In this episode Seema and Dinesh welcome Paraag Maddiwar. He shares his journey from the hills of Eastern Kentucky to the boardrooms of corporate America, and ultimately, to a life shaped by intentional choice and purpose. More than just a career retrospective, this conversation dives deep into what it means to redefine success, uncover agency within constraints, and confront cultural narratives that often dictate our ambitions before we’ve had a chance to dream for ourselves.

From dismantling the myth of luck to exploring the Asian leadership gap, this episode offers a profound look at how cultural identity, privilege, and personal values intersect in the modern workplace. Whether you're an aspiring leader, someone rethinking your professional path, or just in need of a fresh perspective on fulfillment, you’ll walk away with insight, and perhaps a challenge, to ask yourself what success truly means, and whether you're living it.

Paraag Maddiwar was born in New York City, raised in rural Eastern Kentucky, holds a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Columbia University and a master’s degree in business administration from New York University.

Prior to taking an early retirement as a Director at Procter & Gamble, Paraag had a highly varied 20-year career spanning the manufacturing, engineering, and supply chain functions across 4 business units and 5 locations.

Most recently, Paraag established the Professional program at the Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers in service of his mission to build the leadership potential and business impact of the Asian-heritage STEM professional community, in no small part driven by personal experiences with the strong Asian ERG program at Procter & Gamble. Paraag crafted a unique and roundly loved win-win-win business model across SASE, 100+ companies, and 75+ training partners. Paraag’s programs at SASE annually delivered >35,000 hours of programming to >9,000 attendees and more than $1 million of revenue.

Paraag lives in Cincinnati, OH, with his partner of 15 years, along with their troop of 3 dogs and 3 cats.

The views expressed in the podcast do not reflect the views of any organization affiliated with the hosts or any guest.

Connect with Paraag:

Socials: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paraag/

Website: www.paraagmaddiwar.com

Links:

Dinesh Melwani http://www.dineshmelwani.com, IG @dineshmelwani

Seema Desai http://www.drseemadesai.com, IG @dr.seemadesai