What does it take to walk away from corporate and build something aligned with who you truly are?In this episode of Be Anomalous, I sit down with Deepa Mani — former IT consultant turned founder — to talk about leaving stability, building a cultural dance institution, and launching a beauty brand that centers people of color instead of treating them as an afterthought.We talk:• Founder loneliness & imposter syndrome• Bootstrapping from scratch• Protecting your energy• Marketing yourself with confidence• Building in seasonsIf you’re navigating a pivot or building something unconventional — this one will resonate.Follow for weekly conversations with founders and creatives building outside the lines.Be bold. Be real. Be anomalous.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Mayssa Chehata — founder and CEO of Behave Candy — shares what it really looked like to rebuild her life while building a company from scratch.In the span of a single year, Mayssa got married, divorced, checked a parent into rehab, and continued growing her business — all while navigating the emotional and financial realities of entrepreneurship.This conversation goes beyond startup strategy. We talk about:- Growing up between cultures and learning adaptability as survival- Leaving a high-paying job to step into uncertainty- The nervous system side of entrepreneurship no one prepares you for - Why women deserve to want money, power, and influence — without shame- Trusting intuition when logic alone isn’t enoughThis episode is for anyone building something — a company, a new chapter, or a version of themselves that feels more honest and aligned.If you’ve ever felt like life and work were happening all at once, this conversation will meet you where you are.Subscribe to @iamsaimenon for more honest conversations with founders, creatives, and cultural disruptors building outside the lines.

In this episode of Be Anomalous, Jessica Williams joins me for an insightful conversation about how culture, community, and psychology shape the brands we trust. Jessica is a senior brand and marketing leader who has spent her career inside some of the most influential companies shaping modern commerce. She currently leads Brand Marketing at Shopify, where her work sits at the intersection of creators, founders, and community-driven entrepreneurship—helping millions of entrepreneurs around the world build and grow sustainable businesses. Before Shopify, Jessica held leadership roles at Coinbase, where she helped build and lead the company’s first brand team following its public listing, and at Visa, where she worked across product, partnership, and brand marketing on global initiatives tied to the Olympics, FIFA, and the NFL. But Jessica’s perspective doesn’t come only from the rooms she’s been in . She grew up in a home where her mother ran a psychology practice out of their living room—surrounded by athletes, high performers, and people navigating mental health challenges. That early exposure shaped how she understands behavior, ambition, and decision-making—and why she believes marketing isn’t just a business function, but behavioral psychology in action. In this conversation, we talk about what it really means to build influence without being the loudest voice in the room. About why “playing it safe” is often the most dangerous strategy. About how creator-led brands succeed—or fail—based on authenticity and community. And about how ambition evolves as life, leadership, and responsibility grow. This episode is for founders building from scratch and for corporate leaders navigating power, culture, and change from inside the system.

If you’re building a brand, a career, or a life that doesn’t fit neatly into a box, this episode is for you.