Podcast: Shashank Shekhar — Why Empathy Without Accountability Fails Teams

On this episode, we’re joined by Shashank Shekhar, Founder and CEO of InstaMortgage, a category-defining fintech company in the mortgage industry. Shashank shares his remarkable journey from arriving in the US with no network or software background to building a thriving, award-winning business during a financial crisis. He opens up about hiring missteps, how to build a high-performance culture without micromanagement, and the future of work with AI-driven teams. He also discusses the importance of values-based leadership, the dangers of hiring based on brand names alone, and how founders can stay resilient through failures.

Jun 25, 2025
# mins
Podcast: Shashank Shekhar — Why Empathy Without Accountability Fails Teams

Podcast: Shashank Shekhar — Why Empathy Without Accountability Fails Teams

On this episode, we’re joined by Shashank Shekhar, Founder and CEO of InstaMortgage, a category-defining fintech company in the mortgage industry. Shashank shares his remarkable journey from arriving in the US with no network or software background to building a thriving, award-winning business during a financial crisis. He opens up about hiring missteps, how to build a high-performance culture without micromanagement, and the future of work with AI-driven teams. He also discusses the importance of values-based leadership, the dangers of hiring based on brand names alone, and how founders can stay resilient through failures.

Podcast: Shashank Shekhar — Why Empathy Without Accountability Fails Teams

On this episode, we’re joined by Shashank Shekhar, Founder and CEO of InstaMortgage, a category-defining fintech company in the mortgage industry. Shashank shares his remarkable journey from arriving in the US with no network or software background to building a thriving, award-winning business during a financial crisis. He opens up about hiring missteps, how to build a high-performance culture without micromanagement, and the future of work with AI-driven teams. He also discusses the importance of values-based leadership, the dangers of hiring based on brand names alone, and how founders can stay resilient through failures.

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