultures, how to hear your intuition above the noise, and why not settling is a muscle you can train. Devreet’s story is a masterclass in clarity, courage, and carving your own lane—even when it doesn’t make sense to anyone else.

If you’ve ever been afraid to pivot, to bet on yourself, or to turn down “good enough” in pursuit of what you really want—this episode is your permission slip.

What does it really take to start something from nothing — and stay true to yourself in the process?

In this episode of Be Anomalous, we have Alix Peabody, the unapologetic founder of Bev, a canned wine brand that challenged the bro culture of alcohol and built a whole new lane for women in the industry.

Alix shares the unfiltered truth behind her journey — from throwing parties to pay for egg freezing, to building a movement through storytelling, to navigating loneliness, identity, and burnout after her company’s exit.

This isn’t just a founder story. It’s a human story. One about knowing your “why,” leading with intuition, and what happens when the thing you built no longer needs you.

If you’ve ever felt the pressure to do it all, be it all, or keep it all together — this episode is your permission to choose yourself.

Topics We Cover:

• Fundraising as a solo female founder

• Breaking into male-dominated industries

• Intuition-led leadership

• Burnout, reinvention, and life after the exit

• Why knowing your “who” matters as much as your “why”

  
  

Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

Mitali Saxena went from being an engineer in a male-dominated industry to launching two fashion-tech companies rooted in something the industry rarely talks about: real women and real bodies. No filters. No fluff. Just smart tech, thoughtful design, and a deep “why” centered on empowerment.

In this episode, we talk about what it actually takes to leave the safe path, build from scratch, and stay soft while doing hard things. Mitali shares the unfiltered truth about fundraising as a woman in tech, what she got wrong about her first customers, and why operations (not aesthetics) almost broke her.

We discuss burnout, mindfulness, and what it means to lead with empathy, especially when the world rewards hustle over healing.

This isn’t just a founder story. It’s a reminder that your difference is your power, and you don’t need anyone’s permission to start where you are.

From planning weddings to launching one of the most distinct children’s retail brands in the U.S., Katherine Oyer’s story is a masterclass in bold pivots, quiet resilience, and building something beautiful from scratch.

In this episode, Katherine opens up about her winding journey—from the corporate halls of Neiman Marcus to founding Francis Henri, a curated children’s boutique inspired by global travel and deep maternal instinct.

We talk about the tension between ambition and motherhood, the realities of bootstrapping a business during a pandemic, and the courage it takes to walk away from safety in pursuit of something more meaningful.

Katherine shows how to build your business on your terms.

If you’re navigating career transitions, chasing a creative dream, or just trying to figure out how to do it all without losing yourself — this one’s for you.