They Told Me to Give Up My Dream—Here’s How I Built a Billion-Dollar Company Anyway | Payal Kadakia (Fan Fav)

Women of Impact

Impact Theory

Education, Society & Culture, Mental Health, Relationships, Health & Fitness

4.7 • 657 Ratings

🗓️ 1 June 2025

⏱️ 68 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Fan Favorite: This episode originally aired on: February 16, 2022. What up, homies! It's your girl Lisa Bilyeu, and welcome back to the Women of Impact podcast, where we dig deep, break down barriers, and build the life of our dreams! Today, I'm bringing you a mega-inspiring convo with a true force of nature, Payal Kadakia! Guys, if you've ever felt tethered by expectations or like the world is pulling you away from your true passion—listen up. Payal Kadakia, the brains and the beating heart behind ClassPass, is here to drop some serious wisdom. She's navigated the complexities of cultural identity and societal pressures to create a billion-dollar company—all while staying true to her love for dance! It’s all about finding your freedom train and getting the hell off the one that doesn’t serve you. We're diving into the expectations train, exploring how Payal hit the brakes on what she 'should' do and started carving her own unique path. Trust me; this episode is all about unlocking your identity, embracing your true calling, and being bold enough to pursue it. So, whether you’re an entrepreneur at heart fighting against the tide or someone who’s ready to just own your unique self, Payal’s story is the blueprint you’ve been waiting for! SHOWNOTES 00:00 Dance: A Path to Personal Fulfillment 05:13 Living Authentically Without Guilt 07:43 "From Corporate to Entrepreneur: A Journey" 09:56 Embracing Dual Identity Through Dance 13:48 Balancing Dual Communities 16:22 Dance Teacher Role Reversal 21:42 Overcoming Pressure to Prioritize Ambition 22:36 Setting Boundaries for Emotional Health 27:14 "Finding Your True North" 30:32 Embracing Risk with a Plan B 32:41 "Living by 'Must' Drives Success" 38:48 Embracing Emotions, Reviving Momentum 41:47 Cultural Passion Fuels Unicorn Success 44:39 "Facing Failure Head-On" 45:54 "Transform Fear into Action" 50:25 Overcoming Self-Doubt in Business 54:08 Balancing Professional and Personal Success 55:54 Quarterly Goal-Setting for Impact 59:02 "Check Out This Book!" FOLLOW PAYAL KADAKIA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/payal/ Website: https://lifepassbook.com/ CHECK OUT OUR SPONSORS Vital Proteins: Get 20% off by going to ⁠https://www.vitalproteins.com⁠ and entering promo code WOI at check out. BIOptimizers: Head to⁠ https://bioptimizers.com/impact ⁠and use code IMPACT for 10% off. OneSkin: Get 15% off with code LISA at ⁠https://oneskin.co ⁠ Netsuite: Download the new e-book Navigating Global Trade: 3 Insights for Leaders at ⁠http://NetSuite.com/women⁠ ********************************************************************** LISTEN TO WOMEN OF IMPACT AD FREE + BONUS EPISODES on APPLE PODCASTS: apple.co/womenofimpact ********************************************************************** FOLLOW LISA: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisabilyeu/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/lisabilyeu YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/womenofimpact Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@lisa_bilyeu?lang=en Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:51.3	I feel like everyone wants me to be someone else but a dancer. I've always
0:57.4	felt that. I always felt that even when I was building class paths. Everyone wanted me to do everything
1:01.8	else but do the thing that I love. Like it was this constant dialogue in my head that made me feel
1:08.8	like I couldn't be ambitious or I couldn't dance or that like doing
1:12.3	all those things was the wrong path. And I think we forget that everything people say to us
1:17.2	is food for thought, right? It gets into our minds and it can change our energy. It can change the
1:23.8	outcome of our life.
1:29.3	Pyle, welcome to the show.
1:31.3	Thanks for having me, Lisa.
1:33.3	I've been dying to have you on since I started this show.
1:36.3	And the thing that I find so powerful is the fact that you're Indian, you come from first generation, parents, they immigrated here, and the fact that you're Indian, you come from first generation, parents that immigrated here,
1:45.9	and the expectations that people and family
	...

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