Failure Files by IDR

About Failure Files by IDR

Failure Files by India Development Review (IDR) is a show where social entrepreneurs and leaders talk about their failures and lessons learned. In every episode, hear people at the frontlines of social change reflect upon their own experiences with failing, and how those setbacks made them better leaders.

Publisher

India Development Review

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Oct 2021

Latest episode

23 Jun 2022

Latest episodes

19 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   23 Jun 2022

   Assume less, prepare more | Sarita Upadhyay

   What should a nonprofit think about when planning for scale? In today’s episode, Sarita Upadhyay reflects on her initial years at Medha (https://medha.org.in/), a nonprofit that helps young people transition from the world of education to employment. She talks about the time the team got an opportunity to scale the organisation’s programme. However, decisions based on assumptions, gaps in internal communication, and an overall lack of preparedness resulted in the team at Medha losing out on almost two years of work. Sarita Upadhyay is a seasoned professional with more than 16 years of experience in the social and corporate sectors. As a core team member of Medha, she has helped in building the organisation from the ground up over the last 10 years. Currently, she is leading the strategy team at Medha. Her responsibilities are developing and implementing strategies for influencing the public education system, programme design, strategic partnerships, and execution of large-scale projects. Sarita has an MBA in Human Resources. Read more: Read Sarita’s story (https://idronline.org/features/scale/scale-needs-less-assumption-more-preparation/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

2. 

   16 Jun 2022

   When ambition exceeds ability | Gaurav Singh

   What happens when an organisation’s ambitious plans exceed its ability to execute them? On today’s episode we have Gaurav Singh, co-founder of Slam Out Loud, a nonprofit using the arts to build communication skills in children from vulnerable communities. Gaurav talks about the time when he and his co-founder took on more work than they had the capacity to manage. With their attention spread thin across multiple areas, they ended up losing the project of their dreams. Gaurav Singh is a purpose-driven social entrepreneur with eight years of work experience in education and leadership development. He is the co-founder of Slam Out Loud (https://slamoutloud.com/) and has been an entrepreneur incubatee at some of India’s most reputed social incubators. He was the winner of Unleash’s accelerator program in Shenzhen, China. He is also a certified action learning coach from the Action Learning Center, UK, and has shared his journey and learning through two TEDx talks and multiple leadership-based forums. Read more: Read Gaurav’s story (https://idronline.org/when-ambition-exceeds-ability-in-the-nonprofit-sector/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

3. 

   1 Jun 2022

   Preparing for a marathon, not a sprint | Thenmozhi Soundararajan

   What does self-care mean for those who are fighting systems of oppression and discrimination that are set up against them? On this episode, Thenmozhi Soundararajan, founder and executive director of Equality Labs (https://www.equalitylabs.org/), a Dalit civil rights organisation, talks about how systems of oppression affect well-being, what healing looks like for individuals and communities, and why failure is an opportunity to build power. Thenmozhi Soundararajan is a transmedia artist and activist. She is the founder and executive director of Equality Labs, a Dalit civil rights organisation dedicated to ending caste apartheid, gender-based violence, Islamophobia, white supremacy, and religious intolerance. Her work has been crucial in making many institutions and universities in America re-evaluate their discrimination policies and include caste as a protected category. Thenmozhi is also the force behind #DalitWomenFight, a community-led digital project to amplify the voices of Dalit women fighting for justice, and the co-founder of Dalit History Month (https://feminisminindia.com/2017/04/27/dalit-history-month/). In her upcoming book The Trauma of Caste, Thenmozhi explores the trauma of Brahmanical social structures for caste-oppressed communities, and what healing and well-being can look like. This episode is part of a special series, in partnership with The Wellbeing Project (https://wellbeing-project.org/), where we look at the intersection of failure and well-being. Read more: Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Dip into Centred Self (https://idronline.org/features/centred-self-the-wellbeing-series/), a series exploring the important but often overlooked connection between inner well-being and effective social change. Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Explore Alliance Magazine’s issue on learning from failure (https://www.alliancemagazine.org/learning-from-failure-2/) and how it can contribute to better philanthropy. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for h (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf)ere (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

4. 

   27 May 2022

   The road to recovery | Suchetha Bhat, Vishal Talreja

   In Part II of this conversation, Dream a Dream CEO Suchetha Bhat and co-founder Vishal Talreja talk about what it took to rebuild an organisation in crisis, and how that led to discovering a new kind of leadership—one that the world needs more of. Suchetha Bhat is the CEO of Dream a Dream, a nonprofit that empowers children from vulnerable backgrounds to thrive. Since starting her career in 2001, she has worked both in the corporate and social sectors. Under her leadership, Dream a Dream has grown from working with 10,000 young people in Bengaluru to more than one million children across five states. NITI Aayog has listed Suchetha among the 75 Women Entrepreneurs Transforming India in 2021. Vishal Talreja co-founded Dream a Dream with 11 other people. He is an Ashoka Fellow (http://www.ashoka.org/), an Eisenhower Fellow (https://www.efworld.org/), a Kamalnayan Bajaj (Aspen) Fellow, a Salzburg Global Fellow (https://www.salzburgglobal.org/), and a board member at Goonj. Vishal was also the founder-director of UnLtd India and a board member of PYE Global and India Cares Foundation. He has been recognised as an ‘Architect of the Future’ by the Waldzell Institute in Austria and as ‘Innovator of the Year’ in 2019 by HundrED. This episode is part of a special series in partnership with The Wellbeing Project (https://wellbeing-project.org/) where we look at the intersection of failure and well-being. Read more: Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Dip into Centred Self (https://idronline.org/features/centred-self-the-wellbeing-series/), a series exploring the important but often -overlooked connection between inner well-being and effective social change. Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Explore Alliance Magazine’s issue on learning from failure (https://www.alliancemagazine.org/learning-from-failure-2/) and how it can contribute to better philanthropy. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

5. 

   27 May 2022

   Having a dream is not enough | Vishal Talreja, Suchetha Bhat

   In Part I of this conversation with IDR, Dream a Dream’s co-founder Vishal Talreja and CEO Suchetha Bhat share the story of the organisation’s implosion, Vishal’s burnout, and how owning up to failure was the first step in figuring out the way to build back up. Vishal Talreja co-founded Dream a Dream with 11 other people. He is an Ashoka Fellow (http://www.ashoka.org/), an Eisenhower Fellow (https://www.efworld.org/), a Kamalnayan Bajaj (Aspen) Fellow, a Salzburg Global Fellow (https://www.salzburgglobal.org/), and a board member at Goonj. Vishal was also the founder-director of UnLtd India and a board member of PYE Global and India Cares Foundation. He has been recognised as an ‘Architect of the Future’ by the Waldzell Institute in Austria and as ‘Innovator of the Year’ in 2019 by HundrED. Suchetha Bhat is the CEO of Dream a Dream, a nonprofit that empowers children from vulnerable backgrounds to thrive. Since starting her career in 2001, she has worked both in the corporate and social sectors. Under her leadership, Dream a Dream has grown from working with 10,000 young people in Bengaluru to more than one million children across five states. Niti Aayog has listed Suchetha among the 75 Women Entrepreneurs Transforming India in 2021. This episode is part of a special series in partnership with The Wellbeing Project (https://wellbeing-project.org/) where we look at the intersection of failure and well-being. Read more: Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Dip into Centred Self (https://idronline.org/features/centred-self-the-wellbeing-series/), a series exploring the important but often-overlooked connection between inner well-being and effective social change. Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Explore Alliance Magazine’s issue on learning from failure (https://www.alliancemagazine.org/learning-from-failure-2/) and how it can contribute to better philanthropy. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

6. 

   19 May 2022

   Accepting that you can only do so much | Nisha Subramaniam

   How much is too much? Reflecting on this question is Nisha Subramaniam, one of the four co-founders of Kanavu, an education nonprofit working in rural Tamil Nadu. On today’s episode, Nisha talks about an online initiative they launched to meet the needs of the community during COVID-19. She shares how their failure to think through the feasibility of the project ended up stretching the team too thin and almost jeopardised the future of their organisation. Nisha Subramaniam is the co-founder of Kanavu, a nonprofit that leads efforts in education and community development in rural Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu. She also runs a social enterprise, Sura, which trains and recruits rural women to stitch affordable lifestyle products for a global audience. Deeply passionate about elementary education, gender, and leadership, she believes that challenging the current status quo lies at the intersection of these themes. Read more: Read Nisha Subramaniam’s story (https://idronline.org/features/leadership-talent/accepting-that-you-can-only-do-so-much-as-an-education-nonprofit/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronlin (http://www.idronline.org/)e (http://www.idronline.org/).org (http://www.idronline.org/)

7. 

   12 May 2022

   Good intentions are not enough | Itishree Behera

   Are good intentions enough to create social impact? In today’s episode, Itishree Behera reflects on her year as part of a social change fellowship during which she was placed at a school in rural Uttar Pradesh. She shares how she joined the programme so focused on changing the way things were done at the school that she failed to consider the perspectives of one of its most important stakeholders—the teachers. This idea that she knew what the school needed better than the people working there eventually led to the failure of her project. Itishree Behera is a student of applied psychology and is passionate about applying theory to practice. She has worked as an adolescent counsellor and is interested in adolescent health and behaviour. In 2018, as part of the India Fellow Social Leadership Program, she served as a career counsellor with the Milaan Foundation at their school in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur district. Currently, she works in the space of education and student counselling with the nonprofit ThinkZone in her home state of Odisha. Read more: Read Itishree’s story (https://idronline.org/good-intentions-are-not-enough-to-create-social-change-fellowship/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

8. 

   5 May 2022

   No right time for hard decisions | Dilip Pattubala

   What happens when a nonprofit co-founder gets caught up in an unhealthy power dynamic with a funding partner? Sharing his experience is Dilip Pattubala, co-founder of Uninhibited (https://uninhibited.org.in/), a nonprofit working on ending the stigma around menstruation. In this episode, he recalls how his inability to step back from a toxic partnership with a funder led to his team experiencing complete burnout, and Dilip questioning his own decisions. Dilip Pattubala is the co-founder and CEO of Uninhibited, a Bangalore-based nonprofit that is working towards making menstruation a non-issue in marginalised communities across India. Read more: Read Dilip Pattubala’s story (https://idronline.org/no-right-time-for-hard-decisions/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

9. 

   28 Apr 2022

   Let’s talk about burnout | Mary Ellen Matsui

   What happens when a leader fails to protect their own well-being? On today’s episode, Mary Ellen Matsui shares her story of burnout from when she was the CEO at Atma (https://atma.org.in/), an accelerator for education nonprofits and social enterprises. She details how, during her decade-long stint there, she experienced chronic burnout, which eventually meant that she was unable to lead her organisation effectively. After much reflection and therapy, she realised that one of the most important skills a social entrepreneur can have is the ability to take care of their own well-being. Mary Ellen Matsui is currently a consultant for Goodwill and sustainable fashion initiatives, based in Ontario, Canada. From 2011–21 she was the CEO at Atma, where she spearheaded the organisation’s growth and the creation of the Atma Network, a resource-sharing and collaboration platform. Mary Ellen is a nonprofit management specialist and regularly facilitates workshops for nonprofits on leadership, fundraising, culture, and HR. She is a graduate of the Telfer School of Management and a member of the inaugural Dasra Social Impact Leadership Programme. Mary Ellen is also on the advisory board of several education organisations. Read more: Read Mary Ellen’s story on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

10. 

    21 Apr 2022

    Learning to be a better, braver leader | Manjot Kaur

    Do leaders always need to always have their act together? Unpacking this question with us today is Manjot Kaur, who tells us about her year as the executive director at Mentor Me India (https://mentormeindia.org/), an organisation providing mentorship to children from low-income communities. Manjot shares how her authoritative leadership style left her team feeling stressed, tired, and unwilling to cooperate with her. Ultimately, her inability to engage constructively with team members contributed to the organisation’s failure to meet its objectives. Manjot Kaur is an independent consultant based in Mumbai. She works in healthcare, mainly on projects related to tuberculosis, HIV, and non-communicable diseases. Her areas of interest and expertise are public–private partnerships, community empowerment, and healthcare system strengthening. Manjot is a medical doctor by training and has an MBA in finance and strategy from the Indian School of Business, Hyderabad. Read more: Read Manjot’s story (https://idronline.org/learning-to-be-a-better-braver-leader/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

11. 

    3 Dec 2021

    Teachers vs tech | Shravan Kumar

    Is technology the solution to providing quality education in India? Shravan Kumar (//Read more: 1. Read Shravan’s story on Failure Files. 2. Read more failure stories on Failure Files. 3. Check out some ideas and tools from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. 4. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure. 5. Learn why talking about failure is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here, and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org ) used to think so, until he was proven wrong. The nonprofit he co-founded worked on improving access to quality education in the Naxal-affected districts of Bihar. Back then he thought that technology could easily replace teachers and lead to better learning outcomes. On today’s episode, he shares how his assumptions prevented him and his team from identifying the loopholes in their EdTech intervention. Shravan Kumar is the co-founder of i-Saksham Education and Learning Foundation (https://www.i-saksham.org/), a nonprofit that engages rural youth as community education leaders. Shravan is also an Acumen Fellow and a Prime Minister Rural Development Fellow, with four years of experience in the microfinance sector at Samhita and SKS Microfinance Limited (https://www.sksindia.com/). Read more: Read Shravan’s story (https://idronline.org/teachers-vs-tech/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

12. 

    26 Nov 2021

    A crisis among co-founders | Garima Sahai

    What happens when co-founders can’t agree on organisational priorities? On today’s episode of Failure Files, Garima Sahai shares her experience of co-founding Svadha, a social enterprise providing high-quality sanitation solutions for rural India. She talks about how the absence of a detailed road map for the growth of Svadha led to differences between her and her co-founder, resulting in Garima stepping away from the organisation. Garima Sahai (https://idronline.org/contributor/garima-sahai/) is a United Nations and Forbes recognised social entrepreneur in public health. She is the regional head (Asia) of strategic partnerships at Medtronic LABS, where she oversees the expansion of all their social businesses through government and large-scale institutional partnerships. She previously co-founded Svadha, a social enterprise driving an ‘unorganised’ rural WASH market to a ‘solution-driven’ organised sector. Garima is an economist by training and has more than 13 years of global multisectoral experience in impact measurement, strategy, and business development. Read more: Read Garima’s story (https://idronline.org/a-crisis-among-co-founders/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

13. 

    19 Nov 2021

    A donor relationship gone wrong | Sapna Surendran

    Can the power dynamic between a funder and grantee ever be equitable? Public health professional Dr Sapna Surendran (https://idronline.org/contributor/sapna-surendran/) tells us how a misalignment of expectations between the two led a programme to fail, and an organisation to lose a funder. Dr Sapna Surendran is a public health professional currently working with an international nonprofit. She works closely with the national and state health ministries to strengthen private sector engagement for tuberculosis (TB) services. Sapna is also involved in the design and development of interventions in mental health and cancer control. At the national level, she has played a key role in developing and institutionalising the national guidance note on partnerships to improve the scope and quality of TB services at the community level. Read more: Read Sapna’s story (https://idronline.org/a-donor-relationship-gone-wrong/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org (mailto:writetous@idronline.org) The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit (http://www.idronline.org/)www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

14. 

    11 Nov 2021

    Unrealistic expectations and self-doubt | Zubin Sharma

    What happens when a series of professional decisions shatter your sense of identity? Zubin Sharma (https://idronline.org/contributor/zubin-sharma/) answers this question by telling us about his experience as founder and CEO of Project Potential (http://www.projectpotential.org/), a nonprofit working on sustainable development in the rural district of Kishanganj, Bihar. On today’s episode of Failure Files, he talks about the problems he faced at the start of his entrepreneurial journey, which led him to question his self-worth as he navigated the challenges of building a successful social impact organisation. Zubin Sharma is the founder and CEO of Project Potential, which is creating an ecosystem to attract and develop people, organisations, and resources required for sustainable development in rural Kishanganj district of Bihar. Zubin has done his BA and MS from the University of Pennsylvania and is a former Acumen Fellow, N/Core incubatee, and Dasra Social Impact Leadership Fellow. Read more: Read Zubin’s story (https://idronline.org/leadership-unrealistic-expectations-and-self-doubt/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org (mailto:writetous@idronline.org) The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

15. 

    4 Nov 2021

    Failure can look like success | Shruthi Iyer

    What happens when your performance at work becomes the only definition of your self-worth? In today’s episode of Failure Files, we’ll hear from Shruthi Iyer (https://idronline.org/contributor/shruthi-iyer/) about her year as the executive director of a nonprofit working with children from low-income communities. She tells us about how her achievements came at the cost of her mental health, and how she failed not only as a leader and colleague, but as a daughter, friend, and partner. Shruthi Iyer is a development sector professional currently serving as the CEO at Foundation for Mother and Child Health (https://www.fmch-india.org/) (FMCH) India. FMCH works on issues of maternal health and malnutrition in urban low-income communities in Mumbai. Shruthi has formerly worked in full-time and consulting roles across sectors focusing on strategy, fundraising, technology roll-outs, and programme development. Read more: Read Shruthi’s story (https://idronline.org/failure-can-look-like-success-leadership-mental-health/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf)here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org (mailto:writetous@idronline.org) The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (https://idronline.org/) (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

16. 

    29 Oct 2021

    When failure is part of the feminist process | Disha Mullick

    What does it mean to run a truly feminist organisation? Reflecting on this question is Disha Mullick, CEO of Chambal Media, a feminist media enterprise. Chambal Media runs Khabar Lahariya (https://khabarlahariya.org/), a news platform that trains women from remote villages in North India to be professional journalists and produce local news in their own language, and from their own perspective. The team is led by a diverse group of women who cut across boundaries of class, caste, and geography. In today’s episode, Disha talks about how she failed to put into practice what a truly feminist organisation should be in the midst of difficult organisational changes. Disha Mullick is the CEO of Chambal Media, a company that produces media for rural audiences. Chambal Media runs Khabar Lahariya, a news brand where women from remote villages in North India are trained to be professional journalists and produce local news in their languages, from their perspectives. Disha has a master’s degree in gender studies from the University of Warwick, and has been an Acumen Fellow. She has previously worked in publishing and as a journalist. Read more: Read Disha’s story (https://idronline.org/when-failure-is-part-of-the-feminist-process-failure-stories-leadership-organisation-power-conflict/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf)here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org (mailto:writetous@idronline.org) The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (https://idronline.org/) (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

17. 

    22 Oct 2021

    To bribe or not to bribe? | Ghazanfar Iqbal

    Is corruption simply a cost of doing business in some countries? In today’s episode of Failure Files, social entrepreneur Ghazanfar Iqbal tells us about a time when he had to choose between doing what is easy and doing what is right, and how this decision turned his life upside down. Ghazanfar Iqbal co-founded AutoSahulat, a VC-funded start-up working towards empowering mechanics in Pakistan. He also has more than a decade of experience in the corporate sector. He is currently working as the country head of corporate sales at Careem and is also a founder of the digital media enterprise GuzPro. Ghazanfar is an Acumen Fellow and a mentor at the National Incubation Centre, Islamabad. Read more: Read Ghazanfar’s story (https://idronline.org/to-bribe-or-not-to-bribe/) on Failure Files. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. Understand why the social sector must recognise and talk about failure (https://idronline.org/the-social-sector-must-recognise-and-talk-about-failure/). Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf)here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (https://idronline.org/) (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

18. 

    14 Oct 2021

    To fail is to have dared | Rohini Nilekani

    In this episode, philanthropist, author, and journalist Rohini Nilekani (https://idronline.org/contributor/rohini-nilekani/) speaks to India Development Review (https://idronline.org/) (IDR) co-founder and CEO, Smarinita Shetty (https://idronline.org/contributor/smarinita-shetty/), on why failure needs to be underwritten in the social sector. She talks about the importance of creating a space that normalises failure in the context of nonprofit work, how philanthropists can support failure in practice, and the role they must play to enable growth in the sector. Rohini Nilekani is chairperson of Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies (https://rohininilekani.org/) and co-founder and director of EkStep (https://ekstep.org/), a nonprofit education platform. She is also the founder and former chairperson of Arghyam (https://arghyam.org/), a foundation she set up in 2001 for sustainable water and sanitation. From 2004 to 2014, she was also the founder–chairperson and chief funder of Pratham Books (https://prathambooks.org/), a nonprofit children’s publisher. A committed philanthropist, Rohini also sits on the board of trustees of Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (https://www.atree.org/) (ATREE), an environmental think tank. Read more: 1. Read Rohini’s full interview (https://idronline.org/philanthropy-needs-to-create-space-for-failure/) on Failure Files. 2. Read more failure stories on Failure Files (https://idronline.org/features/failure-files/). 3. Check out some ideas and tools (https://failforward.org/resources#materials) from Fail Forward to help your organisation take risks, learn, adapt, and fail intelligently. 4. Learn why talking about failure (https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/17/smarter-living/talking-about-failure-is-crucial-for-growth-heres-how-to-do-it-right.html) is crucial for growth. 5. Learn more about Rohini Nilekani (https://rohininilekani.org/) and her work. Want to share your failure story? Learn more about what we’re looking for here (https://idronline.org/wp-content/themes/wphidr/src/What-is-a-Failure-Files-story.pdf), and share your pitch/story on writetous@idronline.org (mailto:writetous@idronline.org) The Failure Files podcast is produced by India Development Review (IDR), an online journal focused on the development sector. IDR publishes cutting-edge ideas, lessons, and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. To learn more, visit www.idronline.org (http://www.idronline.org/)

19. 

    12 Oct 2021

    Trailer

    Failure Files by India Development Review (https://idronline.org/) (IDR) is a show where social entrepreneurs and leaders talk about their failures and lessons learned. Every episode, hear people at the frontlines of social change reflect upon their own experiences with failing, and how those setbacks made them better leaders. New episode every Friday.

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Contact Failure Files by IDR

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.