Piya Saliba has spent her life bringing together creativity, leadership, and service. Raised between Indonesia and Singapore, she grew up surrounded by different cultures and experiences that shaped the way she sees people and the world. As a child, she loved singing, acting, and dancing. Those creative outlets helped her build confidence and taught her how powerful human connection can be.
She also learned about entrepreneurship early in life through her family’s furniture importing business based in Bali. Watching ideas become real businesses showed her that success comes from patience, relationships, and consistent effort.
After attending Swiss Cottage Primary School in Singapore, Piya continued her education at the University of Southern California. There, she expanded her understanding of leadership and developed a broader view of business, communication, and community.
Today, Piya serves as CEO of Fountain Capital, where she is known for her thoughtful and people-first approach to leadership. She believes strong organizations are built on trust, clear communication, and long-term thinking.
Outside of business, Piya dedicates much of her time to philanthropy. She supports the Nalin and Naseeb Foundation and serves on the Cedars-Sinai NICU Family Council, helping families during some of life’s most difficult moments. She also stays involved in school PTA activities and community volunteer work.
Whether she is leading a business initiative or supporting a local cause, Piya believes real success is measured by the lives we improve along the way. Her journey reflects a lifelong commitment to creativity, compassion, and building stronger communities through everyday actions.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
Every day starts quietly. I try not to reach for my phone first thing. Instead, I spend a few minutes thinking about what actually needs my attention. Once my priorities are clear, the rest of the day usually becomes much easier.
My work includes meetings, planning, and conversations with people inside and outside of Fountain Capital. I also dedicate time to the nonprofit organizations I’m involved with because community work is an important part of my life. I finish most days by reflecting on what moved forward and what still needs work.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I start by asking simple questions. Does this idea help people? Is it realistic? Can it last?
Then I break it into small steps. I don’t wait until something is perfect before moving forward. I believe progress usually comes from steady action instead of waiting for ideal conditions.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m excited to see more organizations recognizing that compassion and good leadership belong together. Companies are beginning to understand that caring about employees, families, and communities is not separate from good business.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Writing everything down.
If an idea stays in my head, it competes with everything else. Once it’s on paper, I can organize it, improve it, or let it go.
What advice would you give your younger self?
Stop worrying about proving yourself.
Spend more time listening. Ask better questions. Relationships will take you much farther than trying to impress people.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I think we celebrate speed too much.
People often assume moving faster always means making progress. I’ve found that slowing down long enough to make thoughtful decisions often produces much better results.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
Talk to people outside your own industry.
Some of my best ideas have come from conversations with artists, volunteers, parents, and educators rather than business executives.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I step away from the problem.
Sometimes I go for a walk. Sometimes I sing or listen to music. Creativity helps me reset because it shifts my attention away from pressure and back toward perspective.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
I’ve focused on building trust before opportunities.
People remember whether you follow through. If someone knows you’re dependable, they’ll often return years later with a new opportunity. Relationships compound over time.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
Early in my career, I said yes to too many projects because I didn’t want to disappoint people.
Eventually I realized that saying yes to everything meant I couldn’t give my best to anything. Learning to set boundaries improved both my work and my relationships.
What is one business idea you’re willing to give away to our readers?
Create a community skills exchange.
People could donate one hour each month teaching something they’re good at, whether that’s budgeting, cooking, music, resume writing, or language lessons. Communities already have incredible knowledge. They just need better ways to share it.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Microsoft OneNote.
I use it to organize meeting notes, volunteer projects, personal ideas, and long-term goals in one place. It helps me keep different parts of my life connected without feeling scattered.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
One book I’ve returned to several times is Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl.
It reminds me that purpose often comes from how we respond to difficult situations rather than from the situations themselves.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
I recently rewatched The Greatest Showman.
Beyond the music, I appreciate how it celebrates creativity, resilience, and bringing together people from different backgrounds. It reminds me that everyone wants to feel accepted and valued.
Key learnings
- Long-term relationships built on trust often create more lasting opportunities than chasing quick success.
- Creativity and business are not opposites. They strengthen each other when applied thoughtfully.
- Slowing down to make better decisions often produces stronger long-term results than constantly moving faster.
- Community involvement begins with consistent small actions rather than large public gestures.
- Listening carefully to people with different experiences often leads to the most valuable ideas.