S7E6 - Rani Puranik
This week’s guest is Rani Puranik, EVP and Global CFO of Worldwide Oil Field Machine (WOM). She is also the founder of a leadership coaching company and the author of a book that launched just the day before this episode dropped!
At WOM, work is done around sustainability though environmentally responsible energy production and a focus on the people. We talk about sustainability and the broader definition making decisions for long-term in business.
Rani grew up in US and moved to India for singing at the age of 17. It wasn’t her first time in India though. There, she started own business, which teaches leadership through the power of dance. Eventually, she returned to the US and to WOM where she ended up creating an HR department when seeing the need in the business which was a focus on the human element of the business.
The self-described people person, which is evidenced from the start in our conversation recently published a book. “Seven Letters to My Daughters” was written as a gift to her daughters.
Learn about Rani’s path from the US to India and back plus her focus on the arts, people and business. Also, get insights into the book you’ll end up wanting to read for sure.
Note from Rabiah (Host):
This chat surprised me because I didn’t know much about Rani other than what I read online and I knew right when I saw her on the Squadcast split screen that it was going to be a fantastic chat. I love that she used a spreadsheet to write her book! During editing, I was reminded of the positivity she brought to me on a particularly rough work day. Oddly enough, I had a similar day when I was editing and wish again that I’d shown up better though I wish others would too! Enjoy the listen and check out her book. I’m going to! Thank you for being here.
Rabiah (London) and Rani (Texas) chatted and laughed in this insightful conversation.
Transcript
Rabiah Coon: [00:00:35] This is More Than Work, the podcast reminding you that your self-worth is made up of more than your job title. Each week I'll talk to a guest about how they discovered that for themselves. You'll hear about what they did, what they're doing, and who they are. I'm your host, Rabiah. I work in IT, perform standup comedy, write, volunteer, and of course, podcast.
Thank you for listening. Here we go!
All right. Well welcome back to More Than Work this week everyone. So my guest is Rani Puranik. She is EVP and Global CFO of Worldwide Oil Field Machine. So thanks for being a guest, Rani.
Rani Puranik: Thank you so much
Rabiah Coon: I'm glad to have you here. So, where am I chatting with you from today?
Rani Puranik: From Houston, Texas.
Rabiah Coon: All right. Nice. Yeah, I used to live down in Dallas.
I live in London, England now, but was in Dallas for a while. So Are you guys getting the [00:01:35] warmer weather yet? I haven't even looked. My mom always updates me on my weather.
Rani Puranik: Yeah, right. No, no, no. We're, we're trying, we're trying basically. So sometimes it's colder than we think, and then all of a sudden it's hot. So, you know, welcome to Houston in Spring.
Rabiah Coon: Exactly. Well, yeah, and everywhere now it's like that. So, so first of all, I mean, I just, your title is, impressive, I'll say for sure. You don't get to talk to many C-level executives that are women, honestly. So what brought you into to oil?
Rani Puranik: Well, thank you for the question. So, oil and gas, it's definitely an industry that my company serves. And so here's the, the history of the company. It was started in 1980 by my father. My father who's a metallurgist. So basically, he's a material scientist. And with that, just being able to come up with certain processes that were applicable for the oil and gas industry, cuz a lot of people don't realize how sophisticated this industry is. So just as we talk about the sophistication and technologies for space [00:02:35] equally really the sophistication we see in oil and gas as well. So highly technological industry. He started this, like I had mentioned 43 years ago. I grew up in the business, so I grew up more on the back office side of things where accounting, admin, hr... even in terms of shop support, which was, you know, driving the forklifts, labeling, inventory, stuff like that. So I knew all the shop guys. So did that for when I was much younger for about 17 years a sort of an intern. Later on I went to India and I was married there in India.
So, the next 17 years of my life. I started my own company there, which was for dance. Dance for leadership and expression, and team building for corporate. Very successful over there in India. Then I returned back to Houston in 2007 where I rejoined WOM. So for me, rejoining WOM was actually a different animal altogether.
So what started off as a mom and pop shop that I was very [00:03:35] used to, or I understood. You can, you can imagine 17 years being away from it, it had grown exponentially. And when I came into it, it was not just about oil and gas industry, it was about people. So I'm a people person, whether it's a, you know, a dance company, leadership company, coaching, whatever. So like as I mentioned, we happen to serve oil and gas, but I know the technology enough. So I'm not an engineer by profession, but I probably can speak the language only because I've lived around it for such sort of, for so many years. What I say is this, I have been with WOM for 17 years, and the question that I do get is, you know, what excites you about oil and gas?
Rabiah Coon: Mm-hmm.
Rani Puranik: have asked me. I say we are providing energy. Energy is one thing that the entire planet needs. The entire planet needs, whether it comes from oil or gas or this, you know, solar alternatives, whatever. So we belong to the energy industry. So for me, that is critical. If we can change the [00:04:35] way someone's life is living for the better, to make it easier to more, to be more efficient, effective than if I can be part of that industry, I'll stay here.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah. That's cool. And that's a, it's a different way of, of looking at it and thinking about it. Cuz I mean, of course oil and gas has a reputation that's a certain way depending on what, what part of the, even the US you live in. Right. And then, Yeah. And that's a big thing. And then also, but it is necessary for us to get places and then the prices are always a thing.
Right? And, and so I like the way you're looking at it as kind of a means to help people in their lives, cuz it really is, I mean, we don't get anywhere without some kind of energy, right?
Rani Puranik: Absolutely. And I think people that are in this industry, we have a very keen sense of protecting the environment. And I know it's not talked about a lot, but really our industry is so heavily regulated. You know, how we process goods, how we dispose of goods, what production happens in the [00:05:35] fields, what's tolerable, what's not.
We have very, very, very small tolerances you know, in terms of Risk to people, risk to the planet. So again, it's not talked about a lot. Most of the disasters and, and catastrophes are, which of course you know, it's, I say this and I don't say this, you know, lightly, every industry definitely has their own risks.
Has your own potential to harm the planet, whether you're traveling for vacation to, to Tahiti or you know, or just opening your fridge every morning, or even just raising cattle for beef. We don't realize just the emissions that come from animals also. So, just a number of, of things, of course, that are related to different industries.
And our industry definitely is very It's mature for sure. And also we are aware, wm, I know for a fact we take pride in the way we process, the way we manufacture to make sure that we're doing it in a very responsible way.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah, that's great. [00:06:35] And well, even if you look at I got shamed for using almond milk recently, you know, and I was like,
Rani Puranik: Right.
Rabiah Coon: I was like, well, I'm living in England. The water issue is not the same here, but if it came from California, yeah, that's not good. But I think too, I learned, I was learning more about sustainability recently, but really, To understand it in a different way, because I think it's a word that's just been thrown around.
I mean, the most sustainable part about sustainability is the word. Right. You know, and so it was, it was interesting to hear about how companies, it's really partly for companies to be sustainable and to continue, but also for them to have a world that they can continue in, right? And so then you have to be responsible at some point for the environment because.
If you're not, there's not gonna be a place. I mean, there won't be roads for will drive cars on anyway, right?
Rani Puranik: That's true and, and sustainability is not just about the environment. I think we need to broaden that definition. Sustainability is about, you know, how do you manage your talent? How do you allow people within your company to grow
Rabiah Coon: [00:07:35] Mm-hmm.
Rani Puranik: How do you create a very financially stable platform in your company that will see the uncertainties, that can actually take the brunt of the cyclic nature of oil and gas. You know, how do you create those kind of stable foundations in any company that's sustainability?
Rabiah Coon: Yeah.
Rani Puranik: It's not just recycling water. It goes way beyond that.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah, it does. And then it's just, and then there are all the economic impacts and for people around the world, other than just the planet. So it's been, it's been eye-opening to learn more about and I encourage anyone who's interested to, to look that up, you know, cause we're not gonna keep on it, but,
Rani Puranik: I hope. I hope so. And, and again, another philosophy that I run by and why I run the company by like it's part, it's part of the WOM culture, the WOM fabric is the earn to return cycle. So we earn, definitely, we have salary, we're, you know, making profits, all of that. We're growing businesses. But what's the purpose?
Like really, what's the purpose? So we have a goal in the [00:08:35] next five to seven years. Right now we're about 250 million company. In the next five, seven years, we do intend on becoming a $1 billion company. But it's not about the revenue. It's really not about the revenue. It's about $1 billion company, yes.
But to positively impact 1 billion lives.
Rabiah Coon: Mm
Rani Puranik: It's that earn to return. We earn, we make the business grow and prosper so that we can give back. And that's the essential philosophy. So we talk about sustainability, like I mentioned to you. If we know the purpose of why we're doing what we're doing is for greater cause, then it helps me to build those stable structures and foundations, not just for a quarter earning, but really to see that longevity come through. Because if I'm building something and building a company that can last, and by the way, I have like a 200 year plan, just so you know. It sounds, it sounds way out there, but it's really not.
It's really not. So I mean, we're looking at 42 years in between just, you know, my dad is my boss and me. I'm looking at another 150 [00:09:35] years. That's not a lot. I'm talking about three more generations. It's really not a lot, but if I can understand that concept, then I'm definitely gonna look and make decisions, make choices that are for the long term that's sustainable, not for a quick fix, not for a quick dollar in my pocket.
That's not the purpose.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah. Well that's, that's, it is crazy to think that 150 years is not even that long at this point. Right. You know? Well, especially in the US it's not even that old. Right. So that's one thing. I mean, you lived in India for years. I'm in England. I went to Athens and saw some buildings that were so old and I just started laughing, you know, because we go, oh, check out this old house. It's a hundred years old in the States, you know?
So thinking about too, I just, I'm interested, I guess maybe just cuz me living abroad. And did you grow up and were you born and raised in the States though? Or did you live in India before you moved back there for getting married?
Rani Puranik: So my parents [00:10:35] were both here in the United States before I was married, so they're the first gen migrants to the US. Me being the first born, my mother wanted to have me in the comfort of her home with her mother. So she went to India. So I was born in India, but when I was just a six week baby, literally, I was brought home to Houston, Texas
Rabiah Coon: Oh wow.
Rani Puranik: So I was raised completely in Houston until high school. I graduated from high school in Houston and I have a passion for singing. And I really just wanted to learn how to sing from a, you know, the, the right guru in India which led me to go back to India at the age of like 17 and a half, almost 18.
Yep. And then I had an arranged marriage and then my life changed and, you know, then I lived there for another 17.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah. Wow. That's incredible. I was watching, I mean, this is so ridiculous, I'm sure to tell you, but I was watching Indian matchmaking, you know?
Rani Puranik: Great.
Rabiah Coon: And all the other, I've been watching, I've watched so many ridiculous shows now because of the pandemic. Otherwise I would never would've watched these things.
But I really loved [00:11:35] seeing, you know, some of the conversations that happened and the work that went in and, and it is interesting to me and, and especially people who grew up kind of culturally in the US but then also having a tie to their, their family. I'm first generation born on my dad's side.
But I didn't have his culture growing up, so it's a bit different. But I've definitely, I don't know. I think it's really cool that you're, you and your family have been able to maintain a tie to home because I think that's so important and it, it's so easily taken, I think you know.
Rani Puranik: And and that's true. It's, and I'll also also say that's not always easy moving from one culture to the other. That's something that I totally give, you know, my mom kudos to, she always kept us. But a very adaptable mindset. She's, you know, it's like if you have nothing, make something from it.
If you've got everything, value it. Let's still keep humble, stay simple. So some of those principles really have, have helped me throughout my life. So India, US, doesn't matter. I say that I'm a global person. People are like, well, so [00:12:35] where do you live now? Cause I travel so much. Goodness. I travel so much.
I'm hardly in one place for more than three weeks, maybe a month, and then I'm back on a plane again. So, it's just being able to be adaptable and open-minded.
So we have a school in India and of course the business is Houston based, but also India based, Singapore, Dubai, all that stuff. But if what it fascinates me is no matter where I go on the planet, the human being is a human being all over.
Yeah. We have cultural nuances of what we don't like and like, and what we accept and don't accept, but my goodness, our emotions and the way we see things and the way we react the feelings constant throughout the world.
Rabiah Coon: yeah. No, and I, I get that and I think, yeah, traveling tells you that more than anything. So that's really cool. So as far as your passions around, what I would call the arts, I mean, singing and dance. So you, you moved to India to learn singing and then how did you get into the [00:13:35] dance? And then it ultimately, I'll just let you kind of talk for a little bit, but ultimately, you know, found a business around it too?
Rani Puranik: Right, right. So singing definitely is my first love. Still to this day, I'm an Indian classical vocalist. I don't perform anymore, but I used to in my younger days. Then after I got married and that happened, just it's in the book. Just, you know, life kind of happens and you're, I was married. At that point it's really hard to manage a joint family. And joint families are very common in India, you know, that I was part of one... manage a joint family, the social commitment sing. I was also going into college at the same time cause I needed to finish up my bachelor's in, in business administration did all that. So kind of started to lose a little bit of the touch for singing because I used to sing like four to six hours a day. Then I had my first daughter in 1993. And after that, with a baby on your hips, definitely the singing had to take a back burner. As she went to, went to school, and in India, everybody child goes to school at three. It's just, you just put your kids into that. She went to an all girls [00:14:35] school at that time and at that point I did not have a very good experience with security with police guys. Actually there's, it's part of my story too. I, I was basically not treated well. I was molested by a security official and which led me and my mom basically to say that if you're married, you're safe. So there, that's really why I got married.
Rabiah Coon: Oh
Rani Puranik: I was married. Yeah. So when my daughter then goes to this all girls school and you know, school's great and then there are these security guards all over and that rung a panic alarm in my heart. I was like, oh my God, what if, what if she's not protected, you know, whatever.
So I found a way to get into school. Again, the creative mind says like, okay. So I went to the principal and said, "Hey, can I help? I just wanna be around the school. Tell me what you want." She looked me up and down going, you're from the, you're from America. You're clearly not from here. I. Okay, because of course my English is still very United States English and not by any means Indian [00:15:35] English.
And she looked me up and down and said, well, what can you do? I said, I can sing dance, teach English. You tell me I will do it. Oh, but we can't pay you. Not a problem. Don't pay me. So she's like, well, can you teach dance? I said, yep, I can teach dance. So crazy thing is I had a really cool dance background.
So I'm a gymnast. I did a lot of just ballet, modern dance in the United States. I did a lot of Indian folk dance and Indian classical. So I was a pretty active kid,
Rabiah Coon: Yeah.
Rani Puranik: But all of that I was able to bring to fruition. So taught dance, and when I was teaching dance, I realized one thing is these girls that were coming to me to learn dance, they were very quiet.
You'd expect like this bubbly, loud, rambunctious, almost, you know, girls coming in age nine to 14. Dance class, we can put some music on and just go, go, go crazy. All these girls were quiet. I was like, Hey girls, how are you? Sing song voice. We are fine Teacher. Clearly not fine over here. You've been told what to say. How to [00:16:35] say it.
Okay. So I started using dance as a tool to just say, Hey, what do you feel like doing today? What's going on? What? What do you feel? Do you not feel like dancing? That's fine. We can sit. We can stand. We can just breathe. We can whatever. That led me to understanding... I knew the power of dance, but I really didn't understand the depth and the spectrum of it.
But after that assignment in the all girls school, I realized each class, the girls became more free, more expressive, more happy. And after that whole performance was done, their parents came to me and said, were you the dance teacher? And said, yeah. They said, I've never seen my daughter so happy. What did you do?
I said, Hmm. I let them be who they are.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah.
Rani Puranik: So that led me to start my own dance company. And it's not a dance company, it's really a leadership company. And that was my first business that I started when I was 24 years old and my daughter was four years old. That just exploded. I had no idea that was gonna explode.
I thought I was just gonna teach dance and call it a day. [00:17:35] But no, it was the type of facilitation and the empowerment that these people felt, whether they were young kids, boys. I was even teaching juvenile delinquents cuz the government realized what I was bringing to people, two organizations. And they were like, can you help our boys?
I said, absolutely I can. All the way to corporates. There's a company called Infosys. In, in,
in Pune. Yeah. And a lot of other you know, software companies that were being created at that time in the late 1990s, early two thousands, where I started becoming involved with their team building, with their communication, with their you know, thought processes.
And it just became cultural exchange programs. We had programs with the Netherlands, Greece, Spain. It was crazy. The message that I gave to everybody was be who you are. Be authentic. Be who you are. You're not going to have all the strengths of the world, but recognize your strengths, your weaknesses.
Focus on your strength and keep moving forward with a positive mindset. Be respectful. Be kind. It was hard for me to apply the [00:18:35] same thing to my life, and when I finally did is when I had to separate from that part of my life and move to the United States. And I thought I was going to be able to make it in India, but just things were not, definitely not encouraging.
Actually, they were quite harmful to uh, to be realistic. And it's all in that book. And I, I don't really play that violin and talk about too much of the drama, but people will get the, the idea of what, you know, I had to go through or what women, some of them have to go through. When I returned back in 2007. I came with nothing. I came with a one-way ticket from India to Houston. I had $200 in my pocket and I could not even bring my daughters with me. I couldn't. I had no visa. Well, I had a, I had a visitor's visa, but I had no work permit. So just starting from scratch and trying to figure out what my life is going to be, yadda, yadda.
So what do I do? I, I'm a, I'm a doer. I've got to do things. I cannot sit doing nothing. So at that [00:19:35] time in Houston, I asked my dad, well, I know WOM, I've been there before. It feels like home for me. I don't have a work permit yet. I'll just volunteer, just help out however I can. And he says, okay, fine. I'm like, is there anything that you'd like me to do?
And his words to me were, Rani, go figure it out. Go figure it out. That those were his words to me. Yeah. Thanks dad. But, but on one hand, thanks dad. On the other hand, well thank you for giving me an open, clear slate. He was like, just go do what you wanna do. Go be happy. So I started off creating an HR department.
We were about 200 people there in Houston. At the time. We were more like a hire and fire department, not really an HR department. And again, I'm a people person. That's what I did for 16 years, even in India and even before that. So I started creating all of those things and here was the power of HR, of being with people.
I was focused on the business. How can I really help, you know, dad and people, just, my, [00:20:35] my whole philosophy is how can I help? Really, that's, that's really how I, I've run my life. When I started talking to people and, and understanding what are the gaps, what are the pain points? I started to shoulder them trying to find solutions with them.
Not as the boss's daughter didn't come in with entitlement going, oh, you got to respect me. I'm somebody great. No, I'm here as you are. Let's see if we can solve this together. So organically, It sort of came from one to the next, and people started to come to me with their problems. We used to solve them together.
And then one thing sort of led to the next and as soon as my personal life settled down in 2012, I was like, all right, I need to, I need to know what I don't know. I was 40, I was 40 years old at the time, and I had a dream to go to Rice University, even as a kid before I left Houston. So I said, Hmm, maybe I can rekindle that dream again.
And of course everyone is like, you're 40, what are you doing? Why do you wanna get an MBA? You know, you are the daughter of this, business [00:21:35] tycoon guy. You could paint your toenails the whole day long. And I said, yeah, but that's not my purpose in life. I don't wake up in the morning to paint my nails or to go shopping.
It doesn't mean anything to me. So I went to Rice. Thankfully I got accepted. And in two years started traveling the world getting to know really the business, the people. And one thing led to the next, and then I became global C F O in 2016.
Rabiah Coon: Wow. Incredible.
Rani Puranik: It's been a journey. Not an easy one. I'll, I'll tell you that. People think that if you're part of the family that you have it easy. It's harder. It's actually harder because you're here trying to prove that you're here standing on your own merit and people want to see you through the light of, well, you really don't have to do much. So it's a bit, it's a little tricky. And then they expect you to do even perform even more.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah, no, I can see that. And I mean even, I don't know if you watched Succession, but that's been a.
Did you, are you caught up? I'm not gonna say anything on here because [00:22:35] Okay. No, but I mean, well that's just a whole other thing, but it's really, it is interesting cuz you're coming in with people having preconceived notions of you anyway is what's, you know, the case.
It seems like throughout all of it then, from founding your dance company and then all the way through to now though, and people have been at the center of it, right? And do you feel that you got that from just your parents? I mean, you mentioned your mom and kind of things she's told you. Do you think that's just something that naturally came to you? If you think about yourself as a kid, were you people focused then too? Or how did that all come about for you, I guess, you know?
Rani Puranik: Oh gosh. As a child I was raised very conservative, very I'm gonna call it quote unquote Orthodox indian, hindu. Which means, means that even in Houston, Texas, I went to school wearing a dot on my forehead. You know, very religious. [00:23:35] Never wore jeans because, you know, cowboys wore jeans and we weren't supposed to.
I was not allowed to listen to the radio, so I had no idea what my, you know, my, my peers were saying or talking about, could not watch television except for like Little House on the Prarie or The Waltons, you know? So, I think that that worked to my advantage where I did not have any friends.
I was a misfit. I was a complete misfit, so I was very quiet in school. I was in the backseat, but people would come to me if they wanted help with math, if they wanted something written, you know? I mean my, the brain definitely functioned well, but everything else, in terms of social skills, no one really wanted to have me part of their sort of group.
But I think that empowered me to listen. I listened and observed quite a bit as a child. And, uh, I started to create a lot of stories and songs and lyrics in my head. I've been a very creative person as a child, so when I see [00:24:35] myself through the years, one of my first, I would say discoveries that you could say I'm a people person was when I went to India in the ninth grade.
So here I am in Houston. My mom's teaching me all about all these religious festivals and you gotta do this and pray this sway and the scriptures that, and all this. And I'm like, Mom, hold on. I'm in the eighth grade and could you please send me to India for just one year so I understand the culture instead of you just telling me what to do because you said so.
She was like, really? You wanna go to India? I said, yeah, just send me there. Because her brother was there. I had an uncle there. I'm like, just, I'll stay with them. Or I can go to the boarding school for whatever. I don't care. Send me. So when I went there, I had a choice between either a Catholic school or a service leadership school.
Girl, I had no idea what service leadership even meant, no idea. But what I did know is I did not wanna go to yet another American school in India. So like, take me there. When I went there, there were a lot of programs where we had [00:25:35] to interact with villagers for a cause and a purpose. I saw myself drawn to the people.
It didn't matter what caste they came from, cuz that was a big deal in India. Even at that time. You know what caste you come from. Can I touch you? Can I not? Can I hug you? Can I not? Can I even talk to you? So for me, I crossed all those boundaries in borders. So people in that school saw the leadership qualities in me, saw that I, I'm a people person.
And when I started getting appreciated for those things is when I said, oh. I think I do like people.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah. Yeah.
Rani Puranik: I really do. And it's not because of the appreciation, but what I loved are the smiles that I saw on people's faces when I interact with the interacted with
them. So that's kind of, the discovery of, of where, and of course, my dad has always been a people person, a very quiet person.
He's always taught me one thing is give every person respect and dignity. Everyone has a [00:26:35] backstory. Everyone has a backstory. So it doesn't matter how they treat you,
Rabiah Coon: Yeah.
Rani Puranik: you give them the dignity that they deserve. So I've been raised with that. And then on the other hand is my mom, who's always been service, service and service.
Her whole life is service. So she's all about just give back. So going back to the philosophy of what we believe, and I literally run not just WOM, but our schools the foundation. The stuff that I do even on the side, it's, it is that earn to return. So it's about people.
Rabiah Coon: Mm. Yeah, that's great. And I, so much is resonating with me. I mean, we've had very different upbringings and I mean in general, but I think it's, it's interesting to hear how it manifests this, this idea of service. Not everyone's that way, and not everyone has that, that bent.
And so I've been doing a lot of thinking about that for myself. It was nice to hear how you, how you came to it. You mentioned your book and I think it'd be a good time just to chat about that [00:27:35] for a bit. Your book is "Seven Letters To My Daughters" and basically, do you wanna tell people what that is and what to expect if they go pick it up?
Cause I have a feeling someone's gonna hear you and be like, I wanna hear more of what this woman has to say.
Rani Puranik: Oh, thank you. So Seven Letters has a meaning. There's a popular science that says our cells are regenerated every seven years. So I kinda had that concept in the back of my mind. I don't dig too deep into the science, but I like the concept. The book is actually divided in seven year chunks of my life. So here's the, here's the beginning of the story. I'm about 47, 48 years old and in Houston, Texas with my two daughters cause of course, eventually they do make it to Houston and we're living together. They're like mom, we've really come a long way and we're so happy, you know.
I said, you know, you're really right. We have come a long way.
And then it's like in passing, they're like, and you should write a book. So I'm like, yeah, I guess I should write a book. So [00:28:35] that's where the whole thing started is I wanted to gift them something that was meaningful, and had some lessons that maybe, you know, they wouldn't have to learn the hard way if they read about it, if they understood it and they saw glimpses of it in their life, that they would recognize it and not have to go through the whole pain cycle of learning that lesson.
So I said, okay, let me gift you some of the lessons that I've learned over the years. So when I sat down, I have a finance brain, so I'm a spreadsheet person. By the way, I wrote this book in a spreadsheet. I kid you not.
Rabiah Coon: I love it.
Rani Puranik: so I know. I have those notes too. I can send you a screenshot. It's ridiculous. So when I look back at my life and going, how am I gonna organize my life?
And then I have this whole seven year concept in the back of my brain go swirling around. I looked back and I said, oh my goodness, this concept so applicable to my real life. So the first seven years of my life, I was a single child. I thought I was a daughter, but actually I was a [00:29:35] girl. I was a girl.
And I say this because Indian context, first born, you're supposed to be a son. You end up being a girl, which means you're kind of labeled by, "Excuse me, you're not good enough. You're really not what we wanted you to be," and live with that your entire life. So those seven years formed a lot of who I am.
It kind of what I say it. It it gave me the firewood that was going to be part of my fire pit and the fuel that I was going to run my life by.
And the next seven years of my life is when I had two siblings. All of a sudden I wasn't alone anymore. I was a sister, I was part of a team. And then what are those team dynamics? What does it feel like when somebody else comes into your creative space? How do leadership roles come about? Do I have authority? Not really. My parents do. But I have all the responsibility because I'm supposed to take care of my, my siblings, and then it kind of goes on.
Then the next seven years is me being a lady. A lot of women can resonate to this. Being a lady [00:30:35] means you're not quite a little girl. And you're not quite a full grown woman. You're kind of like in between. Everything's changing. Your body, your emotions your, your aspirations.
Everything is changing. So that seven years of my life is when I was married. So the next seven years is, I should have talked about me being a alive, even though I was married. But I talk about me being a mother.
Because I had my first daughter at 21 and my second daughter at 28. So you see the math, it all kind of works out.
So at the end, my last cycle, which is 42 to 49, and again it, the thread in the book is definitely based on my gender, because that played a big part of my life, but also my spirituality, my spiritual understanding, and my growth. And eventually where I landed up was a daughter, 42 to 49 is me being a daughter in the lessons of love, of leadership, of legacy all come through that. So seven letters to my daughters basically means that, so I have one letter for every seven year [00:31:35] cycle, and that letter is from me to all the daughters and sons of the world because it's not a feminine book. It's not a book based on womanhood, it's about the human experience.
Pain is pain. Joy is joy. The way we react to the way we figure a way to move forward is all human. It has nothing to do with race, background, ethnicity, none of it. So it's a very human based book. So therefore the letters are, yes, inspired by my daughters, but two all sons and daughters of the world. And so there you have it.
That's the book.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah, that's super. And had you ever thought about writing a book before?
Rani Puranik: Not so much. I write a lot of poetry, so I thought, well, maybe, you know, I'll compile my book of poems and maybe sting to it or something like that. Maybe choreograph a whole Broadway musical for that, but I didn't think I would write a book. No. And the funny part, here's, here's the funny part. So I'm a finance and finance girl, or I'm a creative person, right?
So girl, I'm a bullet point person. [00:32:35] I am like, tell me what you want. I'll give you the point and let's move forward. Okay. So that is not helpful in a creative flow process. Right? The other part of me is a poet. I'm an abstract thinker. I'll say blue and that blue can mean a thousand different words, right? And that's not helpful when you're trying to actually sit down and write a story either.
So lemme tell you, writing a book was challenging. That's why I had to do it in a spreadsheet.
Rabiah Coon: That's amazing. I love it. No, that's really, that's really great. I just think I always, I like to, if I can just pull, you know, kind of call out the thread during a conversation and I don't always do it. I usually do it at the start of the podcast, like when I pre-record something later. But I mean, I think what I want people to take, and I don't know if you feel the same way, is just that really where you're born or into what family or anything, doesn't really have to like, [00:33:35] determine everything that you do because you've done quite a bit and you've been able to pursue the creative and be able to pursue the business and be able to, to do that. And I think it's amazing because I think even I look at myself and I limited myself for many years just cuz of like not having belief in myself ,right.
And then for you, you kind of. We're instilled with that in a different way, but as a kid might not have been because you could have been a, a kid who was alone, just on your own a lot and not done that. So I just, I don't know. I, that's what I want people to take away. But I don't know what you like people to take away from your story.
Rani Puranik: But it's true that there is always a way. Yeah. I've been blessed with a sunny disposition. That's true. You know, I, my, my, my kids are like, mom's always like overly optimistic. I, well, yeah, but I'm also practical. I run a business. I can't be just in dreamland, but having that mindset that there is always a way. And there's a way that you can protect yourself, be authentic.
And like I said, you can still be respectful to everybody else around you. No one is gonna understand what you [00:34:35] have in your mind. Understand that's fundamental. No one's going to understand what emotion you're going through. If you're happy, sad, frustrated. No one's gonna know. It's you. But that means we, it's up to us that there's always a way to show up kind.
There's always a way to show up knowing that there's a next step forward. And be considerate. So that is the thread. That is the thread. So I always say, we can all be successful, we can all be happy, even in limited resources. We don't need the world.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah. I wish I had talked to you before a call I had earlier because. I did not show up properly.
Rani Puranik: So that's okay. It's part of the.
Rabiah Coon: None of 'em will be listening anyway. It's fine.
So Rani, other than the advice I should have used that you kind of just gave in away on my call, do you, I always ask every guest, like, do you have any advice or mantra that you like to share that you'd just like to lead people with?
Rani Puranik: My mantra honestly is, there's always a way. I'm gonna add a little second tag to it, is [00:35:35] remember that there's always a way to be powerful, playful, and purposeful. Just keep that in mind.
Rabiah Coon: Nice. That's great. All right, cool. So, now I'm gonna get into the fun five.
Rabiah Coon: There are five questions I just ask every guest because I just wanna know these things about people. So the first one, what is the oldest T-shirt you have and still wear?
Rani Puranik: That's such a ridiculous question, by the way, but I love it and I really had to think about this thing. So I wear this t-shirt like out of nowhere and it's got this Thumper print on it. So Thumper from Bambi. And so, once me and my, both of my daughters, I think we were in Mallorca, Spain. I think. We were on a sailing trip.
And all of us somehow just needed shirts. Of course, we need shirts and then we all get these Disney characters. And of course, both of my girls choose Thumper for me because that basically symbolizes my personality. Right. So that's t-shirt that I wear. Yeah, I love it [00:36:35] to this day, it's got a few holes in it too.
Rabiah Coon: Nice. Well, yeah, and it is a ridiculous question, but I, I'm a t-shirt person and I have this one T-shirt that's not even
Rani Puranik: I love it.
Rabiah Coon: Yeah. So I've, yeah, so it's ridiculous. Alright, so the next one, this was, I, this is how, you know, I started this podcast during the pandemic, but if every day was really Groundhog's Day, like people were saying at the time what song would you have your alarm clock set to play every morning?
Rani Puranik: My heart song is a song by Natasha Beddingfield. I've got a pocket full of sunshine. That's myong. That's my song.
Rabiah Coon: Cool.
Rani Puranik: I can still bounce to it.
Rabiah Coon: Nice. All right. Cool. All right, good. And then I'm curious about this one actually, cause I don't know with you, so coffee or tea or neither?
Rani Puranik: I'm a tea girl, so I'll have tea, but I'll tap tea in the morning with protein powder. So exciting, I know. I used to be a coffee girl in between, but again, just, you know, woman at a certain age and phase of life, you know, being aware of what's good for you. I'm a tea drinker [00:37:35] now.
Rabiah Coon: All right, good. And can you think of something that just makes you kind of laugh when you think of it, or the last time you laugh saw and you cried? Cause I think just knowing what makes people laugh. Well, I, I do stand up comedy for one thing, but other than that, knowing people makes people laugh is really like, I think a powerful thing to know about people.
Rani Puranik: I love the question too. There's one scene from the movie, Pink Panther. Steve Martin love him to pieces, and so he's Jacques Clouseau, right? He's the inspector who speaks French. He speaks English with a French accent and he's with his, with this tutor and he's just discovered hamburgers. Girlfriend. I know the hamburger scene.
The hamburger scene.
Rabiah Coon: It's the best.
Rani Puranik: She has him. It's best. She makes him say, I want to buy a hamburger. I would like to, I would like to buy a hamburger. Girl. And she goes by every single word. She's like, [00:38:35] I e. Would. Would, right. And just goes on, and I cannot stop laughing to this day I'm on the floor. Whoa. My goodness.
Rabiah Coon: I know it's incredible. I have, I have searched that up on YouTube so many times because just when he is like yelling at her
Rani Puranik: A damburger. That's what I said.
Rabiah Coon: Oh... Yeah, no, it is. It is so amazing. I love that. Like, I don't even remember the movie. Other than that, you know what I mean?
Rani Puranik: And then that scene, oh, it's hilarious.
Rabiah Coon: They could have just released that and played it for an hour and a half and we would've been fine. But awesome.
Rani Puranik: That's literally on my saved videos. I can watch that any day, anytime. if I want to have a really good
Rabiah Coon: Amazing. All right, good. I love that. Alright, the last one which is, I mean, it might be funny too. I don't know, we'll see. But who inspires you right [00:39:35] now?
Rani Puranik: Who inspires me? That's a, that's like a loaded question. I am always inspired by so many people, like, seriously, even like little kids that are running in the park, they inspire me. Authors inspire me. People, my parents inspire me, my kids inspire me. That's a really, it's, it's hard for me to just pin down a single person that inspires me.
But I'm gonna give you a little funny part. Okay. This is me. And everyone who wants to get to know me will know this about me. There are two characters that inspire me. like really? It's a constant Get ready. Are you ready? It's Winnie the Poo. Yeah, it's Winnie the Poo, all time zen master and Tigger. So both of them inspire me because Poo has like the innate ability to break down complex situations and issues and boil it down to the simplest meaning. Right? Just simplest meaning.
One of my favorite quotes from Poo is like, so he and Christopher Robin, they're walking around in the, in the forest or one of the hundred acre wood, which I love also, and [00:40:35] he's like, Christopher Robin, what day is it? Christopher Robin's like, I don't know, Poo. It's today. And then Poo's like, well, that's my favorite day. That's my favorite kind of day. It's today. So then I've got this thing in my, in my phone that pops up and every morning, "it's today."
Rabiah Coon: Hmm.
Rani Puranik: That's my inspiration that what we have is today. It's not about yesterday or tomorrow. Yeah, we got purposes and we've got past to deal with, but what I have is today. So that's that.
And then Tigger for me cuz he is bouncing around not caring about anything else, but being authentically him and just having that ray of sunshine and hope that everything will be fine. There's always a way.
Rabiah Coon: Huh. Nice. I like it. Yeah. And I do, I know that question's tough actually. And that's why I put right now because for me, it changes over time, you know, too, so, yeah. Oh, cool. Well, thank you for, for giving me, giving me that answer. That was great.
Rani, I know one thing, you have a website and I, I took the [00:41:35] quiz on your website, so I definitely want you to mention that, but yeah, how do you want people to find you basically?
And if they wanna follow you, is there a place to do that?
Rani Puranik: Oh, absolutely. So yes, please take the quiz. It's on Rani Puranik dot com (ranipuranik.com). I'll spell it out. R A N I P U R A N I K dot com. And the quiz is actually for you to discover what phase of your life chapter are you in? Are you in love, are you in leadership? Are you in legacy? So it's kind of cool to just see, you know, where you are at your phase of life, phase in life.
So that's one. And same thing. rani puranik (ranipuranik) on Instagram, on Facebook, on LinkedIn you'll see me. YouTube also. I've got a number of talks and, you know, stuff cool things that are out there too.
Rabiah Coon: Super.
Rani Puranik: Oh, and by the way, Seven Letters to my Daughters is also available on Amazon. If you wanna pre-order it.
It should be releasing May 24th. That's the official launch date.
Rabiah Coon: Oh, awesome.
Awesome. That's great. All right, cool. Well, Rani, this has been an absolute joy to talk to you and I'm really glad that we got connected. [00:42:35] So thanks for being on More Than Work.
Rani Puranik: Thank you so much. This was enjoyable. This was really enjoyable.
Rabiah Coon: Thanks for listening. You can learn more about the guest and what was talked about in the show notes. Joe Mafia created the music you're listening to. You can find him on Spotify at Joe M A F F I A. Rob Metke does all the design for which I'm so grateful you can find him online by searching Rob M E T K E.
Please leave a review if you liked the show and get in touch if you have feedback or guest ideas. The pod is on all the social channels at at more than work pod (@morethanworkpod) or at Rabiah Comedy (@rabiahcomedy) on TikTok, and the website is more than work pod dot com (morethanworkpod.com). While being kind to others, don't forget to be kind to yourself.
