A podcast clip featuring entrepreneur Alex Hormozi has gone viral after he shared the early career story of his business partner, Sharran Srivatsaa. During a conversation with Tony Robbins, Hormozi recalled how Srivatsaa was once told that his strong Indian accent would make it difficult for him to find a job in the US. Srivatsaa later confirmed the account in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Alex Hormozi recalls the conversation
Speaking on Tony Robbins’ podcast, Hormozi said Srivatsaa had moved to the United States from India more than two decades ago and was working as a janitor at the time.“There was an Indian guy who came here to the US 20-something years ago, and he was working as a janitor. And he had such a thick accent that they said, You will never get employed anywhere; you have to learn how to speak,” Hormozi told Robbins.He said Srivatsaa searched for material that could help him improve the way he spoke.“And he tried to get ‘How to Get Rid of an Indian Accent’ tapes, and those didn’t really exist,” said Hormozi. Instead, he was advised to listen to Tony Robbins’ tapes.Hormozi added, “And so, he’s mopping the floors, and he’s doing it. And that man then started a software company, scaled that, sold it, started another company, and sold that for 3.4 billion. And I met him right around that time, and he’s my partner at Acquisition(dot)com.”
Srivatsaa shares his side of the story
Responding to the viral clip, Srivatsaa said he could not afford a speaking coach at the time.“I’m the Indian guy Alex Hormozi and Tony Robbins are talking about. I came to the US with a thick Indian accent and was told I’d never get employed anywhere if I couldn’t learn how to speak. But here’s the thing: I couldn’t afford a speaking coach. I was a janitor, barely making ends meet,” wrote Srivatsaa.He added that he decided to learn on his own.“So, I taught myself how to speak properly, but it wasn’t from a speaking course; I checked out Tony Robbins tapes from the public library and listened to them every night as I mopped floors,” he added.
‘Not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do’
Srivatsaa ended his post by sharing the lesson he took away from that period of his life.“This is why I live by the saying that not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do. I could’ve listened to the employers and stayed as a janitor. But your starting point is not your story; it’s just the first chapter of it.”Disclaimer: This article is based solely on statements made by the individuals involved in a podcast conversation and subsequent posts on X (formerly Twitter). The Times of India has not independently verified the claims or events described by the speakers.Thumb image: X/Sharran Srivatsaa
