Main Street Minds: Success Beyond Limits with Amish Munshi

In this fascinating conversation, Surya Satyavolu—engineer, innovator, and investor—joins Amish Munshi to share his entrepreneurial journey, from embedded systems and avionics to the cutting edge of automated electric vehicle infrastructure. A graduate of IIT Madras and Clemson University, Surya opens up about the vision behind his startup, his experience with global innovation ecosystems, and the deeper purpose driving his work.

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In this insightful episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, Amish Munshi sits down with Viswanath Vankadaru, a seasoned data engineering leader at Uber, to explore the transformative role of data in today’s tech-driven world.

Viswanath brings over 20 years of experience in the data space, having worked with major companies like Visa, eBay, and now Uber. He shares his journey from early data engineering days to leading high-impact f...

Jim McMaster brings a rare, long-view perspective on software development. From graduating MIT and writing assembler code in the early days, to helping shape one of the most-used cloud storage systems in the world—Google Drive—Jim shares stories that are both nostalgic and practical.

We talk about his time at Google, what it was like to advocate for folders over tags, and how he navigated the shift from system programming to Java b...

In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi, we sit down with Seena Ganesh, the Head of E-commerce Engineering at Staples. Seena walks us through her incredible journey from programming MRI scanners to building robust retail and e-commerce systems for companies like eBay, PayPal, Visa, and Electronic Arts.

She shares how being open to risk, staying curious, and understanding customer needs helped shape her lea...

In this episode, we sit down with eCommerce and brand transformation expert Tim Zawislack, who takes us on a journey from his early days in a family business to helping lead digital transformations at global brands like Ray-Ban, Brooks Brothers, Estee Lauder, and more.

Full Description: Tim Zawislack brings a powerhouse of experience, storytelling, and practical insights on what it takes to evolve legacy brands in the digital age. ...

In this episode, Amish chats with embedded systems expert Mark Meyer, whose journey through decades of firmware engineering is packed with valuable insights for anyone in or entering the tech industry. From his early days working with PDP-11 mini computers the size of phone booths, to today’s microcontrollers and System-on-Chips (SoC), Mark reflects on how tools, technology, and even job design have evolved—but also how the fundame...

In this insightful conversation, host Amish Munshi sits down with Nicholas Relation, founder of a Vermont-based managed IT services company that supports businesses across the U.S. Nick walks us through the early days of his tech journey, how a neighborhood computer fix led to a decades-long career, and what it’s like running a scalable, secure, cloud-first IT business today.

Nick shares how his team acts as the outsourced IT depar...

What happens when death care meets digital transformation?

In this eye-opening episode, Amish Munshi sits down with Christine Dziedzic, founder and CTO of MissUMuch.com, to explore how she’s reimagining the future of funeral services, grief support, and memorial experiences.

Christine shares her decades-long journey in the funeral industry, starting in the early 2000s with brick-and-mortar operations, leading up to launching cuttin...

From engineering in Mumbai to building AI startups in Silicon Valley, Shishir Khedkar's story is a masterclass in innovation, resilience, and purpose. In this episode, Shishir joins Amish Munshi for a deep-dive into his three-decade-long career journey—from pioneering financial trading tech to leading AI innovation at ScoreData. He shares how he navigated pivotal moments at Selectica, his experiences with IPOs, offshore development...

In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi, we sit down with Jayanth Kumar, a dynamic force in the world of tech and entrepreneurship. From earning degrees at IIT Bombay and UCLA to building system architectures at Amazon, Jayanth shares his journey of taking risks, staying curious, and following passion over predictability.

Jayanth dives into his latest venture, Turl Street Group, a startup bringing data-dri...

In this episode, Amish Munshi welcomes Michael Kris, a seasoned developer and robotics engineer with nearly two decades of experience in tech, leadership, and startups. Michael shares his journey from coding games as a teenager to leading innovation in humanoid robotics for logistics and warehouse automation. He dives deep into what makes autonomous systems work, the real-world challenges they face, and the future of robotics and s...

In this episode, Sai Harsha Vinay Kudikala shares a journey that’s both personal and powerful—from growing up in Hyderabad, India to becoming a senior software engineer at Geico in the U.S. Sai reflects on the pivotal moments that shaped his passion for tech, from his early experiences with HTML and Java, to working in data governance, and embracing challenges during layoffs. He also opens up about improving his mental and physical...

From dreaming of becoming a writer to leading groundbreaking tech innovations, Lee Williams has traveled an unexpected and inspiring path. In this episode of Mainstreet Minds, host Amish Munshi sits down with Lee to explore his incredible journey—from coding at UC Berkeley to holding C-suite roles at global tech firms like Palm and Nokia.

Lee shares how a college guidance counselor nudged him toward software development, leading to...

In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, host Amish Munshi sits down with Steve Soto, the CTO of The Breezy Company, to talk about his journey in technology, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Steve shares his experience of selling his first software as a teenager in 1979, navigating the waves of technological evolution, and how he now helps businesses establish their authority online.

From the challenges of staying relevant ...

In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, we sit down with Dharmesh Shah to explore his incredible journey in the tech industry. From launching a consulting firm in India to leading a $55 million business unit in the U.S., Dharmesh shares his insights on career growth, leadership, and navigating the fast-changing world of technology.

Dharmesh opens up about the challenges of managing a consulting business, transitioning into...

Michael Kolbrener joins The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi to share his 25-year journey in financial services technology. From working in local banks to leading consumer lending tech at Bank of America, Michael has seen it all. Now, as a fractional CTO at Architectero, he helps startups and mid-market companies tackle technology strategy, innovation, and pain points.

In this episode, Michael and Amish discuss:

• The ...

In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, Amish Munshi sits down with Malur Narayan, a seasoned technologist and entrepreneur, to explore his journey through the world of AI, machine learning, and startup innovation.

Malur shares his early experiences in AI—long before it became the buzzword it is today—discussing how he transitioned from academia to industry, making impactful contributions at companies like Bell Northern Re...

In this episode of Main Street Minds, host Amish Munshi sits down with the remarkable Gini Graham Scott, PhD, to dive into her journey as an author, ghostwriter, and film producer. With over 250 books under her belt and a wealth of experience in storytelling and creativity, Gini reveals how AI is reshaping the creative industry and her unique strategies for navigating trust and security in today’s digital landscape.

From leveraging...

In this episode of Main Street Minds, host Amish Munshi sits down with health and wellness expert Dana Hemmingsen, whose work is transforming lives through fitness, functional nutrition, and holistic health strategies. Dana shares her inspiring journey from a high-stress corporate environment to becoming a Functional Diagnostic Nutrition Practitioner. She discusses how personal struggles with health inspired her to create meaningfu...