Today we’d like to introduce you to Rajiv Nathan.
Rajiv, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
About 5 years ago, I had this realization that everything I have ever cared about comes down to a pursuit of expression, through various modes of storytelling. I’m trained as a marketer, have been a rapper since I was 16 and a lifelong WWE (pro wrestling) fan (wrestling is a never-ending story where larger-than life characters express themselves). I also (now) teach yoga in addition to my business, RajNATION Innovation.
My first business was focused on personal brand coaching. Naturally, I started networking with people in the Chicago startup scene. The business ultimately didn’t pan out but, I saw a way to take a lot of the strategies and principles used in personal branding, and apply it to startup companies — another manifestation of expression through storytelling.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Hell no! When we had to shut down the first business, I was pretty devastated. You know that it’s high risk starting a business but you never think it’s actually going to happen to you.
My lowest point was late summer 2016. I knew the first business was reaching its end point. I had also just come off of knee surgery from a basketball injury. So, there I was laying on my couch, woozy from pain medication, my business in peril, my personal finances running low, with my right leg in an ankle to hip immobilizer cast. I felt trapped in my situation and trapped in my body all at once.
It was at this time that a friend let me borrow the book “Shoe Dog” by Phil Knight (founder of Nike). Shoe Dog might be the single greatest book I’ve ever read. It re-motivated me. I decided to not feel sorry for myself.
The transition to RajNATION Innovation definitely didn’t happen overnight. In fact, it took another 6 months or so to get it off the ground but reading Shoe Dog was the initial spark.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about RajNATION Innovation – what should we know?
60-second pitch: I talk to founders every day who flat out tell me, “We SUCK at telling our story!” My job is to remove the suck. Using my background in branding, as well as my experience as a rapper, I look at business communication through the lens of entertainment. With this guiding philosophy, I partner with growth-focused startups to help them make their pitch a performance so they can raise capital and acquire customers. Think of me like Will Smith’s “Hitch” character, but for startups.
10-second pitch: I help startups not suck at telling their story, so they can pitch investors and raise money, and acquire customers.
What I’m able to offer that no one else does is that performance X-factor. The strategies I employ with startups who work with me are the most easily understood and applied strategies you can find because it’s rooted in entertainment. I firmly believe that if you can entertain, you can build emotional connections and when you build an emotional connection with stakeholders (investors and customers), you’ve significantly upped your success odds.
Company mission: 9 out of 10 companies fail. Only 2% of women-owned startups receive outside funding. In an environment designed for failure, RajNATION Innovation’s mission is to use the power of STORY to make success inevitable, NOT the exception. In this NATION, the 3 new inevitabilities of life are death, taxes and your startup succeeding.
Most proud of: The first thing I always have my startups do is pitch me. It’s really rewarding to see them go from confusion, to confidence and having a compelling pitch in a very short time. And, it’s all worth it when I get comments from startups who see success tell me, “You’ve been instrumental to our growth,” and “we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Highlight: In 2017, I worked with 14 companies. 12 of them are either woman-owned, veteran-owned, minority-owned, immigrant-owned, or some combination of those distinctions. We had 5 top-3 pitch competition finishes, including 3 who placed first.
As part of RajNATION Innovation, I also host the Discover Your Inner Awesome Podcast, where entrepreneurs, artists and musicians join as guests for real talk about the journey and struggle toward success.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
I have to give a shoutout to Bunker Labs — the nonprofit that helps military veterans to start and grow businesses. They brought me on as a pitch mentor and consultant initially. And, that’s where I got my feet wet and ultimately realized I could launch this as a business. They have been an awesome group to be connected with since then. (For clarity, I myself am NOT a military veteran).
My former business partner on the first venture, Martin McGovern who is still one of my best friends has always been a great sounding board. I think he had the foresight to know that the business we were building was not going to be my destiny.
Jim Vaselopulos, Cohost of The Leadership Podcast, is a mentor who always gives me a perfectly timed swift kick in the rear when I need it most.
Joe Micallef, my sales coach, keeps me focused and always helps me see ways to improve the business.
My family has been awesome for putting up with my craziness over the last several years. When you leave a well-paying job, there is naturally some doubt, but they have had the wherewithal to know I’m going a different route and support it.
And of course, my clients, for making my job so rewarding and fun!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.rajnationinnovation.com
- Phone: 312-835-4954
- Email: rajiv@therajnation.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/rajnation
- Twitter: twitter.com/rajnation
Image Credit:
Rena Naltsas Photography, RoboToaster, Under30Experiences
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
