Name: Deepak Subramanian

Title: Founder & CEO

Organisation: YourTribe

I am an entrepreneur with 20 years of experience, dedicated to transforming lives through smart career choices. Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of helping over 10,000 individuals find the right career paths. As a proud recruiter, I owe much of my growth and learning to my journey in recruitment. In my view, a solid five years of recruitment experience in an agency is on par with the education and insights gained at a top business school.

At my current company, YourTribe, our mission is twofold: to help startups attract and hire top talent and to inspire talented job seekers to explore the dynamic world of startup opportunities. We believe that startups offer unmatched career growth and exposure, and we’re passionate about bridging this gap between exceptional talent and innovative companies.

Thank you to the 2,000 leaders who’ve generously done the 7 Questions on Leadership!

I hope Deepak's answers will encourage you in your leadership journey. Enjoy!

Cheers,

Jonno White

1. What have you found most challenging as a leader?

As a leader, I believe the most important and challenging task is assembling the right team for the business. A great vision or strategy alone cannot drive success—it's the people who execute and bring it to life.

Finding and retaining the right talent goes beyond just hiring for skills; it’s about identifying individuals who align with the company’s culture, share the same values, and have the agility to grow with the business. This becomes even more complex in a dynamic, fast-changing environment like startups, where adaptability and ownership matter just as much as expertise.

One of the key challenges is balancing potential vs. experience—while experienced professionals bring domain expertise, high-potential individuals often bring fresh perspectives and a hunger to grow. Striking the right mix is crucial for building a resilient and high-performing team.

Moreover, hiring is just the beginning. The real challenge is keeping the team motivated, engaged, and aligned with the company’s goals. People thrive in environments where they feel valued, and challenged, and have opportunities to grow. That’s why leadership is not just about assembling the right people but also about creating the right environment where they can do their best work.

Through my journey, I’ve realized that getting this right is both an art and a science. When you have the right team, everything else—innovation, execution, scaling—becomes significantly easier. But when you don’t, even the best strategies can fail.

2. How did you become a leader? Can you please briefly tell the story?

I became an entrepreneur at a very young age, and in many ways, I had no option but to become a leader. When you start a business from scratch, there’s no safety net—you have to make decisions, take responsibility, and lead by example. Leadership wasn’t something I formally stepped into; it was something I had to embody from day one to survive and grow.

That said, I’ve always believed that leadership is not a position—it’s a mindset. A title doesn’t make you a leader; your ability to take ownership, inspire others, and drive outcomes does. Even before I officially led teams, I found myself stepping up in challenging situations, taking initiative, and influencing those around me.

My leadership journey has been shaped by real-world experiences—navigating setbacks, learning from mistakes, and adapting to ever-changing business environments. I’ve had to build resilience, trust my instincts, and continuously learn from people smarter than me. Over time, I realized that true leadership is about empowering others, not just directing them. It’s about creating a vision that people believe in and fostering an environment where they can do their best work.

Looking back, my journey into leadership wasn’t about a single defining moment—it was a continuous process of learning, evolving, and stepping up whenever the situation demanded. And that journey still continues today.

3. How do you structure your work days from waking up to going to sleep?

My work structure is quite simple—I have always believed in work-life integration rather than strict separation. As an entrepreneur, work isn’t something I can simply switch off; instead, I blend it seamlessly into my daily routine.

My mornings are fairly busy, starting with helping my wife get our kids ready for school. This time is non-negotiable for me because family is just as important as work. Once the kids are off, my wife and I go for our morning walk, which serves as both a fitness routine and a space for meaningful conversations. During this walk, we discuss various topics—updates on each other's work, the latest news, and geopolitical trends. It’s a great way to stay connected while also keeping my mind engaged with broader perspectives.

After my walk, I get ready and dive into work, starting with my to-do list. I prioritize 2-3 hours of deep work daily, where I focus on critical tasks that require strategic thinking, such as business planning, content creation, or high-impact decision-making. Beyond this, my day remains fluid, as I attend to team requests, client meetings, and spontaneous problem-solving.

Evenings are usually a mix of unwinding with family, reading, or brainstorming ideas for the future. While work is always part of my life, I ensure that my time is structured around both productivity and personal well-being, making space for learning, family, and personal growth.

4. What's a recent leadership lesson you've learned for the first time or been reminded of?

One lesson that has been reinforced time and again is this: If you don’t treat your people well, you can forget about growing your business. No matter how great your vision, strategy, or product is, it’s people who make things happen. They are the most precious assets of any business, and the way you nurture, support, and empower them determines how far your business will go.

As a leader, it’s easy to get caught up in numbers—revenues, margins, and growth metrics. But at the core of all of these is people. If they feel undervalued, unappreciated, or overworked, their engagement drops, and so does the quality of work. A disengaged team leads to a stagnant business. On the other hand, when people feel genuinely respected, heard, and given the right opportunities, they bring their best selves to work, and that’s when businesses truly thrive.

This realization is even more critical in today’s world, where talent has more choices than ever. Loyalty is not built through contracts but through culture. People stay where they feel valued, where they see growth, and where they believe in the mission. For me, this means focusing on open communication, creating an environment of trust, and investing in people’s growth—not just professionally but also personally. When you put your people first, success naturally follows.

5. What's one book that has had a profound impact on your leadership so

far? Can you please briefly tell the story of how that book impacted your leadership?

One book that has had a profound impact on me is The Elephant Catchers by Subroto Bagchi. This book deeply resonates with me as an entrepreneur because it offers invaluable insights on scaling a business—not just in terms of revenue but in mindset, leadership, and execution.

The central theme of the book revolves around the idea that catching rabbits and catching elephants require different skills—a metaphor for how the approach that works for small-scale success won’t necessarily work when scaling to a larger, more complex business. This struck a chord with me because I’ve personally experienced the challenges of transitioning from a small business to a scalable enterprise.

Bagchi’s storytelling makes the lessons practical and actionable. He emphasizes the importance of building a strong foundation, hiring the right people, and fostering long-term relationships with customers and stakeholders—all principles I strongly believe in. His perspective on leadership, decision-making, and organizational culture has influenced the way I think about growing my business.

One of the most impactful takeaways for me was that growth is not just about ambition—it’s about readiness. Scaling a business requires a shift in mindset, the ability to let go of operational control, and the willingness to invest in systems and people that can take the business to the next level.

Reading The Elephant Catchers reinforced my belief that growth is not accidental; it’s a strategic process that requires foresight, adaptability, and resilience. It has shaped the way I approach challenges and opportunities in my entrepreneurial journey.

6. If you could only give one piece of advice to a young leader, what would you say to them?

Perseverance and identifying your life goal early on in your career are crucial. The sooner you gain clarity on what truly drives you, the more intentional and impactful your journey will be.

Many people spend years drifting between jobs and industries, searching for purpose. While exploration is valuable, leaders stand out because they commit to a path and persevere through challenges. Knowing your purpose early gives you a head start—it allows you to build expertise, make informed decisions, and channel your efforts in a focused direction.

However, identifying your life goal is just the beginning. Perseverance is what turns ambition into achievement. The road to leadership is rarely smooth—it’s filled with setbacks, failures, and moments of doubt. The ability to push forward, adapt, and stay resilient in the face of adversity is what separates those who dream from those who lead.

Leadership isn’t about having all the answers from day one; it’s about continuously learning, evolving, and staying committed to your vision. If you can combine a strong sense of purpose with relentless perseverance, success will eventually follow.

7. What is one meaningful story that comes to mind from your time as a leader, so far? There are many meaningful stories I could share, but if there’s one common thread among them, it’s the impact I’ve been able to create in the lives of people I’ve worked with. Leadership, to me, is not just about achieving business goals—it’s about empowering others to grow, succeed, and unlock their potential.

One of the most fulfilling aspects of my journey is hearing from former team members who are thriving in their careers today. Every now and then, I receive a message or a call from someone who once worked with me, telling me how much they enjoyed those years, how the lessons they learned are still shaping their careers, or simply thanking me for the opportunities they had. These moments remind me why leadership matters—it’s not just about what you build, but about who you uplift along the way.

There’s one instance that stands out—one of my former team members, who was struggling with confidence when they first joined, recently reached out to say they had just been promoted to a leadership role in a global firm. They credited their time working with me as a turning point, where they learned to think strategically, take ownership, and believe in themselves. Hearing that was incredibly rewarding because it reinforced what I have always believed: the true measure of leadership is the success of the people you’ve mentored.

I’ve always aimed to create an environment where people feel challenged yet supported, where they can take risks, make mistakes, and grow from them. And every time I hear from a former colleague who’s doing well, I know that in some way, I’ve played a small role in their journey. That, to me, is the most meaningful reward of leadership.