"An unconventional entrepreneur has been hustling before the idea even came. It's their way of life." - Arjita Sethi
What if the thing that makes you feel like an outsider is actually the reason you're built to lead? In this episode, I talk to Arjita Sethi - an immigrant entrepreneur, educator, and founder of New Founders School. From growing up in Delhi and helping run a school with her mom at 16, to building a startup in Silicon Valley while navigating the U.S. immigration system, Arjita’s story is a powerful mix of hustle, heart, and hard-earned wisdom. We get into what it really takes to build something when you don’t come from privilege, and how being an immigrant gives you a different kind of edge - one that’s rooted in adaptability, resourcefulness, and the ability to keep going no matter what.
You'll hear us discuss:
- How growing up as an immigrant shaped the way Arjita leads, takes risks, and thinks like a founder
- Why some of the best entrepreneurs out there don’t look or sound like what the startup world expects
- The real superpowers immigrant founders already have - even if they don’t know it yet
- How she burned out chasing the “Silicon Valley dream” and what she had to unlearn
- What it’s like to build a business under constant visa pressure, and why that stress doesn’t get talked about enough
- How New Founders School is helping underestimated entrepreneurs turn their lived experience into leadership
Resources
Arjita Sethi on New Founder School | Arjitha's Advantage Program | LinkedIn