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Dec 14, 2020 · 44m · neon-show

Making a crisis work for you with Sanjay Swamy & T. N. Hari

T. N. Hari · 19m spoken Sanjay Swamy · 17m spoken Siddhartha Ahluwalia · 3m spoken
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In this episode of the HundredX Entrepreneur Podcast, venture capitalist Sanjay Swamy and HR leader T. N. Hari discuss their book, Sailing Through a Storm, sharing deeply personal hardships, corporate turnarounds, and actionable frameworks for navigating crisis. They illustrate how radical acceptance, purpose, character, and probabilistic decision-making empower individuals and organizations to transform acute adversity into long-term growth.

How this conversation actually went

Every chapter scored 0–10 on four independent dynamics. Hover any point for the reasoning behind the score. How this is scored →

Siddhartha as informed peer 1.3 Guest teaching 2.9 Guest disagreement 0.3 Siddhartha pushing back 0.0
05100:0015:0030:000:03–2:28 · Siddhartha as informed peer 2/10 Opening Soundbite on Socially Concealing Adversity Introductory segment where Sanjay Swamy provides a teaser on societal avoidance of vulnerability, followed by Siddharth Ahluwalia introducing the guests, book theme, and pandemic backdrop.2:28–8:10 · Siddhartha as informed peer 2/10 Childhood Friendship and the Book's Conception Hari and Sanjay detail their childhood friendship in Orissa and the impetus for co-authoring a book on overcoming personal and institutional crises during the pandemic.8:10–10:36 · Siddhartha as informed peer 1/10 Sanjay Swamy on Navigating Financial and Health Vulnerabilities Sanjay recounts his financial and health vulnerabilities in 1992 as a newly married immigrant in the US, emphasizing input metrics and communication over internal clamming.10:37–20:00 · Siddhartha as informed peer 0/10 T. N. Hari on Mother's Mental Illness and Virtusa Restructuring Hari delivers an extended monologue detailing his mother's bipolar disorder/schizophrenia, followed by the emotional and strategic burden of leading layoffs at Virtusa during the 2008 financial crisis.20:01–23:46 · Siddhartha as informed peer 0/10 Sanjay Swamy on Crisis Acceptance and Narrative Control Sanjay discusses crisis acceptance and narrative control, sharing a contrarian aphorism from a mentor about firing the last bullet rather than avoiding the first.23:46–30:09 · Siddhartha as informed peer 1/10 The Rise and Fall of mChek and Starting Anew Sanjay narrates the collapse of mChek amidst the 2008 crash, his decision to abruptly exit via a Blackberry email at the airport, and bouncing back to co-found ZipDial and Ezetap.30:09–37:17 · Siddhartha as informed peer 2/10 Finding Purpose Through Adversity: Henrietta Leavitt and Pushpalata Hari shares historical and real-world case studies of resilience: astronomer Henrietta Leavitt's unrecognized discoveries and Pushpalata's community building for sex workers in Bangalore.37:17–43:55 · Siddhartha as informed peer 2/10 Leadership Frameworks: Character, Balance, and Decision-Making Hari contrasts intellect with uncluttered thinking and character while critiquing unbridled masculine traits; Sanjay outlines probabilistic decision-making frameworks.0:03–2:28 · Guest teaching 1/10 Opening Soundbite on Socially Concealing Adversity Introductory segment where Sanjay Swamy provides a teaser on societal avoidance of vulnerability, followed by Siddharth Ahluwalia introducing the guests, book theme, and pandemic backdrop.2:28–8:10 · Guest teaching 2/10 Childhood Friendship and the Book's Conception Hari and Sanjay detail their childhood friendship in Orissa and the impetus for co-authoring a book on overcoming personal and institutional crises during the pandemic.8:10–10:36 · Guest teaching 2/10 Sanjay Swamy on Navigating Financial and Health Vulnerabilities Sanjay recounts his financial and health vulnerabilities in 1992 as a newly married immigrant in the US, emphasizing input metrics and communication over internal clamming.10:37–20:00 · Guest teaching 4/10 T. N. Hari on Mother's Mental Illness and Virtusa Restructuring Hari delivers an extended monologue detailing his mother's bipolar disorder/schizophrenia, followed by the emotional and strategic burden of leading layoffs at Virtusa during the 2008 financial crisis.20:01–23:46 · Guest teaching 3/10 Sanjay Swamy on Crisis Acceptance and Narrative Control Sanjay discusses crisis acceptance and narrative control, sharing a contrarian aphorism from a mentor about firing the last bullet rather than avoiding the first.23:46–30:09 · Guest teaching 3/10 The Rise and Fall of mChek and Starting Anew Sanjay narrates the collapse of mChek amidst the 2008 crash, his decision to abruptly exit via a Blackberry email at the airport, and bouncing back to co-found ZipDial and Ezetap.30:09–37:17 · Guest teaching 5/10 Finding Purpose Through Adversity: Henrietta Leavitt and Pushpalata Hari shares historical and real-world case studies of resilience: astronomer Henrietta Leavitt's unrecognized discoveries and Pushpalata's community building for sex workers in Bangalore.37:17–43:55 · Guest teaching 3/10 Leadership Frameworks: Character, Balance, and Decision-Making Hari contrasts intellect with uncluttered thinking and character while critiquing unbridled masculine traits; Sanjay outlines probabilistic decision-making frameworks.0:03–2:28 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Opening Soundbite on Socially Concealing Adversity Introductory segment where Sanjay Swamy provides a teaser on societal avoidance of vulnerability, followed by Siddharth Ahluwalia introducing the guests, book theme, and pandemic backdrop.2:28–8:10 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Childhood Friendship and the Book's Conception Hari and Sanjay detail their childhood friendship in Orissa and the impetus for co-authoring a book on overcoming personal and institutional crises during the pandemic.8:10–10:36 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Sanjay Swamy on Navigating Financial and Health Vulnerabilities Sanjay recounts his financial and health vulnerabilities in 1992 as a newly married immigrant in the US, emphasizing input metrics and communication over internal clamming.10:37–20:00 · Guest disagreement 0/10 T. N. Hari on Mother's Mental Illness and Virtusa Restructuring Hari delivers an extended monologue detailing his mother's bipolar disorder/schizophrenia, followed by the emotional and strategic burden of leading layoffs at Virtusa during the 2008 financial crisis.20:01–23:46 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Sanjay Swamy on Crisis Acceptance and Narrative Control Sanjay discusses crisis acceptance and narrative control, sharing a contrarian aphorism from a mentor about firing the last bullet rather than avoiding the first.23:46–30:09 · Guest disagreement 0/10 The Rise and Fall of mChek and Starting Anew Sanjay narrates the collapse of mChek amidst the 2008 crash, his decision to abruptly exit via a Blackberry email at the airport, and bouncing back to co-found ZipDial and Ezetap.30:09–37:17 · Guest disagreement 0/10 Finding Purpose Through Adversity: Henrietta Leavitt and Pushpalata Hari shares historical and real-world case studies of resilience: astronomer Henrietta Leavitt's unrecognized discoveries and Pushpalata's community building for sex workers in Bangalore.37:17–43:55 · Guest disagreement 1/10 Leadership Frameworks: Character, Balance, and Decision-Making Hari contrasts intellect with uncluttered thinking and character while critiquing unbridled masculine traits; Sanjay outlines probabilistic decision-making frameworks.0:03–2:28 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 Opening Soundbite on Socially Concealing Adversity Introductory segment where Sanjay Swamy provides a teaser on societal avoidance of vulnerability, followed by Siddharth Ahluwalia introducing the guests, book theme, and pandemic backdrop.2:28–8:10 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 Childhood Friendship and the Book's Conception Hari and Sanjay detail their childhood friendship in Orissa and the impetus for co-authoring a book on overcoming personal and institutional crises during the pandemic.8:10–10:36 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 Sanjay Swamy on Navigating Financial and Health Vulnerabilities Sanjay recounts his financial and health vulnerabilities in 1992 as a newly married immigrant in the US, emphasizing input metrics and communication over internal clamming.10:37–20:00 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 T. N. Hari on Mother's Mental Illness and Virtusa Restructuring Hari delivers an extended monologue detailing his mother's bipolar disorder/schizophrenia, followed by the emotional and strategic burden of leading layoffs at Virtusa during the 2008 financial crisis.20:01–23:46 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 Sanjay Swamy on Crisis Acceptance and Narrative Control Sanjay discusses crisis acceptance and narrative control, sharing a contrarian aphorism from a mentor about firing the last bullet rather than avoiding the first.23:46–30:09 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 The Rise and Fall of mChek and Starting Anew Sanjay narrates the collapse of mChek amidst the 2008 crash, his decision to abruptly exit via a Blackberry email at the airport, and bouncing back to co-found ZipDial and Ezetap.30:09–37:17 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 Finding Purpose Through Adversity: Henrietta Leavitt and Pushpalata Hari shares historical and real-world case studies of resilience: astronomer Henrietta Leavitt's unrecognized discoveries and Pushpalata's community building for sex workers in Bangalore.37:17–43:55 · Siddhartha pushing back 0/10 Leadership Frameworks: Character, Balance, and Decision-Making Hari contrasts intellect with uncluttered thinking and character while critiquing unbridled masculine traits; Sanjay outlines probabilistic decision-making frameworks.

speaking balance: gold is Siddhartha, purple is the guest (3 minute bins)

0:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%0:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%3:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%3:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%6:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%6:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%9:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%9:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%12:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%12:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%15:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%15:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%18:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%18:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%21:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%21:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%24:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%24:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%27:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%27:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%30:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%30:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%33:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%33:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%36:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%36:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%39:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%39:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%42:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%42:00 · Siddhartha 0% · guest 100%
Sharpest disagreement ▶ 39:45 Critique of unbridled alpha male leadership

Hari emphatically argues that extreme masculine ambition and alpha males are the fundamental root cause behind global conflicts and financial crises.

 Hardest push from Siddhartha ▶ 36:48 Intervention clarifying character over knowledge

Host Siddhartha steps in succinctly to reframe and underline Hari's distinction between intellectual knowledge and moral character in investing.

 Biggest teaching moment ▶ 31:09 Historical lesson on Henrietta Leavitt's cosmic measurements

Hari educates the listeners and host on how Henrietta Leavitt's painstaking photographic analysis enabled Hubble's cosmological breakthroughs.

 Siddhartha holds their own ▶ 36:48 Host synthesis of purpose through adversity

Host Siddhartha articulates a philosophical takeaway synthesizing Hari's narratives, emphasizing how purpose keeps individuals afloat to set examples for others.
the scores for every segment, with the reasoning behind each
ChapterTopicSiddhartha as informed peerGuest teachingGuest disagreementSiddhartha pushing backWhy
Opening Soundbite on Socially Concealing Adversity 2100 Introductory segment where Sanjay Swamy provides a teaser on societal avoidance of vulnerability, followed by Siddharth Ahluwalia introducing the guests, book theme, and pandemic backdrop.
Childhood Friendship and the Book's Conception 2200 Hari and Sanjay detail their childhood friendship in Orissa and the impetus for co-authoring a book on overcoming personal and institutional crises during the pandemic.
Sanjay Swamy on Navigating Financial and Health Vulnerabilities 1200 Sanjay recounts his financial and health vulnerabilities in 1992 as a newly married immigrant in the US, emphasizing input metrics and communication over internal clamming.
T. N. Hari on Mother's Mental Illness and Virtusa Restructuring 0400 Hari delivers an extended monologue detailing his mother's bipolar disorder/schizophrenia, followed by the emotional and strategic burden of leading layoffs at Virtusa during the 2008 financial crisis.
Sanjay Swamy on Crisis Acceptance and Narrative Control 0310 Sanjay discusses crisis acceptance and narrative control, sharing a contrarian aphorism from a mentor about firing the last bullet rather than avoiding the first.
The Rise and Fall of mChek and Starting Anew 1300 Sanjay narrates the collapse of mChek amidst the 2008 crash, his decision to abruptly exit via a Blackberry email at the airport, and bouncing back to co-found ZipDial and Ezetap.
Finding Purpose Through Adversity: Henrietta Leavitt and Pushpalata 2500 Hari shares historical and real-world case studies of resilience: astronomer Henrietta Leavitt's unrecognized discoveries and Pushpalata's community building for sex workers in Bangalore.
Leadership Frameworks: Character, Balance, and Decision-Making 2310 Hari contrasts intellect with uncluttered thinking and character while critiquing unbridled masculine traits; Sanjay outlines probabilistic decision-making frameworks.

Statements from this episode (8)

Assertion Supported
Hari: Virtusa listed on NASDAQ in August 2007 at $14 per share
“And we listed the company on NASDAQ in 2007, sometime in August, 2007... Finally listing at 14 dollars. But very quickly, we also realized, you know, that this credit crisis was taking shape and suddenly Bear Stearns collapsed. Bear Stearns was actually the le…”
T. N. Hari Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 15:09
Insight
Swamy: Radical acceptance of a crisis liberates leaders to move forward
“The first thing that you have to realize is the world has changed, and it's changed permanently, right? And you go through these crises, the worst thing you can do is not accept that the crisis has happened, right? And the moment you've accepted it, actually, …”
Sanjay Swamy Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 21:12
Insight
Sanjay Swamy: Founders hurt startups by staying after losing their belief
“And that's something for an entrepreneur, right? If your heart is no longer in it, if you no longer think you can build the biggest company on the planet. Probably the best thing I did was leave then and there, right? And because I would have done the company …”
Sanjay Swamy Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 27:39
Assertion Supported
Hari: Bill Gates visited Pushpalata's 15,000-member sex worker organization in Bangalore
“She ended up, you know, creating an organization that serves the needs of 15,000 sex workers in Bangalore. She runs a small bank that provides loans for the needy sex workers in Bangalore who are part of her organization. She ensures that they are well taken c…”
T. N. Hari Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 34:38
Insight
Hari: Investing success depends on character, not financial knowledge or intellect
“Warren Buffett has told all of us the secret of his investing success. So we are all knowledgeable on how to make money in the long term by investing correctly. He's told us his secret, but none of us are able to execute on that because we don't demonstrate th…”
T. N. Hari Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 38:09
Opinion
Hari: Alpha males and unbridled masculine traits drive major global crises
“A lot of crises in this world have been created by unbridled masculine traits. The alpha males in this world have created a lot of these crises. Extreme greed, extreme ambition. If you go to the source of any conflict in this world, whether the crisis that led…”
T. N. Hari Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 39:55
Insight
Swamy: Having an exit option immediately tempts people to abandon commitments
“At the moment you give yourself an escape you know, door that you'll immediately want to use it.”
Sanjay Swamy Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 41:49
Insight
Swamy: Aside from medical matters, almost no life decisions are irreversible
“We often think we're making very large decisions in life, right? But none of these, except if it's a medical situation you know, are really irreversible, right? So we're making us a large number of small decisions, and we should really think of it that way”
Sanjay Swamy Dec 14, 2020 ▶ 43:03
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