In this no-fluff, full-heart conversation, we sit down with Vasanthan Ramakrishnan—award-winning human rights activist, tech visionary, and founder of Ascend—to unpack the truth behind building a real path to extraordinary ability in the U.S. immigration system.

From his own EB-1A journey to leading 150+ successful cases across AI, cybersecurity, food science, and beyond, Vas shares what it actually takes to craft a compelling narrative, navigate fear and noise, and coach with integrity in a market flooded with shortcuts and smoke.

We dive deep into:

• His personal origin story and why Ascend was built to flip the immigration experience on its head

• How to coach through doubt, self-sabotage, and system opacity

• EB-1A vs. O-1A: strategic differences and emotional readiness

• The rise of PR fluff, fake letters, and false promises—and what real trust looks like

• What’s next for Vas, the kinds of clients he wants to champion, and the future he’s helping build for immigrant founders and dreamers

This one’s for the operators, the builders, and the believers who refuse to buy their way to “extraordinary.” You’ll walk away with a clearer lens, a sharper standard, and a whole new level of respect for what earned actually means.