Technology & Entrepreneurism: Shyam Salona

The Future: Technology, Relationships, & Authenticity

Shyam Salona, co-founder and CEO of REI Systems Inc., emphasizes the importance of treating each day as an adventure to become a better version of yourself and uplift those around you. Forty-one years ago, Salona traveled across two oceans to a renowned land filled with opportunities, where he had heard that, “If you do good work [and] work really hard, then you can be successful, regardless of your background and connections with people.” He describes how his journey was never mapped out from the start; instead he embarked on life one challenge at a time. Salona passionately put his heart and soul into whatever he was working on while simultaneously allowing life to steer its course. Ultimately, this approach landed Salona to this beautiful destination.

Salona fell in love with the art of computer science precisely the same way he approaches life: through logic and common sense. For Salona, the field of computer science simply “wants you to look at the challenge; there is a computer who can understand only a limited set of instructions. How can you solve the problem by telling the computer using that set? It [requires]so much common sense that it’s fun.” This philosophical approach led him from St. Stephen’s College in Delhi to a large technology corporation in New Hampshire. He partnered with Veer Bhartiya to start REI Systems Inc. [SS1] Salona explains their reasoning for founding REI: “Even though we had such talented people and such a large corporation,[SS2] because of the multiple layers, what we got done at the end of it was not as significant. So, I felt that if we have small teams who are pursuing goals that matter, enjoying the learning, and helping each other, [SS3] then those teams can produce much better results.” Furthermore, he felt that “at some stage, you kind of get stuck as a technical person. For you to move further, you have to start [engaging]in the business aspects and becoming savvy at navigating the organizational politics[SS4] .” Instead he wanted to create, “ an environment where you can just do your work, be good, and not have to worry about politics and positioning.” Which is exactly what REI Systems is working to accomplish. Initially, Salona, like many ambitious young adults, enjoyed working late into the night with a computer. But, he explains that his perspective shifted significantly over the years, “I believe that technical skills are important, and they give you a start. But after that, for you to grow, the interpersonal skills take on a much more significant role because to produce much more significant results, you have to work with teams. The way to inspire and empower [others], take on a much bigger role.” That is exactly why in a typical work day, Salona explains that his role is “to uplift and inspire teams to pursue whatever goals they are going after. I get to look at the holistic aspect of our business, that means the financials, the customer, then how well we are helping employees, their well being, and how well we are delivering, and the impact we’re making.” Our world places great importance on being ‘successful’, but what truly defines this ambiguous goal of society? Salona explains that, “success is not a milestone that you reach. To me, success is, in an ongoing matter of becoming a better version of yourself. It’s not defined by reaching a specific goal, it is more about pursuing things, progressing, and enjoying the journey.” Salona not only is focused on the current world of technology but also is a visionary for the future of technology, “There are three fields that are going to determine and have an impact on the way we live: biotech, artificial intelligence, and an alternate source of energy.” Salona’s parting words of wisdom for working towards success in any field is to “always put your heart and soul in whatever you’re doing, do the best you can. And when opportunities arise, be open to getting out of your comfort zone. Stay true to yourself. Each one of us is unique and special. Instead of trying to be someone else, we need to learn what that special thing is within you and then focus on leveraging those strengths and being authentic.” Article by Aishani Satia