Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass, Artist, and Author

South Asian Trailblazers

To kick off Season 4, Simi welcomes Payal Kadakia, Founder of ClassPass, Artist, and Author.
ClassPass is a subscription-based platform that enables people to book a variety of fitness classes without paying for individual memberships. After founding the company in 2013, Payal served as CEO of the company until 2017, at which point she became Executive Chairman. By 2020, ClassPass became the first unicorn of the decade and in late 2021, the company was acquired by MindBody in an all-stock deal and secured $500 million in investment. Prior to founding ClassPass, Payal worked at Bain & Company and at the Warner Music Group.
She continues to serve as founder and artistic director of SA Dance Company, a contemporary Indian dance troupe that performed at hallmark venues. Payal holds a degree in Economics and Operations Research from MIT. She is also a newly-minted author with her upcoming book, LifePass. In this episode, Payal expands on the art of the pivot, how her identities and passions played into her career, and what's next for her.

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