Sharmin Ali

About Sharmin Ali

They say life gives second chances, but I know firsthand it also gives third chances—if you’re bold enough to take them. I’ve stared death in the face not once but twice, and each time, I’ve come back stronger, more determined, and deeply committed to creating a lasting impact in this world.I’m an entrepreneur at heart and by choice. My career began in the trenches of startups, where I helped grow a Chicago-based company from zero to a couple of hundred million dollars in ARR. But my true entrepreneurial journey started when I bootstrapped my first company, a Netflix-like platform for Indian vernacular languages, which I sold for an 8-figure exit after just four years.My second venture, Instoried, was an emotion AI startup that transformed how marketers connect with their audiences. Through grit and persistence, I raised $200M for the company and scaled it to a successful exit in 2023, stepping away only due to health reasons.Now, I’m building PiePie AI, a cutting-edge video content creation platform, while championing mental health for entrepreneurs through the Sharmin Ali Foundation for Entrepreneurs (SAFE). SAFE is my soul’s work, inspired by my journey of overcoming stress-induced trauma and cardiac arrest. I aim to give back to the entrepreneurial community by providing the support system I wish I had.I’ve shared my experiences through two books and am thrilled to announce my third, ‘Bitch, Stop, Please’, coming soon—a deeply personal account of resilience, clarity, and the art of innovation.Through it all, my dream remains the same: to create meaningful impact, build ecosystems that empower, and inspire others to rise above the chaos. Life is short, and I’m here to make every moment count. Let’s connect, collaborate, and create something extraordinary together.

Experience

1. Growth Advisor

   Banavo.Ai

   Oct 2025 — Present

Education

• DPS RK PURAM, New Delhi

  XII, PCM

  2004 — 2006

• Visvesvaraya Technological University

  B.E, Electronics and Communication

  2006 — 2010

Skills

• Business Analytics
• Analytics
• Logistic Regression
• Sas
• Sas Programming
• Cluster Analysis
• Business Analysis
• Data Analysis
• Linear Regression
• Customer Analysis
• Business Intelligence
• Sql
• Data Mining
• Vba
• Marketing Analytics