We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Shivi Sharma. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Shivi below.
Hi Shivi, appreciate you sitting with us today to share your wisdom with our readers. So, let’s start with resilience – where do you get your resilience from?
I grew up in a small town southeast of New Delhi in a humble family, where resources were limited, and budgets were tight. Many nights were spent studying under candlelight during power outages. At the age of 15, I moved to New Delhi to pursue higher education, as opportunities in my hometown were scarce. Living alone at such a young age brought its own set of challenges, but it also taught me independence and determination. I started setting short-term goals, overcoming obstacles to achieve them, and then moving on to the next. This mindset became the foundation of my resilience, and those early lessons continue to shape me to this day.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I am an entrepreneur building AI-powered solutions to help lenders approve more small business loans. By equipping lenders with advanced technology, we aim to make affordable capital accessible to small businesses quickly and efficiently. Small businesses are the backbone of the U.S. economy, yet access to credit is broken for them. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see the impact of our technology on so many lives.
My company, Kaaj, takes its name from the Hindi word for “work” or “accomplish,” reflecting our mission. We are dedicated to empowering millions of small businesses by helping them get access to affordable capital.
I am grateful to be on this journey with someone I trust the most – my husband – we are partners in life and at work and he is a source of insipration who constantly pushes me to go above and beyond.
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Having a deep domain knowledge, resilience, and emotional intelligence.
Developing deep domain expertise in a specific field is crucial. Choose a field, immerse yourself in it, and build trust over time. The rewards of this focused effort often have compounding effects, bringing benefits in the years to come. Entrepreneurship is a roller coaster ride and a long term game. It is important to be emotionally intelligent and not get overwhelmed by highs and lows to win this game.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
Eager to collaborate with anyone who is passionate about small business growth and understands or wants to understand the critical role of accessible credit in empowering their success.
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