At Teranet, we believe community is built through everyday actions, showing up, lending a hand, and creating spaces where people feel supported. Our community series celebrates team members who bring that spirit to life beyond the workplace.
This month, we’re proud to spotlight Madhu Nagaraja, Senior Product Manager at Teranet, whose community involvement is as inspiring as it is unique: he’s helped build a thriving open-water swimming community in Oakville, Ontario.
What do you do at Teranet as a Senior Product Manager, and what part of your role do you enjoy most?
I’m a new member of the Real Estate team within the Commercial Solutions division. My mandate connects me across the real estate sector supported by our GeoWarehouse, REALM, and REALM VT platforms, acting as a bridge between complex technical systems and the real-world needs of real estate professionals.
I always focus on the purpose and impact behind every product we create. My favourite part of product design is untangling messy problems, complicated customer pain points and turning it into something simple and useful. Nothing beats the feeling of seeing a strategy come to life and it making a real difference to the customer.
How did you get into open water swimming and why does it matter to you?
My foundation was in competitive pool swimming in India, where I specialized in the 200 Fly and 200 IM. Back then, I never imagined I’d become a long distance swimmer. In fact, I often joke that “if you hang out with the wrong people, this is what happens!”
Getting into open water swimming was a journey that took me from the competitive pools to the unpredictable currents in San Francisco Bay, the Pacific Ocean, the English Channel and the Great Lakes. This was all about finding a community, facing failure, and discovering that, in the end, these adventures are so much more than just swimming.
In 2003, losing my job in Silicon Valley became the catalyst for me to trade the office for the wild waters of Northern California. What started as a one-mile race in Spring Lake and a two-mile swim in Lake Berryessa quickly led me to the South End Rowing Club and the Dolphin Club in San Francisco. Immersed in that community of ‘crazies’ who swam in the cold, choppy Bay, I was hooked. From the pools in Palo Alto to the beauty of Lake Tahoe and eventually the currents of the English Channel in 2004, this journey was about so much more than physical grit. It was a masterclass in leadership and human values, teaching me to face failure head-on and showing me the true power of community.
For me, open water swimming isn’t just a sport; it’s a way of looking at the world.
- Facing the scary stuff: I’m a firm believer in picking challenges that I can’t quite visualize, the kind that feel a little bit impossible. Whether it was the English Channel, Lake Ontario, or the Straits of Magellan, I choose swims that force me to confront my fears and solve complex problems.
- The power of community: None of my crossings were solo efforts. From all my swims I’ve learned that a strong team is everything. I always strive to be a reliable link in the community, ensuring that I’m contributing as much as I’m receiving.
- A connection to nature: There is a unique joy in taking time for yourself at sunrise while the rest of the world is asleep. Swims like the 24-hour Great Lakes swim taught me that these waters aren’t just a playground; they are a vital part of our heritage that needs protecting. It’s why I co-founded the Great Lakes Trust and Great Lake Open Water Adventures (GLOW) to ensure future generations can experience that same burst of energy the lake provides.
- Resilience Through Failure: My successful crossing of the Straits of Magellan in 2017 only felt so triumphant because I had failed there in 2015. It taught me that failure is just data, a way to refine your mindset and come back stronger.
What inspired you to start the Great Lakes Trust and GLOW in Oakville, and what is GLOW all about?
The inspiration behind the Great Lakes Trust and GLOW Adventures stems from a deep-seated belief that we don’t just swim in the water, we are part of its ecosystem. Living in Oakville, Lake Ontario is our backyard, and these two organizations were born from a desire to protect that resource while building a tribe of people who love it as much as we do.
I’m inspired by the burst of energy the lake provides. After my own crossing, I realized that the Great Lakes are a vital, yet fragile, heritage.
- Great Lakes Trust: I co-founded this along with Loren King to bridge the gap between adventures, athletics and advocacy. It’s about funding scientific research, artistic expression, and civic engagement to ensure the lakes remain healthy for future generations. It’s our way of giving back to the water that taught us how to endure..
- GLOW Adventures: I co-founded this along with Janice Barker, Mauro Campinelli, Greg Maitinsky, Kim Dej, Loren King and Rob McGlashan because we realized that while swimming can feel like a solitary act, the journey is impossible without a crew. We wanted to create a space in Oakville where the “inadvertent leader” in everyone could come out.
GLOW is the “boots on the ground” (or rather, “feet in the sand”) side of our mission. It is centred around Coronation Park and the idea that the water is open to everyone, provided they have the heart for it.
- The Sunriser Swims: This is the heartbeat of GLOW. It’s about stealing time for oneself at dawn, gathering at the beach while the rest of the world sleeps, and embracing the cold.
- Year-Round Commitment: GLOW isn’t just for the summer. It’s for the enthusiasts who find beauty in the lake even when there’s ice on the shore. It promotes long-distance swimming, not just as a sport, but as a discipline of the mind.
How does GLOW build community, especially for people who are new or nervous about open water?
GLOW isn’t a traditional swim club with rigid lane lines; it’s a community built on shared vulnerability and selfless support.
- The No-Ego Zone: Whether someone is training for a 50km crossing or just trying their first 500m in the chop, the community treats them with the same respect.
- Safety & Solidarity: In the open water, your life depends on the person next to you. This creates a bond that is hard to find elsewhere. I’m a firm believer that “crazies” are the people who help solve complex problems under stress, a mindset that carries over into my professional life.
- Connection to Place: By swimming at Coronation Park, day after day, the GLOW community becomes the unofficial guardians of the Oakville waterfront. We aren’t just visitors; we are witnesses to the lake’s changes, its moods, and its needs.
“GLOW is where empathy meets the elements. It’s a group of people who show up for each other at 5:00 AM, not because they have to, but because they know that the ‘deep end’ is better when you’re in it together.”
You’ve served on the Board of Solo Swims of Ontario (SSO). What did that experience teach you about leadership and giving back, and how does it connect to how you show up at Teranet?
Serving on the board of Solo Swims of Ontario (SSO) taught me that leadership is ultimately about stewardship and decisive risk management. My role centred on five pillars:
- Strategic Safety: Acting as the final authority on risk by making data-driven go/no-go decisions.
- Authority: Ratifying crossings and overseeing Swim Masters to ensure field integrity.
- Stewardship: Guarding SSO regulations and Information to maintain the sport’s prestige and safety.
- Ethical Oversight: Resolving conflicts neutrally and fulfilling fiduciary duties to the non-profit.
- Advocacy: Balancing technical data with administrative health to promote safe marathon swimming.
As one of the Directors of the Board at Swim Drink Fish, Canada where we champion the right to swimmable, drinkable, and fishable water, I am part of the committee that was instrumental in taking the Swim Drink Fish mission global by connecting with the Swimmable Cities movement. This helped bridge the gap between local environmentalism and a global network of urban water advocates, ensuring that the lessons learned in the Great Lakes resonate in cities worldwide.
As an International Marathon Swimming Hall Of Fame executive committee member, I get to provide global stewardship by validating inductee records with rigorous due diligence. I lead digital and technology strategy and have developed solid social media practices to modernize the narrative. We consistently ensure that the Hall of Fame remains prestigious, ethically governed and connected to a global audience.
I’m most proud of co-founding Great Lakes Trust and Great Lakes Open Water Adventures. These organizations have successfully bridged the gap between elite marathon swimming and the Oakville community, fostering a unique collaboration that makes world-class adventure accessible at a local level.
My Leadership Philosophy
The foundation of my leadership is the perspective that “I did not build a team; the team built me.” This approach has guided all my major adventures, including my Lake Ontario Crossing, navigating the Straits of Magellan, completing the Marathon Des Sables and a 100-mile run, and organizing countless other expeditions across the Great Lakes and various water bodies worldwide.
- Bringing Talented People Together
My core ability is not limited to identifying talented individuals; it is in acting as the cohesive force that unites diverse personalities and skill sets into a singular, directed team.
- The Protective Backstop
My leadership style at Teranet will be protective. I’m usually known as the quiet and calm which has allowed my team to take risks, I always make sure that we do not lose sight of the mission, keep the vessel on course and ensure the safety of the mission.
- Stewardship as Strategy
My involvement with Solo Swims of Ontario (SSO) and Swim Drink Fish showed me that my approach goes beyond just managing a project. I bring this same sense of stewardship, a commitment to protecting data integrity and the value we deliver to customers, to my work with the Real Estate segment at Teranet.
- Unassuming but Decisive
I like the fact that I’m just a normal guy and my approach to business problems is always quiet and calm with confidence and prioritizing results over ego.
- A Swimmable Culture
I strive to make the work environment feel like a community, a place where people from all backgrounds feel they belong, are safe to fail, and are inspired to do amazing things they never thought were possible.
My Core Philosophy: Leadership is the art of being the last one in the water and the first one to offer a hand to the next person getting in.
Here is more information on Madhu’s adventures!
- https://marathonswimstories.com/madhu-nagaraja/
- https://www.soloswims.org/madhu-nagaraja
- https://www.openwaterpedia.com/wiki/Madhu_Nagaraja
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rr0WoMVi7wE
- https://www.watermarkproject.ca/watermark/a0d0B00000IKd4sQAD
- https://soloswims.com/nagaraja-own.htm
- https://community-events.arcteryx.com/firesidechatwiththetripshedmad1
- https://www.themovemovement.org/en-us/stories/madhu
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jqPTTlRm9I8
