Uncharted Paths

Colorful Conversations: Dave Bindra on Gems, Confidence & Creating Community

Episode Summary

Today, we have a truly remarkable guest joining us — Dave Bindra ('02), a world-renowned procurer and curator of rare and precious gemstones and Vice President and Head of Acquisitions of B&B Fine Gems. For nearly four decades, Dave's family firm has been a leading supplier of exquisite gemstones to some of the globe's most prestigious jewelry brands and fashion houses. From the vibrant markets of Tanzania and Mozambique to the rich mines of Sri Lanka and Madagascar, Dave's passion for color and beauty knows no bounds. In this episode, Dave shares the unique challenges of elevating his brand as a person of color in a predominantly white industry, and his unwavering commitment to fostering relationships and giving back—not only to the communities he sources from but also to aspiring artists and jewelers. Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dave as shares his journey of following his creative inspiration, defying previous career plans, and navigating the pressures of an ever-demanding industry.

Episode Notes

Connect with Dave on IG @gemfluencer

 

Episode Transcription

Welcome to Uncharted Paths. The podcast that dives deep into the journeys of courageous individuals who listen to their inner wisdom and forge paths of authentic expression. In a world where conventional success often overshadows personal passion, we illuminate those who have dared to venture off the beaten track.

In season one, we're uncovering the untold stories of unique alumni from Harvard-Westlake School. You may recognize names like astronaut Sally Ride, the former mayor of Los Angeles, Eric Garcetti, and actors Jake and Maggie Gyllenhaal. But now we're shining a light on the hidden gems. I'm Lindsey. And I'm Kristin.

Join us as we explore the stories of these remarkable individuals, share their triumphs and challenges, and uncover the lesson that can inspire possibility for all, especially today's generation. It's time to follow your heart and chart your own path. Welcome to Uncharted Paths.

Today we have a truly remarkable guest joining us, Dave Bindra, a world renowned procurer and curator of rare and precious gemstones and vice president and head of acquisitions of B& B Fine Gems. For nearly four decades, Dave's family's firm has been a leading supplier of exquisite gemstones to some of the globe's most prestigious jewelry brands and fashion houses.

From the vibrant markets of Tanzania and Mozambique to the rich mines of Sri Lanka and Madagascar. Dave's passion for color and beauty knows no bounds. In this episode, Dave shares the unique challenges of elevating his brand as a person of color in a predominantly white industry and his unwavering commitment to fostering relationships and giving back not only to the communities he sources from, but also to aspiring artists and jewelers.

Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dave as he shares his journey of following his creative inspiration. Defying previous career plans and navigating the pressures of an ever demanding industry.

Dave, thank you so much for being here with us today. 

Thank you for having me. 

What led you to say yes to being here? 

I think the story that you're telling really resonated with me because I think my whole life has been an uncharted path for the most part. I feel that my experience at Harvard-Westlake gave me a lot of the tools that I've used and a lot of confidence actually that I've had in my life.

What does yes feel like in your body? 

I think being around people that make me feel really good. Just happy and laughing and like relaxed. Not feeling like I have to be on. that's a big thing for me because I kind of have to be on all the time. 

So you can take your Spanx off.

Yeah, exactly. We're having a theme of taking our Spanx off. Exactly, exactly, exactly. I like that. Get loose. Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly, exactly. I took them off before I came in the door. Oh, perfect, perfect. This is not a place for Spanx, so happy you removed them. Yeah, yeah.

 What does uncharted path mean to you? 

For me, it was taking a path that was not the cookie cutter that was put in front of me, while I was not only here at Harvard-Westlake, but I think just in the generation that we grew up in, my ethos and perhaps programming you can say was that I had to be a doctor or lawyer or an engineer of some kind.

And a lot of that comes from coming from a Southeast Asian family, but then also the pressures that were put on us. while going through this stage of education and, you know, the desire to go to an Ivy League school and to graduate at the top of your class and, I just, I didn't want that.

That's not what resonated with me, was living to someone else's standards. I wanted to do what felt authentic to myself. 

Was there a moment where you noticed that authenticity start to call to you or were you always that way? 

I think part of what really shifted my course, before I decided what I was going to do for myself in my career was experience that I had here at Harvard-Westlake through art and creativity and experiences that I had specifically, with Kevin O'Malley and the photography program really, allowed me to tap into something that felt good, as opposed to something that I was doing to, you know, check a box on, uh, you know, a dossier of things that you need to get into a top tier school or have a, top career, within that, that cookie cutter framework.

And is there an aspect within your work, like say in photography, that stood out to you as a memory? 

 it's weird, but I remember the smell of the dark room. I remember the smell of, of the chemicals back there. And that sounds really strange, but it was such a hands on experience. And I remember the first day of class walking up to Mr. O'Malley and asking him, Who's a really good photographer? because I had this competitive mindset that I had to have a benchmark. And he, in a very polite way, told me, like, that's not how you approach art. if there's a specific moment, it was probably having our first showing of our work in the Feldman Horn Gallery, and that was such a cool experience, and it's something that's so beautiful that Harvard Wesleyan does for, for their students, to showcase their work in such a way where, you feel like it is a gallery of the students work, 

And when you think about your experience at Harvard-Westlake, what are those, challenges that you now look at as moments that were key in your development? 

Well, certainly, because I joined Harvard-Westlake, in 10th grade, so academically it was very challenging for me, because I had never been in such a rigorous academic environment or ecosystem before that was so highly competitive, but at the same time, I had access to resources that were not available at, the schools that I was at before coming up to Harvard-Westlake.

So, academically it was very challenging to adjust and be able to balance not only my academic work, but the extracurricular activities that I was involved in as well that gave me fulfillment. finding that balance was a big challenge, but once I was able to strike that balance, it made me feel great being here because it was hard for me. I came here not really knowing anybody. I left all my childhood friends and came here into, an environment where a lot of social, circles had already been established. But looking back at it all, it all worked out. It was great. 

 But I'll tell you, you were asking, one standout memory of Harvard-Westlake. This is great. My first day on campus, you gotta understand, I was in an environment where, if I drop my backpack on the ground in public school and I turn my back, my bag was probably gone in like five minutes.

So I come to Harvard-Westlake, day one, and I take all of my books for that entire day and I put them in my backpack and we have assembly. And it's like, all right, time to go to assembly. And I remember like sitting outside of the quad and everyone's dropping their bags and I'm like,

Like, really? I'm like, okay. I'm not dropping my bag. So I walked down the assembly and I've got this giant backpack and I'm the only person with a backpack and I'm trying to like squeeze through this crowd. I'm hitting everyone with my backpack again and again, so embarrassing.

And by the time I sat down, I was like, I totally could have left my bag outside, but it was safe in that sense. this is a very different environment. I don't have to worry about the things that I had to worry about, you know, my prior experience. 

 What would you say to the student that transfers to Harvard-Westlake in 10th grade? You can leave your backpack unattended and you'll be okay. You're gonna be okay.

No, I mean, I would say just try to put yourself out there, try to put yourself out there, get involved in activities, extracurricular activities are what built a lot of my community. whether it's working on the yearbook, or, being up in the photo studio put yourself out there and, maybe try something that you're not so comfortable with, you know?

Explore something that might be out of the box for you and see how it feels. And you'll meet new people doing so. 

 it sounds like you found home, say in photography, were there other touch points that made you feel at home or grounded, whether it were people or activities?

Definitely. I was also very involved with the yearbook. And with the Chronicle, those, those were, other points of not only having creative, outlets, but also developing community with the people that I worked with. And I, I really made some great friendships, that are still very dear to me today.

What did it look like when you transitioned from Harvard-Westlake or even leading up to, say, college or what was next? 

I was kind of all over the place. I, I left Harvard-Westlake thinking I was going to, do a pre med program and then shifted into, an international relations program with the scope of going to law school and practicing international law.

And, All of that turned to dust and I ended up joining my family's office, specializing in, in the world of jewelry and colored gemstones. So it was a big whirlpool, if you will, of ideas and thoughts. but, I realized that the path that I was on wasn't calling me.

It didn't feel real to me. It didn't feel authentic to me and I was doing it because everybody around me was doing it. I wanted to go to law school because, X, Y, and Z individuals were applying for law school as well and that seemed right for me. I was very lucky in that sense to, to find my calling and something that I'm passionate about.

Did you have multiple choices that you then had to lead with your heart or lead by external circumstances? 

 My dream was actually to not stay on the west coast.

My dream was to go to Columbia and I got waitlisted to Columbia and I didn't end up getting in. So I was, I was weighing a handful of options. NYU was something on the docket as well as USC, and I ended up choosing USC because it was what felt right to me, at that time. I didn't have a lot of external pressure to go one way or another.

I'm sure my parents were thrilled that I decided to stay in LA, but I had their full support to go where I felt right. 

How did you navigate the disappointment of not getting into Columbia? 

That was pretty tough. That was tough. And I think There's this added pressure when you're around so many brilliant minds and so many of my peers were getting in early to Ivy league schools like Columbia.

It didn't feel great, you know. 

It was disappointing for sure. But I think. I don't think, I know that had I gone down that route, I probably wouldn't have found my passion and this is really my life's work, so I'm very grateful for how it panned out for me.

And what do you say to the student that, Just needs to go to Columbia to be okay. Yeah. What do you say to that student that maybe isn't gonna get in? 

 sometimes failure is where, you're built. And it's okay.

And you gotta know that when you feel that pain, there's a part of me that's also still very, very much driven by a lot of painful memories of failure because I don't ever want to feel that way again. So I remember that feeling and I worked towards either not putting so much value on these things that made me feel bad or working a lot harder and smarter to make sure that I can access that portal, whatever it is.

It could be a personal relationship, it could be professional achievement. It could be, a situation with family, whatever that is. sometimes failure is okay. You got to learn to embrace it. It's hard in the moment. It sucks, but that's usually where you're built. 

 in my opinion, life is not about, how you fail or when you fail. It's about how you bounce back. That's what defines who you are.

And in all of the thoughts about what to do with your path, can you remember that time you got clarity? And if so, what did that look like? 

I was kind of lost, honestly. I was kind of lost and again, doing things that felt right because of, the, external pressure of, society that we were in at that point in time.

Not so much my family really. but I got clarity from my family because I was given this freedom to follow what felt right for me and I wasn't being put into a box like you got to do this. So, if specifically there was one moment, it was probably traveling with my father in Thailand and I just picked up my camera and decided to shadow him on an acquisitions trip.

And I just fell in love with the human aspect of what it is that we do. And I got bit by the bug of this thing that we do and the craft, and I never really looked back. 

Was that during college or after? 

 this was during my undergraduate. at the very tail end.

So I then decided that I was going to study gemology and I went to the Gemological Institute of America and got my graduate gemologist degree. And being there was when I really fell in love with what I do. I really saw this path opening up for me. It wasn't clear how we would really navigate this because I was entering a family office that, really needed to shift and change its focus in order to survive the next 10 to 20 years.

But again, I was very lucky. I had the support of my parents and my father was crazy enough to believe in me. And he, he kind of let me run with the ball and now we're, in a family business together and uh, you know, it's, it's beautiful. It's a lot of fun.

And looking from an aerial perspective now versus when you started, what would you say you brought to the business in terms of something unique that was different than where the family had been? 

I think something, a few things that I brought was, Artistic direction. That was something that we didn't really have a more focused vision of not only the merchandise that we handle and that we do, but of the marketplace that we're in.

And I was able to take an aerial view myself of our entire market and see how we could better position ourselves. How can we better, source material? How can we better service our clients, and just elevate the level of our. output and the brand itself So, my family business. I, as a small child, I was like, I'm never working for my family. Yeah. Never. Yeah. The universe has a great sense of humor. And I ended up working with my family for three years, and loved it. So did you have any of that? Is that a cop out? Like what am I doing? 

 it's funny. my mother and father never wanted me to join the business. Never, because they came to America with 40 between the two of them and saw really difficult times and built a life and they wanted me to be a professional. You know, when you're in business for yourself, no matter what you're doing, there's a certain amount of volatility to your life. So, I never wanted to join.

I had a chip on my shoulder. Is this a cop out? Am I doing the easy thing? But really I probably took the hardest path because I not only joined my family's business, but I joined my family's business and had to really, restructure the business into something new, something different while utilizing and building on the resources that we had and the value that we had, which came from years of sacrifice for both of my parents.

The universe does have a great sense of humor. I never thought I'd, joined that business, And it can be challenging. My dad always tells me never hire someone you can't fire.

And I'm like, wait, are you talking about me? Yeah. Sure. My family fired me at least once. Trust me, he's, he's come close a lot of times, but. It's cool. You know, I think, I think for us, it really worked because we had a strong foundation before I ever joined. And that's something he sat me down and talked to me about.

Like, listen, we're buddies before anything else. And if you want to join this, it's going to get tough sometimes, we're going to be in the trenches together. And you've got to understand that no matter what, that family bond doesn't get affected by anything. but it's been very, it's, it's cool. I feel, I feel so fortunate to be able to work with my family.

Would you say that from the moment you stepped into the family business, which was another kind of unexpected step, what would be the next stepping stone from that moment that felt uncharted or unexpected? 

I think, after joining the family business, really redirecting and refocusing. business into the international marketplace was something that, was a big step for us. And we were traditionally a company that only focused on North America. once we started to, focus on other markets in Europe and in Southeast Asia, it was a big, what if, but for us, it was also an opportunity to grow into a new space.

I think for me personally as well, Working more hand in hand with the design process and working with designers, has been very unchartered. before I joined our family's business, we never worked with international brands and forging those relationships and being able to, gain the trust of large brands was not only a dream of mine, but it was a huge challenge because I didn't know how to speak their language and I didn't know how to necessarily correctly guide them in merchandising.

But, Now, we do work with the biggest brands in the world and we help them create collections and sometimes it's two or three years out that we're planning on collections for people. a lot of uncharted territory there getting into that space.

And what about your work really lights you up? 

Oh man, so much. Uh, I, I love, I love color. I love color. So being able to handle and deal with, uh, such beautiful, bright. Vibrant colors really it makes me feel really good. It really does. but maybe more than that is the people I get to work with.

And it's such a diverse group of individuals that we work with. we have relationships and affiliations with people in Tanzania, in Columbia, in Madagascar, Mozambique, Thailand, Sri Lanka, all over the world. And it's so rewarding to be able to work with people of so many different walks of life. 

I feel like I have family all over the place, you know? 

Speaking of challenges, what other confrontations have you met in your path in addition to getting on the same page with people and connecting?

 I think negotiating for me personally, not only within the sense of business, but negotiating a balance in my life between, being an entrepreneur and a sole proprietor of an operation and finding time to be happy and finding time to, fulfill myself and have relationships with people that I really care about, and spending time doing things that I really like to do.

That's tough. I still struggle with that a little bit, but, try to make the most of, every day that you can and try to have a little bit, for me, it's having a little structure and a little routine does help. It's hard to do when you travel as much as I do, but I would say that's one of the keys for me.

The word play came up when you were talking about that, like, how to play and just let loose 

Yeah, definitely. That's very important, especially from a standpoint of creativity. Especially having that childlike curiosity or fascination. That's something I still feel like I have with my craft.

I'm lucky in that sense I get giddy sometimes when I see something really beautiful or if I hear a song that I love so much that's very moving to me. 

 I hear you have a rebellious spirit And there's a little bit of a rebel at Harvard-Westlake.

When I mention that, what comes up?

I've definitely always had a little bit of a rebellious spirit. I just like to disrupt. I like to disrupt. I love the idea of, working within a system and, figuring out how to really maximize my output in that system, but I also like the idea of breaking that system down completely, that's really in my work, that's what I'm trying to do. I've worked very hard to get to, a position where I can have real influence on, bigger picture things that are happening in a space where I can make real change now.

Whereas, a lot of people get into positions of influence and they don't want to change anything. but that's not where I come from. And also for me, a lot of it's [00:19:00] my culture, the Sikh culture. We were warriors, we were rebels, and we were always looking to break down barriers.

So I think it's something that might just be, even be my DNA. And even the mention of your uncharted path, it's just every step of the way is, this could be done differently.

Definitely, I have, I've had a lot of people who have helped me along the way. A lot of people have stepped out of their, box, if you will, to give me an opportunity or to talk to me or to share information with me or knowledge or advice. So, I also feel obligated to do the same for anyone who I can help as well.

 I think that's super important. it's a way of living life, I think, that's crucial to just like who I am in my core, 

 You mentioned photography as a passion at Harvard-Westlake and the passion of photography leading you into the family business by going on that business trip with your dad. Have you integrated photography and your current business?

Oh yeah, definitely. My Instagram probably first and foremost is a prime example of that. it's not really a business driven Instagram. I showcase my product, but it's more of like an artistic form for me to express myself and highlight some of our work that we're doing as well. And lately I've been inspired to get back into photography in a big way. Actually, one of my best friends, we were talking about him, Alan Joseph, he's an amazing photographer. 

He's developed this craft where he's just amazing. Like, professional level. So I see his work and I'm inspired to get back into, Picking up my Nikon and, jumping back in, but yeah, definitely. It's a big part of what we do because digital representation has become such an important part of the luxury space.

Whether it's through, imaging or videos or social media, what have you. it's definitely something that, that is permeated into my life. It's an important part of my craft. 

The three things that keep popping up relationships, like the people that you've talked about all over the world, photography, and gems. And finding some way to combine those three sounds like there's some alignment 

Like the stories behind the gems. And that's, that's something that's so It's so overlooked in the world of luxury as well, you know, where did this material come from? Who's the person who crafted this by hand? Who's the artisan who took it out of the ground? who cut this stone? And it could be anything. We could be talking about, any product, but it's anything that comes from the earth. these stories are beautiful and I think the communities that the material, often comes from are sometimes even more beautiful than the finished product itself.

When you look at it, you get to learn about these stories. It's cool. So that's something else that we're working on is trying to heighten the awareness of, the stories behind the material and, uh, the beauty of the communities that are behind them. 

Is there a specific community person or story that you can think of to share?

In terms of something really touching me, one of my mentors and someone who's always given me just a plethora of Opportunities is the CEO of the Gemological Institute of America. Her name is Susan Shock and, she met me when she was the CEO of a very large jewelry company 

And I remember meeting her at a trade show and she was the first big company to give me a chance. And years down the line, she now becomes the CEO of one of the most influential entities in the entire luxury space. Certainly in the world of gemstones and diamonds. And she tapped me to be on their board of governors.

And it was this like crazy, full circle moment. we were at a dinner last year and she was telling somebody about the first time we met. She remembered exactly what she bought for me. She remembered, the color palette, she remembered the items, and for me, that was touching.

That someone remembered me at the beginning of my career when I was like a nobody, you know? 

 And how are you giving back now? You mentioned coming into that season of sharing and giving back. 

Through the leadership roles that I've taken on, with the Gemological Institute of America and now with the American Gem Society as well, I'm trying to create opportunities, whether it's through, D. E. I. Initiatives, whether it's through scholarships and funding, whether it's through, storytelling of some of these places that are so beautiful in these communities that are so beautiful, that's something that we're doing. And then we're also involved in some charitable causes overseas, in some of the mining areas where we're actually doing work.

We've helped out with some hospitals in Southeast Asia that are in these areas. And I'd like to, further dive into, uh, the conservation aspect of natural resource development. Cause that's something, fortunately for us with gemstones, they're not usually major large scale mining operations where they're doing a lot of harm.

They're artisanal. It's usually very small, but in some areas it is getting kind of big. So it's important for us to push, this, agenda of conservation before the earth is really starting to get dug into. 

I just want to know, where are you messy? Like, where are you just kind of a hot mess? Oh, man. Not polished, right? Yeah, where are you not polished like a gem? Where are you more I like that. Raw. Raw. 

My desk is a nightmare. My desk at work is a mess. I'm not good with paperwork. I'm not good with paperwork at all.

My dad needles me over it all the time. I would say those are the two places where I'm definitely like the messiest and the most raw and the most unpolished. I'm a pretty emotional person so I think emotionally I can sometimes be a little raw as well. just because I'm sensitive. I feel so much.

I think that's part of what makes me who I am and it's part of what makes me very good at what I do also. Because I can feel people very well. I always have been that way. 

I understand people. I understand. I feel people. that's definitely something I think I've, I've, I've been gifted with. I think I get that from both of my parents. 

Were there any parts of yourself that you were maybe taught to reject that you now see as superpowers? 

I grew up in a pretty, pre Harvard-Westlake, I came from a pretty, uh, pretty tough neighborhood where I faced a lot of racial adversity.

And I had a lot of insecurity about being a Sikh and being Punjabi and having a beard and wearing a turban. And I didn't feel comfortable in my own skin. I got teased a lot. But, now today, [00:25:00] my heritage and where I come from and my turban, these are sources of pride for me.

I get to wear a crown every day. which is something I never saw when I was a kid. But, Harvard-Westlake actually really embraced the diversity. and I felt very comfortable here from that aspect, which was also a very different feeling for me. You know, I was a little uneasy at first. When I came here, everyone was so welcoming and nice for the most part, 

How do you express wearing your cape in the gemology world? 

I'm in an industry where there aren't a lot of people who look like me, if anyone. so I see myself embracing my heritage, my, unique story and my unique, positioning as showing other people who come from backgrounds that are not, homogenously readily there in that same environment that they have an opportunity to make it as well, that they can get into this space as well.

And that's something I'm very actively working on is, initiatives to help lower the barrier of entry into the jewelry industry, which is, an industry that's predominantly controlled by white men. So we're trying to change that and just change the narrative a little bit.

Is there a specific thing right now, either related to the gems or something else that you're feeling passionate or lit up about?

I'm really into color theory right now. So I'm trying to explore, the certain colors that make me feel really good, and the certain colors that would make you feel really good, and the certain colors that would make Kristen feel really good. Like, Why do you feel good when you look at a certain color?

Why is a certain color of lilac, like the color of my turban, why is that pleasing to someone? Whereas, why is a vibrant red, reddish orange, pleasing to someone else? So that's something I'm really deep diving into. 

And is it linked to emotions or it could be just anything, psychology, 

And also like the physical aspect. is there a, is there a therapeutic application to this? So, completely outside of my space, but right now I'm just studying how I feel and the science of color in a big way, because I understand the science of color relative to gemstones and color absorption and what have you, but it's very different when you're talking about, color out in the environment and the world and how we perceive it, 

I've been tapping back into how, how I experienced color in art. And in fact, on a whim, two weeks ago, I flew to Paris to see an art exhibition. It's a retrospective of my favorite artists, probably the most inspirational artists for me and my work. And I had a one week window to catch the very tail end of it because I wasn't able to go.

And that was kind of like the beginning of my journey and jumping into this. 

Where's the next place you're going to disrupt? 

The jewelry industry is a lot like the music industry. There are a lot of big players in the jewelry industry that kind of, they're like record labels and artists.

A lot of the capital remains at the very top of the ecosystem. Whereas, capital doesn't really trickle down. So I kind of want to break that model a little bit, let the artists, the true artists, let them have access to the people. I just want to be a conduit. I want to be the liaison.

And I have the materials to help these people create, and I will create myself as well, but I'd like to see a little disruption in that space and it's happening in a big way. a lot of that has to do with how small the world has become through social media. people have access now in ways that they never would have been able to have access.

 Is there a younger generation that's helping with this breakthrough? 

Definitely. There are a lot of artists who are basically on their own and they're not a major, publicly traded company.

And they're some of the most talented jewelers in the world that I know are working out of their garage and making pieces with their own hands. And they have an opportunity now to have access to patrons. and to collectors or, people who support their businesses without going through the ecosystem of, similarly what a musical artist has to go through with the record labels to get access to the, listeners.

So talent development is another big thing that I'm into. I like working with, up and coming artists and helping them like fine tune their craft, helping them understand color, and sometimes like reducing color. you know, their process or their ideas or, how they work to really allow them to hone in on what feels good for them.

And in your field, how does the training process work? 

There are schools. there are also mentor mentee relationships and apprentice apprenticeships. 

Those are much harder to come by. So, that's something that I work on, very closely with the Genealogical Institute of America. I sit on the education committee, and we're very active in trying to, develop our educational, programs in a way that they are more accessible. we're providing more, tools to these artists when they're getting out of the program so that they can apply them in the real world.

And actually be able to develop a career with the skill set that we teach. 

And do you feel like Harvard-Westlake provided some of the skills, tools, and resources to help you on the path? 

As challenging as it was for me, uh, to, to come here and to, to be a part of the system after,  being in public school my whole life, A lot of the tools that I was given, I still use today, whether it's being able to multitask, whether it's having a strong work ethic, 

The raw talent that I was able to really, carve and cut and polish into what it was today with photography, it's a huge part of who I am today.

If there was no External validation, what is that intrinsic yes or value within you for your uncharted path?

I think it's doing, justice to my family and to how much my parents sacrificed for me to be able to be where I am today. A big reason why I never wanted to join my family's business was because my dad was gone a lot when I was a kid. He wasn't at like the club soccer games. he always made the graduations, the big things. But he had to be on the road and my mother was taking care of us and managing our office. they gave up a lot during prime years of their lives. the 30s and the 40s, for us to be able to have the life that we have. And for me specifically, to have the opportunities in our heads.

So that's always my North Star, like, am I doing right by them? I don't think about my legacy so much as I think about their legacy. And I'm a part of that. 

And does that feel organic and, um, coming from your heart? 

 I'm really lucky, especially coming from an Indian family, specifically. Entering a multi generational business, there is usually this, like, rubric and this, like, hard wall that, you gotta do this, and my folks are cool. they're very tight about some things, but that's not something that they're really, uh, pressuring.

Yeah, and there are times where I've been like, what am I doing? I should have gone to law school, you know? 

But, like, what keeps you showing up in those moments? 

 I have so much fulfillment in what I do. I get to handle the most beautiful things in the world, and I get to deal with some of the most beautiful people in the world.

And I have freedom. I have a lot of freedom. I'm very lucky in that sense. 

What advice would you give current students? It's about how to navigate finding that path that they want to go on, rather than having to choose from what's already given or what they're expected to do. 

For me, even coming to Harvard-Westlake was part of going down a chartered path. And had I not come to Harvard-Westlake, I don't think I'd have a lot of the tools I've developed to go on my unchartered path. So, there are so many opportunities and so many beautiful aspects of being within a system like this. I think it's important to listen to what feels good, though. What feels good for you, you know?

So, I think if you just try to be true to what feels right for you, and understand and try to recognize when you're trying to fit a, A square peg in a round hole, and you're trying to do something that doesn't really fit or doesn't feel right for you, just because, These people around you, whether it's students, whether it's your counselors, or sometimes your parents are telling you, like, you gotta do this.

You know, you have to go to Harvard. this is your graduate path. You're gonna have to get this internship now. I mean, there's so much. 

I would say, really try, I know it's very difficult, but really try to separate yourself from this, machine, which is social media, that, that produces sometimes an image that's very unhealthy or unrealistic for us to try to follow or fit into, 

 Be true to yourself. 

What was that moment you looked in the mirror and you said, I'm me and I love that. Probably, probably seven or eight years ago. It was pretty recent in my life. It was not a long time ago. It was a moment in my career where I, where I really started to feel, like I was. I was doing something that felt really good to me, and, and it was not even about the recognition. I just felt like I was myself. I felt comfortable in my own skin. 

How does that change how you walk in the world? 

 I used to be very, nervous and anxious walking into big boardrooms and conferences 

 these grand ideas I had of these environments that intimidated me so much. I realized it's not that serious and everyone is [00:34:00] human and everyone's just like me. And I think that's, that was really the turning point for me where I was like, okay, no, I'm just relaxed now.

It's cool. You know, not everyone's going to love me and that's okay. That was something I struggled with a lot. I really want to just like please everybody around me be accepted by everyone around me. I think because of how I grew up, I had it rough, until I came to Harvard Westlake and that was something that was really nice.

I felt very accepted here. People were very friendly, very, very friendly here.

 What do you say to the teenager or adult who still doesn't feel like they belong? 

My turning point was being comfortable in my own skin, came from me learning how to really love myself and pay attention to what my needs were. As opposed to running and gunning and doing like, All these things, checking all these boxes that, you know, whether it's like your family, whether it's society, whether it's an educational system that tell you, you have to do, a lot of times we're chasing this feeling of, feeling like  ourselves by satisfying all of these things.

Whereas you got to really learn how to love yourself and be kind to yourself. 

What's the next layer of growth for you, either removing another veil of authenticity or stepping into the next level of discomfort?

 I like the idea of stepping into the next level of discomfort for myself. whether it's, restructuring my professional life. I, I really want more of a work life balance. I do a pretty good job, but I feel like I could do better. I'd really like to find a way to, take the foot off of the gas pedal a little bit and take time to really be present and enjoy where I am and, enjoy beautiful moments with loved ones.

So if today is a big bag of gemstones, do you have a favorite? 

Yeah, man, that's tough. I love a gemstone that's called a spinel. And spinels are not, commercially known about, very much today, but they've been around for centuries.

And they occur in all different types [00:36:00] of colors. And my favorite color in a spinel is this beautiful, vivid, orangey, pinkish red. it's like the color of the most intense part of a sunset. I was about to say, it sounds like a sunset. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I was that kid who was always just staring at the, I still stare at the sky at the sunset.

You know, ten minutes before and after, always. Um, so, yeah, I would be a spinel. 

Okay, so let's say that there's a big bag of gemstones from everything we talked about today. What are those spinels that you'd want someone else to put in their pocket to take away from our conversation today?

 I would say, you gotta be authentic to who you really are. That's very important. it's important to walk through this life with integrity. And to be kind to the people around you, and always give opportunities to people around you when you can, because it always, it's not only the right thing to do, but it always comes back to help you in a big way as well, I think.

have a, have a sense of community. be a part of a community, allow yourself to be a part of a community, allow yourself to be vulnerable enough to open up to people, because you'll build these relationships and, the fact that we're all in this room here together, after all these years, I think is a testament to that.

 Is there any other wisdom that you'd want to share with people that are kind of curious about an uncharted path? 

I think I would just say like it's, it's really, uh, it's so important to understand and know that these boxes that are created by these systems that we exist in are not the only space where you can exist.

You don't have to be in this cookie cutter. Let's say, if you have an idea, of, pursuing an artistic career, or of, going into sports, or whatever it is that you want to do that's not exactly within the realm of this box that's been created for you, you got to understand there's a life outside of this box as well.

You don't have to be this archetype. So I think that would be the, in a broad stroke, the advice that I would give. And surround yourself with people that are speaking to you in a way that they encourage you to be who you are authentically. A lot of times, that's a challenge as well. It's your environment, right?

Who are you surrounding yourself with? Who are the people around you? And if you're surrounding yourself with people who are not authentic, or are not embracing your authenticity, or hindering your authenticity, if you can, if you have the means to listen to that voice, I would say, please pay attention to that.

Dave, if there's anything you feel that's on your chest or on your mind to share I love what you guys are doing. And I think what I would love to see is, not only that we're speaking to, to, to current students, but I, I'd love, the institution to also listen to these stories and understand that sometimes we have to widen our scope of who we're allowing to have these opportunities.

The fact that I was able to have the opportunity to come here and I'm now where I am in my life, I think they're very much correlated. And look at the stories that, that you are sharing and, perhaps the institution can, do more to provide a, a, a more diverse range of opportunities for future students and for the lives and the careers that, that they can touch.

I think that's something that I'd love to see happen. from all this work. But thank you guys. This has been amazing. so good to connect with you. Thank you, Dave. 

Thank you for tuning in to today's episode of Uncharted Paths. We hope you feel inspired to carve out your own unique journey and embrace the courage to follow your passions. If you enjoyed today's episode, don't forget to like, subscribe, and share. Stay connected with us on social media for updates and behind the scenes content.

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