IITian CEO and ex-Microsoft exec spends Rs 3.5 lakh a year on breathing workshops in Bengaluru
Reflecting on his early exit from corporate life, Koneru said, “I was happy with where I was financially and my goals were more around my personal well-being and being with my family.”
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An IIT Madras alumnus and current CEO of Zenoti, Sudheer Koneru has revealed that he spends a whopping Rs 3.5 lakh annually on breathing workshops in Bengaluru—part of his continued pursuit of health and inner transformation.
Koneru, now 56, had a thriving 15-year career at Microsoft, but chose to walk away from it all in 2008 at the age of 39, seeking what he calls a “journey of inner discovery.” Speaking to Business Insider, he shared how that pivotal decision was rooted in a desire to prioritize well-being and find deeper meaning beyond material success.
The workshops Koneru attends are four-day retreats hosted by a Bengaluru-based center that offers guided breathwork and spiritual meditation sessions, each lasting around two hours per day. With each program costing between Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.6 lakh, Koneru says the experience is “amazingly healing and just so powerful.”
Despite his focus on wellness, Koneru didn’t stay retired for long. After a two-year sabbatical, he returned to the startup world in 2010 to co-found Zenoti, a Seattle-based SaaS company serving spas, salons, and fitness centers.
Reflecting on his early exit from corporate life, Koneru said, “I was happy with where I was financially and my goals were more around my personal well-being and being with my family.” Over the years, he’s incorporated yoga, running, and strength training into his routine, all part of a broader commitment to holistic living.
Koneru’s journey underscores a growing trend among high-powered executives: stepping away from corporate success to invest in mental, physical, and spiritual health—sometimes in ways that might seem unconventional, but are deeply personal and transformative.
