Meet Krishna Gullapalli

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Krishna Gullapalli. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Krishna, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I used to think purpose would come once I hit all the markers of success: the Ivy League degree, the Wall Street banking job, the accolades that proved I “made it.” And I fought hard for those things. But the truth? Each peak left me more hollow. Sometimes even more depressed than before.

It wasn’t until I stopped chasing the traditional paths and started asking myself different questions: What if I was a mom who also worked a lot? What if I was a founder and a franchisee and a social media creator? What if instead of squeezing myself into molds that already existed, I built a life that actually fit me even if it was messier, riskier, unexpected?

That shift changed everything. Once I gave myself permission to be messy, to fail, to figure it out as I went, I finally started to hear my own voice again. And funny enough, the more authentic I became, the more the “success” started to follow.

So I didn’t stumble on my purpose. I created it.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

I wear a few different hats, but at the heart of it all, I’m focused on building businesses that bring people together and make life a little brighter.

I’m the founder of With Behavioral Health, a therapy practice and intensive outpatient program here in Tampa. With grew out of my own experiences with anxiety and depression. I wanted to create a place that feels approachable and human, where people can get the help they need without the stigma. We’re expanding services, adding new evening programs, and building a team of incredible clinicians who truly care about their clients. That’s the work I’m most proud of: knowing that we’re making therapy feel less intimidating and more accessible for people who might not have reached out otherwise.

I’m also a franchisee of 100+ retail locations across 8 different brands, ranging from restaurants to wellness concepts. Most recently, I’ve worked on bringing PopUp Bagels to Tampa. What started as a cult-favorite in New York is now one of the most exciting food concepts in the country, and we’re thrilled to be building a community around it here in Florida. People feel so strongly about bagels and we love that. The energy at our Tampa launch was electric, and it reminded me how powerful food is in bringing people together.

What’s special about my journey is that I don’t fit into one box. I’m a franchisee, a founder, and a working mom who’s figuring it out as I go. I’ve learned to embrace the messy middle, the risks, the pivots, the failures, because that’s where the growth happens.

Right now, I’m focused on scaling With Behavioral Health to reach more people who need support, expanding PopUp Bagels across Florida, and continuing to build businesses that feel authentic to who I am.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, the three things that made the biggest impact on my journey were:

(1) Resilience.
Building businesses (and rebuilding yourself) means you will fail, often publicly. Early in my career I thought failure meant I wasn’t cut out for it. Now I see resilience as a muscle you strengthen every time you get back up.
Advice: Start small. Practice recovering quickly from setbacks instead of letting them define you. Resilience isn’t natural, it’s built.

(2) Strategic storytelling.
From Wall Street pitch decks to therapy practice websites to viral bagel launches. I’ve learned that people don’t just buy products or services, they buy into stories. Being able to craft a clear, compelling narrative has opened more doors than any credential ever did.
Advice: Pay attention to the stories you’re telling (and the ones you’re not). Learn how to make people feel connected to your vision, not just understand it.

(3) Comfort with the messy middle.
For years, I chased linear success: Ivy League, investment banking, corporate ladder. But real growth came when I let go of “perfect paths” and got comfortable with messy, nonlinear progress. That’s where the creativity, and the magic happens.
Advice: Don’t wait until everything is figured out to start. Learn to tolerate uncertainty, because it means you’re building something new instead of repeating what’s already been done.

My biggest advice for anyone early in their journey: Don’t waste energy trying to fit into molds that don’t fit you. Build the skill of resilience, the art of storytelling, and the courage to walk through the messy middle. That’s where your voice — and your purpose will finally emerge.

What has been your biggest area of growth or improvement in the past 12 months?

My biggest area of growth in the past 12 months has been learning to step fully into the role of a business owner, not just in title, but in mindset.

For years, I was operating like someone who still had to prove she belonged: second-guessing myself, minimizing my accomplishments, or defaulting to “worker bee” mode. Over the last year, I’ve gotten more comfortable making bold decisions, trusting my instincts, and leading with authority instead of apology.

That shift has been tested, whether through opening PopUp Bagels in Tampa or launching Sandbox VR in Orlando or scaling With Behavioral Health. But instead of hiding in the weeds, I’ve leaned into vision-setting, building systems, and empowering my teams. It’s been a challenge to let go of the work and instead focus on building the team and the systems.

It’s still a work in progress (I don’t think imposter syndrome ever disappears completely), but I can see the growth in how I carry myself and how I show up for my businesses. I no longer feel like I’m “pretending” to be a business owner anymore. I am one.

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