In this episode of Be Anomalous, Deepa Mani joins me for a deeply grounded conversation about reinvention, cultural identity, and what it really means to build differently.
Deepa is a former IT consultant who walked away from a long corporate career to build two purpose-driven ventures: a cultural dance institution rooted in discipline and identity, and a beauty brand, Proud of Color, created specifically for people of color who are often treated as an afterthought in the industry.
But this conversation goes far beyond career pivots.
Before becoming a founder, Deepa spent over two decades in corporate consulting — working long hours, navigating high-pressure environments, and building the skills that would later shape her entrepreneurial resilience.
Her story doesn’t begin with a startup idea.
It begins with moving countries, building a life from scratch, becoming a mother, and quietly questioning whether success on paper was enough.
In this conversation, Deepa speaks candidly about the internal shifts that entrepreneurship forces — imposter syndrome, loneliness, learning to say no, and the maturity required to protect your energy.
We talk about why she refused to build “half and half,” what bootstrapping really looked like in the early years, and how building a beauty brand for melanin-rich skin became both a business decision and a cultural statement.
This episode is for founders, creatives, and anyone navigating reinvention — especially those building across cultures, across identities, and across seasons of life.
If you’ve ever felt the tension between stability and purpose, ambition and alignment, or security and self-trust — this episode is for you.
🎧 Listen to the Episode:
What You’ll Learn
Why entrepreneurship can be lonely — and how to navigate it
The difference between being humble as a person and confident about your business
How corporate skills translate into founder resilience
What bootstrapping actually looks like in the first few years
Why networking is non-negotiable for entrepreneurs
How growing up between cultures shapes leadership and adaptability
Why can you have everything in life, just not at the same time
Favorite Quote
“You can have everything in life — just not at the same time.”
A reminder that life unfolds in seasons, and that ambition doesn’t require urgency — it requires timing.
Favorite Book
📖 Expert Secrets — Russell Brunson
A book focused on communication, storytelling, and positioning — skills every founder must develop to build trust and share their vision effectively.
In This Episode, We Cover
(00:00) Deepa’s early career and moving across countries
(06:30) Corporate life and the realization that something was missing
(12:00) Leaving stability and going “cold turkey” into entrepreneurship
(18:00) Building a dance institution rooted in culture and discipline
(26:00) Founder loneliness and imposter syndrome
(33:00) Launching a beauty brand for people of color
(41:00) Marketing yourself without losing authenticity
(47:00) Seasons of life and long-term vision
Referenced in This Episode
Bootstrapping vs. side hustling
Founder mindset and energy protection
Building for underserved communities
Entrepreneurial loneliness
Women supporting women in business
Cultural identity as leadership power
New episodes drop every week.
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