In this episode of the Coming Clean Podcast, I have the pleasure of speaking with Miki Agrawal, a social entrepreneur and innovator. Miki has regularly entered taboo markets with great success. She’s passionate about giving back to the world around her through every project she undertakes. Her creative approach to awkward issues is inspiring to every entrepreneur. You won’t want to miss this conversation.

You will want to hear this episode if you are interested in...

How 9/11 changed Miki’s life forever [01:37]
The forming of the four Ps [06:05]
Entering a space that is taboo [12:30]
The inspiration for Thinx and Tushy [22:43]
Contributions to other countries [27:16]
Partnering for success [34:16]
Not allowing your ego to interfere [40:12]
Integrating the generations [43:29]

From NYC with purpose

When Miki graduated from Cornell University, all her friends were moving to New York because that was “the place” to work at that time. Miki and her twin sister both got jobs in investment banking in New York, even though neither of them was a financial person. They moved to NYC 10 days before 9/11.

Miki’s subway stopped at the World Trade Center, where Miki regularly met her friend, Laura, who worked on the 100th floor. After they’d have coffee at the cafe, Miki would walk across the street to her office. Then the 9/11 attacks occurred. Thankfully, Laura happened to be downstairs getting coffee. That was also the only day in Miki’s life that she woke up late to her alarm clock. She tried to call in, but no one answered the phone, so she turned on the TV. It was at that moment at 22 years old, when Miki realized that every moment counted. That was the wake-up call to do something with her life that mattered. Instead of just taking whatever job came her way, she knew she needed to be intentional.

Determining entrepreneurial viability

Miki asks herself three questions before starting any business. First, what sucks in my world? It has to be a personal pain point. For example, in 2004, Miki could not eat dairy, gluten, and processed foods because it made her feel bloated and horrid. She loved pizza but couldn’t find any alternative that she could eat. The second question was, does it suck for a lot of people? In this example, 1 out of 5 Americans is gluten-free, and 1 out of 5 is lactose intolerant. That’s a big market that Miki could serve. The third and the most crucial question is, can I continue to be passionate about this issue, cause, or community? It takes ten years to be an overnight success. You have to go into a business with the devotion to make it a success. You need to be passionate about it for the rest of your life.

Giving back through business

In every issue that Miki solves, she also considers the impact that solution has on the rest of the world. With everything that she sold, she wanted to serve. This mindset creates a circular economy of giving and receiving. One of the ways Miki’s restaurants have given back is by supporting local farms. With Thinx, the company gave back by supporting women in Africa who don’t have access to feminine products. Over half a million women have been able to go back to school who would otherwise have dropped out. Tushy has helped build clean toilets and provided the support needed to educate and maintain the toilets. The company stays in the communities for six months to train people why it’s essential to have better sanitation. Miki’s teaching approach takes into every interaction is a beautiful example of how to thoroughly and positively impact everyone you reach.

Resources & People Mentioned

Connect with Miki Agrawal

Connect With Peter O. Estévez

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Pizza, Periods, Pee, Poop and Parenting, with Miki Agrawal, Ep #94