The Tension Paradox with Ujwal Arkalgud

Today's guest is cultural anthropologist, entrepreneur, investor, and author, Ujwal Arkalgud, and the conversation about tension paradox was different than any we've had on the show before. In it, we talk a lot about binary opposites and operating within dichotomies. "You've got to ask, what are the opposites I operate within and how can I exist in that environment?" Said another way, "How can I fit within the push and pull?" As a business owner or leader, this concept informs and impacts everything – the upfront work that needs to be done, purpose, resiliency, effective human-centered sales, scaling and growth... "Using tensions is not as complicated as sometimes people think it is" and Ujwal gives a great 3-step exercise at the end of the episode to help with that.  Listen in! It may transform how you think about life and, for sure, business. — Ujwal Arkalgud is a leading voice in growth anthropology and sustainable business strategy. As the founder of Investment Ark, he works with early-stage B2B startups, offering both strategic investments and hands-on coaching to help founders navigate the complexities of building resilient, sustainable businesses. Ujwal believes that growth isn’t about chasing hypergrowth—it’s about embracing the tensions inherent in scaling to unlock long-term success. Previously, Ujwal co-founded and bootstrapped MotivBase, a predictive anthropology platform that he scaled to a 10x revenue multiplier. His work with Fortune 500 companies—including Target, Kroger, and General Mills—helped them decode customer beliefs and behaviors to build multi-billion-dollar private label brands. Since MotivBase’s acquisition, Ujwal has also worked with mid-market private equity portfolio companies, helping businesses with $15M–$35M in revenue overcome growth challenges using his growth anthropology framework. This experience complements his passion for supporting startups and growth-stage businesses, enabling him to bring diverse insights into scaling sustainably across industries and company sizes. As the publisher of Decision Lab, a newsletter dedicated to uncovering cultural forces shaping customer behavior, Ujwal provides decision frameworks and insights to founders and business leaders worldwide. His upcoming book, The Tension Paradox (2026), explores how leaders can turn the contradictions of scaling into opportunities for innovation and resilience. Passionate about supporting the 99% of founders often overlooked by the traditional VC model, Ujwal is on a mission to help businesses grow on their own terms while building lasting impact. He'd love to connect if you’re a founder, investor, or tech leader interested in growth strategies, the future of anthropology in business, or the untapped power of cultural insights. Head to https://investmentark.net/ to learn more, connect with him on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/ujwalarkalgud), or sign up for his newsletter (https://decisionlab.beehiiv.com/subscribe).