# Leadership Journeys [281] - Kishan Ananthram - “Give more than you take and never forget where you came from.”

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/choosing-leadership-with-sumit-gupta-4623737/leadership-journeys-281-kishan-ananthram-give-more-than-you-take-and-never-forget-where-you-came-from
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/choosing-leadership-with-sumit-gupta-4623737/leadership-journeys-281-kishan-ananthram-give-more-than-you-take-and-never-forget-where-you-came-from.md
Podcast: [Choosing Leadership with Sumit Gupta](https://stenobird.com/podcast/choosing-leadership-with-sumit-gupta-4623737)
Published: 2026-04-20T08:00:00+00:00
Episode link: https://10genpartners.com/choosing-leadership-podcast/
Audio file: https://media.transistor.fm/2b800ffd/5761f89a.mp3
Processing state: not_requested
JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/choosing-leadership-with-sumit-gupta-4623737/episodes/leadership-journeys-281-kishan-ananthram-give-more-than-you-take-and-never-forget-where-you-came-from
Duration seconds: 1948

## Resource

This is the Leadership Journey series on the Choosing Leadership Podcast. I believe we all have a lot to learn from each other's stories - of where we started, where we are now, and our successes and struggles on the way. With this series of interviews, I attempt to give leaders an opportunity to share their stories and for all of us to learn from their generous sharing. If you know a leader whom you would like to see celebrated on the show, please send me a message on LinkedIn with their name. What does it really take to build something meaningful that lasts for decades? In this episode of Choosing Leadership, Sumit Gupta sits down with Kishan Ananthram to unpack the mindset, values, and courage required to lead through uncertainty. Kishan shares hard-won lessons from a 30-year entrepreneurial journey—from choosing people over profit, to letting go of control so others can rise. If you are navigating growth, pressure, or the fear of making the wrong call, this conversation will challenge you to lead with more conviction, clarity, and heart. It is a powerful reminder that great leadership is not about playing safe—it is about choosing what matters most, even when it is uncomfortable. You can find Kishan Ananthram at the links below https://www.linkedin.com/in/kishanananthram/ kishan.ananthram@ionidea.com In the interview, Kishan shares “Leadership is not about the title you hold—it’s about the choices you make when comfort and courage collide.” “My father taught me two things: always aim for the top, and in every relationship, give more than you take.” “Building a business is not just about profit; it’s about creating something that people can trust with their future.” “There were moments I could have walked away with the money, but real leadership meant staying—for th…

## Actions

- request_transcript: `POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/choosing-leadership-with-sumit-gupta-4623737/episodes/leadership-journeys-281-kishan-ananthram-give-more-than-you-take-and-never-forget-where-you-came-from/transcription-requests` — Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.
- read_markdown: `GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/choosing-leadership-with-sumit-gupta-4623737/leadership-journeys-281-kishan-ananthram-give-more-than-you-take-and-never-forget-where-you-came-from.md` — Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.

A page view does not enqueue transcription. Agents should invoke `request_transcript` explicitly when they need this episode processed.

## Transcript

Full transcripts are not published on public pages unless there is a clear rights basis.