Breaking Barriers, Embracing Diversity: 🌍 Unveiling the inspiring journey of Preethi Mohan, founder of Niceto 🌈

🎙️ Hello everyone! 🌍 It's Rhea Shyamkant here, your host from That People Geek podcast. Today, we will go on a text adventure rather than an auditory one due to a minor IT hiccup. But let's look on the bright side. You're about to get a front-row seat to a riveting conversation that unfolded between me and the inspirational Preethi Mohan.

Preethi, a corporate stalwart who spent much of her career working for large conglomerates, noticed a glaring gap 🕳️ - the insufficient representation of underrepresented groups. With a mission to highlight and address this issue, she entered the entrepreneurial world with her startup, Niceto 🌱.

The name "Niceto" was birthed from the warm greeting, "Nice to meet you." This reflects the ethos of breaking down barriers, demolishing silos, and injecting a human touch 🤝 into the world of startups. Their strategy and mission are simple but potent. They aspire to engage with early-stage startups because they firmly believe that Tech and Startups are the portals to our future 🚀.

Niceto has set its sights high 🌠. They aim to flip the funding equation and nurture a more inclusive and equitable ecosystem. Their revolution is just starting, and Preethi said, "Before the evolution, there's a revolution."

Our conversation veered into several aspects of diversity, not just cultural but also the often overlooked aspect - neurodiversity 🧠. The creation of spaces where neurodiverse individuals feel empowered and represented was something Preethi stressed on. Networking, a powerful way to gain visibility, can be daunting for some, so ensuring these individuals don't miss out on crucial opportunities is integral.

Moreover, Niceto is on a mission to break down the silos within Impact Groups and form a vast, unified ecosystem of support, empowerment, and representation 🌐. This mission resonated deeply with me as someone conditioned to conform to certain norms to fit into society. Born Aishwarya, a name with a rich cultural history that means "prosperity" and "wealth", I shortened my name to Rhea to fit in. But imagine a world devoid of these barriers. A world where representation truly matters. This is the world Niceto aims to create.

Studies reinforce the power of diversity. A report from Harvard Business Review found that diverse teams could solve problems faster than cognitively similar people 📊. Similarly, McKinsey's research indicates that companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians 💹. These are not small numbers. There are direct benefits to the organisational bottom lines.

Preethi's influence is not confined to Niceto. As an enthusiastic investor and philanthropist, she's leaving her positive imprint on the startup world and working towards a more inclusive world 🌈.

If you're intrigued by Niceto's revolutionary journey, I encourage you to contact Preethi via her LinkedIn profile. Tune in to her podcast - The Startup Palette, for more impactful conversations in the startup world 🎧.

As we pave the way towards a more equitable future, we can't help but feel a thrilling sense of anticipation 🌟. With pioneers like Preethi leading the way, we are set to witness a future where diversity, inclusion, and representation are not just buzzwords but the very fabric of our society. So, join us on this journey because the revolution is just starting! 🚀💖🎉