THE SHE.E.O EFFECT

"I was told I didn't have the capabilities to take the company to the next level. Within two years, I easily surpassed the numbers he said I couldn't reach."Imagine growing up as a carpenter's daughter where you were not taught to dream big, and your ultimate career goal was simply to become a secretary so you could work in an air-conditioned room.In Episode 13 of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT, Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Gomathi "Goms" Sridhar, the CEO of AhaGuru. Gomathi’s journey is defined by a single word: GRIT. From leading a massive college strike to...

"Women from good families don't put themselves in these situations."In Episode 12 of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT, Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Divya Yachamaneni, the CEO of Naandi Community Water Services. Coming from a highly sheltered, urban background, Divya made a radical choice: she wanted to explore the real "Bharat."Driven by an intense combination of curiosity and conviction, Divya refused to let her gender be an excuse or a burden. She traveled through pitch-black nights in Punjab and navigated rural villages where sarpanches carried AK-47s, desperate to earn her place in the social sector.But looking...

Imagine walking away from a 25-year investment banking career, where you dealt in millions, to proudly call yourself a "cabbie".In Episode 11 of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT , Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Vandana Suri, the fierce and unapologetic Founder of TaxShe . Triggered by the horrific Nirbhaya case and an Uber incident in Delhi, Vandana decided to channel her anger into action, literally turning the #metoomovement into a revolutionary business model.In this episode, Vandana breaks down how she built an army of female drivers, primarily single mothers looking for financial independence and an escape from domestic abuse. Together...

What happens when you take an Indian Air Force pilot who lands on the world’s most dangerous runways and drop her into the corporate pressure cooker of Amazon? In Episode 10 of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT, Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Wing Commander Jaya Tare. Jaya is an IAF veteran, former Amazonian, Analog Astronaut, and the CEO of New Horizon Space. She has built a career entirely out of owning spaces where women were historically told they did not belong.In this incredible masterclass, Jaya breaks down how to translate military-grade risk mitigation into corporate leadership. She reveals th...

A 10th Grader Challenges 3 Powerhouse Women on Gender, Leadership & The FutureWhat happens when a 10th grade student walks into a room with three powerhouse women and says "I'm not here to take notes. I'm here to question whether the system you built is fit for the future we're stepping into."Episode 9 is unlike anything we've done before.Smriti Kaushik, a 16-year-old from Vidyashilp Academy, sits across from Vijayashree, Aditi Shrivastava (CEO, Pocket Aces), and Aahika Harlalka and leads one of the most honest, multi-generational conversations we've ever had on this show.They go deep on:→ Gender stereotypes that still ex...

"If that's what they think, let them think. I come with my drama."The wait is finally over! Episode 8 of  THE SHE.E.O EFFECT is officially LIVE, featuring Aditi Shrivastava, Co-Founder & CEO of Pocket Aces. This is a deeply special episode, as Aditi is the one who originally "sowed the seed" for this podcast.In this unfiltered conversation, Aditi shares her journey from working at a quant hedge fund at Goldman Sachs in New York to leading a digital media company where the average employee age is 24.In this episode, we dive into:🏓 The Boardroom "Kitchen": Comparing pickleball to i...

16 years a homemaker. A former paratrooper. Now, the woman launching the world's lightest satellites with NASA and ISRO. 🚀In this episode of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT , host Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Dr. Srimathy Kesan, the founder of Space Kidz India . Known affectionately as "Space Mom," Dr. Kesan shares her incredible transition from a conservative South Indian household to leading 12,000+ students from 108 countries in space missions.Dr. Kesan opens up about the "Sword to Spatula to Space" journey - how she went from commanding parades with a sword to managing a home, and eventually building satellites in her kit...

In Episode 6 of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT , we sit down with Shukla Bose, founder of the Parikrma Humanity Foundation - one of India’s most impactful education leaders.Shukla Bose speaks with clarity and conviction about what triggered her journey:- Why dissatisfaction must turn into action- The reality of 274 million children needing quality education- How Parikrma is not just about schooling, but about mindset transformation- Why she believes children themselves are the true “brochure” of impact- Why women must never be limited by societal rolesThis is a powerful conversation on leadership, courage, and building institutions that change lives...

What does it really take to take charge in a room where you’re not expected to lead?In this episode of  THE SHE.E.O EFFECT host Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Fancy George - architect, founder of Pause and Breathe and Founding Board Member of WiREnet World, for a candid, no-filter conversation on leadership, power, and breaking industry norms.With over three decades in India’s real estate and workplace design ecosystem, Fancy shares how she learned to stop waiting for permission, command rooms dominated by hierarchy, and challenge gender bias by building systems instead of seeking valid...

What does leadership look like beyond medals, titles, and safe careers?In this episode of  THE SHE.E.O EFFECT  host Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Deepti Bopaiah - former banker, athlete, and former CEO and current Boardmember of the GoSports Foundation, to unpack what it truly takes to build excellence in Indian sport.From walking away from a high-growth corporate career in retail banking to building one of India’s most impactful sports ecosystems, Deepti shares the decisions, doubts, and discipline behind a decade of nation-building work.This is a conversation about:- Choosing purpose over predictability- Why Indi...

What does it really feel like to become CEO - when the self-doubt is louder than the wins?In this episode of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT - Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Mithila Saraf, CEO of Famous Innovations, for one of the most honest leadership conversations we’ve had so far.Mithila speaks candidly about the moments she thought she was failing as a CEO, navigating aggressive boardrooms, decoding herself through therapy, and building resilience in an industry obsessed with perfection. From leadership bias and Gen Z realities to consistency, micromanagement, creative excellence, and the idea of being “powe...

In this episode of THE SHE.E.O EFFECT host Vijayashree Parameswaran sits down with Shraddha Thanawala - CEO of Remiges Technologies, a leader who never chased the spotlight, but built her path one bold, purpose-driven choice at a time.

Shraddha calls herself an "Accidental CEO."

Her journey from finance into deep tech was fuelled by the chaos of the dot-com crash and 9/11. She didn’t freeze; she responded with curiosity and grit, doing whatever the moment demanded - from cold calling to tech delivery to radically rebuilding her organizational culture.

This is th...

The SHE.E.O Effect kicks off with a story that rewrites what resilience, clarity, and conviction look like in leadership.In our first episode, Varna Bhat — Founder & CEO of House of Blisswater (Rahasya & Yaksha) — breaks down the real playbook behind building a profitable alcohol-beverage brand in one of India’s toughest and most regulated industries.Long before she built award-winning products, Varna learned her earliest lesson on leadership by quite literally driving backward uphill. That moment became the foundation for how she approaches doubt, pressure, and high-stakes decisions today.In this conversation, we get into:- Decoding Critics: How sh...