In today’s episode, I am thrilled to welcome Deepali Vyas to the podcast. After spending a good part of her career in executive recruiting, Deepali has her finger on the pulse of the career landscape and what employers are looking for, and she has made it her mission to bring valuable advice and an amazing digital platform to help young people on their journey.
During our discussion, Deepali shares how and when she got her first taste of entrepreneurship and how it actually helped prepare her for her future career. We talk about helping teens and young adults focus on what they are good at and why it’s more important to follow your strengths rather than your passion. You won’t want to miss learning about Fearless+, the positive online experience that Deepali and her team built to inspire and motivate teens.
About Deepali Yvas
Founder and CEO of Fearless+, Deepali Vyas is a serial entrepreneur, advisory board member, career strategist, and executive search consultant with a recognized eye for spotting talent, rising trends, and breakout business models. She has advised companies like Disney, JP Morgan, Uber, Fidelity, Wayfair, and the NFL to name a few. With 22 years of diverse experience, including Global Head of FinTech, Payments, Crypto, and Applied Intelligence at Korn Ferry, Deepali has a deep understanding of what it takes to be successful in today’s workforce. Throughout her career, Deepali has conducted over 40,000 executive interviews and has worked with top Fortune 500 C-suite executives in the boardroom, focusing on next-generation talent search, strategies, assessment, and leadership development. She is also a well-published thought leader on topics such as digital assets, blockchain, cryptocurrencies, innovation, digital transformation, and talent in data and analytics. Deepali frequently contributes to media outlets including Bloomberg, FundFire, CNBC, Business Insider, and Forbes. Deepali has been featured as Business Insiders’ “Top 10 Global Headhunters in FinTech.” Deepali is deeply passionate about diversity and inclusion, partnering with startups like Correlation One on diversity initiatives that offer data science training to the Black and LatinX communities. She has been an advocate for women in STEM careers, sponsoring the annual Women’s Summit in Data Science (DS4A). She serves on the advisory boards of Correlation One, TalentStat, NovusNorth, Gray Zones, and Rutgers University Big Data Program. She is a certified executive coach from Columbia University’s Coaching Learning Association. Deepali graduated with honors from the University of Colorado and completed the International Financial Management Program at the London School of Economics. Deepali lives in New York with her husband and son.
Episode Highlights
- Deepali’s first experience with entrepreneurship
- Teens don’t have to have it all figured out
- Students should focus on who they are, not what they do
- Emotional intelligence will make a difference
- The origin story and the evolution of Fearless
- Deepali’s call with Bob Iger, CEO of Disney
- Fearless = LinkedIn meets TikTok meets MasterClass
- It’s free to join Fearless and build a digital profile
- Joining includes a free personal brand class
- Students build a digital portfolio and it can be used to help complete the common app
- A Fearless profile is like a time vault and it keeps growing with you
- Fearless includes AI tools, a strengths finder, and a personality profile to help students build their profile
- Profiles are safe, secure, and private unless students share their own unique URLs.
- Fearless is a positive community-based experience that’s inspirational and motivational for teens.
- The goal is to help students feel confident and prepared for high school and beyond.
- Deepali’s tips for young adults in early careers
- Know yourself – learn more about what you want AND what you don’t want
- Play to your strengths
- Take action to get what you want
- It is up to us to help young people understand how to stand out
- “The hard skills get you hired, the soft skills get you fired.”
- The power of networking can be used by teens
- Deepali’s podcast “What Would Deepali Do?”
- Forget following your passion. Follow your strengths.
- Build skills that focus on emotional intelligence.