Our History
A Classic American Friendship
An American Friendship
Serengeti Ventures grew out of a classic American friendship forged in one of the world’s greatest self-help institutions: Toastmasters International, a not-for-profit organization known worldwide for empowering individuals as effective communicators and leaders.
One August, 31-year-old Vijay Bendigeri walked into the Early Bird Toastmasters Club at the Golden Corral restaurant in Tallahassee, Florida. Among the club members who greeted him was a 52-year-old American-born entrepreneur named Synthia Laura Molina.
Vijay was a transportation engineer and, after the club meeting, he and Synthia hung out at a local Starbucks coffee shop and chatted about American’s infrastructure and opportunities. The next week, Vijay brought 27-year-old Namratha Yajaman to the Early Bird meeting and, over the following months, the three discovered a shared love of self-help content, human possibility, and the American Dream. Week after week, the three met for ethnic movies and meals—all while discussing their latest finds at the App Store, Amazon, Barnes & Noble Booksellers, TED Talks, and YouTube on purposeful living, organizational leadership, and societal contributions.
The Tragedy of Benched Talent
As time passed, Vijay and Synthia noticed that Nammi was beginning to feel isolated and depressed. She was legally prohibited from working or starting a business in the Land of Opportunity, despite having a Master’s Degree in Computer Applications. Synthia turned Nammi on to lynda.com courses, and Nammi immediately began to discover her calling and flourish.
The Epiphany
In mid-January, 2017—after enthusiastic discussions about the Great American Melting Pot—a book title suddenly appeared in the mind of one of the friends: “An Immigrant’s Guide to American Possibility.” As the three began to collaborate on the book, they found that content on immigrant entrepreneurship and innovation was so scattered that it would be nearly impossible for a new American patriot to compile and make use of it.
This realization led the three to refine their life missions: to ensure all who pursue the American Dream have the self-help resources essential to their success and a healthier nation.
So here we are—Vijay, Nammi, and Synthia—committed to your success and the American Dream!
Interested in the Immigrant’s Guide or other resources from Serengeti Ventures? Please contact us today!