Jay Chaudhry, the 66-year-old billionaire behind Zscaler, a leading California-based cloud security company, credits much of his staggering success to a partner who rarely appears in headlines-his wife, Jyoti Chaudhry.
With an estimated net worth of $17 billion, according to Forbes, Jay has become the richest Indian-American tech entrepreneur. Yet behind every one of his ventures-including SecureIT, CipherTrust, AirDefense, and CoreHarbor, all of which were acquired-was a deep collaboration with Jyoti, whose expertise anchored their business journey.
The power of spousal partnership in entrepreneurship
Jay Chaudhry often advises ambitious founders to think beyond just hiring a great team. His advice is unconventional, “You want to do a great startup, get your spouse involved as a partner.”
He believes the trust, shared purpose, and complementary strengths that exist in a marriage can form the strongest business foundation.
When they launched SecureIT in 1996, Jay brought engineering and product vision, while Jyoti contributed a robust finance background and an MBA. Jay has openly said he was inexperienced in many critical business operations-from incorporating a company to managing payroll and benefits. Jyoti seamlessly filled those gaps, handling the nuts and bolts that kept the company stable.
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Balancing risk with caution
Their success together has also stemmed from their contrasting personalities. Jay describes himself as a “risk taker ready to jump off a cliff,” eager to move fast and disrupt the industry. By contrast, Jyoti is more measured and cautious-an essential counterbalance that kept their companies from overextending. That right here, brings the balance that helps them in their relationship as well as in their business
Her steady composure proved invaluable during the inevitable pressures of startup life. Jay shared with CNBC Make It that she remained calm even in stressful moments that might unnerve most entrepreneurs.
The secret ingredient: Trust and complementary skills
While Jay took on the spotlight as the CEO and public face, Jyoti often stayed behind the scenes, guiding strategy, overseeing finances, and making sure every venture was built on solid ground.
He has even joked that he doesn’t know the details of their personal finances-he trusts Jyoti completely with those responsibilities. This deep trust, he says, is exactly why they’ve been able to build multiple successful companies together.
In an era where many entrepreneurs search for the perfect co-founder, he offers a simple lesson: sometimes, the best partner is right at home.
