What Lies Within
On celebrating quiet growth, building company culture, and the microbiome economy
Celebrations are part of life. And who doesn't enjoy having friends and family around to toast birthdays, anniversaries, farewells, funding rounds, and so many occasions!
Cake, confetti, gifts, pictures, followed by social media posts that get a few likes. But how often do we pause to honour the milestones that don’t come with celebrations and cameras?
Milestones like recognising the damage of living for approval, or not striving to fit in, or not comparing ourselves to others. How do we celebrate our win in shunning harmful habits?
The tangibles get recognised and rewarded. They are built into our living rituals, both at work and at home. We also have to celebrate the intangibles.
“Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.” — Albert Einstein. This quote, that too from a scientist, is deeply profound.
These invisible milestones are the stepping stones that shape who we become. These self-improvements, the transformation of habits when we outgrow an old version of ourselves, deserve self-recognition.
They are often the hardest won and shape the core of who we are. They expand our capacity to love, to lead, to live with intention.
Success is the external outcome of self-growth that is qualitative and personal. It allows us to carry forward life with grace.
So take a minute to ponder what invisible milestones you crossed in the recent past. Maybe journal it and pause long enough to acknowledge it. And applaud yourself! :)
Leadership Code ~ Mindful Musings with Vani
Mini Masterclass on Building a Strong Culture
Culture doesn’t have a template, and it is not downloadable either.
That means there’s no off-the-shelf, one-size-fits-all solution for building a great company culture.
In my view, culture begins long before your org chart is filled. It’s formed in the quiet, everyday moments like how a team begins its week, how employees feel on a Sunday evening, how setbacks are handled when no one’s watching – to name a few.
Culture is how employees behave when the spotlight is off.
It shows up in how managers share feedback, how decisions are made (and explained), how wins are celebrated, and most importantly, whether employees feel seen, safe, and valued.
And just like fingerprints, no two cultures are alike. Every organisation is based/built on a different set of values. So we can’t really Ctrl C, Ctrl V culture!
At Kalaari, we begin every Monday with Zero Hour. It is a ritual that gives us clarity, collective rhythm, and a reminder of our shared goals, who we are and what we want to carry forward.
Here’s my life’s code for building a strong culture:
Start with clarity: People need to know the ‘why’ behind the work.
Create rituals that reinforce identity, from onboarding to the last working day.
Make space for voices and mistakes: That’s where trust grows.
Celebrate the small stuff; it adds up.
Walk the talk: To remind yourself who you are and what you want to carry forward.
Culture is less about what we say and more about what we consistently do. And when done right, it’s the most powerful advantage any company can have.
Pulse of Progress
Tales of Tech, Innovation and more
We often say “trust your gut” when making a decision.
Turns out, your gut may know more about your health than your smartwatch currently does.
The gut is now considered the “second brain.” The human gut houses over 100 trillion microorganisms, impacting everything from digestion and immunity to mood, skin, and even how well we focus.
In fact, over 90% of serotonin (the happiness hormone) is produced in the gut.
While we once believed “you are what you eat,” in 2025, the phrase has evolved to:
“You are what your bacteria do with what you eat.”
But here’s the problem: Our diets are increasingly processed, and the diversity of our food sources and, by extension, our gut bacteria has declined. That has real consequences for health, resilience, and even how we age.
Here’s when the microbiomes come into play.
Fueled by the rise in personalised nutrition, preventive health, and anti-ageing solutions, the global microbiome market is expected to surpass $1.5 billion by 2028.
Startups like Viome are already using AI to decode your gut microbiome from stool or saliva samples, generating hyper-personalised food plans and supplement regimens that claim to boost energy, reduce inflammation, and even extend lifespan.
Meanwhile, in the beauty world, brands like Gallinée are crafting skincare tailored to your skin’s unique bacterial makeup, and ushering in an era of microbiome-friendly beauty.
Even mood tracking apps are now syncing with gut tests to explore how bacteria influence anxiety, stress, and focus.
Imagine being able to plan/adjust your meals based on your mental health score for the day? Very interesting, right?
Some platforms are going even further by combining AI + DNA sequencing to tell you what to eat, when to eat, what skincare to use, and how to rewire your health from the inside out.
We're entering a future where your gut might literally text your phone to suggest dinner…or your mirror might scan your face and recommend a probiotic serum to rebalance your skin flora.
The bugs inside us might just be the next big wellness whisperers.
Would you try a bacteria-based diet or skincare routine?
#LifeLines
#LighterNotes
May the force be with you,
Vani