Company Stats

Guest: Shruthi Desai, Founder

Industry: Child Wellness / Education / Mindfulness

Company: Mudita Circles

Focus: Yoga-based emotional wellness tools for children and families

Tech Stack: In-person + digital curriculum, community workshops, breathwork, movement-based learning

✅ Shruthi shares how personal burnout and motherhood sparked the vision for Mudita Circles.

✅ Learn how yoga, storytelling, and movement help children regulate emotions and build resilience.

✅ Discover why emotional safety is the foundation for confident, compassionate kids.

✅ Explore Shruthi’s unique approach to "circular leadership" and co-creating with communities.

✅ Get inspired by the idea that joy is not a luxury—it’s essential for healthy development.

In this heartfelt episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins welcomes Shruthi Desai, founder of Mudita Circles, a wellness education initiative that’s helping children and families reconnect with joy, regulation, and emotional literacy.

Shruthi opens up about her journey from corporate business roles to a soulful mission: helping the next generation feel safe, seen, and supported. She explains why emotional safety is non-negotiable for children—and how mindful movement, storytelling, and breathwork can empower kids to handle stress, express themselves, and thrive.

The conversation explores how Shruthi blends ancient yoga practices with modern child development insights, why parents must first model emotional health, and how community—when rooted in empathy and kindness—can transform how we support children and each other.

Q: What sparked the creation of Mudita Circles?

A: My burnout as a mom led me to yoga, and what I learned there became the foundation for how I now support children’s emotional wellness.

Q: What does “emotional safety” look like in real life for a child?

A: It’s knowing that you can cry, laugh, or be unsure—and still be loved and accepted.

Q: How does yoga help children build resilience?

A: Through breath, movement, and playful awareness, kids learn how to feel what they feel without shame. That’s powerful.

Q: Why is community so essential in your work?

A: Healing and learning don’t happen in isolation. Mudita is about circles—everyone has a role.

Q: What’s next for Mudita Circles?

A: Expanding our tools into schools, training educators, and making emotional wellness accessible to every child, no matter their background.

00:00 – Meet Shruthi & The Mission of Mudita Circles

01:45 – From Burnout to Breakthrough: A Mother's Journey

04:00 – What Is Emotional Safety (And Why It Matters)

06:30 – Movement, Breath, and Regulation for Kids

09:00 – The Role of Parents in Modeling Calm & Connection

11:15 – Circle Thinking: Teaching as Co-Creation

14:00 – Why Joy and Play Belong in Emotional Learning

17:00 – Mudita in Schools: Bridging Wellness & Education

20:00 – Shruthi’s Leadership Philosophy: Purpose Over Pressure

23:00 – Tools for Parents, Educators & Communities

25:30 – Looking Ahead: Spreading Joy Through Circles

Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of The Innovator’s Impact. Want to stay inspired by more tech-forward business stories? Subscribe to the show on

Guest: Randy Pulayya, Founder

Industry: Food & Beverage / Consumer Packaged Goods

Company: West Indies Pepper Sauce (WIPS)

Focus: Caribbean-inspired premium hot sauces rooted in family tradition

Tech Stack: DTC e-commerce, culinary branding, event marketing, food media (Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition)

✅ Randy shares how a childhood steeped in Caribbean culture inspired the bold flavors of West Indies Pepper Sauce.

✅ Discover how he turned local farmers markets and BBQs into a national brand with real cultural resonance.

✅ Go behind the scenes of Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition—and what it meant for WIPS to be featured.

✅ Randy explains why flavor-first sauce is the key to repeat customers (and not just heat seekers).

✅ Learn how storytelling, community ties, and legacy drive his long-term vision.

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins dives into a spicy success story with Randy Pulayya, the founder of West Indies Pepper Sauce (WIPS). What began as a family tradition and neighborhood favorite has now become one of the most buzzworthy new brands in the hot sauce market.

Randy opens up about growing up in a Caribbean-American household, where his father’s cooking and cultural pride laid the groundwork for the flavors that now define WIPS. He shares the journey from early days at pop-ups and local tastings to being featured on Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition, a pivotal moment that supercharged the brand’s visibility.

More than a story about sauce, this episode explores authentic branding, cultural heritage, and generational impact. Randy gives insight into how he’s scaling without selling out, building customer loyalty through storytelling, and using food as a bridge between past and future.

Q: What’s the origin story of West Indies Pepper Sauce?

A: It started in my dad’s kitchen. I just put a brand around the legacy he built with every Sunday dinner.

Q: How did being on Hot Ones: Caribbean Edition change the game for you?

A: It was surreal. It gave us validation, exposure, and a boost we couldn’t have engineered.

Q: What makes WIPS different in a crowded market?

A: Flavor, not just fire. We want people to finish the bottle—not just survive it.

Q: How do you stay true to your roots as you grow?

A: I keep my dad’s picture in the kitchen and his voice in my head: “Make it with love, or don’t make it.”

Q: What’s next for the brand?

A: Going global while staying grounded. Expanding into retail and international shipping—but always keeping the culture at the center.

00:00 – Intro & Meet Randy

01:20 – Childhood Flavors & Cultural Foundations

03:00 – From Farmers Markets to Food Media

05:30 – The Hot Ones Effect: Hype Meets Heritage

08:00 – Why Flavor > Fire in Product Design

10:00 – Building a Brand with Soul, Not Just Strategy

13:00 – The Legacy of Reggae Randy & Father-Son Roots

15:30 – Selling Sauce, Sharing Story

18:00 – Scaling with Authenticity in CPG

21:00 – Food as Cultural Currency

24:00 – Future Visions: From Small Batch to Global Shelf

26:30 – Final Advice for Founders with a Mission

Thanks so much for tuning in to this episode of The Innovator’s Impact. Want to stay inspired by more tech-forward business stories? Subscribe to the show on

Company Stats

Guest: Robert Hendrix, CEO

Industry: Pharmaceutical Manufacturing / Systems Engineering

Company: N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC

Focus: Modular, GMP-compliant drug production systems

Tech Stack: AI diagnostics, predictive maintenance, digital compliance, lean manufacturing frameworks

Episode Highlights

✅ Robert reveals how N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC is making pharmaceutical manufacturing scalable and affordable for startups—without compromising compliance.

✅ He explains how his systems engineering background helps him navigate strict regulations while still driving innovation and speed.

✅ Learn how N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC integrates AI to improve documentation, automate audits, and reduce downtime through predictive maintenance.

✅ Robert shares his unique leadership philosophy: hiring engineers who can think like businesspeople—and train like operators.

✅ Hear why courage, not just compliance, is the secret to thriving in highly regulated industries.

Episode Summary

In this episode of The Innovator’s Impact, host Darnell Perkins sits down with Robert Hendrix, the founder and CEO of N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC. With a vision to make GMP-compliant pharmaceutical manufacturing faster, cheaper, and smarter, Robert is building modular systems that empower drug startups to scale safely.

Robert shares how his team uses a systems thinking approach to reduce cost, improve time to market, and design manufacturing solutions that serve both large enterprises and early-stage biotech teams. He dives into how AI tools help automate compliance and maintenance, and why traditional views on pharma operations need to evolve fast.

From engineering culture to startup grit, this episode delivers powerful insights for any founder, builder, or executive operating in a high-regulation space—from pharma to food to aerospace.

Notable Questions We Asked

Q: How do you innovate when regulation is non-negotiable?

A: You design smarter systems. Innovation isn’t just what you build—it’s how you build it inside the rules.

Q: What kind of engineers do you hire at N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC?

A: Engineers who think like operators. People who understand the business and can train customers—not just code or model.

Q: How are you using AI right now?

A: For compliance, predictive maintenance, automated documentation, and QA—we treat AI like a system, not a gimmick.

Q: What’s your leadership style in a high-risk field?

A: Bold, clear, and strategic. You need courage to innovate—but discipline to build things that actually work.

Q: What’s the next frontier for N+1 Process Engineering Solutions LLC?

A: Making advanced pharma tools as accessible as 3D printers—so early-stage drug developers can build safely from day one.

Chapters

00:00 – Intro & Meet Robert Hendrix

01:30 – Pharma Manufacturing Meets Systems Engineering

03:00 – Why Startups Struggle with GMP Compliance

05:00 – Building Smarter Systems vs. Bigger Facilities

07:00 – The Role of AI in Modern Pharma Ops

09:00 – Predictive Maintenance, QA & Audit Automation

11:30 – Balancing Speed, Safety & Scalability

14:00 – Hiring Engineers Who Think Like Entrepreneurs

16:30 – Operating in a Regulated World with Innovation

19:00 – From Aerospace to Pharma: Lessons on Systems Thinking

21:30 – Courage, Discipline &...