In our current world littered with ‘disruption’ rhetoric everywhere you turn, echo boomers ‘decoupling’, and Uber drivers giving you ride-long lectures about angel investing, it is hard to find a trustworthy north star. Rameet Chawla helps put some sanity into this new and very strange era we now live in. This bearded trailblazer fully embraces technology and is a thought leader entrepreneur with a unique sprinkling of fashion knowhow and distinct originality. Rameet preaches a message that embraces being different with substance. Everything does not have to be surface/shallow, it is okay to have substance and still have fun. With his ‘Fueled’ movement, Rameet facilitates entrepreneurship with a fresh twist that seems to evade even the most cutting edge venture capitalists. Stylenochaser loves Rameet’s zone – he might as well be our fourth founder because he touches all the facets that embody our mission. Rameet is simply a unique, thoughtful, substantive individual that exemplifies the journey to excellence while remaining yourself.
See the interview below.
“Apps will continue to disrupt the world at an increasingly fast pace, and will become more seamlessly ….”
Please tell us a little about yourself – your childhood, siblings, where you grew up, what you liked as a child, strange thoughts as a child/now, unique attributes, where you live now, etc.?
I was born in NY, but moved when I was 6 years old to Florida and stayed there until I returned to the city for college at NYU. I was always a curious child, asking questions about why things worked a certain way. Always loved building and engineering. Making my own remote control cars out of Legos and a battery-powered engine was one of my favorite activities. I also was a bit of a rebel, never really following any of the rules put in front of me. My parents were great, they were always supportive and made sure I had the freedom to be creative. Currently I live in NYC and I love it. The city is full of entrepreneurial energy and it makes the work I do all the more meaningful because I can always find a way to directly help the people I meet.
What philosophy do you live by? What is your ultimate aspiration?
My philosophy is that the best work comes from following your passion. I’m passionate about helping startups and entrepreneurs develop and sell their ideas and this is why I love my work. I derive joy in creation. I love the risk, and I love working on the unknown – the psychological aspect of finding a void that exists in our society and the attempt to fill that gap with a piece of tech. I aspire to create technology that disrupts tradition, which is well done, transparent, and elegant.
You are a very expressive individual – where did your zest for life and courage to be different come from?
I’m not sure if it was courage to be different or if I was just already different and have learned over time that it’s an asset that I should leverage more than suppress.
Please tell as a little about Fueled and Fueled Collective?
Fueled is a development and design consultancy recognized for its work in creating popular mobile apps. With teams of designers, developers, and strategists based in New York, Chicago, and London, we don’t just design visually pleasing products, we strive to create intuitive and innovative user interfaces. Our services help both startups and enterprise clients turn their ideas into top-notch apps. Additionally, Fueled is so dedicated to helping startups get off the ground that in 2013, we founded the Fueled Collective, a shared working space for over 35 of New York’s most innovative startups. We strive to contribute to every step of the creative development process.
The Internet has been one of the biggest game changers of all time, what other disruption/s do you think the world is on the verge of?
Apps will continue to disrupt the world at an increasingly fast pace, and will become more seamlessly integrated into our everyday lives. – But it’s not just apps, it’s all technologies that are beginning to integrate themselves more deeply into our lives. Self-driving cars used to be this science fiction thing, but they exist now, and Google’s got them driving themselves all over California literally accident-free. The technologies involved in the auto industry are changing from peripheral accessories (like audio systems and rear-view cameras) to central components. A self-driving car means no more drunk drivers. It means that the car’s interfaces no longer need to be suitable for someone who’s behind the wheel. You will be able to read in your car, drink in your car, sleep in your car – and sooner than you think.
Fashion is a very important part of your life, how are you able to merge fashion and your ambitions career wise?
The way I dress gets me noticed. When I was first starting out in tech, I was known as the “mobile guy with a beard.” I was able to pick up leads based solely on the fact that I stood out from the crowd and that I was memorable. I had Marc Jacobs reach out to me because he saw me in a “NYC’s most fashionable” list and he was looking for someone who understood the fashion industry to help him out with the tech side of his business. It works.
What fashion brand/s do you think best matches your personality?
Sage de Cret, Thom Browne, Ffixxed, RRL
Do you model for or represent any brands?
Every once in a while someone will ask me to wear something for their brand. TOMS was one of them, Red’s is another that asked me to do something for them this weekend. Another hat maker asked me if they could shoot me with one of their hats on the following week. I try to help out as many people as possible. I never ask for compensation. I’m not a model. Just do it as a favor. I know it’ll come back in spades in the future.
How do you keep your beard so glorious?
I avoid the barber and let it be 100% natural. That’s the key.
Your social media presence is very impressive, what is your secret to mastering the promotion of your endeavors?
I actually consider myself to be on the weaker side of social media mastery. Although I understand the mechanics more than most, I’m not a big enough sharer. The people who garner tens of thousands of followers on a monthly basis share constantly. I maybe share something once a week!! I guess one could say that even having somewhat of a following given the fact that I rarely share is impressive. Or maybe it’s just that beards are popular right now and I dress funny.
Since Style.No.Chaser is a men’s lifestyle magazine, what attributes/items/clothing /etc. do you think define a man?
It’s tempting to point towards what’s on the surface – a guy’s hair, shoes, den, etc. But what really defines a man is how he treats others, especially others who are less fortunate and those from whom he expects to receive nothing. The way a man treats these people allows his character to shine through.
I have long hair, and a beard, and a certain taste in clothes, and people tend to remember me for these things. But I hope that people also know and remember me for the less tangible qualities too, and that’s what I notice about others. No flashy hat can cover up a bad character.
How can people learn more about your current and upcoming projects?
The best sources of information are the company website, fueled.com, and our blog, fueled.com/blog. Also follow Rameet on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
