Filmmaking and entrepreneurship both require turning an idea into a product. Another thing common between the two careers is Anand Tamboli, an innovator and a transformation expert. He has done both – made movies as well as started companies.
Tamboli’s latest project is a docu-series titled Visible Founders. Featuring four episodes, the series highlights migrant entrepreneurs and their inspiring stories.
“Each person has a story to tell that made them who they are today,” Tamboli tells Indian Link. “For migrants, those stories are often eye-opening, awe-inspiring, and motivational.”
The documentary showcases enterprising individuals chasing their dreams whilst working against systemic odds. Some of those featured are Tamboli himself, Chirag Soni (founder of Soni Wealth), Deepa Mani (founder of Chandralaya School of Dance), Richard Currer (Head of Partnerships at The Startup Network), Sangeeta Mulchandani (entrepreneur and lecturer at Melbourne University), and co-founders of ZeroTag Shimroth John Thomas and Joseph Oliver Yap.
The docu-series was released today, 21 Sept on YouTube, with subsequent private screenings to be held in Melbourne and Sydney.
“The goal is to reach a maximum number of audiences and not to make box office sales,” Tamboli shares.
Born in Aurangabad and living in Sydney, Tamboli believes “entrepreneurship is fundamental to human existence”.
His own journey as an entrepreneur started early: as an electronics and electrical engineering student at the Government College of Engineering, Aurangabad, he designed new circuits with a friend. They sold well, and got many a mention in well-known electronics magazines in India.
In 2008, he founded Knewron Technologies, a tech solutions and services provider. It continued to operate even through his move to Australia in 2013.
He sold the company in 2018 and got into writing, producing two books in 2019 and 2020, and travelling places as an inspirational speaker sharing his stories from the corporate and entrepreneurial worlds.
With pandemic-induced lockdowns, these speaking assignments took on a virtual format, and Anand Tamboli found himself bitten by the filmmaking bug!
“I opened a home studio in lockdown and had a best-in-class setup for the virtual delivery of my sessions. As I progressed from being an author to speaker to online presenter – I earned a reputation for being a good storyteller. This reputation along with my technical expertise and availability of equipment (camera, lights, etc.) led me to the next project – creating short films, documentaries, and other content.”
Before Visible Founders, Tamboli had made several short films on YouTube. But the most special project came about in 2022.
“We created a short docu-drama for a multicultural radio station, Akashwani Sydney 98.5 FM. The film titled On Air Down Under, was about the importance of the mother tongue. It went to three international film festivals.”
He realised the power of filmmaking to talk about social causes.
“That’s when I turned my attention to another intersection I work at – entrepreneurship, startups, and migrants,” he recalls. “As I spoke with several founders and entrepreneurs, it became clearer – migrant founders and small businesses are more resilient and socially focused, and despite that, they don’t get the attention they deserve. Their stories are not told in mainstream media.”
And just like that, the idea to make Visible Founders was born. “The stories we are sharing in Visible Founders are relatable. These are the same people living next door to you and me. They will not only inspire and motivate budding founders, but the insights gleaned from these episodes will be actionable.”
Anand Tamboli is already working towards bringing forth a second season of Visible Founders in 2024.
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