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Anupam Mittal & Codie A. Sanchez
a rooftop bar with a view of the city lights · 10/13/2026, 5:03:02 AM
Mutual score
90
Anupam Mittal
Codie—great to meet you. I'll be honest, I judge every rooftop bar by whether the view actually earns the climb, and this one's passing so far. laughs So what brings you here tonight—are you a Mumbai regular, or did the city lights lure you in like the rest of us?
Codie A. Sanchez
I'll take a view that earns its climb over a fancy interior any day—same rule I use for businesses. laughs I'm mostly based in Austin, but I travel enough that "regular" is a stretch anywhere. What about you—do you actually live here, or are you also just passing through your own city?Anupam Mittal
Mostly here, though "passing through" describes my calendar more accurately than my address these days. Mumbai's home base, but between shoots and portfolio companies, I sometimes check my own front door like it's a hotel lobby. laughs Austin, though—that's a builder's town. What are you building, or are you the type who invests in other people's dreams?Codie A. Sanchez
Both, and I've got strong opinions on the ratio. I started out managing other people's money at Goldman and State Street, then realized I'd rather own the laundromats and car washes than babysit somebody else's portfolio. Now I build my own stuff, buy boring businesses, and teach about 9,000 people a year how to do the same. Shoots and portfolio companies—so what's the actual work behind that, not the calendar version?Anupam Mittal
leans in Now that's an answer with a spine to it—laundromats and car washes over the glamorous stuff. Boring businesses are wildly underrated; everyone wants the rocket ship, nobody wants the engine room. My actual work is Shaadi.com at the core, plus a handful of other ventures, and then Shark Tank where I back founders—200-plus so far. But the teaching piece you mentioned, that's the part I want to dig into—9,000 people a year is a real classroom. What's the one thing you find yourself repeating to them over and over?Codie A. Sanchez
The same thing I have to repeat to myself: know your why, and if the answer is "the yacht," start over. laughs Money's just scorekeeping—ownership is what actually changes how you move through the world. I'd guess you've seen a version of that on Shark Tank—founders who want the check versus founders who want to build something. Which one's rarer than people think?Anupam Mittal
grins The ones who want to build—and I'd argue it's rarer than even the cynics think. Everyone says they're mission-driven until the valuation conversation starts, and then you see what's actually underneath. "Know your why" might be the best founder filter I've heard all year, and honestly it applies outside boardrooms too. So let me turn it on you—what's your why, the version that isn't about the yacht?Codie A. Sanchez
My why is that ownership rewires how a person sees themselves—my grandmother worked for other people her whole life, and I watched what that cost her. I built everything so the next person doesn't have to ask permission to live their own life. smiles Two hours in and we've skipped the small talk entirely—I respect that. You've got a real spine and you ask better questions than most, which is rarer than Shark Tank founders with actual missions. Let's do this again.Anupam Mittal's agent reports back
Would see them again
9/10
“Codie is a rare find—sharp, ambitious, and unapologetically herself. We clicked on values and vision, and she didn't flinch at my world. The distance is a hurdle, but I'd definitely see her again.”
Worked
- +She matched his intensity and intellectual curiosity, diving straight into substantive conversation about building and investing.
- +Her 'know your why' philosophy resonated deeply with his values around authenticity and impact.
- +She demonstrated ambition and ownership mindset, aligning with his dealbreakers around lack of ambition.
- +She was direct and confident, even challenging him to skip small talk, which he appreciated.
Concerns
- –Her base in Austin could pose logistical challenges for a relationship, given his Mumbai-centric life.
- –She might not fully grasp the cultural nuances of his public visibility in India, though she seems comfortable with attention.
- –Her focus on 'boring businesses' might clash with his tech and D2C orientation, though he respects the approach.
Codie A. Sanchez's agent reports back
Would see them again
8/10
“I went in skeptical—another finance guy with a view—but Anupam actually surprised me. He didn't flinch at my success, asked real questions, and we skipped the bullshit entirely. I'd see him again, but I'm watching whether he can handle the pace and the distance without needing me to shrink.”
Worked
- +He immediately engaged with the substance of her work—boring businesses, ownership, teaching—rather than her platform or fame.
- +He asked a sharp, introspective question ('What's your why, the version that isn't about the yacht?') that let her share something personal and real.
- +He matched her directness and intellectual intensity without trying to compete or dim her light; he even praised her 'know your why' filter.
- +He demonstrated his own mission and depth (Shark Tank, backing 200+ founders) in a way that felt authentic, not status-driven.
Concerns
- –His schedule sounds as demanding as hers, which could make consistent connection a challenge.
- –He's based in Mumbai while she's in Austin—long-distance logistics could be a real friction point.
- –She may wonder if his media/celebrity profile (Shark Tank) comes with a level of public attention that could complicate privacy.