Shami Kalra: From $10 in the Bank to the Indy 500 Podium — The Omologato Story
Business of Speed Podcast · Business of Speed
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Show Notes
Shami Kalra had $10 left in his bank account, no food in the house, and a wife who told him she'd had enough. That Friday night, he designed two watches in Photoshop. By Thursday, he'd taken his first $1,000. Within 30 days, $50,000. He didn't even have a product yet.
That was the birth of Omologato — the motorsport watch brand built by a fan who couldn't afford a hamburger at Silverstone, let alone the $7,000 watches roped off behind VIP barriers.
In this episode, Shami tells us the full story: 20 years working for people he hated, the moment his wife forced a change, launching on Shopify with no money, and how a cold introduction to Chip Ganassi at Le Mans turned into a phone call, a partnership, and a spot on the podium when Alex Palou won the Indianapolis 500.
We get into:
- Why he flew to the south of France for a 2.5-hour meeting instead of doing a Zoom call
- The swimming pool watch dial born from COVID isolation and what it taught him about hope and belonging
- Supporting drivers from age 9 who are now knocking on the door of Formula 1
- The FIA blocking him on social media for advocating for a disabled marshal at Le Mans
- Meeting Mario Andretti behind the bins at a race and Tony Kanaan at Thermal
- His dream of owning an IndyCar team — and how close it came to being a 2025 reality
- Why kindness is not a weakness, toxic people are insecure, and karma always collects
Shami also shares stories about Juan Pablo Montoya, Roger Penske, Scott Dixon (who lives a mile away), Tom Kristensen, Luke Browning, and why the greatest people in racing are the ones who stand up when you walk over to say hello.