What’s up, Messengers? It’s Mani Monroe, and I just had one of the most engaging and profoundly inspiring conversations of my career with Telk Ganesan, a man who truly embodies the title “serial entrepreneur.” He’s a veteran of the car industry, a tech guru, a movie producer, and now a player in the music, hair, and wellness spaces—all driven by one simple, yet powerful force: curiosity.

When Tell came to Atlanta—which he now calls his second home after 35 years in Detroit—it was to get involved with his movie, Trap City. We talked about how Atlanta has transformed into the buzzing cultural and musical mecca it is today, even calling us the reality TV capital of the world! But it was his pivot into the entertainment world that truly fascinated me.

Tell first found himself in the film industry, but it was his son who pulled him headfirst into the world of hip-hop. When his son, the talented artist and producer Ashwin G. A. (Ashwin Ganesan), told him he wanted to pursue hip-hop, Tell’s entrepreneurial curiosity kicked in. He wasn’t afraid to ask, “What is hip-hop?” and then commit fully to cracking the code, traveling to all the major music cities and building a label and distribution service from the ground up. Hearing the hilarious story about his son’s impossibly deep voice—so deep that studio engineers in Miami thought a “400 lb black man” was singing—was a highlight! Tell’s willingness to disrupt his entire career path just to support his son truly makes him Dad of the Year.

But the conversation circled back to Trap City, and this is where the deeper message lies. Starring Brandon T. Jackson and Young Jeezy, the film is about a struggling rapper working for a drug lord. Yet, the core message, according to Tell, transcends the street undertones. It’s about being separated from love, family, and your past, and ultimately, it’s about the power of faith. The movie’s tagline, “Don’t get caught in the trap,” is not just for the characters in the film—it’s for all of us.

Tell opened up about the incredible validation he received from Jeezy after the film’s premiere, which proved that an “outsider” who never lived that life could authentically produce an urban film. He said he asked himself, “Who created those rules?” and set out to disrupt them. This curiosity and belief led to Trap City becoming a #1 trending movie on STARZ, even beating out high-budget shows like BMF.

This success birthed his upcoming movement and podcast, Mind Trap, which will focus on getting people out of their own mental prisons—the limiting beliefs that hold us back. He’s taking the concept of the traps from the movie (glam trap, fear trap, addiction trap) and turning it into a force for wellness. Tell’s singular mission is to help people shatter those rules by simply asking, “Who says that?” when facing a limiting thought.

From cars to film, music to wellness, and even his newest venture launching authentic Indian temple hair, Tell Ganesan’s journey is a powerful testament to the fact that the human struggle is universal, and you can achieve anything if you refuse to get caught in the trap of societal expectations. His advice is a true gem: “Continue to believe in what I was thinking and not fall for the trap by the society…” We are all in this together, and I, for one, am ready to break some traps!