Company Stats

Guest: Shruthi Desai, Founder

Industry: Child Wellness / Education / Mindfulness

Company: Mudita Circles

Focus: Yoga-based emotional wellness tools for children and families

Tech Stack: In-person + digital curriculum, community workshops, breathwork, movement-based learning

✅ Shruthi shares how personal burnout and motherhood sparked the vision for Mudita Circles.

✅ Learn how yoga, storytelling, and movement help children regulate emotions and build resilience.

✅ Discover why emotional safety is the foundation for confident, compassionate kids.

✅ Explore Shruthi’s unique approach to "circular leadership" and co-creating with communities.

✅ Get inspired by the idea that joy is not a luxury—it’s essential for healthy development.

In this heartfelt episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins welcomes Shruthi Desai, founder of Mudita Circles, a wellness education initiative that’s helping children and families reconnect with joy, regulation, and emotional literacy.

Shruthi opens up about her journey from corporate business roles to a soulful mission: helping the next generation feel safe, seen, and supported. She explains why emotional safety is non-negotiable for children—and how mindful movement, storytelling, and breathwork can empower kids to handle stress, express themselves, and thrive.

The conversation explores how Shruthi blends ancient yoga practices with modern child development insights, why parents must first model emotional health, and how community—when rooted in empathy and kindness—can transform how we support children and each other.

Q: What sparked the creation of Mudita Circles?

A: My burnout as a mom led me to yoga, and what I learned there became the foundation for how I now support children’s emotional wellness.

Q: What does “emotional safety” look like in real life for a child?

A: It’s knowing that you can cry, laugh, or be unsure—and still be loved and accepted.

Q: How does yoga help children build resilience?

A: Through breath, movement, and playful awareness, kids learn how to feel what they feel without shame. That’s powerful.

Q: Why is community so essential in your work?

A: Healing and learning don’t happen in isolation. Mudita is about circles—everyone has a role.

Q: What’s next for Mudita Circles?

A: Expanding our tools into schools, training educators, and making emotional wellness accessible to every child, no matter their background.

00:00 – Meet Shruthi & The Mission of Mudita Circles

01:45 – From Burnout to Breakthrough: A Mother's Journey

04:00 – What Is Emotional Safety (And Why It Matters)

06:30 – Movement, Breath, and Regulation for Kids

09:00 – The Role of Parents in Modeling Calm & Connection

11:15 – Circle Thinking: Teaching as Co-Creation

14:00 – Why Joy and Play Belong in Emotional Learning

17:00 – Mudita in Schools: Bridging Wellness & Education

20:00 – Shruthi’s Leadership Philosophy: Purpose Over Pressure

23:00 – Tools for Parents, Educators & Communities

25:30 – Looking Ahead: Spreading Joy Through Circles

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Guest: Randy Pulayya, Founder

Industry: Food & Beverage / Consumer Packaged Goods

Company: West Indies Pepper Sauce (WIPS)

Focus: Caribbean-inspired premium hot sauces rooted in family tradition

Tech Stack: DTC e-commerce, culinary branding, event marketing, food media (Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition)

✅ Randy shares how a childhood steeped in Caribbean culture inspired the bold flavors of West Indies Pepper Sauce.

✅ Discover how he turned local farmers markets and BBQs into a national brand with real cultural resonance.

✅ Go behind the scenes of Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition—and what it meant for WIPS to be featured.

✅ Randy explains why flavor-first sauce is the key to repeat customers (and not just heat seekers).

✅ Learn how storytelling, community ties, and legacy drive his long-term vision.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins dives into a spicy success story with Randy Pulayya, the founder of West Indies Pepper Sauce (WIPS). What began as a family tradition and neighborhood favorite has now become one of the most buzzworthy new brands in the hot sauce market.

Randy opens up about growing up in a Caribbean-American household, where his father’s cooking and cultural pride laid the groundwork for the flavors that now define WIPS. He shares the journey from early days at pop-ups and local tastings to being featured on Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition, a pivotal moment that supercharged the brand’s visibility.

More than a story about sauce, this episode explores authentic branding, cultural heritage, and generational impact. Randy gives insight into how he’s scaling without selling out, building customer loyalty through storytelling, and using food as a bridge between past and future.

Q: What’s the origin story of West Indies Pepper Sauce?

A: It started in my dad’s kitchen. I just put a brand around the legacy he built with every Sunday dinner.

Q: How did being on Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition change the game for you?

A: It was surreal. It gave us validation, exposure, and a boost we couldn’t have engineered.

Q: What makes WIPS different in a crowded market?

A: Flavor, not just fire. We want people to finish the bottle—not just survive it.

Q: How do you stay true to your roots as you grow?

A: I keep my dad’s picture in the kitchen and his voice in my head: “Make it with love, or don’t make it.”

Q: What’s next for the brand?

A: Going global while staying grounded. Expanding into retail and international shipping—but always keeping the culture at the center.

00:00 – Intro & Meet Randy

01:20 – Childhood Flavors & Cultural Foundations

03:00 – From Farmers Markets to Food Media

05:30 – The Hot Ones Effect: Hype Meets Heritage

08:00 – Why Flavor > Fire in Product Design

10:00 – Building a Brand with Soul, Not Just Strategy

13:00 – The Legacy of Reggae Randy & Father-Son Roots

15:30 – Selling Sauce, Sharing Story

18:00 – Scaling with Authenticity in CPG

21:00 – Food as Cultural Currency

24:00 – Future Visions: From Small Batch to Global Shelf

26:30 – Final Advice for Founders with a Mission

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Company Stats

Guest: Robert Hendrix, CEO

Industry: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing / Systems Engineering

Company: N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC

Focus: Modular, GMP-compliant drug production systems

Tech Stack: AI diagnostics, predictive maintenance, digital compliance, lean manufacturing frameworks

Episode Highlights

✅ Robert reveals how N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC is making pharmaceutical manufacturing scalable and affordable for startups—without compromising compliance.

✅ He explains how his systems engineering background helps him navigate strict regulations while still driving innovation and speed.

✅ Learn how N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC integrates AI to improve documentation, automate audits, and reduce downtime through predictive maintenance.

✅ Robert shares his unique leadership philosophy: hiring engineers who can think like businesspeople—and train like operators.

✅ Hear why courage, not just compliance, is the secret to thriving in highly regulated industries.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Robert Hendrix, the founder and CEO of N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC. With a vision to make GMP-compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing faster, cheaper, and smarter, Robert is building modular systems that empower drug startups to scale safely.

Robert shares how his team uses a systems thinking approach to reduce cost, improve time to market, and design manufacturing solutions that serve both large enterprises and early-stage biotech teams. He dives into how AI tools help automate compliance and maintenance, and why traditional views on pharma operations need to evolve fast.

From engineering culture to startup grit, this episode delivers powerful insights for any founder, builder, or executive operating in a high-regulation space—from pharma to food to aerospace.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: How do you innovate when regulation is non-negotiable?

A: You design smarter systems. Innovation isn’t just what you build—it’s how you build it inside the rules.

Q: What kind of engineers do you hire at N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC?

A: Engineers who think like operators. People who understand the business and can train customers—not just code or model.

Q: How are you using AI right now?

A: For compliance, predictive maintenance, automated documentation, and QA—we treat AI like a system, not a gimmick.

Q: What’s your leadership style in a high-risk field?

A: Bold, clear, and strategic. You need courage to innovate—but discipline to build things that actually work.

Q: What’s the next frontier for N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC?

A: Making advanced pharma tools as accessible as 3D printers—so early-stage drug developers can build safely from day one.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Meet Robert Hendrix

01:30 – Pharma Manufacturing Meets Systems Engineering

03:00 – Why Startups Struggle with GMP Compliance

05:00 – Building Smarter Systems vs. Bigger Facilities

07:00 – The Role of AI in Modern Pharma Ops

09:00 – Predictive Maintenance, QA & Audit Automation

11:30 – Balancing Speed, Safety & Scalability

14:00 – Hiring Engineers Who Think Like Entrepreneurs

16:30 – Operating in a Regulated World with Innovation

19:00 – From Aerospace to Pharma: Lessons on Systems Thinking

21:30 – Courage, Discipline &...

• Guest: Ivan Martinez, COO
• Industry: Automotive Parts Distribution / Supply Chain
• Company: Second-largest collision parts distributor in the U.S.
• Scale: 45 locations, 800+ employees
• Tech Stack: Power BI, Python, ERP integrations, ChatGPT

✅ Ivan shares how his team scaled from 25 to 45 locations and doubled headcount, all while modernizing warehouse and delivery operations.

✅ He discusses the difference between managing and predicting—a Deming-inspired philosophy that drives his leadership style.

✅ Ivan reveals how he retrained himself through Harvard’s Business Analytics Program, bringing coding, forecasting, and deep BI dashboards into every layer of the business.

✅ From Python to ChatGPT, Ivan shows how AI and analytics help automate decisions, guide hiring, and even manage building leases.

✅ A candid take on leadership, mentorship, and how to keep both feet planted in data and daily operations.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, Darnell Perkins sits down with Ivan Martinez, Chief Operating Officer of the second-largest distributor of collision parts in the U.S. With over 800 employees and 45 warehouses, Ivan has led the company through rapid growth—powered by tech, data, and a hands-on management style.

Ivan shares how he shifted from manual spreadsheets to Power BI and Python, becoming a predictive operations leader who can see trends before they become bottlenecks. From warehouse layout optimization to managing container overflow, his approach blends data precision with field-level awareness.

This episode is packed with actionable insights on AI adoption, re-skilling leadership teams, and building a scalable workforce culture. Ivan also opens up about using ChatGPT daily—not just for data science, but even to support communication for his multilingual team.

Q: What does leadership mean to you in operations?

A: It means making decisions based on data—and teaching your team to read and act on it intuitively.

Q: How do you integrate technology into your role as COO?

A: From dashboards to predictive models, I use tools like Power BI and Python to track performance and forecast outcomes—daily.

Q: What’s the biggest lesson from scaling fast?

A: Distribution issues hit harder than development. Dashboards saved us from being blindsided by space and inventory issues.

Q: How do you approach training?

A: I trained myself in data analytics through Harvard, and now I mentor others—including my 14-year-old daughter—to embrace Python and AI.

Q: Where are you on the AI adoption curve?

A: All in. From writing code to analyzing leases to improving emails—ChatGPT is part of my workflow every day.

00:00 – Intro & Meet Ivan Martinez

01:00 – Collision Parts, Supply Chain & Scale

02:00 – Last-Mile Logistics and Data Precision

04:00 – Leadership and Data-Driven Hiring

06:00 – Managing Warehouse Defects with Analytics

08:00 – From Excel to Power BI & Python

09:30 – Harvard’s Business Analytics Program

10:30 – Why “Management is Prediction”

12:00 – AI in the Day-to-Day Workflow

14:00 – Onsite vs. Hybrid Teams

16:00 – Real-Time Dashboards & Forecasting Tools

18:00 – Lessons from Inventory Overflow

21:00 – Retooling the Workforce with Modern Tech

23:00 – ChatGPT for Code, Contracts &...

• Name: H2O Connected
• Industry: Smart Water Technology / PropertyTech
• Focus: Toilet leak detection, water conservation, and smart plumbing solutions
• Product: LeakAlertor™ – consumer and wireless commercial models
• Impact: Detected 90,000 gallons of wasted water in one hotel in 30 days
• Location: Coatesville, PA – Qualified Opportunity Zone

✅ Susan shares the origin story of H2O Connected, born out of a flooded ceiling and a lack of toilet leak solutions on the market.

✅ She explains why hardware products are 10x harder to develop than software—and why distribution, not development, is the biggest challenge.

✅ We uncover the staggering environmental and financial impact of leaking toilets, especially for hotels, apartments, and rental properties.

✅ Susan breaks down the massive data problem of water waste—up to 1 trillion gallons per year—and how smart sensors can change the game.

✅ She discusses how her company is transforming a small steel town by creating jobs, mentoring youth, and manufacturing locally with returning citizens.

✅ A powerful conversation on faith, calling, and what it takes to stay grounded during the most stressful parts of building a purpose-driven business.

In this episode, Darnell Perkins welcomes Susan Springsteen, co-founder and CEO of H2O Connected, a company solving one of the most overlooked problems in property management: toilet leaks.

From ceilings caving in to 90,000 gallons of waste in a single hotel, Susan and her team created LeakAlertor™, a patented solution that helps property owners detect, diagnose, and eliminate water waste automatically. She discusses the steep learning curve of building a physical product, protecting IP, educating a market that doesn’t know it has a problem, and navigating the capital demands of early-stage tech.

But Susan’s story goes deeper—she shares how faith, community impact, and the drive to make a difference have kept her grounded. From revitalizing a 100-year-old building in a Qualified Opportunity Zone to mentoring high school inventors, she’s creating more than a company—she’s building a movement.

Q: What inspired you to create H2O Connected?

A: A real-life flooding experience revealed the lack of solutions for tank toilet leaks—and a massive market no one was addressing.

Q: What’s the hardest part of building a hardware startup?

A: Not product development—it’s distribution and market education. You have to prove the problem even exists before selling the solution.

Q: How does water waste really affect property owners?

A: One running toilet can cost over $100/day. In one pilot hotel, we found more water wasted than flushed.

Q: What’s your approach to impact and hiring?

A: We manufacture locally with returning citizens and those in recovery, creating exponential economic impact in Coatesville, PA.

Q: What advice would you give Day-One Susan?

A: It will take more time, more money, and more faith than you expect—but if you’re called to it, God will do the heavy lifting.

00:00 – Intro & Meet Susan Springsteen

01:00 – The Origins of H2O Connected

02:00 – Building Hardware vs. Software

04:00 – Why the Market Needed LeakAlertor

06:00 – Toilet Leaks by the Numbers

08:00 – Environmental & Financial Impact of...

• Name: Aamar Khwaja, Founder of ModGarden
• Industry: Urban Agriculture, Health Tech, Food Sustainability
• Focus: Organic indoor farming, smart soil-based farming systems
• Flagship Product: TinyFarm — a compact indoor farming appliance
• Stage: Early-stage commercialization and user experience innovation

✅Aamar shares how personal health challenges led him from Wall Street to launching ModGarden.

✅ He discusses why true innovation requires evolving from passion to healthy obsession—with a constant focus on societal good.

✅ We explore the delicate balance between tech-driven convenience and preserving nature’s simplicity in food systems.

✅ Aamar explains how surrounding yourself with critical, accomplished mentors keeps your mission grounded and sustainable.

✅ He shares insights on how user-centric thinking shapes ModGarden’s development, blending tech with tradition to reach urban consumers.

✅ Aamar reflects on the emotional toll of long startup journeys and why embracing challenges, burnout, and course corrections is essential for survival.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Aamar Khwaja, founder of ModGarden, to uncover a powerful story of transformation—from Wall Street finance to urban food innovation.

Driven by personal health struggles and a deeper understanding of mineral deficiencies, Aamar embarked on a mission to bring organic, soil-based indoor farming into everyday homes. He introduces the TinyFarm, a modern appliance that reconnects consumers with nature while fitting seamlessly into today's sleek urban lifestyles.

Aamar shares hard-won lessons about startup leadership: why passion must evolve into healthy obsession, how tech and nature must work hand-in-hand, and why surrounding yourself with honest, critical advisors is key to longevity.

This episode is a blueprint for founders wrestling with purpose, tech adoption, and personal resilience in the face of entrepreneurial uncertainty.

Q: What inspired the creation of ModGarden?

A: A personal health journey revealed how critical mineral-rich food is—and how disconnected modern agriculture had become.

Q: How do you balance technology and nature in your product design?

A: By focusing on user experience: modern appliances must respect natural principles while fitting into clean, tech-driven spaces.

Q: What role does healthy obsession play in startup success?

A: Passion matures into obsession when your venture deeply serves people, the environment, and society at large.

Q: How do you keep yourself grounded as a founder?

A: Surrounding myself with critical, accomplished advisors who challenge me, not worship me.

Q: What’s been the hardest part of the journey so far?

A: Sticking with it during long stretches without funding, solving tough hardware challenges, and managing founder burnout.

00:00 – Intro & Meet Aamar Khwaja

00:24 – From Wall Street to Urban Agriculture

02:51 – The Simple Science Behind Healthy Farming

05:25 – Fixing Disconnection in Modern Food Systems

06:10 – Passion vs. Obsession in Startup Leadership

08:40 – Surrounding Yourself with Honest Mentors

11:04 – Balancing Nature and Technology in Product Design

14:00 – Traversing Tradition and Innovation

16:24 – Lessons from Nature for Tech and Hardware

17:44 – Wisdom from Great Leaders: Learning

Company Stats

Name: Ramesh Gopal

Industry: Deep Tech, Climate Tech, Health Tech

Focus: Carbon capture technology, hardware innovation, and wearable health devices

Stage: Prototype development & early-stage commercialization

Background: PhD in Physics, former Silicon Valley hardware developer

✅ Ramesh shares his transition from physics and semiconductor engineering into climate tech entrepreneurship.

✅ He explains how nature-inspired chemistry is helping him reimagine carbon capture hardware for hard-to-abate sectors.

✅ We explore the mental and emotional challenges of building as a solo founder—and why loving the journey is key.

✅ He discusses his second project: a reliable, wearable blood pressure device to improve health access.

✅ Ramesh opens up about the loneliness of innovation and the slow path to building the right team.

✅ A real talk on persistence, curiosity, and why having a massive vision still doesn’t guarantee immediate support.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, Darnell Perkins sits down with deep tech entrepreneur and physicist Ramesh Gopal to uncover what it really takes to bring bold ideas into the real world—without a corporate team, a flashy pitch deck, or VC fanfare.

Ramesh, a Cal Berkeley PhD and former Silicon Valley hardware engineer, shares how a pandemic-era idea around nature-based carbon capture evolved into a full-time pursuit. With a prototype in hand and a vision to help sectors like cement, steel, and even breweries reduce CO₂ emissions, he walks us through the grit and patience required to move from idea to pilot.

He also introduces a second innovation—a more accurate, wearable blood pressure monitor that could improve life for millions. But more than the tech, this conversation is about the mindset. Ramesh speaks candidly about the solo founder’s journey: the uphill task of team building, the myth of instant support, and the simple truth that without loving the work, persistence is impossible.

Q: What inspired your shift into climate tech?

A: The pandemic gave me space to focus on my long-standing interest in sustainability and carbon capture—and I realized the chemistry was simple but powerful.

Q: What’s been your biggest early-stage challenge?

A: Staying the course without guaranteed support. It’s easy to doubt yourself, but you’ve got to keep at it—even solo.

Q: How important is a support system?

A: It helps—but often, people won’t get your vision. Social media can connect you to like-minded people globally, but internal drive matters most.

Q: Which keeps you going more: passion or impact?

A: Both. Passion is non-negotiable, but knowing your idea can change the world is a huge motivator.

Q: What's your process for turning ideas into reality?

A: Be endlessly curious. Let the dots connect in hindsight. There’s no algorithm for creativity—just learning, observing, and building until something clicks.

00:00 – Intro & Meet Ramesh Gopal

01:00 – From Physics to Carbon Capture

02:00 – Nature-Inspired Chemistry

03:30 – Challenges of the Solo Founder Path

05:00 – Why Passion is the Foundation

06:30 – Support Systems & Social Connection

08:00 – The Realities of Team Building

10:00 – Purpose vs. Passion

13:00 – Innovating in Health Tech: Blood Pressure Wearables

15:00 – Curiosity as a Creative Superpower

18:00 – Connecting the Dots Backward

21:00 – Tech Vision Without a Team

23:00 – The Business + Engineering Equation

24:00 – Final Reflections &...

• Name: Endiatx
• Industry: MedTech, Robotics
• Flagship Product: Pillbot – a swallowable, piloted robot for internal diagnostics
• Stage: Pre-market, clinical development
• Mission: Making advanced medical care radically more accessible through micro-robotics

✅ Torrey breaks down the journey behind Pillbot—a swallowable robot that doctors can pilot inside the human body.

✅ He shares how grief and aerospace roots led to a bold mission: merging high-tech robotics with healthcare innovation.

✅ This is not about quick exits or hype—Torrey reveals why his company only chases “impossible” ideas.

✅ He opens up about facing over 1,000 VC rejections, battling internal doubt, and what it really means to lead through chaos.

✅ A powerful take on inspiration vs. ego, building with grace, and why meaningful tech doesn’t need Silicon Valley's approval.

In this unforgettable episode, Darnell Perkins sits down with Torrey Smith, co-founder of Endiatx, to talk about building robots that literally swim inside your stomach—and the emotional and technical rollercoaster of bringing that sci-fi dream into reality.

Torrey doesn’t sugarcoat the journey. From driving prototypes in bathtubs to swallowing the robot himself during live pitches, he shares what it’s like to chase a vision that most called “impossible.” You’ll hear about the grit behind innovation, what it means to inspire a team with nothing but an idea, and the power of saying no to mediocrity.

This episode isn’t just about tech. It’s about resilience, purpose, and how staying weird might just change the world.

Q: What inspired the idea of Pillbot?

A: “I just couldn’t stop thinking—what if camera pills could move? What if they could actually do something?”

Q: What’s been your biggest challenge as a founder?

A: “Getting out of my own way. I waited 10 years too long because I didn’t think I was good enough.”

Q: What advice do you have for aspiring founders?

A: “You don’t have to be invincible. If your idea inspires even one person—you—it’s worth building.”

Q: What keeps you going after 1,000+ rejections?

A: “We’re not chasing money. We’re chasing the work—and the work is glorious.”

00:00 – Welcome & Intro

00:51 – Meet Torrey Smith & the Pillbot Mission

02:07 – Sci-Fi Dreams Become Tech Reality

04:10 – Aerospace Roots & Medical Reinvention

06:37 – From Idea to Prototype to Startup

10:11 – Mental Health & Founding a Company

11:33 – Overcoming Rejection (1000+ VC No’s)

16:25 – Leadership, Ego, and Staying the Course

20:26 – Radical Accessibility in Healthcare

24:27 – Does Location Matter for Founders?

28:55 – Lessons from Crashing the Sequoia Party

31:27 – On Heroes, Elon, and Power

38:33 – A Vision for Unity Through Innovation

43:56 – Leadership, Inspiration & Building with Grace

50:49 – How to Connect with Endiatx

52:35 – Final Reflections & Sign-Off

• Learn more: https://endiatx.com
• Torrey’s YouTube: Search "Torrey Smith"
• Connect on LinkedIn: Torrey Smith

Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of The Innovator’s Impact. Want to stay inspired by more tech-forward business stories? Subscribe to the show on