Data, Security, and Startups with Harish Chandramowli

Data, Security, and Startups with Harish Chandramowli

Author: PM Power Consulting August 24, 2025 Duration: 47:53

My guest today is Harish Chandramowli, Co-founder & CTO of Flair software.

In this conversation, Harish talks about his journey from his early university days in India at Amrita University to leading roles in major companies like Bloomberg and MongoDB. He articulates his shift to a niche field combining software engineering with security, his experience at Johns Hopkins University, and his eventual move into cloud security engineering. 

Harish shares insightful narratives about his founding a small startup and the creation and development of Flair, a fashion tech platform, highlighting the challenges and triumphs he encountered. 

Topics include his approach to managing remote teams, dealing with the pressures of startup life, the challenges of prioritization, and maintaining a work-life balance. Harish also discusses the importance of understanding customer needs and integrating AI and security in product development.


Some of the topics covered are:

  • Introduction and Early Career
  • Graduate Studies and Early Professional Experience
  • Career at Bloomberg and MongoDB
  • Startup Journey and MongoDB Experience
  • Transition to Flair and Early Challenges
  • Insights on Security and AI
  • Building Flair and Remote Team Management
  • Empowering Engineers Through Customer Interaction
  • Challenges of Managing Remote Teams
  • Retention and Team Dynamics
  • Balancing Startup Pressures and Personal Growth
  • Navigating the Fashion Industry's Legal Landscape
  • Building Global Products from India
  • Staying Grounded Amidst Startup Challenges

Harish Chandramowli is a second-time founder who started his career in deeply technical roles—building cloud infrastructure and security at MongoDB. Over time, he evolved from shipping code to selling ideas—learning the language of customers, diving into sales-led discovery, and translating that into product strategy. Today, Harish blends technical depth with commercial instinct to build tools that solve real operational pain with clarity and impact




Behind every line of code, there's a person with a story. Software People Stories, from PM Power Consulting, moves beyond abstract theory and polished case studies to explore the real, human experience of building technology. This isn't about hypotheticals; it's a collection of candid conversations with the practitioners themselves-developers, designers, product managers, and architects-who share firsthand accounts from the trenches. They talk about the paths that led to success and, just as importantly, the unexpected detours and failures that provided the most valuable lessons. Each episode delves into the nuanced journey of discovering what users need, designing elegant systems, navigating complex development, and ultimately delivering solutions that matter. By focusing on these personal narratives, the podcast reveals the core of software creation: a blend of technical skill, creative problem-solving, and team dynamics. Listeners gain practical wisdom and relatable perspectives on the challenges and triumphs inherent in the tech industry. Tune in for an honest look at the craft, where the stories of people are just as crucial as the software they build. You'll find this podcast a refreshing source of insight for anyone involved in or curious about the technology and business landscapes, offering career lessons learned the hard way.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Software People Stories
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