Swish Goswami
“You can do great things, you can start a business, you can raise money, and you can change the world.”
This week on small talk, we’ve had the privilege to speak with Serial Tech Entrepreneur and UN Ambassador, Swish Goswami, about stepping into our power, redefining the education system, and never sweating the small stuff.
At the young age of seven, when most of us were selling lemonade, Swish was doing something quite diverse, starting his own hovercraft business.
“I had been driven at a very young age. My brother is 4 ½ years older than me and he’s always been very accomplished.”
With the influence of an older and encouraging brother, Swish was motivated to aim high and push the boundaries. But his impressive brother wasn’t the only reason for Swish’s fascination towards imagining, inventing, and creating.
“Another reason, which isn’t as sexy, is that iron man 1 had just come out, which triggered my fascination for robotics. I also watched a lot of Bollywood films, one of which I loved was ‘Krish’. Krish had a lot to do with cybernetics and artificial intelligence, and I ended up developing an urge to build something.”
Through film and television, his new passion was born. Not getting along too well with his father, young Swish found common ground in which he and his dad could bond, and as swish puts it, ‘talk business’, thus assigning his father the role as Chief Project Engineer in their hovercraft project.
After the completion of his hovercraft and making his first official sale in the entrepreneurial world, Swish was ready to continue his journey into Tech.
You’re too Young;
When we’re young, there tends to be a certain stigma in which society doesn’t expect too much from us.
Being let off of the hook with foolishness, and not being held accountable, are common when we’re in our teens and early twenties.
Rather than accepting the societally imposed stigma, Swish chose to expect more from himself, than what was expected of him.
“You can do great things, you can start a business, you can raise money, and you can change the world.”
Being only 23 years old, Swish has already accomplished extraordinary feats. Being a 3x Ted X speaker, a UN Ambassador, the CEO and founder of Trufan, and not to mention being published in over 100 national and international publications AND recognized as Startup Canadas Young Entrepreneur of the Year, would cause anyone to be shocked while reading his resume.
“With the influence of my over-achieving brother, many movies and educational videos, I was convinced at a young age that I was capable of anything I wanted to do.”
Another idol that Swish looked up to, was Nick D’Aloisio, who, at age 19, built a tool called Summly, (a summarization algorithm that could take any long article or body of text and summarize it to include only the most important information.)
“His story was really well documented, from starting the company, to raising money, to then selling it to Yahoo for about 30 million dollars.”
“When I was 19, I actually messaged him on Linkedin and got on a call with him. The conversation was really impactful; I got off the phone knowing that it wasn’t easy, but it also wasn’t impossible.”
By reaching out to someone that he idolized, Swish was given a sense of hope that he too, could accomplish great and remarkable feats, no matter how young.
As Swish quoted, ‘Today’s youth are the leaders of tomorrow, but we don’t have to wait until tomorrow to lead.’
With so many young entrepreneurs, especially in the tech industry, Swish says that the trend of starting young and building your way up is expanding and growing each day. There has never been a more ideal time to put it all on the line, step into our power, and be the change that the world and ourselves need.
Elevate and Educate;
The social norm can be shifted.
It’s as simple as sparking a passion in today’s youth, allowing them to look at themselves from a new perspective, and allowing them to step into their potential and power.
A question then, that must be asked, is how does this spark occur, and what can we do to better influence it?
“I’m not someone who looks down on the education system, my mom is a public teacher, and I have the utmost respect for the professors and students. I’m also pro college, despite dropping out of college; but I do believe that certain tweaks can be made in the education system.”
Many kids end up having their confidence kicked out of them, learning subjects that they consider monotonous, having little to do with the lives they will lead upon graduating.
“In my opinion, I believe that our education system needs to implement a course on debate and public speaking. That way kids can work on their confidence and articulating themselves; sharing what’s in their heads, outwards. I think we also need courses on selling, networking, and how to communicate with people; and I think we need a literacy course and how to manage your money.”
The additions that Swish wishes to see implemented into the educational curriculum are common sense tools that would directly impact the work ethic, social skills, time management, and productivity of future generations.
“These are things that we don’t learn, and we’re told to learn them by being put under stress.”
What’s needed isn’t necessarily a complete makeover to the education system as a whole, but rather a few tweaks and additions to the curriculum that’s already being offered.
“The changes that I’m asking for aren’t very big in my opinion. A lot of schools already have debates and business clubs as extra-curricular activities. So, all I’m saying is bring the extra-curricular, into the curriculum, which I don’t think should be too difficult.”
Authenticity;
“I think authenticity isn’t solely outwards, it's inwards as well. It’s something you need to manifest in your life based on your passions and collaborations with others.”
“I think we owe it to people to be ourselves and to express our own innate talents. My ‘favorite’ people are the ones who boast self-expression and authenticity, all the while hanging out with people they dislike, working a job they’re not passionate about, and never actually acting from a place of their truth.”
When we neglect who we are, we neglect all that we can become.
Even if we were to incorporate little acts of authenticity, and smaller ‘on the side’ projects, we would be giving creative expression a space to bloom. Swish makes leaving space for creativity, a priority. Taking on less significant projects that allow him to express himself, plays a big role in getting those creative juices flowing.
“For me especially, as someone who has so many ideas in my head; taking on smaller, enjoyable projects for fun, allows me to express some of those ideas.”
Tip of the Iceberg;
The world sees only what is on the surface, not knowing the labor and sacrifices needed to achieve the success that is then praised. Many sacrifices go into yielding the results that we desire, sacrifices that the public fails to see, as they are hidden beneath surface level.
“College was definitely one of the things that I had to sacrifice. I became so invested in my external commitments that I couldn’t do both. After I left college, I moved to New York and didn’t see my friends for a solid 8-10 months. A lot of my friends graduated without me and went onto their third and fourth years without me.”
‘There are small sacrifices that have to be made’, says Swish. Some of which include not going out much during the first year of developing his now recognized company, Trufan.
“There are times when I’ll have to stay up alone, staring at my computer until 1 or 2 AM, completely distancing myself from the ‘real world’; but nothing that I necessarily consider to be grand sacrifices.”
It’s the little things that add up to make the big difference. Working on a project with dedication and discipline may end up developing a passion, to purpose.
“Another inherent sacrifice that we entrepreneurs are notorious for, is sacrificing the opportunities to take up a conventional job, taking our talent, and stepping into the uncertain.”
Being an entrepreneur entails stepping away from security, and into the unknown. With no guarantee, no assurance, and no safety net; taking that first step and sacrificing comfort, is a step that very few are willing to take, but a step, nonetheless, that holds the difference of one’s future from another’s.
Burnt Out;
Swish’s operation and industry are very fast-paced. With ever-evolving technology and a consistent influx of new information, finding time to recenter, reset, and relax, holds great importance when avoiding burnout.
“Two months ago, I actually put out an Instagram post because I burnt out pretty badly. I went to Calgary where my mom lives, and took a few weeks to ground myself, reconnect, and re-spark my energy.”
Painting, watching movies, long walks, and all the things that Swish enjoyed as a kid, are the very same things that bring him back to himself as an adult. Oftentimes, when we are in search of self, on the verge of burning out or seem to be at a crossroads; turning inwards for the answers we seek, are the easiest way to become found.
“This isn’t a preventative measure, but more for when I feel like I’m burning out; I hit the reset button, and I hit it hard. It’s not a mild reset, or a weekend away. I’m going all the way to my mom’s.”
Burning out is nothing new to Swish. Having had numerous occasions in which he needed to ‘reset’ himself, Swish has become aware of the burnout pattern and now knows what is needed to get back up stronger than before.
“A big thing for me, when I have to get work done and I’m having trouble fulfilling my tasks; I’ll change my environment. That’s my number one tactic to clear my head and spark some creativity.”
Clearing our heads and concentrating entirely on something other than our work, plays an important role in shifting perspective. Whether it be painting, horse-back riding, playing tennis, or picking up a book; all of these activities allow our thoughts of work to slip away for a little while, as we fully and presently commit to the task at hand.
Strength in Stumbling;
“When I dropped out of college, there was definitely an inward struggle between listening to my gut, and the value that I placed on the opinions of others. A lot of people I knew would say things like, “that’s the dumbest move”, or, “you’re going to be a failure”, so I had to make the choice to disregard those comments and push forward, fueled only by my intuition.”
Through following his intuition, Swish has prospered and continues to flourish in the tech industry. Swish is the co-founder of six ventures – World Thinks, World Youth Fund, The Next Foundry, RafikiMedia, GenSys, and FoodShare.
“That was a great moment for me, being able to follow my gut and intuition, even though other people suggested otherwise. It built within me a huge level of trust for myself, which I’ve carried on into my professional life.”
In Swish’s workplace, when a big decision is being made, of course, the opinions and needs of others are listened to and considered, ‘but at the end of the day’, says Swish, ‘I’m listening to my heart.’
Intuition and decision making, go hand in hand.
When making a decision, especially one that holds great value and importance; listening to our hearts and our own song inside, gives us access to walk down the road truly meant for us, even if it’s the road less traveled.
COVID Struggles & Development;
What we experienced across the globe, known as COVID19, both devastated, and challenged every one of us. TrooMe sends our utmost love and empathy to those deeply affected, and we wish the world and all persons a strong and speedy recovery.
Also impacted were Swish and his team. Walking into unknown territory, being faced with uncertainty, and having questions left unanswered, put strain and stress on the young entrepreneur.
“Not having the answers to questions such as, ‘when will we be able to go back into the office?’, ‘will clients be able to pay their bills?’, and so on, brought us into unexplored territory.”
With these never before asked questions, Swish and his team ended up framing a new way in which they think and operate, which is predicting. Certain predictions included; how would they be able to help people, when were they going to be able to recover; and what would their plan be going forward.
“A lot of the skill around long-term planning was something that I developed in the last 6-12 months. I actually now use it not only for my business but also for myself.”
Long-term and future-forward planning weren’t practices that Swish had much mastery on until he was forced to. By using the roadblock that was placed in front of himself and his team, Swish overcame the obstacle by asking a single question; ‘how can I use this to my advantage?’
When we ask ourselves disempowering questions like, ‘why me’, ‘how come I’m in this position’, and ‘why is life unfair’, we set ourselves up for disempowering answers. If we were to change the questions that we ask, from disempowering to empowering, basing them around progress and seeking the light in dark situations, we would overcome difficulties with ease, resulting in moving forward with resilience.
Inspire & Uplift;
Now, it is more important than ever to use our voices and influence to inspire, uplift, and empathize. With chaos and turmoil happening far and wide, spreading messages of hope and togetherness, is crucial.
“I think it’s timely, considering a lot of people are being called upon to speak up, to remember that if you don’t have something meaningful to say, don’t say it. What I mean by that, is I don’t think you should fight for a cause, if you don’t entirely believe in it.”
It seems to be a common occurrence in this day and age, to represent and stand for causes that have become a social trend. Supporting something comes with the price of believing in it, fully and truthfully.
“When you don’t really know what you’re standing for or talking about, you’ll most likely end up shooting yourself in the foot."
Hopping on the trend train and portraying an image of involvement and understanding, can be a slippery slope when the cause you’re standing for isn’t fully understood or believed in.
When we are not fully educated or passionate about what we are influencing, our very influence may be taken as insincere or artificial.
“Through my debates, business meetings, and personal experiences, I started to empathize with certain movements. The two that I very much fight for are, Youth Entrepreneurship and mental health awareness.”
Given the fact that Swish started his journey into the entrepreneurial world quite young, he knows firsthand the numerous challenges and hurdles that were placed before him and are surely placed before countless young entrepreneurs as well.
“A lot of obstacles were associated with our age, and I never want any young entrepreneur to have to face those things. Which is why I love supporting organizations such as, ‘The League of Innovators.”
The League of Innovators, is a national canadian charity that empowers youth to be their own bosses in life and career. They offer accessible programs and education for entrepreneurs aged 15-25, from discovery through acceleration.
“The second is mental health, which is something that I think everyone in the world can empathize with. You don’t need to have depression or be schizophrenic to recognize mental illness. I think that mental health exists on a spectrum that fluctuates from happy to sad, disappointed to enlivened, and it's present for everyone.”
“Just because you don’t have a mental health illness, doesn’t mean that you don’t have mental health.”
Future Fantasies;
“I think in the next ten years, we’ll be able to control devices through our minds.”
“I’m actually very excited about Neuralink; a technology created by Elon Musk, that connects the brain to a computer, which will essentially allow us to control devices with our minds.”
An example of the use of this technology in use, is no longer having the need to type on our keyboards, we would be able to type through our minds, and much, much more.
Best advice;
“Don’t sweat the small stuff.”
“Thing will work out. As long as your intentions are right, you put in the proper work, and remain patient, things will likely unfold in your favour.”
100% True;
We asked Swish Goswami what he knows 100% to be true, his answer;
“I do believe, to a very high degree, that your network is your net-worth. A lot of the opportunities that I got in my life, were through networking.”
In college, swish took it upon himself to interview those who he looked up to. Writing articles and creating Podcast episodes, allowed Swish to create connections and build credibility. Many of those same connections from years ago, continue to be ongoing influences and mentors in his life today.
At TrooMe, we believe that every person we encounter has something special to offer us on our journey. Whether it be wisdom, advice, or a new perspective; every one of us approaches life in diverse ways. Being open to new ideas, new possibilities, and new beliefs, allows growth to take place within ourselves.
May we follow in Swish’s footsteps, believing in ourselves, no matter the limitations that have been placed upon us; standing passionately and purposefully for what we believe in, and never sweating the small stuff.
It’ll all work out, push on, be strong, stand tall, and don’t forget to smile.
Leave a comment