The Stubborn Cancer Winner – Now Helping the World Win Big
In a world racing toward faster results, louder voices, and flashier headlines, Arjun Sen stands out with powerful calm confidence. He doesn’t arrive with fanfare; instead he enters quietly—but unmistakably—with a grounded presence that immediately makes you pause. Not because he’s a former Fortune 500 executive or a branding legend; but because there’s something else: a heart that wants to win big, every time.
Arjun is living proof that empathy, presence, and purpose are not just feel-good values. They are strategies for success—in life, leadership, and business. And at the end of every presentation or project, Arjun leaves behind proven impact, a path to future success, and raving fans.
The Journey Started in Kolkata
(Arjun speaking at a national corporate conference in Houston, Texas)
Raised in a traditional Bengali household, Arjun’s journey began not with ambition, but with values. His grandmother—a soft-spoken woman of quiet discipline—taught by example the power of hard work. Kindness wasn’t optional. Integrity wasn’t situational. These weren’t just lessons; they were anchors.
That grounding led him to the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and later, an MBA from Brigham Young University in the U.S. Recently IIT Kharagpur bestowed on Arjun distinguished alumni status. But his greatest lessons didn’t come from lecture halls. They came from listening—to people, to mistakes, to unspoken moments of truth and his spirit to always try one more time when facing any adversity.
How the Pursuit of Being “one-of-one”, Became a Branding Secret Sauce
Arjun’s corporate career took off in the heart of American business. At Papa John’s International, one of the top three pizza chains in the world, where he served as VP of Marketing & Operations, he led one of the most significant turnarounds in the brand’s history. But he didn’t just move numbers in Billions—he moved people. The change he led, created legends and legacy.
He reminded the corporation that it wasn’t just about pizza. It was about Friday night laughter, birthday memories, and family traditions, one visit at a time. And on every occasion, he wanted to be “One-of-One”, when it comes to branding and marketing. Arjun’s branding philosophy is to make brands category leaders, not followers. He achieved this by keeping things simple and working on fewer things, and his constant drive to make ideas bigger.
Arjun Sen’s Track Record of Brand and Business Impact
(Arjun speaking to global leaders at their corporate retreat outside Mumbai)
- Arjun Sen’s branding genius has ignited transformative growth across industries, around the world, sustained over time.
- His vision turned a single-unit restaurant into a $349 million global brand in just 14 years by identifying its core uniqueness and crafting a breakthrough consumer strategy.
- He is the mind behind iconic taglines like “Better Ingredients. Better Pizza.” and “Eat. Drink. Play.” that redefined entire categories by tuning into the consumer’s emotional pulse.
- His intuitive storytelling helped a top U.S. private school boost enrollment by 25%.
- He helped reposition a 120-year-old retail giant around ‘health and happiness,’ elevating its relevance across 12,000+ locations.
- He redefined the guest experience at a leading haircut brand by anchoring to one unforgettable client moment.
- He architected a one-minute presentation that sparked a surge in donor engagement for a nonprofit combatting human trafficking.
- He pioneered the Pizza Tracker, which drove 10–12% annual growth by giving control back to the guest.
- He solved a phone hold-time problem that evolved into the first online ordering system, creating a billion-dollar revenue stream sustained across 6,000 stores in over 50 countries for more than two decades.
Arjun’s strategies consistently unlock powerful human connections. A proven track record of different industries, around the world, over 30 years. Under his leadership, customer loyalty soared, not because of marketing gimmicks, but because the brand listened and responded with love. And the best part is that Arjun believes the best is ahead, the next project, the next speaking.
The Evolution of ZenMango and “Customer Karma”
The belief of taking brands beyond, formed the foundation of ZenMango, the brand transformation consultancy Arjun founded. Arjun’s ZenMango team has worked with over 100 organizations across the world from DISH Network, Walgreens, DaVita, AliveCor, Retina Specialty Institute, Coca Cola, Domino’s, Chipotle, McDonald’s, Chili’s, Pizza Hut; to academic institutions, and nonprofits.
Through ZenMango, Arjun introduced a revolutionary idea: Customer Karma. It’s the belief that every customer interaction leaves behind an emotional mark. Brands that serve selflessly accumulate good karma—and in return, earn trust, loyalty, and love. Customer Karma builds on the simple tactics, “We serve one customer at a time. What can we do to pour our heart out to make the customer come back again, one more time; and then one more.”
Customer Karma isn’t just a book—it’s a movement that’s reshaped how leaders see the customer experience. It’s been embraced by Fortune 500s, healthcare giants, and even solopreneurs—all drawn to its human-first approach to brand building. This evolved to his branding philosophy “We are all in the feeling business”—understanding customers not as data, but as people.
Arjun Sen, Unquit Forever: More Than a Mindset, a Way of Life
(Arjun with Good Gobar Show podcast host Nishant Parashar, Founder of engage4more)
Arjun Sen’s life would take an unimaginable turn when, at age 32, he was diagnosed with a rare, aggressive cancer. Doctors gave him less than 100 days to live.
What followed wasn’t just a recovery story. It was a transformation. In his conversation on the podcast, The Good Gobar Show, he mentioned his twenty plus surgeries and his journey through relentless pain. But never a moment of surrender. Arjun chose to Unquit—a term he now uses not just to describe his winning, but his whole way of living.
He refused to see illness as a pause. Instead, he wrote books, mentored nonprofits, and trained for a half-marathon—a goal sparked by a nurse named Nancy who greeted him every day with a single word: “Hug.”
Nancy didn’t just care for him; she believed in him. She called him “the future author and half-marathoner.” And Arjun, even while in pain but smiling, rose to meet that belief.
The Life Turnaround Started with the People Who Did Not Quit On Him
In his darkest hours, Arjun found light—not in medicine, but in moments.
His daughter, Raka, asked him, “If you die, who will dance at my wedding?”
That question didn’t just melt his heart—it ignited his will to live. His handyman Johnny made surprise visits during Arjun’s recovery, bringing humor into hospital corridors. There were friends, family members and sometimes even strangers, who paused to offer him a helping hand, to assist him in the journey ahead. Every one of these people and moments with them became more than support. They became fuel for an unshakable belief: “I am never alone. I may quit in the ME-only world but in the WE world it is all about unquitting together. If you open the door, people will show up to help.”
From Life Story now a Blockbuster Movie on Amazon Prime
(Arjun with Abhishek Bachchan, on the set of I Want to Talk)
Arjun Sen’s story is so compelling, it became a Bollywood film. Director Shoojit Sircar created I Want to Talk, starring Abhishek Bachchan, based on Arjun’s life. The movie showcased emotional courage, quiet leadership, and the strength of vulnerability. Arjun didn’t fight life’s battles with noise. He led with presence. Even Amitabh Bachchan, India’s legendary actor, called him a Yoddha (warrior) on national television. A man who fought death not with anger, but with gratitude.
Books by Arjun Sen That Transform Lives
Arjun’s life experiences became bestselling books, including:
- Unquit Forever: Keep yourself in the game, 2024. His deeply personal book Unquit Forever: Keep Yourself
- Wow One More: Secrets to Win Big from 13 Restaurant Leaders, 2021. Arjun collaborates with 13 top restaurant leaders to share powerful lessons in growth, brand building, culture, and customer experience.
- Customer Karma: Why Stop at a One-Night Stand When You Can Have a Lifetime Relationship with Your Customers?, 2016. Arjun uncovers the blind spots of many well-intentioned companies in the customer dating game. Arjun draws upon his broad experience in marketing, branding, and customer relationships to offer impactful customer-centered insights for business professionals of all levels.
- Raising a Father: Memoirs of A Dad, Challenged by His Daughter to Live for Today’s Special Moments, 2009. The book is a reflection of Arjun getting lost as a dad and his daughter rescuing him and putting their relationship back on track. Initially, he titled the book Raising a Daughter. But then, he realized who raised who and changed the title to Raising a Father. Each book is not just a read—it’s a mirror. It challenges readers to listen deeper, lead wiser, and love harder.
Keynotes That Don’t Just Teach—They Heal, They Inspire
As a motivational speaker, Arjun Sen has delivered keynotes around the world. But these aren’t just talks—they’re experiences shared from the heart. Whether speaking to five people or five thousand, Arjun doesn’t perform. He relates. His stories—raw, real, and deeply human—aren’t meant to impress. They’re meant to transform. At the end there are long conversations, handshakes and hugs.
Arjun Sen speaks on:
The Unquit Forever Journey
What do you do when life’s biggest challenges stare at you and you see no path forward? How do you take the first step and leave the thought of giving up behind? How to keep your mind strong and live the unquit forever way, how to be fear free and celebrate every day, every moment?
Secrets To Win Big®
Ever wonder how far you and your business can go? What does it take to turn every win into a big win? How to take the next big step and accelerate their journey and put your brand on the path to Win Big? What pitfalls you need to worry about that can derail you in the journey? How to build momentum and sustain big wins?
Customer Karma®
Ever wonder how to turn every customer interaction into a lifetime connection? How do you go from a constant customer acquisition business to retention first? How you can elevate your customer first mindset and strategy? What is the one unique thing that makes you one of one in your customers’ minds? What is stopping you from delivering it consistently every day, every time?
A Mentor, A Mirror, A Movement
Those who work closely with Arjun say he’s more than a strategist. He’s a mirror—someone who reflects your truth back to you. From CEOs in transition, to young entrepreneurs chasing clarity, Arjun holds space for discovery. He doesn’t sell solutions. He co-creates awakenings. His secret? He listens. In a world addicted to telling, he listens. And in that silence, people remember who they are—and why they began. Arjun was the president of PanIIT USA, and his leadership was instrumental in repositioning the IIT brand in the U.S. and around the world, helping each IITian benefit from the halo of the elevated brand.
How The Quiet Warrior Can Change Your World
Arjun Sen doesn’t seek attention. But wherever he goes, he leaves an imprint. He is a pause in a noisy world, a smile in a tense room, a memory that stays long after he leaves. How does he do it? With a mind that does not quit, strategic thinking that is breakthrough and unparalleled. Whether it is conversation over a cup of tea, or him partnering with your brand team, or a keynote by him, your life, your business will transform forever.
Be excited to partner with a life winner, artful storyteller, a teacher who lives life, an inspired father, and a fighter who believes in people. He doesn’t tell you to be perfect. He tells you to be present. To show up. To Unquit and Win Big.
Find out for yourself why Blaine Hurst, Former President and CEO of Panera Bread, called him, “One of the most ‘business-Intelligent’ minds in the business today”, and why industry leaders recognize him as the Brand Zen®.
Watch His Journey
YouTube Interview with Arjun Sen
Book Him for Your Next Event
To bring Arjun Sen’s transformational voice to your stage, book through engage4more—India’s top platform for keynote motivational speakers and talent. With over 2,500 artists, pacy bookings, and free event publicity, engage4more makes inspiration accessible, unforgettable, and meaningful. Also, enjoy our value adds like complimentary quizzing for your events along with free publicity by our post-event coverage via our social media handles!
