In this episode, Marc and Emily welcome their longtime friend and colleague Cherian Koshy—a nonprofit leader, AI entrepreneur, international speaker, and one of the earliest champions of the Quadrant 3 Leadership Coach Certification. They reflect on how their friendship started during early-pandemic Zoom happy hours and evolved into shared coaching, learning, and laughs across years and time zones.
Cherian shares his take on identity, career shifts, and curiosity—from his time pioneering AI use in fundraising to his deep appreciation for the Iowa State Fair (yes, it's serious). He explains why curiosity, clarity, and catalyzing change are the throughlines in his work, and how asking "Why did that happen?"—even when others don't—is part of what makes him tick.
The episode explores the tension between curiosity and worry, how to work with people who don't share the same drive to go deep, and what it means to honor people's journeys without projecting your own. Marc and Emily also ask Cherian what he's still figuring out—his answer? How to live with both hindsight and foresight, for the sake of the people and causes he cares about most.
This is a thoughtful and occasionally hilarious conversation about leadership, legacy, and lifelong learning.
Key Takeaways
Quote Highlights
"I hope I help people connect dots they didn't know were there." – Cherian
"Curiosity, clarity, and catalyst—that's the arc of my work." – Cherian
"We're still trying to figure out what to do in this moment, with what we know from 30 years ago and 30 years from now." – Cherian
"Where we're going, we don't need roads." – Marc (channeling Doc Brown)
Resources & Mentions
