Lessons for Startup Leaders from Usha Srinivasan’s Journey

In a recent episode of the Tech Uncensored podcast, Usha Srinivasan, founder of BReady Talent and former ecosystem builder, shared her journey transitioning from supporting startup founders to becoming one herself. Born into an immigrant family with expectations to enter medicine, she followed a different path, gravitating toward research. Srinivasan's experience offers vital lessons on entrepreneurship, particularly the necessity of firsthand experience for those wanting to help others.

1. Becoming a Founder: A Natural Progression
Srinivasan began her career in market research at Frost & Sullivan, where she noticed startups often struggled to afford critical services. This insight led her to MaRS Discovery District, where she helped launch the MaRS Market Intelligence Services, providing essential resources to startups. Over her decade there, she felt the urge to become a founder, realizing she needed to experience entrepreneurship firsthand.

2. Timing Matters
The common belief that youth is ideal for startups is challenged by Srinivasan, who pursued entrepreneurship while managing family responsibilities later in life. After leaving MaRS, she carved a part-time role at Elevate, balancing her career with launching her food-tech venture, House Chef. Srinivasan notes that older entrepreneurs often approach risks more strategically, informed by experience.

3. COVID-19 as a Pivot Point
The pandemic disrupted both of Srinivasan’s ventures in early 2020, prompting her to reconsider her approach to entrepreneurship. Instead of panicking, she reflected on what kind of resilient businesses she wanted to build. This led to the creation of Brampton Venture Zone (BVZ), focusing on community needs rather than generic models.

4. Community-Centric Approach
Launching BVZ, Srinivasan prioritized understanding Brampton's community by actively observing its neighborhoods. She aimed to align the incubator with the city's existing strengths, creating initiatives like the Problem Lab to directly address local business challenges.

5. Recognizing the Value of SMEs
While organizing a festival, Srinivasan discovered that many attendees were seeking jobs instead of starting businesses. This realization led her to establish BReady Talent, a platform connecting underutilized talent specific to the needs of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the region.

6. Diversity as a Strategic Asset
Srinivasan emphasizes genuine diversity, arguing it shouldn't be merely seen as a moral obligation. Instead, it offers significant business advantages. By positioning hiring for diversity not as tokenism but as a pathway to innovation, she highlights the untapped potential in diverse talent.

7. Intentional Support Systems
Srinivasan critiques traditional incubators for their slow response times, urging that support systems for entrepreneurs should be agile and empathetic. Founders often face critical, time-sensitive challenges, necessitating a support structure that responds effectively to their urgent needs.

8. Importance of Income Diversification
Srinivasan’s journey underscores the importance of diversified income streams, a lesson learned during the pandemic. She advises aspiring founders, especially women, to avoid placing all their bets on a single venture, highlighting the need for stability and reduced risk through multiple sources of income.

9. Value of Side Ventures
Before launching BReady Talent, Srinivasan engaged in multiple side hustles, which provided her essential skills in digital marketing, e-commerce, and customer relationship management. These experiences equipped her with the operational savvy needed for her future endeavors.

In conclusion, Usha Srinivasan’s transition illustrates the journey of empathetic leadership in entrepreneurship. By focusing on community engagement, diversity, and responsive support systems, she exemplifies a problem-first mindset—reminding us that thoughtful, intentional business building often trumps mere speed and scale.