Глава 4
Finding Your Calling: The Internal Examination
After her soccer career ended prematurely due to a torn ACL and she left her burnout-inducing investment banking job, Agrawal needed to pause before jumping into her next venture. This was the perfect moment for what she calls the "I-EX"-internal examination-to find her North Star. The process required answering two fundamental questions: What am I really good at? And what am I passionate about?
For the first question, Agrawal sought honest external feedback about her skills. Her father's story about being redirected from singing (he was tone-deaf) to tabla drumming taught her the importance of surrounding herself with people honest enough to prevent her from pursuing ill-suited paths. She created two lists: personal skills (sports, fitness, communication, languages, making friends quickly, writing) and professional skills (marketing, business development, writing, organizing, languages).
For the second question, she consulted her dreams list. Though professional soccer was now crossed off due to her injury, making movies and starting a business remained. She'd caught the movie bug from her mother, who loved classic films, and had interned at film studios during college summers, reading screenplays and giving feedback. With her passion for storytelling through film and positive feedback on her writing skills, she knew what direction to pursue.
Her twin sister Radha helped her secure an interview with a film production company specializing in television commercials. During the interview, Agrawal strategically used "we" and "us" language to help the owner visualize them working together. She highlighted her finance knowledge from banking days, mentioned connections through her sister (a commercial agent), and emphasized her Cornell degree and passion for film. The approach worked-she got the job.
As an associate producer, Agrawal managed commercial and music video shoots, sometimes with celebrities like Beyonce and Mary J. Blige. She discovered a talent for project management and efficiency, organizing her workspace to maximize productivity. The job taught her to handle high-pressure situations creatively, like when she was tasked with securing a live horse, English police uniform, red double-decker bus, and permits to close off Wall Street with just 24 hours' notice.
Studying invoices, she noticed freelancers earned more per day than full-time employees, with flexibility to pursue other interests between shoots. Despite the uncertainty of not knowing when the next job would come, she decided to quit working in-house and go freelance as a production assistant. Though it was a step down professionally, it was her first taste of entrepreneurship-hunting for gigs, offering services people wanted, and outperforming everyone else to ensure repeat business.
The experience prepared her for future entrepreneurship by teaching her project management and resourcefulness-skills that would prove invaluable when she later launched her own businesses. Finding your calling requires honest assessment of both your skills and passions, then finding the sweet spot where they intersect.
Глава 5
From Problem to Business: Finding What Sucks in Your World
The genesis of Agrawal's first successful business came from an unexpected source: stomach pain. After experiencing recurring gastric distress following meals, particularly after eating pizza, she researched her symptoms and self-diagnosed as lactose intolerant-a condition affecting one in five Americans and 80% of the world's population.
She experimented by eliminating dairy for a month. Within a week, her symptoms disappeared, but she missed her favorite foods-especially pizza. Weeks later, while traveling in the South of France, she ate cheese expecting the worst... but felt fine. The revelation: French farms made cheese from milk produced in their backyards without the hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides common in American dairy.
Back home, she discovered that organic, humanely-treated dairy didn't bother her stomach either. This personal health discovery sparked a business idea: if 20% of Americans were missing out on pizza due to dairy intolerance, there was an opportunity. She envisioned an alternative pizzeria using fresh, local, organic ingredients-a place where anyone with food allergies could enjoy delicious pizza.
Agrawal wanted to create a cozy spot where friends could gather, working with local farms and businesses for ingredients and packaging. Nothing like this existed in New York City at the time. Though she knew nothing about restaurants or starting a business, she had time between freelance producing gigs to explore this project.
She identified three possible approaches: the philanthropic route (becoming an advocate for local farms and businesses), the intrapreneurial route (joining an existing pizza company to introduce healthy options), or starting her own business from scratch. After careful consideration, she chose the entrepreneurial path-the riskiest but potentially most rewarding option.
This pattern of identifying personal pain points and turning them into business opportunities would become Agrawal's signature approach. Years later, she would follow the same process with THINX (period-proof underwear) and TUSHY (modern bidet attachments)-both solving problems she personally experienced.
The lesson is powerful: pay attention to what frustrates you in daily life. Your annoyances and pain points are often shared by millions of others, representing market opportunities waiting to be addressed. As Agrawal puts it, "What sucks in your world?" might just be your next successful business.
Глава 6
From Idea to Reality: The Power of Community Intelligence
When Agrawal decided to pursue her healthy pizza concept, she created a four-step plan: research the pizza business, consult smart people, shadow someone successful, and verify demand through surveys. Rather than trying to figure everything out alone, she leveraged the collective intelligence of her community.
For her "Meeting of the Minds," she carefully crafted invitations highlighting what was in it for the attendees-exclusive access to MTV Studios, free food, networking with interesting people, and a chance to disrupt an industry. She made it about them, not her, writing: "You have been handpicked as one of eighteen people to attend the private Meeting of the Minds gathering."
Despite initial nervousness when all sixteen invitees showed up, she pushed through her crisis of confidence. The group spent five incredible hours brainstorming, developing the name SLICE (later changed to WILD), creating a unique "diamond cut" pizza presentation, redesigning pizza boxes for better storage, and planning sustainable interior design. This collaborative approach yielded ideas she never would have conceived on her own.
For step three, Agrawal boldly approached Rich Wolf, one of NYC's most successful restaurateurs, at his establishment Tao. Through a tenuous connection (her sister's boyfriend's sister knew his wife), she convinced him to let her shadow him for a month. This invaluable experience showed her she needed to start small with counter service rather than a full restaurant-a crucial insight that saved her from potential failure.
Finally, she surveyed potential customers about their pizza habits and confirmed strong demand for healthier pizza options, especially among gluten-free and vegan communities. With Rich's encouragement and her due diligence complete, she was ready to raise money for her new venture.
This approach-leveraging community intelligence rather than trying to be the lone genius-became central to Agrawal's entrepreneurial philosophy. When starting her businesses, she consistently sought input from diverse perspectives, created advisory boards of people smarter than herself, and wasn't afraid to ask for help.
The lesson is clear: entrepreneurship isn't a solo journey. The myth of the lone visionary who figures everything out independently is just that-a myth. The most successful entrepreneurs build communities of supporters, advisors, and collaborators who contribute their expertise and perspectives. By harnessing the power of community intelligence, Agrawal was able to refine her concept, avoid costly mistakes, and build a business with built-in supporters from day one.
Глава 7
Raising Capital Through Connection: People Invest in People
With sweaty palms, Agrawal waited to see if a potential investor would write that $25,000 check for her new business. At twenty-five, she'd never raised money before. After humiliating early attempts in stuffy meetings, she realized traditional fundraising wasn't working for her style.
Agrawal was most natural in group settings-like her family's dinner parties where they'd add fun twists to engage everyone. So she created investor dinner parties instead, bringing in chefs to prepare amazing food, hosting in cool venues, and even getting the Food Network to document the process. She learned investors don't just invest in ideas-they invest in people.
Instead of lengthy business plans, she made visual slideshows addressing market problems, target audience, competitors, and revenue projections. Sometimes she had others present while she answered questions, allowing her authentic self to shine through. The key was creating memorable experiences where people's hearts and minds were open.
Getting a group excited about your idea creates powerful momentum. When people see others nodding and engaged, they're more likely to invest. But execution is critical-if done poorly, everyone might collectively decide against you. To make fundraising events successful, Agrawal recommends bringing in a chef who prepares memorable food, securing a cool venue (like an industrial loft or rooftop space), inviting press to attend, creating a visual slideshow covering investor concerns, and considering having someone else present if you get nervous.
Agrawal distinguished between networking and connecting. Unlike uncomfortable networking with name tags and business cards, genuine connecting follows what she calls the NST (no small talk) rule. She asked pointed personal questions like "What are you most excited about?" or "What's your dream?" rather than "Where are you from?" These open-ended questions make people show their true colors and create excitement in conversations. Listening genuinely and showing real interest-people naturally connect with those who make them feel heard.
Her approach worked. Through these connection-based fundraising efforts, she raised the full $250,000 needed to launch her restaurant. One investor she met while waiting for a table at a restaurant-after breaking the ice with a sincere compliment, she became genuinely interested in his new relationship. When he asked what she was doing, her contagious enthusiasm prompted him to request more information, leading to an eight-year friendship and significant investment.
The lesson is clear: raising money isn't about perfect pitch decks or business plans-it's about human connection. People invest in people they like, trust, and believe in. By creating genuine relationships and showing authentic passion for your vision, you can inspire others to join your journey financially.
Глава 8
Building Your Business with Limited Resources: Get Sh*t Done Fast
When Agrawal received a $65,000 proposal for branding-over a quarter of her entire $250,000 budget-she knew she needed another approach. With $180,000 allocated for building out a small location and $24,000 for the initial rent deposit, she had only $46,000 left for branding, inventory, staff training, and working capital.
Her father had always warned that businesses fail without enough runway to properly take off. After receiving shocking proposals ranging from $15,000-65,000 for branding work, she turned to her network. She offered equity to friends who were experts looking to branch out on their own: Richard for branding, Ian for architecture, and Zach's friend for interior design.
Richard created a brilliant 20-page menu booklet and their first website. This mutual benefit approach got her started without depleting her limited funds. While not perfect, it was distinctive and free. For those without such connections, Agrawal suggests sites like Crowdspring.com or 99designs.com as inexpensive branding alternatives.
Branding proved challenging. Agrawal breaks it into two essential components: words and visuals. The words include your mission statement, pitch, and marketing copy, while visuals encompass your website, social media pages, marketing materials, packaging, and physical store. When both convincing language and attractive aesthetics align, you'll more easily attract customers, partners, and financing.
After finalizing her brand, Agrawal focused on finding a location. She hired a commercial real estate broker (who was paid by the landlord). The search took four months-good spaces were quickly claimed by proven franchises like Starbucks. She finally found a $6,000/month space on the Upper East Side, not her first choice neighborhood but it met her budget and was on a main avenue.
The challenge: it was formerly a pink nail salon with no basement and wasn't designed for a restaurant. She'd need to install venting, a hood, and dig out the entire basement for plumbing-a serious ordeal that might exceed her $180,000 budget. But she decided to move forward rather than continue searching, and thankfully found her general contractor through a neighbor's recommendation.
With branding and real estate handled, she tackled the business paperwork. She simply called 311 and asked for the business solutions department. Surprisingly, someone answered immediately and offered to help expedite everything through a new NYC initiative to streamline business paperwork. This angel of a government worker coordinated all departments simultaneously to prevent delays.
The lesson is clear: when resources are limited, creativity and resourcefulness become your greatest assets. Instead of paying premium prices for professional services, look for mutually beneficial arrangements. Offer equity to talented friends, barter services, or use affordable alternatives. Most importantly, don't let perfect be the enemy of good-sometimes "good enough to start" is exactly what you need to get your business off the ground.
Глава 9
Overcoming Disaster: Resilience When Things Go Wrong
"I am never ever ordering from you again!" The angry customer's words cut through Agrawal like a knife. Her restaurant's first day had turned into a nightmare-fifty people lined up outside after a Daily Candy article, unprepared staff, logistical problems, and customers walking away frustrated with cold, imperfect pizzas. She'd ignored Rich Wolf's advice about having a "soft opening" before seeking press coverage, and now she was paying the price.
The entire first month was rough. With 95% of restaurants closing in their first year, Agrawal had two options: throw in the towel or fight to win back customers. Thinking of her parents' willingness to go into debt for her education and experiences, she knew she couldn't give up.
She launched a comeback campaign-handwriting five thousand apology letters offering free slices, personally flyering every apartment in the neighborhood, getting certified as a spin instructor to sample pizzas at local gyms, and targeting playgrounds, yoga studios and office buildings with free tastings. Little by little, it worked-the phone began ringing again and business grew.
Agrawal's early partnerships were also disasters because she hired people like herself-young, excited, educated-without considering experience. When her inexperienced manager ran out of pizza dough on a busy weekend and refused to find a creative solution (like borrowing from neighboring pizzerias), she realized she needed someone with both passion and expertise.
She learned she should have spent more time raising money to hire experienced people rather than going through years of mistakes. When evaluating potential partners, she now considers both business characteristics (shared vision, complementary skills, mutual trust) and personal qualities (sense of humor, curiosity, resourcefulness).
After several false starts, she finally found two exceptional partners-John Arena with 44 years of restaurant experience, and Tony Hsieh, who provides constant inspiration. Her advice: hire slow, fire fast, always check references, and don't be afraid to start over when a partnership isn't working.
The lesson is powerful: entrepreneurial success isn't about avoiding failures-it's about how you respond to them. When disaster strikes, take responsibility, make personal amends, and do whatever it takes to rebuild trust. Don't let pride or embarrassment stop you from making things right. And when you make mistakes in hiring or partnerships, learn from them and adjust your approach. Resilience-the ability to bounce back from setbacks-is perhaps the most essential quality for entrepreneurial success.
Глава 10
Beyond Business: Building a Life of Purpose and Connection
Beyond building a successful business, Agrawal has always wanted to make a positive community impact. Her parents set this example through their social enterprises like the Gifted Children's Summer Camp and "Tomorrow's Professionals." Today, social entrepreneurship has become mainstream with young people supporting movements, environmental causes, and community improvement.
Agrawal built her restaurant with dual intentions: creating pizza that tastes good while being healthy, and supporting local businesses. She partnered with local farmers, microbreweries, vineyards, and packaging companies to support the local economy, improve nutrition through shorter transportation times, and reduce environmental impact.
To address childhood obesity, her sister Radha created Super Sprowtz-superhero vegetable characters that encourage kids to eat healthier. What began as a coloring book in their restaurant menus evolved into children's books, puppet shows, a TV series, PSAs with celebrities, and even a permanent exhibit at the Children's Museum of Manhattan.
Agrawal discovered the fulfillment of giving back when teaching inner-city kids about nutrition through her pizza. By revealing that the delicious pizza they loved contained whole-wheat and fresh vegetables, she broke through food stigmas and sparked meaningful conversations about health. These classroom visits energized her, leading to over fifty classroom visits and an invitation to address the United Nations Global Youth Summit.
Beyond social impact, Agrawal emphasizes the importance of personal well-being and relationships. She reframes health as "power" (how you fuel your body) and exercise as "release" (how you reduce stress and boost mood). Simple changes make the biggest impact: replacing all drinks with water, ordering the healthiest menu item when eating out, sharing meals or immediately saving half for later, and chewing slowly.
For relationships, she and her partner Andrew created the LACE acronym: Looks (mutual attraction), Adventure (trying new things together), Challenge (pushing each other mentally, physically, spiritually), and Enhance (improving each other's experiences). She's learned important love lessons: take deep breaths before reacting, be patient while your partner learns your "love language," listen sincerely, surprise each other often, and give each other space.
The Agrawal family created traditions that fostered community from childhood. For birthdays, they hosted separate kids and adults parties, featuring signature games. These engaging rituals evolved into larger community events like Agra-Palooza and New Year's Eve Eve, their "Intellectual Olympics." Both gatherings include a mandatory talent segment where every guest must perform something creative, helping even shy friends express themselves.
The lesson is clear: true success extends far beyond business achievements. It encompasses making a positive impact, maintaining physical and mental well-being, nurturing loving relationships, and building supportive communities. By integrating these elements into your life, you create not just a successful business but a meaningful existence.
Глава 11
Your Turn to Do Cool Sh*t: A Call to Action
Reflecting on her journey since launching her first business at 26, Agrawal notes how she's evolved to handle unfamiliar situations with confidence. She no longer fears challenges like IRS documents or difficult conversations with employees. Key lessons include: freaking out solves nothing; business relationships require the same trust as friendships; and most importantly, learning to let things go.
Using the metaphor of a raccoon who dies rather than release a nut from a trap, she emphasizes that attachment can be deadly. Sometimes we need to release our grip on ideas, relationships, or approaches that aren't working to move forward.
In a heartfelt letter to future generations, Agrawal shares her "box of possibility"-a collection of meaningful mementos from her adventures that reminds her of life's choices. She encourages readers to embrace change, focus on desired outcomes rather than temporary pain, and find what makes their "eyes sparkle."
Quoting her father's advice to pursue what feels right regardless of others' opinions, she urges readers to address that feeling in the pit of their stomach if they're not doing everything they want. The key is making the decision to act and take that first step toward living authentically.
Agrawal's newest venture at the time of writing was THINX-leak-resistant underwear for women-which she launched with partners including her sister. For every pair sold, they fund seven washable pads for women in developing countries. The project exceeded its Kickstarter goal by 130% and won multiple innovation awards. Since then, she's gone on to launch TUSHY, a modern bidet attachment company, continuing her pattern of solving problems through entrepreneurship.
The message is clear: doing cool sh*t isn't about following a specific formula or path. It's about living authentically, taking risks, creating impact, and building community. It's about addressing problems that frustrate you and turning them into opportunities. It's about surrounding yourself with people who inspire you and challenge you to grow.
At day's end, we answer only to ourselves, so we should pursue what fulfills our innate being. The time to start is now. As Agrawal puts it: "This book is dedicated to YOU for wanting to do cool sh*t in this lifetime-it's a short one, so we need to make it count!"
