Carl Sagan’s “Pale Blue Dot” has always meant a lot to me. It’s a reminder of how small we are against the backdrop of the universe—and how much freedom can come from that realization. It puts our own experiences into perspective and reminds us that there is a much bigger world beyond the one we see firsthand.

The more you understand the world beyond yourself, the more you realize you’re not alone. Whatever you’re going through, someone else has experienced it, overcome it, or is navigating it alongside you.

Living in New York City has given me the privilege of experiencing perspectives I may have never encountered otherwise. Every day, I interact with people from different backgrounds, cultures, and walks of life, each with their own stories, challenges, and ways of seeing the world. Reading has given me a similar window, allowing me to step into the lives and viewpoints of people I may never meet. Both have reminded me that there is no single way to experience the world, and that there is always more to learn when you look beyond yourself.

As an engineer, you’re trained to map out variables, anticipate challenges, and account for the “unknown unknowns” before solving a problem. I spent much of my life doing exactly that. I had a plan from a young age—I wanted to become an astronaut, and I built my path around that dream.

But life doesn’t follow a blueprint. The moments that shaped me most were the ones I couldn’t model, control, or predict. Losing my dad, stepping into our family’s diamond business, and eventually building Víya were never part of the plan I imagined for myself. Looking back, those unexpected turns didn’t take me away from where I was meant to be—they led me somewhere I never could have planned.

Being adaptable is one of the most important skills I’ve learned. Bruce Lee said, “Empty your mind. Be formless, shapeless, like water. You put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” That idea has stayed with me. When you’re fluid, you can become whoever you need to be for the moment you’re in, without losing your core. Moving from aerospace engineering to diamonds and then to building Víya demanded exactly that kind of flexibility.

I grew up in environments where strength often looked like silence and self-reliance. Over time, I realized that asking for help isn't a sign of weakness, it's one of the fastest ways to grow.

I often tell myself, I don't know anything. It's a mindset that keeps me curious. When I was 21, I knew nothing about diamonds or running a business, let alone building a new one from scratch. Admitting that gave me permission to learn from people who had already walked the path before me. The right conversation, or piece of advice at the right time can collapse years of trial and error into months of progress. Growth doesn't come from having all the answers; it comes from being willing to ask the questions.