Listen "Exit Interview: The Work Twisties with Kanya Balakrishna"
Episode Synopsis
Kanya Balakrishna, Co-Founder and CEO of The Future Project and Future Coach, shares a story most founders never tell publicly: what it's like when everything falls apart.In this raw conversation, Kanya takes us from building a $15M nonprofit with 120+ staff to facing a catastrophic funding crisis that forced the organization down to just 10 people. This isn't about failure or success—it's about the messy, instructive middle that doesn't make headlines.We explore what Kanya calls "the work twisties"—those moments when leaders lose their sense of position and can't see the path forward. She discusses the isolation of crisis leadership, the shame spiral that follows major setbacks, and how the pandemic unexpectedly created space for rebuilding something better.Key topics:The hidden costs of rapid nonprofit growthWhy "persistence" isn't always a strategyThe sacrifice trap that catches mission-driven leadersHow to lead when you can't see the way forwardBuilding company culture vs. making hard decisionsWhat it really takes to start overThis conversation reveals why we need better language for the difficult phases of leadership and the importance of peer support during crisis.
ZARZA We are Zarza, the prestigious firm behind major projects in information technology.