Main Street Minds: Success Beyond Limits with Amish Munshi

In this inspiring episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, Amish Munshi sits down with Josh Tenenbaum, VP of Engineering at First Advantage, to explore his dynamic career journey from business major to engineering executive. Josh shares how early challenges shaped his perspective, the unexpected wisdom he received from a CTO, and how emotional intelligence has played a crucial role in his leadership style.
Listeners will get a front-row seat into what it takes to lead through mergers, navigate rapid tech evolution (including AI integration and microservices), and implement transformative DevOps practices. Josh also opens up about his passion for solving chaos, how he builds scalable systems, and the personal philosophies that guide his success.
Whether you’re early in your tech career or leading a team of your own, this episode is filled with insights you won’t want to miss.
 
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In this inspiring episode, Amish Munshi welcomes tech veteran Shawn Knight for a raw and fascinating conversation that spans nearly three decades of experience in software development, freelancing, corporate life, AI, and beyond. From humble help desk beginnings to navigating ageism in corporate America and landing in a dream full-stack dev role—Shawn’s journey is as real as it gets.
Shawn opens up about making bold career pivots, the challenges and excitement of full-stack development, and his passion projects including game development and music production. They dive into the power of modern tools like Docker and Visual Studio Code, the promise and pitfalls of AI in development, and why coding is just as much about people as it is about logic.
You’ll also hear about Shawn’s creative side, including his music project “Saints in Unison,” where he combines AI tools and his artistic spirit to create compelling tracks and visual art.
About the Guest:Shawn Knight is a full-stack software developer, technologist, and musician with nearly 30 years of experience in IT. He’s worked with big names like Wells Fargo and the USDA, but he’s also carved out space for his personal passions in music and gaming. His band, Saints in Unison, can be found on Spotify, Apple Music, and more. Check out his work by searching “Saints in Unison” online.
 
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What if planning group travel could actually be stress-free—and even fun? In this episode, we sit down with Will Schmahl, founder of HousMthr, a travel app that’s changing how families and friends travel together.
Expanded Description:Will Schmahl joins Amish Munshi on this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast to share the story behind his innovative group travel app, HousMthr. Designed for families, friends, and even college groups managing vacation homes or trips together, HousMthr helps streamline everything from assigning rooms to coordinating meals, expenses, and on-the-go safety updates with the power of AI.
Will shares the inspiration behind the app—including a personal story of loss that fueled his mission to improve travel safety and organization. From his Long Island summer traditions to becoming a visionary tech founder, Will talks openly about navigating the startup space, bootstrapping the first version, and why sometimes being an outsider in an industry is actually an advantage.
You’ll also hear about:
The unique features of HousMthr that go beyond planning
The potential for AI-powered trip assistants and safety agents
How the app is being embraced by college groups, music festival goers, and seasonal renters
Advice for aspiring founders and how to get started even without a technical background
Guest Bio:Will Schmahl is the founder of HousMthr, a mobile app designed to simplify group travel planning and enhance in-trip coordination. With a background in adtech and martech, and a personal passion for travel, Will is building a travel experience platform focused on safety, ease, and innovation. Will is also a visual artist and creative entrepreneur.
 
 
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How do you go from customer service to becoming a software engineer at Microsoft? Burton Smith did just that—and his journey is full of lessons on mindset, transformation, and staying curious.
Summary:In this inspiring episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi, we sit down with Burton Smith, a passionate technologist and open source advocate working at Microsoft. Burton shares his unconventional path into tech, starting from a sales support role, to becoming known as “the tech guy,” and ultimately leveling up into a software engineer role. His story is a masterclass in changing your frequency—adopting the mindset of the person you want to become.
We dive deep into:
The power of perception and how Burton shifted his identity through action.
The importance of curiosity and learning to "speak the language" of the environment you want to be in.
What it’s like building design systems and web components at scale within Microsoft.
The developer experience Burton is creating through his open-source toolkit.
Why the future of tech is all about freeing developers to focus on what they do best.
From real-world barcode scanner integrations to musings on AI’s evolving role in software development, this episode covers a ton of ground for anyone navigating their own tech career.
Guest Info:Burton Smith is a software engineer at Microsoft and the creator of the Web Components Toolkit. He’s active in the open-source community and loves helping developers unlock their potential with better tools.
 
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In this insightful episode, host Amish Munshi sits down with Dr. Rajesh Krishnan—a visionary in the intersection of technology, insurance, and finance. From his beginnings as an engineer in India to becoming a thought leader in U.S. financial services, Rajesh shares his unique journey of blending data, empathy, and innovation to make insurance and financial tools more accessible to everyone.
They explore how AI, data intelligence, and technology can be used not just to predict risk, but to reduce poverty, improve access, and design better products for underserved communities. Rajesh also gives practical advice on choosing a career track in tech, management, or functional roles—and how understanding your “why” can shape your future.
Whether you're interested in insurance innovation, career development, or the real impact of AI in legacy industries—this episode has something for you.
Guest Bio: Dr. Rajesh Krishnan is a tech-savvy thought leader with decades of experience in financial services. His mission: make insurance accessible, fair, and personal. He is active on LinkedIn, where you can connect with him or book a time to chat directly. He has a forthcoming book on organizational change and is passionate about helping the next generation of changemakers.
 
 
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In this insightful episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, Amish Munshi sits down with Viswanath Vankadaru, a seasoned data engineering leader at Uber, to explore the transformative role of data in today’s tech-driven world.
Viswanath brings over 20 years of experience in the data space, having worked with major companies like Visa, eBay, and now Uber. He shares his journey from early data engineering days to leading high-impact finance data teams that influence major business decisions.
You’ll learn about the evolution of data, the real value behind machine learning and AI, and why governance is key as companies scale. He also shares advice for aspiring data professionals, including the importance of breadth over depth and why a growth mindset is critical in tech.
Plus, you’ll hear personal insights—from maintaining work-life balance in a global career to his love for travel and how he finds time to keep learning and evolving in a fast-changing industry.
Key Takeaways:
How data has evolved from niche to necessity in every industry
Why AI is a productivity enhancer, not a threat
Key skills and tools to thrive in data engineering today
The importance of governance in large tech systems
Advice for career growth, lifelong learning, and staying adaptable in tech
Thoughts on the future of autonomous driving and AI adoption
Balancing family, travel, and a global tech role
About the Guest:Viswanath Vankadaru is a data engineering leader at Uber, where he heads critical finance data teams. With two decades of experience, he’s held roles at Visa and eBay and continues to influence how data drives decision-making in high-growth companies. He also teaches at Interview Kickstart, helping others break into the tech industry.
 
 
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In this fascinating conversation, Surya Satyavolu—engineer, innovator, and investor—joins Amish Munshi to share his entrepreneurial journey, from embedded systems and avionics to the cutting edge of automated electric vehicle infrastructure. A graduate of IIT Madras and Clemson University, Surya opens up about the vision behind his startup, his experience with global innovation ecosystems, and the deeper purpose driving his work.
They dive into why solving transportation inefficiencies goes far beyond self-driving cars, and how reimagining road infrastructure could dramatically improve safety, efficiency, and urban mobility. Surya also shares career advice for aspiring engineers and founders, and emphasizes the importance of purpose, resilience, and a balance between innovation and family life.
Whether you're a tech enthusiast, entrepreneur, or just curious about the future of smart mobility, this episode is packed with inspiration and insights.
💡 What You’ll Learn:
Why Surya believes lane privatization is key to safer, high-speed automated travel
The lessons from global transportation systems that shaped his thinking
How he transitioned from engineering roles to founding a startup
The mindset needed to pursue deep tech innovation and navigate failure
What aspiring engineers need to know about embedded systems, signal processing, and entrepreneurship
 
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Jim McMaster brings a rare, long-view perspective on software development. From graduating MIT and writing assembler code in the early days, to helping shape one of the most-used cloud storage systems in the world—Google Drive—Jim shares stories that are both nostalgic and practical.
We talk about his time at Google, what it was like to advocate for folders over tags, and how he navigated the shift from system programming to Java backend development. Jim opens up about workplace dynamics, career decisions, and why doing what you love matters more than chasing trends.
This episode is packed with career wisdom—especially for anyone starting in tech or navigating a mid-career transition.
Key Topics:
Jim’s early days at MIT, the Army, and mainframe programming
The inside story behind Google Drive’s file system
Transitioning to Java—and staying there for 25+ years
The evolution of backend languages at Google
How to find your niche and avoid burnout in tech
The importance of mentorship, learning, and doing what you love
Thoughts on Java trends, IDEs, and the future of development
About Jim McMaster:Jim is a seasoned backend software engineer with 44 years of experience in the tech industry. He spent 12 years at Google, played a key role in launching Google Drive, and currently works at Geico. He’s passionate about clean code, backend development, and mentoring younger engineers.
 
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In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi, we sit down with Seena Ganesh, the Head of E-commerce Engineering at Staples. Seena walks us through her incredible journey from programming MRI scanners to building robust retail and e-commerce systems for companies like eBay, PayPal, Visa, and Electronic Arts.
She shares how being open to risk, staying curious, and understanding customer needs helped shape her leadership style and career success. We dive into the role of AI in retail, the future of scalable tech architecture, and her personal insights on how to approach career changes and growth in the tech space.
Whether you're just starting out in your tech career or thinking about taking the leap into leadership, Seena offers practical advice on staying ahead and staying inspired.
Key Topics Covered:
Seena’s early start in embedded systems and transition to e-commerce
Lessons learned from working at eBay, Visa, and more
How curiosity and risk-taking helped her grow
The mindset and tools needed for a successful tech career
E-commerce architecture and the future of AI in logistics
Balancing innovation and execution in large organizations
 
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In this episode, we sit down with eCommerce and brand transformation expert Tim Zawislack, who takes us on a journey from his early days in a family business to helping lead digital transformations at global brands like Ray-Ban, Brooks Brothers, Estee Lauder, and more.
Full Description:Tim Zawislack brings a powerhouse of experience, storytelling, and practical insights on what it takes to evolve legacy brands in the digital age. From launching one of the earliest eCommerce catalogs in the early 2000s to building successful private label collaborations with Amazon, Tim has consistently been at the intersection of innovation and execution.
He shares incredible stories from his career—replatforming Ray-Ban to include custom configurators, building digital-first experiences for Brooks Brothers, and launching Amazon’s “Mae” brand in record time. He also gives us a look inside his time at Jimmy Jazz during the COVID era, how the company maintained community roots, and why digital-meets-retail is the future.
Whether you’re a founder, marketer, or investor, Tim’s perspective on strategic brand growth, private equity, and omnichannel marketing is full of actionable takeaways.
What You'll Learn in This Episode:
How to lead digital transformation in legacy companies
The impact of private equity on execution speed and focus
What Nike’s DTC pivot taught the rest of the industry
Why Amazon Prime Video and YouTube are underrated drivers of retail foot traffic
How AI can free up your team for high-value work
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