Main Street Minds: Success Beyond Limits with Amish Munshi

In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi, we sit down with Dona Maria Jose, Senior Software Engineer at Slack, for a heartfelt and inspiring conversation about navigating a successful tech career, embracing change, and staying passionate along the way. Dona shares her path from studying computer science in India to pursuing a Master’s in the U.S. and building a dynamic career across top tech companies like Visa, Microsoft, Dropbox, and now Slack.
We dive deep into the importance of mindset, the evolution of her career from backend to full-stack and back again, and what sets Slack apart in the competitive tech ecosystem. Dona also shares her thoughts on the responsible use of AI, her approach to personal branding, and her commitment to mentoring and community building through programs like Show Your Worth.
This episode is packed with insights on:
Building a flexible and resilient career in tech
Customer-centric product development
Leveraging AI without losing your edge
Finding the right career path for your skills and passions
How to stand out through personal branding and continuous learning
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In this episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast with Amish Munshi, we sit down with Agbai Iroha — a driven software engineer, startup co-founder, and community youth leader with roots in Nigeria and a heart in New Jersey.
Agbai shares his path from high school football fields to Monmouth University, where a chance campus tour led him into software engineering. He opens up about building a career in Salesforce development, staying adaptable across multiple industries, and how continual learning helped him grow both technically and personally.
We also explore how Agbai is giving back — from mentoring youth in his village in Nigeria to modernizing public services in New Jersey. He offers advice for young engineers, thoughts on the future of AI, and how balancing passion with purpose can lead to lasting impact.
 
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Frank Kanu joins Amish Munshi for a compelling episode about the evolution of a tech career that started in the most unexpected way. From navigating Germany’s military draft to entering the world of IT through hands-on experience, Frank shares how his early career in sales and hairdressing actually laid the foundation for success in software systems and ERP development.
In this conversation, you’ll hear about:
The massive complexity behind long-standing ERP systems
The real-world challenges of managing undocumented legacy code
Why staying curious and embracing self-education is critical in tech
Tips for aspiring software engineers entering ERP and large-scale systems
Frank’s philosophy on creative problem solving in software development
Frank offers wisdom from decades in tech, highlighting the importance of continuous learning, creative thinking, and never underestimating the systems holding businesses together.
 
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In this insightful episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, host Amish Munshi welcomes David Thrower, the visionary CEO and Acting CTO of Cerebros—a company that’s revolutionizing how AI assistants are built and personalized. David breaks down the technical innovation behind Cerebros’ new platform, which allows users to build custom AI models from the ground up, starting at the foundation model level.
He explains how Cerebros goes beyond the norm by letting users train their own AI assistants using only the data that’s most relevant to them. This means less prompting, more accurate outputs, and assistants that truly "get" your voice and business style.
Listeners will get a behind-the-scenes look at:
The problems Cerebros is solving in the AI space
Why the SMB market has been overlooked and how Cerebros is changing that
David’s career journey from life sciences to cutting-edge AI
Practical advice for founders about growth, mindset, and choosing the right environment
Plus, David shares valuable life lessons on leadership, staying healthy, and knowing when to walk away from the wrong opportunities.
 
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Bryan Guinn joins Amish Munshi on The Mainstreet Minds Podcast to explore how small businesses and startups are fueling innovation for the U.S. military through programs like SBIR. From building SharePoint tools for EMS services to advising the Air Force on secure, rapid software deployment, Bryan’s journey is one of constant evolution and mission-driven tech.
We dive into how companies can transition from commercial markets to defense contracts, navigate government procurement challenges, and leverage funding programs to develop game-changing solutions. Bryan also shares stories of autonomous vehicles, AI in military applications, and what it really takes to help the warfighter succeed faster.
Whether you're a founder looking to tap into federal funding or someone curious about how innovation reaches the front lines, this episode is packed with insights, practical advice, and inspiration.
 
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In this episode, Manish takes us through his unique path from early tech passion to corporate leadership, startup success, and now helping early-stage founders build AI-driven solutions. We explore his early days coding with legacy systems like COBOL, his transition into fintech, and how he sold his first company. Manish also dives into current trends in AI, what it means to build domain-specific large language models, and how speed and curiosity are essential to success today.
We touch on:
Why old code still matters in modern tech
The art of building MVPs for AI-powered startups
How enterprise labs are cautiously adopting AI
Productivity gains with AI development tools
Manish’s vision for his company over the next 3–4 years
Life lessons from 25 years in tech
And yes—his dream of visiting 100 countries (he’s at 38!)
 
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In this exciting episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, Amish Munshi sits down with Neethu Elizabeth Simon, a Senior Software Engineer at Intel, to explore her journey from studying engineering in India to driving innovation in AI and computer vision in Arizona.
Neethu shares how her love for science (and a few helpful cousins) led her into tech, and how she's now helping shape the future of intelligent hardware and software optimization at Intel. From machine learning to real-time computer vision in retail checkout systems, she breaks down how technology is advancing faster than ever—and why Arizona has become a hotspot for innovation.
We also talk about the growing role of AI in industries like healthcare and autonomous vehicles, and how quantum computing may soon supercharge it all. Neethu gives fantastic career advice for aspiring tech professionals, including what tools to learn and why being curious and adaptable is your biggest strength.
You'll also hear about Neethu's passion for volunteering, especially through the Society of Women Engineers and robotics programs for girls, where she encourages the next generation of STEM leaders.
 
 
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In this insightful episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, Amish Munshi sits down with Siddharth Dalal, an experienced technologist and serial startup contributor, currently leading the way as a fractional CTO and co-founder of Broke Robotics. Siddharth shares his journey from his early days in the U.S., his work with startups spun out of the University of Virginia, and how he’s scaled tech teams across the globe.
He opens up about the challenges and triumphs of founding BrokerBotics with his teenage son—an AI-powered investment research platform designed to make financial data accessible and actionable for everyday investors. Siddharth gives us an insider look at pivoting from trading automation to research analytics, discusses building with limited resources using Fiverr and Upwork, and emphasizes the power of simplicity in product development.
We also explore the promise of generative AI and the evolving future of software engineering and startups. Whether you're a founder, a tech enthusiast, or someone intrigued by the intersection of AI and investing, this episode is filled with real, practical wisdom.
 
 
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In this value-packed episode of The Mainstreet Minds Podcast, host Amish Munshi sits down with Keshav Kolur, a former Amazon and Meta software engineer turned real estate and private equity investor. Keshav shares how a single book changed the trajectory of his life, prompting him to explore financial freedom through real estate syndications and oil & gas ventures.
You'll hear about:
Keshav’s leap from tech to finance
Why he favors oil and gas investments for high tax advantages
The 6 key metrics he uses to evaluate deals
His approach to mitigating risk and optimizing cash flow
How Clive Capital is democratizing investment access for tech professionals
Whether you're working in tech, considering your first real estate syndication, or looking to diversify beyond stocks and bonds, this episode offers practical insights into building lasting wealth and taking control of your financial future.
 
 
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In this episode, host Amish Munshi chats with Ankur Mathur, a lifelong learner, passionate builder, and current CTO at Expirator. Ankur walks us through his fascinating story—from growing up in Calcutta, diving into sci-fi and neural networks, to working with giants like Macy’s and IBM, and now building intelligent marketing agents like Zyra.
You’ll hear about:
The early seeds of Ankur’s AI passion through Isaac Asimov’s books
His academic path from IIT Bombay to Cornell
The tech disruptions of the dot-com era and 9/11
Building AI from scratch at Iterable and now at Expirator
Launching Zyra, a conversational marketing AI
Insights into omni-channel marketing automation
Predictions about the future of AI, decentralization, and human-computer interaction
How startups can thrive without VC funding
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