Episodes

  • From a 13-year-old dreaming of becoming a YouTuber to now leading a 6-figure video content agency, today I speak with Pratham Jindal, Founder and CEO of Praper Media—a content agency collaborating with some of the biggest creators on the planet.

    In this episode he shares insights into launching the agency, recounting the story of securing his first customer by spending 100 Rupees on a super chat. Pratham delves into his unique hiring philosophy and offers perspectives on AI, Chat GPT, and Sora. Additionally, he unveils his distinctive framework for hiring staff and discusses effective cold email strategies.

    Pratham provides valuable advice on transitioning from a solo freelancer to starting an agency, reflecting on some mistakes made, such as not trusting his gut. He shares insights for first-time founders and entrepreneurs, discussing his hands-off management style. Why his first content channel failed and key takeaways and starting your own content channel. Content is not an easy game!

    Pratham highlights why Instagram is his most significant marketing channel and explains his reluctance to use freelancer websites. Talks about the startup scene in Chandigarh. Finally, he talks about his venture into creating a KPOP channel in India and much more.

    In this conversation we talk about:

    Starting in his parents bedroom. Not having issues with pricing Algorithms Meeting his Co-founder Being consistant.The booming creator scenePlans for the future.Starting young, did he miss out on social life?A great story about using the wifi restaurant password to complete a job.Getting referrals. Growing quickly 1. to 45 team 1,000 sqft office Qualities entrepreneurs must have - Communication.

    And much more

    Links

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/pratham-jindal/

  • It's a tough job market out there folks! , and on today's episode, we have an expert to guide us through it. I'm joined by Sarabjeet Sacher, the founder of Aspiration Jobs, with a profound passion for coaching professionals in areas such as career growth, career development, job search strategies, and interview techniques.

    He shares valuable insights on crafting a compelling CV—what to include and what to avoid. The episode explores the intricacies of salary negotiation, providing tips on answering pivotal questions like "Why should I hire you?", 'Where do you see yourself in 3 years time?’ And his thoughts on software billionaire NR Narayana Murthy 70 hrs comment

    In this insightful conversation, Sarabjeet delves into the question of whether working for a startup is a wise career move. Great advice for first time graduates with no work experience. And how to deal with those gaps in your C.V!

    We even touch on some wisdom inspired by Tony Robbins. Sarabjeet also offers practical advice on handling rejection gracefully.

    As we wrap up, he generously shares his top recommendations for achieving career growth. This episode is packed with invaluable information, so sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    What is the purpose of your CV/ResumeWork life balanceThoughts on moonlightingDo people still want careers?What about the traditional 9-5 workdayWhich is more important: culture fit or technology fit.Don’t do a 13 page resume!Are CV’s are still relevant?The future of job interviews.The importance of soft skills.

    And much more

    Links

    https://www.facebook.com/sarabjeet.sachar/

    https://www.instagram.com/sarabjeetsachar/

    https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarabjeetsachar/

    https://aspirationjobs.com/

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  • Enabling the well-being of more than 355 million Indian women through products, experiences, and experts. Today my guest is Aruna Chawla, founder of Salad, a lifestyle planner mobile app that support women to better manage their health throughout the menstrual cycle by providing personalised nutrition, fitness, and lifestyle advice.

    She talks about her own personal journey of being in and out of hospital. She talks about building an MVP without a CTO or developers. Aruna talks about why they don’t want to go viral and or build landing pages. She talks about the first version of Salad, a condom company which sold 20,000 in only two months with no paid marketing.

    She talks about her time at the Antler India residency , where they raised a pre-seed round and met her co-founder. She talks about being a FemTech founder in India and the size of the market. Every month, nearly 1.8 billion people across the world menstruate, and nearly 85% of this group suffer from hormonal imbalances.

    She talks about hormones , period tracking and finally she talks about her super strength and advice on how to build healthier habits and goals using behavioural science and much more!

    In this conversation we talk about:

    Keeping it leanStats so farHaving a bias of actionNot wanting to be a founder or do a startup in the beginning. First impressions of her co-founderThe state of the sexual wellness and FemTech industry india. Conducting over 1000 interviews with women across Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities. 6 years of research Her motivations.Shaking up the healthcare industry.

    and much more

    Links

    https://www.grabsalad.com/

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Bye Bye Potholes! Today I have the pleasure to talk to Sourabh Kumar, co-founder of PotHoleRaja, a social venture that 's on a mission to make India & the world pothole-free. He got the idea After reading a tragic story about a woman who lost her life due to a pothole. He gave up his highly paid corporate job to fill in potholes around the streets of Bangalore at 5AM! He didn't tell his parents but he started getting goosebumps when random strangers started to praise his work and efforts.

    Without any background in civil engineering he started doing crazy google searches and ended up creating a number of cool products including Gridmats. a revolutionary patented product that’s eco-friendly, durable and crafted entirely from 100% recycled plastic waste to construct pavements/roads.

    He talks about a life changing moment meeting his co-founder. Talks about key learnings in the early days. Thoughts on social entrepreneurship in India some do’s and don’ts (You can make money!) Why waste is the new gold. Talks about why you must be a risk taker and good at sales.

    Talks about the uncomfortable question he asks people when hiring. Talks about keeping the faith and business models including franchise models. He talks about growing rapidly (100% growth) He reflects on this past year (2022). Thoughts on building a culture of being open. And finally he talks about the biggest pothole he has ever seen and explains how filling a pothole is as easy as making 3 min Maggi noodles and much more.

    In this conversation we talk about:

    Why potholesGoing to Singapore and reflecting on it's infrastructure. The promise he made to himself when quittingBecoming a problem solverThoughts on why the government are not doing this despite everyone paying taxes.15000 km road trip checking out the potholes.Expanding into different countries.Civic tech helping the governmentWhat does leadership mean to SourabhDealing with and the war with waste.Just him and his co-founder for the first two years

    And much more

    Links

    https://www.potholeraja.com/

    Check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities. Join for free for 1 month and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/en/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Content is king! Today my guest is Gautam Madhavan CEO & founder of Mad Influence and influencer management agency. They do more than just connect creators and brands. They do digital marketing, social media management, content authoring, and providing consulting services to businesses.

    They are trying to create the biggest content companies in the world. In this episode he talks about how he got this off the ground by seeing the shift from Blogging to Vlogging 2017/18, realising the power of video and was laser focussed on tiktok in the early days before it was popular. He explains why you shouldn't plan too much when starting up.

    Talks about dealing with uncertainty in the early days and hiring strategies. Advice for all you budding social media creators (Don’t do it for the $$). Building an AI platform for content creators and why you shouldn't worry about the algorithms. Thoughts on Twitter for content creators.

    Talks about who are the upcoming social media influencers in India. His favourite content creators. Talks about research, conversation rates and analytics. Talks about how they Influence the influencers and why you cannot learn this at University, it’s all about building relationships. And he gives great advice on building relationships (be transparent) and why they don’t poach clients/creators/staff.

    He talks about what he looks for when choosing social media influencers (it's not just the numbers) And finally we talk about his favourite campaign promoting the movie Bachchhan Paandey which got a billion organic views which involved kidnapping a bunch of influencers on a train.

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    Running India’s & Asia’s biggest content creator festival in Goa (2023)First mover advantage.Being down to earth and humble.Short video culture. What excites him most about building this company.Why he prefers content creators instead of social media influencers. Getting support from Mum and Dad. Bootstrappinghiring advice

    And much more

    Links

    https://www.madinfluence.com/home

    Check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities. Join for free for 1 month and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/en/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Building the next wave of technology. Today my guest is seasoned investor Nitin Sharma, general partner & co-founder of Antler India. A global early-stage venture capital firm that invests in the defining technology companies of tomorrow. They're one of the fastest growing VC firms in the world.

    In this episode he talks about his 15+ year investing experience. He talks about how they help early stage founders. He talks about the differences between American entrepreneurs and Indian entrepreneurs. Talks about the No1 mistake founders make after raising money and how he deals with startup failure.

    He talks about Web3, Metaverse, Fintech and ONDC. Gives important advice if you want to become an investor. And finally he talks about the importance of mentorship and gives great startup advice based on Aristotle's persuasion triangle (character,emotion, logic)

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    His first year (2008) as a VCHow many startups they invest in and how muchHow to help founders with the residency program.Values, vision and skills.Going global from day onePitching advice (why you & why now?)The importance of building a global network.Validating ideas.Dealing with new technologiesBeing passionate but not emotional.

    and much more!

    links

    https://www.antler.co/india

    Check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities. Join for free for 1 month and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/en/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • India is expected to be home to 700 million gamers by 2025. So Today my guest Piyush Kumar, he is the Founder and CEO of Rooter. A game streaming and E-Sports platform. Rooter has emerged as the largest player in the Indian gaming category, with close to 50 million downloads, making it the No. 1 app in the ‘sports’ category on the Google Play Store since October 2020.

    Rooter is at the perfect intersection of Gaming and Content surge in India. So he talks about how it got this off the ground. He talks about what your MVP should look like. Talks about hiring strategies and philosophies. Mistakes made in the early days. Talks about why the future of social networking is gaming. Talks about the business model & raising $25+Million.

    Talks about finding his co-founder via Twitter and talks about the E-Sports landscape in India including dealing with the parents! Talks about how to build a consumer app and pivoting. Gives some great book recommendations and finally he talks about why everyone should try entrepreneurship at least once in their life and much much more so please enjoy the show.

    In this conversation we talk about:

    E-Sports in the Olympic games.Being an Esports player is becoming a respectable job.StatsInfluencer marketing Performance marketingResearch.Can anyone be an entrepreneur?Book recommendation - How to build a billion dollar app.Advice for first time founders.Esports tournament.

    Links.

    https://web.rooter.gg/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more.

    Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 1 month.

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Sports tech and driving sports engagement. Today my guest is Amit Purohit CEO & founder of Fantasy Akhada, a fantasy sports platform that provides you with an opportunity to play Fantasy Cricket, Fantasy Football and Fantasy Kabaddi by using your sports knowledge and skill.

    So today he talks about building a hyper growth sports tech startup, going from the 181st fantasy app to being in the top 5 , amazing stuff. He talks about the USP - focusing on customer delight. Talks about marketing and why they focus on quality not volume.

    A great story about getting legendary cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle into becoming a brand ambassador and investor with a cold email. Gives advice for first time founders and his primary role as a founder. Nearly giving up , raising finance and finally some fantasy sports do’s and don'ts for first time players.

    In this conversation we talk about:

    Why didn't they go for a subpar cricketer to promote the brand.?Dealing with customer service calls on New Year EveBeing an ex-Star Sports employee.Getting support from friends and familyBeing a very competitive market because of the Low barrier to entryKey learnings and customer feedback in the early days.What is the business model?Having all the skill sets to get this off the ground.Raising finance.Talks about the team.How fast are they growing?Stats and engagement so far.

    Links

    https://www.fantasyakhada.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more.

    Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 1 month.

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Get your popcorn ready! Today my guest is Shalibhadra Shah, CEO & Co-founder of ABC Talkies. An online movie platform for filmmakers to submit their films and for cinema lovers to watch independent cinema on a pay-per-view model.

    He talks about what motivated him to get this off the ground and what problem they are solving . He talks about how they add value to the filmmaker and talks about the business model & revenue streams including variable ticket pricing.

    He talks about being blessed with failure in the early days and keeping the faith. Talks about the current state of the movie industry in India and the booming regional content in tier 2/3 cities. And finally he talks about the time he spent working with PM Modi sharing some interesting tales and insights including the Modi masks and much more .

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    Having an interesting background in digital medialeadershipDigital consumption trendsHow it works & who owns the copyright. Short film market is boomingThe team and hiring process.Huge amount of content not being monetized Wanting to be the Youtube of Movies.Being a stepping stone Favorite movies.

    and much more

    links

    https://abctalkies.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more.

    Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 1 month.

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Launching rockets into space! My guest is Srinath Ravichandran CEO & co-founder of Agnikul, a Chennai-based Indian aerospace manufacturer specialising in building launch vehicles capable of taking micro and nano-satellites to Low Earth Orbit, on-demand.

    He started as an outsider , working in finance but his heart was always in aerospace. In this episode he talks about the crazy amount of networking, cold calling professors and asking himself some existential questions to get this off the ground!

    He talks about going through the Airbus Incubator. Raising $11million in Series A funding. Talks about 3D technology, the business model. Great product milestones. Why India is the best place to build rockets. Talks about the Space Tech community in india.

    Thoughts on Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos endeavours. Talks about dealing with red tape & the government. He gives great advice on networking if you're a bit shy and finally he talks about why he thinks there is life on other planets and why it could be a good thing!

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    Making the experience of going into space , like booking an UberMeeting his co-founder playing cricket.Advice for first time founders.Personalising the building of the rocket.Advice on starting your own space tech startup.Educating investors using a 3 step processDealing with the doubters. Living close to SpaceX in the early days.Building the engine using 3D tech. Why building a rocket company is like running a transportation business.

    And much more

    https://agnikul.in/#/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more.

    Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 1 month.

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Transforming storytelling. Today my guest is Summit Nayak - Co-founder of Ekank. They are building a storytelling platform, democratising non-fiction by bringing lost and forgotten history to the forefront. He talks about how they got this off the ground.

    Talks about ignoring the experts who told him not to build the product because it wasn't cool enough. But since launching they have 13.8 million monthly active users, spending in total 74 million minutes on the app and have raised a cool $1million in funding.

    He talks about building the community, gives thoughts on product management. He talks about building a niche product. Why they are different from other platforms. Talks about the creator economy and scaling too fast in the early days. Pitching & fundraising insights. Declining attention spans. Having a pool of creators & storytellers. And finally he shares his favourite stories (The Battle of Plassey) and much more.

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    Building a culture companyWhat problem are they solving?Research & customer developmentHaving a proven track record in building startupsFirst impressions of his co-founder.Understanding what the market wantsIs it pressure off or on after raising $GamificationTalking to the experts - William DalrympleBusiness modelKey metrics they focus onWhy they invite creatorsHiring/interview process

    And much more

    https://www.ekank.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more.

    Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 1 month.

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Disrupting the traditional fashion supply chain with digital intervention. Today my guest is Pawan Gupta. Co-founder and CEO of Fashinza. They are digitising the supply chain to make it more efficient, transparent, fast, and sustainable.

    It all started with a trip to Jaipur the clothing manufacturing capital of India - not to talk about manufacturing but pain points. He will discuss what those pain points are! He talks about how they went from building the MVP using WhatsApp, AirTable and Excel in 2020 to now being one of the biggest companies in the world in this sector. Amazing stuff!

    He talks about how they use technology (new and old) to digitise the supply chain. Thoughts on scaling. How they work with brands and how they onboard customers. Talks about building trust in the early days. Dealing with fast fashion and ethical issues. Gives great advice for first time entrepreneurs, Being 2x entrepreneur.

    Talks about having a successful exit. Talks about his 2 part hiring process. And finally he talks about NFT's his sporting hero Sourav Ganguly and why you should think BIG!

    In this conversation we talk about:

    How they connect customers, buyers and suppliers. Growing 20% each month. Digitising the shop floor.Personalised fashion being the next big thing.What motivates him?It's a data problem. Not tech or people problemWhat was his best day so far. What will this company look like in 10 years time?Being a technology first companyProviding real time data, to save costs and be more efficient. Reducing rejection rate on an assembly line from 20% to 3%

    And much more!

    Links

    https://fashinza.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 1 month.

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel?gr_tch_ref=on&gr_trp=on

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Make your startup investment ready! Today my guest is Priyanka Madnani, Founder & CEO of Easy to Pitch. Easy to Pitch is one of the fastest-growing one-stop pitching solutions for start-up founders & entrepreneurs looking to raise capital for their unique ideas. Since starting she now helps over 500 startups and reviewed over 5000 decks.

    So in this episode she talks about how she spotted a gap in the market for pitching solutions. Talks about helping founders and what investors are looking for. She talks about what founders should include in the pitch deck & getting your first 3 slides right.

    She talks about whether you should demo the product and thoughts on Shark Tank pitches. She talks about what founders struggle with when pitching. She talks about the reality of funding and a 10 second pitch which helped her get a client. She goes on to talk about branding, building relationships, winning awards and leadership. and much more!

    In this conversation we talk about:

    What inspired her to do this?Why her first ever pitch deck flopped and how she turned it all aroundNot everyone gets fundingAdvice on starting your own brand.Having no role models or mentors at the start.Starting a Facebook group and using Youtube, Instagram, Linkedin.Being a top entrepreneur in indiaGetting funded.Don't forget the financials!Being a solo player and turning into a team player.Advice on finding a co-founderMake sure you practice and be patient

    And much more

    links

    https://easytopitch.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Your 24x7 singing buddy! Today my guest is Gopal Krishna Koduri CEO & co-founder of Riyaz. A music learning app that offers an easy and convenient way for aspiring singers to practise their music lessons anywhere, anytime make music learning accessible and affordable.

    He talks about his love of classical indian music which inspired him to build this app. How the app works. He talks about building a venture-funded, steadily growing music learning app that is used around the world (2million downloads, 4k paid users) Talks about UI & UX design challenges, talks about how they deal with feature requests.

    Talks about pricing and subscription models. Talks technology stacks , how they use data to improve the product. How they get users to download the app. Dealing with positive and negative feedback.

    Talks about the EdTech scene in india. Building an MVP in 2017. Thoughts on building an edtech and finally he talks about his fav singers, pays tribute to Lata Mangeshkar, one of India's most beloved singers, who passed recently and he gives you some singing tips for the next time your in the shower! & much more!

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    organic growthWhat problem they are solving?4,000 paid users18-35 category not being served.Killing featuresKeeping track of OKRsBeing a hands on founderhow long does it take to be a great singer?

    And much more

    links

    https://riyazapp.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Make Memes Earn Money! Today my guest is Kyle Fernandes CEO & Co-founder of MemeChat. Founded in 2019, it is a platform that allows users to create viral memes and get rewarded for them. So in this episode he talks about how he came up with the idea. Talks about being a hyper growth startup (25 million memes , 6 million downloads, 1.3 monthly active users). Talks about how he designed & developed the app from scratch. Talks about getting funding from 500 Startups. Next he talks about a new NFT marketplace he is creating called - MemeClub, so anyone can buy and sell memes globally. He talks about scaling, the business model, Meme marketing, viral content, being confident and key metrics -( Daily active users) He talks about giving users a solid reason why they should download the app. Creating an acquisition and distribution channel. And finally he talks about his favourite memes and how to get your meme to go viral and much much MORE!

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    Fundraising advice - be patient!Reaching millions of people on a daily basisThoughts on Shark TankBeing a entrepreneur at the age of 15Getting 50x rejections from VC and then turning down 50 x VC's!Getting approached by major brands to do meme marketingSetting up 600+ pages on FacebookNo other company was doing this!Bringing technology and memes together.Creating value for creatorsWhy memesCreating a memechat keyboard

    and much more

    Links

    https://memechat.app/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck. https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • Adding fun to a ‘White’ industry. Today I speak to Sulay Lavsi, the founder of Bummer, whose mission is to disrupt the millennial-focused underwear market.

    In this episode he talks about his amazing journey from not being taken seriously in the early days to his dramatic appearance on Shark Tank India. He shares brand building strategies and talks about marketing to GenZ & millennials. He talks about pricing philosophies -are you playing the brand game or the price game? & spotting a gap in the market . He talks about The mild negative reaction to Shark Tank india on social media

    He talks about the business model and building partnerships. Why they use micro-influencers rather then the big social media influencers. Why he used paid marketing at the start to establish the brand. Talks about Falling in love with the business and brand. Hiring challenges in Tier 2 cities. He talks about spending 2 years on R&D and finally he talks about his life changing trip to America. and much more so please enjoy the show.

    In this conversation we also talk about

    Why underwear?Assumptions made in the early daysDesign challengesGoing on Shark Tank & pitching in front of millions watching.Studying entrepreneurship in California.His primary role as a founder.Pitching adviceWhats special about bummer underwear?The manufacturing process

    and much more!

    Links

    https://bummer.in/

    P,S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/track/4XfCbGXHPfStMMtghzjqfe?si=f79e5abeed7c480e

  • Hello everyone, Thank you for downloading the last episode 2021. After 5 years of interviewing amazing Indian Entrepreneurs I am thinking about investing in a few Indian startups in 2022! if you are building something exciting and need some seed funding to get your startup off the ground please contact me.

    Today you will hear some of the best guests I have spoken to over the past 12 months. You will hear from Newslaundry co-founder Abhinandan Sekhri (2.39m) on building an alternative news model & paying to keep the news free! Next up is Siddharth Manvati (Ph.D) Co-Founder of ClearMeat. (35.06) He talks about building India’s first cell based meat company.

    Next is ​​Vivek Bajaj co-founder of StockEdge & Elearnmarkets (59.40) he talks about building the Bloomberg ecosystem for retail Investors in India. And last not least Minakshi Singh Co-founder & CEO of Sidecar & Speakeasy (1hr34m) She talks about building India’s best bar & being featured in the coveted Asia 50 best bars in 2020. So sit back & enjoy some of the best moments of The Indian Startup show and I wish you all the very best for 2022!

    Newslaundry co-founder Abhinandan Sekhri on building an alternative news model & paying to keep the news free!(2.39m)

    Indians don't pay for news! Well they do and today my guest is Abhinandan Sekhri, co-founder of Newslaundry, a news, current affairs & media analysis organisation. They are building an alternative news model , so in this episode he talks about building this high risk venture. Old media & new media business models.

    Not being dependent on eyeballs. Find out which newspaper is worth reading. Dealing with Twitter trolls. Govt interference in the news. Thoughts on PM Modi, Arnab Goswami and what kept him going in the early days. And why the 'self made man' is a myth. Finally we talk about his experience of directing/producing Highway On My plate , the award winning travel and food program.

    Where are they now? Dr Siddharth Manvati (Ph.D) Co-Founder of ClearMeat. On building India’s first cell based meat company. Chicken 2.0

    I catch up with Dr Siddharth Manvati, co-founder of Clear Meat. He came on the podcast last year (EP125) And a lot has changed since we last spoke. He finally talks about the magical moment he finally tasted the first product. He talks about the science behind evaluating taste and smell.

    The economics of making lab based chicken. Talks about raising finance. Talks about proof of concepts, having 14 sleepless nights , why they are moving from the Indian market to the global markets. When will this be available to the general public? And how they plan to scale the company.

    Vivek Bajaj co-founder of StockEdge & Elearnmarkets on building the Bloomberg ecosystem for retail Investors in India

    Vivek Bajaj is back on the show! He is co-founder of StockEdge & Elearnmarkets.com. He appeared back in August 2016 (EP39) and since then his app has gone from 50K downloads to 1.5million downloads. And has gone from employing 25 staff to over 140 staff. So in this episode he talks about how they have scaled the operation. Talks about finding great business partners. Thoughts on the current stock market.

    Common mistakes first time investors make. Shares formulas for investing including the ‘10 10 10’ rule. Talks about his best investments and worst. Why Reliance stock is a ‘buy’. Why he doesn't invest in Bitcoin. Talks about raising finance. Gives great advice for entrepreneurs And finally the most important lesson about money he has learned so far!

    Minakshi Singh Co-founder & CEO of Sidecar & Speakeasy on building India’s best bar & being featured in the coveted Asia 50 best bars in 2020

    Minakshi started with an Excel spreadsheet back in 2006. And this year has recently been awarded the best bar in India , and in Asia’s 50 best bars list of 2020. Amazing achievement considering women working in bars is extremely uncommon. it's a bit of a taboo subject. So she talks about how she overcame those challenges.

    She talks about finding her passion, Working 14-15 hours a day. She reveals how she got people in India to drink an Old Fashioned & Whisky Sour’s! What she learned about herself during lockdown. We talk about india’s complicated relationship with alcohol. And finally she shares her secrets to making a great cocktail. It's truly an amazing story and one that will inspire you as well.

    THANK YOU FOR SUPPORTING THE PODCAST & SEE YOU IN 2022!

    P,S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/track/4XfCbGXHPfStMMtghzjqfe?si=f79e5abeed7c480e

  • Today you will hear some of the best guests I have spoken to over the past 12 months. You will hear from Raghav Gupta, the co-founder of Nymble labs. (2.57) His team has built a personal cooking assistant called Julia, so we talk about his appearance on TV. He talks about how they have developed the robot since we last spoke, talks about raising finance ,setting up offices in China and California.

    Next we have Nitesh Salvi Founder & CEO of Pocket52 (39.11) on building India’s largest poker platform .He talks about how he went from playing poker in the late nights in his student dorm with friends to building India’s largest poker platform.

    And last but not least we have Yash Pariani (1h.08m) co-founder of The Indian Gaming League (IGL) . On building India’s most popular e-sports league & the booming indian e-sport scene.

    Catching up with Raghav Gupta, the co-founder of Nymble labs.(2.57)

    He came on the show back in November 2017 and he is back again with an update. His team has built a personal cooking assistant called Julia. We talk about his appearance on TV. How they have developed the robot since we last spoke, talks about raising finance ,setting up offices in China and California. Talks about why they are changing market focus from India to US. Gives great advice on customer development and how they qualify customers. Talks about becoming comfortable with uncertainty. He talks about how they demoed the robot at TechCrunch robotics conference without paying $$$$ for a booth. And finally we got some music at the end of the show.

    in this conversation we talk about:-

    Being VC backed & new business modelHow they came up with research goalsDeveloping a Customer Development process that helped gather more insights about consumers.How they separate feedback from noiseHow they capture the feedback.Taking the cooking robot to the houses of people who had signed up in SF, San Diego and LADealing with the coronavirusThoughts on the b2b and b2c marketsDealing with the competitionDon't fall in love with your product. Fall in live with the problem!

    Nitesh Salvi Founder & CEO of Pocket52 (39.11)

    You Got to Know When to Hold Them, Know When to Fold Them! Today I speak to Nitesh Salvi, founder and CEO of Pocket52. He talks about how he went from playing poker in the late nights in his student dorm with friends to building India’s largest poker platform. He talks about how they build trust and loyalty on the platform. Talks about getting rejected over 150 times despite already having a previously successful exit. He talks about creating a white label business as well as a B2C model. Talks about the psychological side of Poker. Dealing with fraud. And we talk about gambling responsibly and finally he talks about his biggest wins and losses on the poker table! and much more.

    in this conversation we also talk about

    Growing the user baseSpending 6/7 researching the marketCoin dumpingBuilding a scalable productThe importance of using Lava lamps!Pitch deck adviceCreating the right environment for customersAdvice for first time entrepreneursPlaying poker with his familyReading people

    Yash Pariani (1h.08m) co-founder of The Indian Gaming League (IGL)

    The Indian e-sport scene is booming. So today I speak to Yash Pariani co-founder of The Indian Gaming League. IGL is India’s most popular competitive gaming and esports league that hosts gaming tournaments online and they are growing fast! IGL hosts daily online tournaments and battle royales across all your favourite game titles like Call of Duty Mobile, Fortnite, Dota 2, Fifa 20, 8-Ball pool, Clash Royale, Pubg and many more. So in this episode he talks about how he is creating an infrastructure for Indian gamers. Talks about building trust within the community. How demonetisation helped the esports industry in India. Talks about esports as a respectable career.and finally he talks about Steve Jobs, dealing with concerned parents and dealing with cheats!

    In this conversation we also talk about:

    Stats so farKey learnings as an entrepreneurWhy Fortnite became a hit gameWhat you need to be a top esports player?Streaming gamesEsports v traditional sportsWill it become an Olympic eventOffline tournaments v online tournamentshow much can you win?Thoughts on starting your own Esports teamFemale E-gamersSeeking challenges

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/track/4XfCbGXHPfStMMtghzjqfe?si=f79e5abeed7c480e

  • India’s fintech adoption is booming. So today my guest is Ankur Joshi CEO & Co-founder of Nuclei,a bootstrapped software enterprise startup that helps banks improve digital banking services by integrating its API platform to increase customer engagement through merchant marketplace and wealth management services.

    He talks about how he got this off the ground. Mistakes made in the early days. He talks about why they bootstrap and not raise any capital. He explains why the primary product is the team. He then talks about building partnerships, thoughts on B2C and B2B business models. Talks about sharing equity with staff.

    Talks about why they think globally from day one & the tech hiring challenges in India. Talks about going fully remote and building culture. And finally he talks about mental toughness and What he looks for in a co-founder.

    In this conversation we talk about:

    Having patienceBeing a serial entrepreneurDon't worry about the vanity metrics!Onboarding new employees. Choosing attitude over skill set.Management style - depends on the maturity of the other person. Building an integrated API platformProcessing 3 million transactions a month.Partnering with 18 banks in India and S.E Asia.

    And much more

    Links

    https://gonuclei.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

  • The wearable devices market in India is expected to reach a sales volume of 16.22 million units by 2024. So today I speak to Anmol Saxena, the CEO & founder of Ashva Weartech. They develop wearable solutions for chronic knee pain & spine.

    So in this episode she talks about her own battles with knee pain that inspired to build a prototype at a hackathon. And since then they not looked back! She talks about how the products work, quitting her job at Ford. Building a MVP. Talks product development.

    She talks about her research in the early days. She went to 50 clinics and spoke to over 110 knee pain patients. She talks about dealing with feature requests and how they kill products. Getting paying customers and then having to refund them and then getting to pay again! Why they use an Excel spreadsheet when things go wrong. Partnering with one of India's leading physiotherapist.

    Talks about an offline marketing campaign that worked really well. Talks about sales forecasts for next year. How they onboard customers. And finally she talks about how the lean business model canvas can help you with your pitch.

    In this conversation we also talk about:-

    The wearables market in IndiaHaving a great teamMudra - a motion sensor worn on the upper back. It corrects your spine posture with sensory feedback.Sales forecasts for next yearCreating a reporting system for chronic knee painGetting support from Mum and Dad after quitting Ford.Book recommendation - The art of startup fund raising - Alejandro Cremades3 stages of building the first MVP.8/10 patients do not turn up to the clinic after the first session.The two business modelsStress!Going through an incubatorNot having access to high quality physio in the early days

    and much more

    links

    https://www.ashvaweartech.com/

    P.S

    if you need something to do during these challenging and difficult times and want some inspiration and need some creativity. check out Skillshare. Skillshare is an online learning community with thousands of classes in design, business, tech, and more. Anyone can join the millions of members in our community to learn cutting-edge skills, network with peers and discover new opportunities.

    Try Premium free for 2 months and access all my classes!

    https://www.skillshare.com/r/user/neilpatel

    music by Punch Deck.

    https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV