IAM109- Entrepreneur Creates Community of Travelers Focused on Local Cultures

I grew up in a small village outside the capital of India, where we had no running water, or electricity and didn't even have toilets – that's a story for another day but this was the beginning of my life. I moved to the US at age 12 and after college, I took up a job in the sciences that would make my parents happy. After some years of collecting courage, I quit my corporate job to pursue my passion – of which I had no idea! So I went out to find it and through many jobs and businesses, I did. That's when GLYD was conceived.

• CEO Hack: Writing down everything and listening to positive talks
• CEO Nugget: Watch your thoughts, they become their words. Watch your words, they become your actions
• CEO Defined: Works every day without losing enthusiasm, it all stops with you.

Website: http://discover.glyd.co/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glydapp/
Facebook: https://web.facebook.com/glydapp?_rdc=1&_rdr
Download on Google Play's App Store: http://open.glyd.co

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Transcription:

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Intro 0:02

Do you want to learn effective ways to build relationships, generate sales and grow your business from successful entrepreneurs, startups, and CEOs without listening to a long, long, long interview? If so, you've come to the right place. Gresham Harkless values your time and is ready to share with you precisely the information you're in search of. This is the I AM CEO Podcast.

Gresham Harkless 0:26

Hello, hello, hello, this is Gresh from the I AM CEO Podcast, and I have a very special guest on the show today. I have Monika Bhasin of GLYD. Monika, it's awesome to have you on the show.

Monika Bhasin 0:36

Well, thank you so much, Gresham. I'm really excited to be on the show and share my insights with the community.

Gresham Harkless 0:41

Yes, I'm really excited to have you on the show and hear about all the awesome things that you're doing. And what I wanted to do was just read a little bit more about Monika, so you can hear a little bit more about all the awesome things that she's doing. And Monika grew up in a small village outside the capital of India, where they had no running water or electricity, and didn't even have toilets. But that's a story for another day. But that was the beginning of her life. And she moved to the US at the age of 12. And after college, she took up a job in the sciences that would make her parents happy. After some years of collecting courage, she quit her corporate job to pursue her passion of which she had no idea. She went on to find it and through many jobs and businesses she did and that's when GLYD was conceived. Monika, are you ready to speak to the I AM CEO community?

Monika Bhasin 1:23

Yes, I am. I'm excited.

Gresham Harkless 1:25

Awesome. Let's do it. So, the first question I had is I wanted to hear a little bit more about your story, your CEO story, and what led you to start your business.

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Monika Bhasin 1:32

Well, as I mentioned, and as you said, I told the community that I grew up in a very small village. My mom was married very young. So, I was born to her when she was only 16 years old. So, she couldn't really take care of and she had to hand me over to her mother. And so that's why I was I grew up in that village because their mom and her parents were farmers, and that's where they lived. So, I kind of always felt that need to connect to my parents, because I didn't live with them for almost 12 years.

And that need to connect really just kind of settled in me. And it just became a part of me. And when I started traveling, I always felt like I needed, like I kind of got that feeling again, because throughout life, I kind of fulfilled that need to connect with friends. And then I met, I sort of live with my family. And then, connecting with other people was always a big part of my life.

And when I started traveling, that lack of connection all came back to me and I felt like I need to do something. And I felt like that just visiting the landmarks and tourist areas was not enough for me to actually experience a different city or culture, because that's really what I wanted to do. I wanted to connect with other people, I wanted to see the world I wanted to see how other cultures are. And there was none of that without actually meeting the people who live there and spending time with them.

So, I looked and scoured the internet for something like GLYD right now. And at that point, about five years ago, there was nothing like that. So, I decided if it's not there, I'm going to build it. And so I decided to do a lot of research. And that's how it came about. But it took me a while to find my passion as I'd mentioned in my story. Because after I quit my corporate job it was I thought of it as the world is my oyster, right? Because I could do anything.

And I don't know where that belief comes from. But I always had that belief that if I put my mind and heart into something, I will achieve it. There's nothing in the world that would stop me. And I believe that everybody in the world like I know that about everybody in the world, put their mind and heart into something, they will achieve it Gresham, even though I don't know most of the world right now if somebody comes to me, and I don't know them, and they say they want to do something, I can wholeheartedly believe in them and say, you really want to do this, if you have your set your mind and heart to it, I know you can do it. You just have to have perseverance.

And just if you have that passion, it will keep you at it. And I always had that belief about myself that I can just do anything I want to do. So, I decided let's try acting. So, after I quit my job, I went to acting school, I went to New York Film Academy, and I started waiting tables that were an experience and it was ironic because I know I'm I grew up Hindu and we don't eat beef and all this. And my first job was at this high-end Steakhouse.

So, yeah, I mean, there were just a lot of great learning moments. I really have enjoyed my journey, and I can't wait to see what my life holds. And I think that's one of the things that I would tell anybody who's getting on a journey or things about their life it's all learning points that you get in your life these little pieces of information, you got to keep learning because life is all about learning.

Gresham Harkless 4:54

Yeah, that makes perfect sense. And obviously hearing from you know where your story started and where you are at now I mean definitely, you're rocking and rolling, and you want a lot of awesome things. And I think by fulfilling your destiny and doing what you what your purpose is and what your passion is, you kind of give people I guess empowerment so that they're able to do it themselves.

So, I appreciate you for the kind of being able to do that. And what I want to do is drill down a little bit deeper on GLYD. And as you mentioned, I know I myself, when I go and travel, I'm always looking to try to get the real true experience of the culture of everybody that's there. And it's always hard to do that if you're on cruises and things. So, I thought it was pretty awesome, like this app that you have. So, I wanted to hear a little bit more about GLYD and what it is that you're doing with that.

Monika Bhasin 5:34

Absolutely. So, over the past decade, we've realized how important social media is right. And we even utilize social media to make our buying decisions. And I realized when I was doing my research that a lot of people were saying, hey, you know, I'm coming to Chicago, what's there to do? Hey, I'm going to Paris, I saw that you went there last year, what is there to do, and or, Hey, I'm coming to LA, could you show me around.

So, taking that into consideration and kind of designing the GLYD platform as a social media. At the front, when you download the platform, you'll see feeds will see the explore feed, and you'll see a more personalized suite, which is the people you follow. And what I am trying to build on that or what I'm building on is we're trying to create this community of travelers and locals who are really focused on experiences and really showcasing their local city. They really loved traveling and want to share with the community, the things that they're discovering while they were traveling.

So, that if somebody is traveling to the same location they've traveled to, or perhaps they're coming into your hometown in your neighborhood, they can say, hey, Gresham says, I see that you've gone to Italy last year, it seems like you and I have a lot of things in common. Could you perhaps make an itinerary for me like a digital itinerary? And from the posts that you make in GLYD, you can actually choose and collect them in an itinerary form and send them over to me. And then I would have a list of things to do while I'm in Italy suggested by a friend that I know or someone I'm following, who has a lot of similar interests as me.

So, it's a more curated custom list of things to do while you're away. Or perhaps if I come to your town and say, I have 4 days in your town, I would love for you to show me around for two days, maybe it'd be like my local tour guide, or like a rental friend, or I hate to say that, but it's very similar. Like, it's like when a friend shows you around because you're picking the person the local based on your common interest.

Now, a lot of times what happens is when people go on tours and whatnot, they end up getting grouped with people that they have nothing in common with or the tour guide is not very funny or is super historical, or you just have different interests.

So, this is meant for people to connect with like-minded people, so they can have better experiences of different cities and different cultures. Because I believe that people are the heart of the city, they are their culture. So, unless you connect with them, you're never going to really experience a culture. And that's my whole idea behind GLYD is to really provide that insight from the locals who live in the cities that you're traveling to.

Gresham Harkless 8:05

Yeah, I love that. And I love the piece on when I wish I did go to Italy last year. And I couldn't say that. But I bet definitely been and I have traveled so having the opportunity to be able to go someplace. And usually what we'll do is we'll go on, like social media, and say, who's been to X, Y &Z who's been in this place? What places would you recommend, usually your friends have some type of commonality?

So, you get some kind of curated idea. But it'll be even more powerful. As you mentioned, if you're able to know people that are in this certain community, or wherever you're going city or country, and they will be able to kind of be your tour guide, or like you said, or it's a friend, so to speak, so that you can have that awesome experience that you're looking for.

Monika Bhasin 8:40

Yeah, and imagine there are there are people in the world Gresham that don't have the resources to travel, right, they can't get visas, and they don't have the finances to go abroad. So, imagine what you're doing for the locals, you're actually bringing the world to their feet, you're helping them travel right in their hometown because they're going to communicate with you, they're going to interact with you when you're out on the town with them. And they're going to learn about your culture about you about where you come from.

And so not only am I want to help people travel the world, but I want the travel to come to people who cannot travel. And I really want to empower the locals as well, because the GLYD is a way for people to make money as well. Because these itineraries are going to cost people money, it's not going to be outstanding, I mean crazy expensive, but the locals are going to be able to monetize their local knowledge and people will travel they're going to be able to travel more because they're gonna be able to monetize their travels as well. And they're gonna be encouraged to really dig deep into cultures and have that time have that those resources. So, that's another part of GLYD that I'm really passionate about.

Gresham Harkless 9:43

That makes perfect sense. And I think that's really, really powerful so now I wanted to ask you for what I call your secret sauce and this might be for GLYD, it might be for you yourself, but it's something and you might have already touched on it, but it's something that you feel like kind of distinguishes you or sets apart GLYD.

Monika Bhasin 9:56

What's this about GLYD is the social front that it holds to build that community of travelers and locals to build that trust to build that curiosity to build that wanderlust. Really, that's, I believe, and I know that is the secret sauce, that connectivity to people when you're sitting on your couch, and you can connect with somebody who's sitting 10,000 miles away in China or in Tokyo, or wherever. And for me, personally, my personal sauce is my meditation, I can't stress enough how important self-care is.

And I think that if you know, the biggest relationship you're going to build is with yourself. And that's the hardest relationship. And that's the most fulfilling relationship if you have that set. And I think that's a life's work you're constantly gonna be working with, with yourself and covering so many different levels of yourself to yourself. And I think that's the hardest work of my life. And that's the most fulfilling work of my life.

Gresham Harkless 10:51

I love that. And that's definitely a great reminder for everybody to kind of take into account self-development and filling up their cup. So, now I want to just switch gears a little bit and ask you for what I call a CEO hack. And this might be an app or a book or a habit that you have, but it's something that makes you more effective and efficient as a business owner.

Monika Bhasin 11:08

One of my hacks is writing everything down. I have so many things on my mind that I tend to forget a lot. So, writing everything down, helps me stay focused to check things off, and makes me feel accomplished, that I accomplished something and it gives me those little wins. That's more on the professional side. And on the personal side, as I mentioned, every morning, I'm you know, everybody's meditation is different.

I listened to positive, videos on YouTube, I know, and listen to a lot of laws of attraction, a lot of the universe talks, and a lot of those things where energy is a source of everything. And that is my meditation. I don't close my eyes, and try to focus. And that's really not how I meditate. Everybody meditates differently. But I listened to those videos, and I visualize my future. And I do a lot of self-work through that.

Gresham Harkless 11:59

I love that. And yeah, I have to write everything down because I don't have the best memory. And sometimes, when you sit down and realize like how many sometimes you don't realize if you're doing so many things, but if you write it down, and you start to check stuff off the list, you're like, wow, I really did accomplish a lot today, even though sometimes you might forget all the things that you did.

Monika Bhasin 12:15

Exactly, exactly.

Gresham Harkless 12:17

And now I wanted to ask you for what I call a CEO, nugget. And this might be a word of wisdom or a piece of advice. Or if you can happen a time machine and go back in time, what would you tell your younger business self?

Monika Bhasin 12:27

I would tell myself what I've learned from my meditation, which is what your thoughts may become your words. And I think, I don't know if Napoleon Hill said that, or somebody said that it's not these are not my words. But these are words I go by, and I think everybody should, and this, I wish I had known this before, watch your thoughts, they become your words, watch your words, they become your actions. And I really encourage everybody to watch the way they think and be conscious about their thoughts. Because the thoughts become their reality because their actions end up becoming their day.

And what they do throughout their day, if you tell yourself, you're having a terrible day, you're going to end up having a terrible day. If you're telling yourself you're going to you're having a great day, you are most definitely going to have a great day. So, I really encourage people to really watch their thoughts and be more conscious in their lives on a daily basis.

Gresham Harkless 13:16

Awesome, awesome, awesome. Well, Monika, what I wanted to ask you now it's my absolute favorite question, which is the definition of what it means to be CEO. And we're hoping to have different, quote-unquote, CEOs on this podcast. So, I wanted to ask you what being a CEO means to you.

Monika Bhasin 13:28

Being a CEO means that I work every day relentlessly, without any loss of enthusiasm. I really love what I do. But being a CEO also means that the buck stops with you, if something goes wrong, it's up to you to fix it. And if there's nobody else, and being a CEO means freedom, being a CEO means empowerment. Being a CEO means competence to me. Being a CEO means that I wear a lot of different hats. And being a CEO also means that you got to encourage and empower the people who work with you. I am a firm believer in the thought that nobody works under you, they will all work with you. We're all a team.

And it's really important for you to constantly remind that to yourself and to your team, that we're all on the same level, we're all working towards the same goal. And when things get rough or too busy, we sometimes forget a lot of these things. So, it's really important for you to constantly remember that. And because you're the CEO, you're the leader of whichever organization you're a part of. And it's really important for you to lead by example, and really empower your employees and people you work with.

Gresham Harkless 14:36

I definitely agree with that. And, Monika, I really appreciate you for taking some time out of your schedule. What I wanted to do was pass you the mic just to see if there's anything additional you want to let our readers or listeners know and how to get and also how to get a hold of you. And of course, download the app.

Monika Bhasin 14:50

Absolutely. So, I would really like to emphasize the thought, and philosophy I really want everybody to start their day with positive thoughts and perhaps write two to three things that they're grateful for every single day. Sometimes they may get repetitive but those repetitions will become blessings when you're going through some challenges. Oh yes, you can get a hold of me through it through I have Instagram _monikabhasin. And definitely download the app GLYD. It's pronounced GLYD. GLYD around the world, and different cultures. And that's why I named it GLYD. As you know, a little thing that a lot of people don't know is that the first name that I had thought about for GLYD was actually shut down by Facebook. They sent me a cease and desist letter about you can't use that name. You can't be in this industry and this and that.

So, yeah, that's a no it was a blessing in disguise. At that moment. I was like, why are they bullying me? But it all happened for a great reason. Because I love the word GLYD because it also stands for go live your dream. And I want everybody out there to go live their dream because life is too short. And you only got one.

Gresham Harkless 16:01

Well said. Well, awesome. Monika, I truly appreciate you. I hope you have a great rest of the day.

Monika Bhasin 16:05

Thank you Gresham, I really appreciate it. I hope we've inspired at least one person and I hope everybody out there has a great day.

Outro 16:14

Thank you for listening to the I AM CEO Podcast powered by Blue 16 Media. Tune in next time and visit us at iamceo.co

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