What happens after you take the hits? Thiru Vignarajah — former federal prosecutor, Harvard Law Review president, Supreme Court clerk, and Baltimore mayoral candidate — knows firsthand. In this candid conversation, he reflects on the cost of pursuing public trust, the personal resilience required to fight through public scrutiny, and why real leadership means showing up again and again after every setback.
From his family’s Sri Lankan roots and Yale education to his experiences under Justice Stephen Breyer and the hard lessons learned on the campaign trail, Thiru offers an unfiltered look at ambition, public service, and what it really takes to move a city forward.
Key moments include:
00:00 | Thiru’s Origin Story
05:35 | Family Legacy & Sri Lankan Roots
10:15 | From Woodlawn to Yale
15:25 | Clerking for Justice Breyer
20:27 | Finding Power in Consensus
25:51 | Facing Political Attacks & Staying True
30:04 | Untangling the Greenmount Scandal
35:44 | Support Systems & Personal Setbacks
40:00 | The Joy of Serving the Public
42:16 | Tackling Baltimore’s Real Issues
44:55 | Crime vs. Public Perception
48:22 | What Mayors Can Actually Do
51:03 | Baltimore’s Demographic Changes
54:19 | City Strengths & the Path Forward
56:12 | Prioritizing Passion Over Prestige
01:00:07 | Justice vs. Popularity
01:04:49 | Learning From Failure
Watch the video here…
About “Love ‘n Business”
Mick Arnold runs his 90+ year old family business, Arnold Packaging as well as his latest venture, Arnold Automation. His wife, Britt Tegeler Arnold, founded Tegeler Construction & Supply in 2016.
In their “Love ‘n Business” podcast, you have a front row seat as they speak openly about navigating their businesses, entrepreneurship, relationships, and life, with their unusual dynamic.
You can view past episodes right here.
