Expanding Pizza Karma | WeMentor Mondays with Nancy PODCAST

Episode 236: Expanding Pizza Karma

We could use some good karma these days. Pizza Karma that is. Multi-venture social entrepreneur Nagendar Mahipathi and his business partners, Amit Rudraraju and world-renowned celebrity chef, Raghavan Iyer, are testing out a new concept that has been so popular they expanded to a second location this year. Mahi, as he is known, is not deterred by the grim news of restaurants across the country temporarily and permanently closing as I read off some statistics at the top of our conversation. Find out why.

He and his partners have put together a mission they eat and breathe. Eat globally. Give locally is their tagline. We discuss their nationally unique concept of Pizza Karma and their socially conscious values. They “believe in all things good: good food, good people, good times and doing good. We make our pizzas with the highest quality ingredients and flavors from around the world on our signature Tandoor-Fired Naan crust. We serve the pizzas with a smile, and we work hard to be good to the earth by composting and recycling all our waste. We contribute to the community by donating a portion of our proceeds to local charitable organizations.” DOWNLOAD

This conversation is a start-up story that will inspire you to do more and be more, even under the gravest of circumstances. You will be encouraged by Mahi’s creativeness and flashes of brilliant insights that speak to elements sewn into a joyful life. I got an energy surge for the rest of the day both when taping and after listening to our conversation after Mike Kabeya edited it. Mike was inspired, too.

Mahi participated in a 7-month Mini MBA program through the Minority Economic Development Association (MEDA) in 2019. We met when I did a WeMentor Mini LAB entitled, Develop Your Intrinsic Leadership Value at MEDA’s office complex in Minneapolis.

Mahi discusses the Payroll Protection Program and its impact on their business. At the end of our conversation, listen for two offers. One from our podcast sponsor, Sally Doyle.

The second offer is from Mahi. Raghavan Iyer, the world-renowned Chef of Pizza Karma, has drawn inspiration for his recipes from across the globe, with pizza toppings that include tandoori chicken, cardamom-spiced lamb meatballs, and roasted corn and cheese in the style of popular Mexican street food. The menu also includes appetizers, salads, and a build-your-own pizza option.

Included in the resource section are videos and other media articles about the founders of Pizza Karma.

Podcast Sponsor

Resources

About Raghavan Iyer and Pizza Karma

About Raghavan Iyer

Biz Journal Article featuring Pizza Karma Chef, Raghavan Iyer

Business Matters

Pizza Karma on Jason TV Show

Raghavan Iyer, Creator and celebrity chef: Pizza Karma

Retail Statistics

Minnesota Restaurant Statistics

Restaurant Survival

Star Tribune Article

Conscious Attentive Leadership Mentoring

After listening, do the following three WeMentor C.A.L.M. Exercises:

Take this risk:
1. If you are in the Twin Cities this week, order an online meal with curbside pick-up or dine-in at Pizza Karma in Eden Prairie or Maple Grove. Say you listen to WeMentor Mondays With Nancy PODCAST and get a 10% discount on your meal! If you cannot take advantage of ordering a meal from Pizza Karma, tell a friend about the restaurant. We want to keep the restaurants we love in business. Pizza Karma is one of those.
2. Connect with Sally Doyle for a free 15-minute consultation to find out more about the Payroll Protection Program (PPP).
Apply Self-Compassion: Play a favorite song and dance to the music. Singing along, maybe shouting out phrases. Whoop! I am playing over and over, Helpless, sung by Phillipa Soo and Lin-Manuel Miranda, from the Original Broadway Cast of Hamilton. Four minutes of pure bliss, baby.
Welcome Appreciation: “I am grateful for the joy motivating Mahi’s muti-venture successes. I am blown away with the Pizza Karma mission. Believe in all things good: good food, good people, good times, and doing good. Thank you for being open to new ideas and sharing some of the details of you and your partners’—Amit and Raghavan—successes and challenges with us. I admire Mahi’s courage.”

“I believe finally, that education must be conceived as a continuing reconstruction of experience; that the process and the goal of education are one and the same thing.” – John Dewey

Mine your experiences with new learnings so you can reinvent (or evolve) yourself as you redesign your business. When WeMentor… your life gets better!!! Mentoring WORKS.

Podcast Guest Mentor

Mahi (Nagender) Mahipathi. Mahi is a multi-venture Social entrepreneur. He co-founded Pizza Karma in 2017 with Amit Rudraraju and world-renowned celebrity chef, Raghavan Iyer. They have two locations: Eden Prairie and Maple Grove.

Vajraasys Limited, which is known as RNXT (Resource Next). RNXT is an IT recruiting and placement firm Mahi founded in 2006 with his wife, Major Dr. Subhasini Mahipathi.

RNXT provides technology, consulting, and outsourcing IT solutions for the following industries:

banking, financial services, and insurance industries,
manufacturing,
healthcare,
the public sector, and
retail industries.

Mahi is also serving as a Vice Chairman for Plymouth Charter Commission.

Mahi’s life purpose as a social entrepreneur, a visionary, and a thought leader is to partner with others to achieve great results and build up our communities to enhance the lives of others. He has a 22-year track record working with others to contribute to the lives of those in Minnesota. His reach expands around the world. He works with spirited individuals in leading with purpose, choice, and impact in service to their values, the well-being of humanity, and to the advancement of our planet. His companies value character development, commitment to serve others, and developing the capabilities needed to grow and prosper with others.

Mahi has numerous degrees. In 2019 he completed a Mini MBA program through MEDA (Minority Economic Development Association). He holds a Master’s Degree from The Central Institute of English and Foreign Languages (CIEFL) in India. He acquired two Bachelor of Science degrees in Law and Linguistics from India. He also holds an Associate degree in Computer Science.

He is married to Major Dr. Subhasini Mahipathi (She’s in the middle of the photo). Dr. Mahipathi is in a Family Practice in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, and also serves as a Major in U.S. ARMY RESERVES Fort Snelling, Minnesota.

They are raising their two boys, Inesh Henry and Samant Abraham Mahipathi, in Plymouth, MN. Samant is pursuing Aerospace Engineering and in Air Force ROTC at Purdue University in Indiana.