From Scratch to Scale, With Care | Manika Tandon | TEDxKharadi Salon
From Mirzapur to unicorn and beyond — I joined Cars24 with no offer letter, no pay, and turned chaos into scale. Now I run Pawfect Chefs, a pet care company. We don’t blitzscale, we slow-cook success — one handwritten label at a time. Single, never-married mother by choice, I juggle pitch decks and playground slides. Courage is showing up anyway — chai in hand, sleeves rolled. Manika Tandon is a bold tech leader and entrepreneur driven by grit, empathy, and innovation. An IT engineer with an MBA in Strategy & Marketing, she built a strong foundation at Accenture, Sapient, Wipro, and Cognizant before joining Cars24 as a founding member. There, she played a key role in scaling the company to unicorn status, eventually becoming CEO of one of its verticals. Today, she leads an AI-powered pet care startup that blends technology with deep personalization, reshaping how pets are cared for in India. A single mother by choice, Manika challenges stereotypes and builds businesses with heart and resilience. She proves that the extraordinary isn’t about privilege—it’s about showing up, staying in the game, and building with intent. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
More from TED
- 8:15Engage. Enlighten. Empower: The Call We All Must Answer | Mia Mothershed | TEDxAlabasterCourage, Clarity, and Purpose What if the moment you thought was your biggest loss turned out to be your greatest gift?In this TEDx Alabaster talk, Mia Mothershed shares how losing a high-powered corporate career became the launching pad for discovering her true purpose. With honesty and courage, she explores how resilience, vulnerability, and faith can transform setbacks into opportunities for growth and reinvention. Viewers will gain practical tools for navigating uncertainty, rebuilding confidence, and aligning with their higher calling. Through her Engage-Enlighten-Empower framework, Mia provides a roadmap for turning disruption into direction and finding strength in seasons of transition. This talk is for anyone facing a career change, leadership challenge, or personal transformation. If you've ever wondered how to reclaim clarity, resilience, and purpose when life doesn't go as planned, this message will inspire you to embrace change and step into the brand of YOU.#Career #Purpose #Leadership #Empowerment Mia Mothershed is a visionary leader who transformed her separation from a high-powered corporate career into a launching pad for purpose. For over two decades, she’s been recognized as a trusted Marketing and Communications Strategist, helping brands tell stories that move people to action. But behind the campaigns and strategies has always been a deeper calling: to inspire, and motivate others to become their highest selves. Mia’s work is rooted in faith and fueled by her personal mantra—Engage. Enlighten. Empower. TEDx marks the beginning of a new chapter, where she brings her voice from the boardroom to the stage, offering audiences a message of courage, clarity, and transformation.Through motivational storytelling, she encourages individuals to find strength in vulnerability and purpose in transition. Mia believes that manifesting your purpose in life is worth everything you walk away from and she is passionate about guiding others to discover their purpose. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 11:30What Ai Can Teach Us about being Better Humans? | Brandon Matthews | TEDxAlabasterArtificial Intelligence is changing everything. Our work, our relationships, and even how we see ourselves. But here's the surprising truth: the smarter Ai gets, the more essential our humanity becomes.In this talk, Brandon Matthews explores what Ai can teach us about being better humans through the power of compassion, connection, and presence in a world where we fear being replaced by machines. From a life-saving medical breakthrough to a fight for a Nintendo 64, this talk reminds us that the future won't be defined by machines, it will be defined by how we choose to be human.Watch to discover what Ai can teach you about being a better human.#TEDx #TEDxAlabaster #ArtificialIntelligence #HumanConnection #BetterHumans Brandon Matthews is on a mission to reshape the modern workplace by helping organizations create environments where employees find genuine meaning in their work. Through his 20 years of experience in corporate communications, leadership, and personal development, Brandon has developed a unique people-first approach that focuses on the human aspect of business. As the founder of The Meaningful Marketplace, he partners with companies to create workplaces where employees feel valued, motivated, and committed to their roles. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 18:23Belief & Beyond - A story of grit and perseverance | Rajdip Gupta | TEDxMaharashtra College#tedxmaharashtracollege #MaharashtraCollege #RajdipGupta #Routemobile Rajdip Gupta is a dynamic entrepreneur, Founder and Managing Director. He has transformed Route Mobile from a bootstrap startup in 2004 to a publicly listed, profitable unicorn, gaining global recognition in the digital communications industry. Under his visionary leadership, Route Mobile has become synonymous with innovation, offering end-to-end communication solutions in Messaging, Voice, Firewall, Email, and next-gen services like RCS, WhatsApp, Viber, and IP Messaging. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 17:47Finding Balance in a ‘Perfectly’ Imperfect World | Kori Dyahwiratikta | TEDxTelkom UniversityThis talk, delivered by psychologist Kori Dyah Wiratikta, explores the struggles of living with a perfectionist mindset in an imperfect world. Through personal stories and reflections, she explains how perfectionism often traps us in a rigid “black and white” way of thinking that prioritizes flawless results, leaving us feeling inadequate and unsafe when life inevitably strays from plan. She reframes perfectionism as a survival mechanism born from our desire for control and security, but also emphasizes that true growth comes from mistakes, resilience, and the courage to rise again. Redefining failure not as falling short, but as choosing to stop trying, she encourages embracing imperfection as space for learning and balance. Ultimately, she proposes a new meaning of “perfection”: not flawlessness, but harmony, moderation, and the ability to feel “enough” while continuously progressing through life’s uncertainties. A clinical psychologist devoted to helping others heal, grow, and find clarity within. A graduate of Universitas Padjadjaran, Kori now focuses on children’s and adolescent’s mental health at Rumah Sakit Hermina Arcamanik and Rumah Sakit Edelweiss Bandung. With a compassionate and empowering approach, she focuses on helping young individuals understand their self-worth, embrace their unique strengths, and set realistic, meaningful goals. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 9:51Audacity of Rest | Ashley Joy Sutton | TEDxAlabasterRest is a winning strategy What if the secret to success isn't working harder, but learning to rest strategically?In this powerful TEDxAlabaster talk, discover why our culture's obsession with productivity is leaving us exhausted, unfulfilled, and disconnected from our true potential. Through a deeply personal story about burnout, family legacy, and a 4-year-old's surprising wisdom about wanting to "be a flower," Ashley Joy Sutton explores how rest isn't the opposite of ambition--but instead the foundation of it. Learn the three essential elements of strategic rest: permission, personal boundaries, and presence. This TEDxAlabaster talk isn't about self-care trends or work-life balance—it's about redefining worth, breaking generational patterns of exhaustion, and giving yourself (and others) permission to grow without grinding. Watch now to transform your relationship with rest, productivity, and what it truly means to flourish. Ashley J. Sutton is the Founder and CEO of The AJS Group, a coaching, consulting, and leadership training firm specializing in communication skills that elevate teams and enhance workplace performance. A certified Life and Leadership Coach, two-time published author, keynote speaker, and communications executive with 15 years of experience, Ashley empowers individuals and organizations through strategic guidance and inspiring engagement.Recognized by Ebony Magazine in 2017 as one of the “Black Women to Know in PR, Tech, and Digital Media,” she brings a global perspective shaped by her years working and living in Europe. Ashley has facilitated workshops and spoken in West and South Africa and across the U.S., building a global platform to uplift and inspire women to lead fulfilled, purpose-driven lives.She holds a B.A. in Business Management from Wilberforce University and an M.A. in Media Communications from the Academy of Art University. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx
- 7:02Technology: Liberation or Enslavement? | Seunggyu Baek | TEDxIJSHS YouthModern technology extensively redefines convenience but can also restrict thought. Drawing on Michel Foucault's concepts of biopower and the Panopticon, probability-driven algorithms reshape common sense and narrow our thinking. Hence, we need to diverge our thinking by utilizing modern technology critically and consciously. 대만 국제 교류 발표, 싱가포르 학생 방문 학교 투어 가이드, 미국 학생 방문 학교 투어 가이드, 인천전람회 발표, 수학동아리 SOL# 동아리 면접관. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx