In this episode, we sit down with Suyash Saraf, the co-founder of Dot & Key, a leading D2C beauty and personal care brand in India. Starting from scratch, Suyash and his team scaled Dot & Key to an impressive ₹700 crore business, which was recently acquired by Nykaa, a market leader in the beauty space. In this candid conversation, Suyash shares the strategies behind Dot & Key’s explosive growth and the hard-earned lessons from his bootstrapped journey. We dive deep into Suyash's insights on building a successful D2C brand, from navigating the challenges of early-stage product deve ..read more

In this episode, we sit down with Umang Dua, the co-founder of Handy, one of the world’s largest home services marketplaces, which was acquired by Angi, a billion-dollar public company. Now building his second startup, Keychain, Umang shares the untold secrets behind scaling a marketplace business and the lessons learned from his entrepreneurial journey. We dive deep into Umang’s insights on building a billion-dollar company, from navigating the early days of Handy, scaling through intense competition, and the emotional rollercoaster of startup life. Umang sheds light on how to build successfu ..read more

In this episode, we sit down with Vedant Modi, Chief Revenue Officer of Manyavar, to uncover the secrets behind building one of India’s most iconic ethnic wear brands. Manyavar has become synonymous with Indian weddings and celebrations, and Vedant shares his journey of taking the brand from its early days to a ₹30,000 crore empire. We dive deep into how Manyavar started, the brand's massive scale in the Indian fashion market, and how Vedant and his team stay on trend and innovative while preserving tradition. Vedant sheds light on the business strategies behind working with top celebrities, r ..read more

In this episode, we sit down with Amarjit Singh Batra, Managing Director of Spotify India (and General Manager of 59 Countries), a visionary leader shaping the future of music streaming in one of the world’s largest music markets. Amarjit shares his fascinating journey, from being at the forefront of the Indian internet economy to leading Spotify's expansion across India, South Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. We explore the key shifts in music consumption in India, Spotify’s unique “last-mover advantage,” and how Amarjit and his team have built a thriving business by leveraging personalized ..read more

In this episode, we sit down with Pankaj Vermani, founder and CEO of Clovia, one of India's most successful lingerie brands. From building the business from scratch to selling a majority stake to Reliance, Pankaj opens up about the journey and the lessons learned along the way. We dive into how Clovia stood out by balancing premium quality with affordability, a strategy that has resonated deeply with consumers across India. Pankaj shares how controlling the supply chain was a game-changer, helping Clovia maintain quality and keep prices accessible, even as the brand scaled rapidly. He also exp ..read more

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ritesh, a finance expert and entrepreneur who has carved out a unique path in the Indian financial landscape. Dr. Ritesh takes us through his journey to financial freedom, sharing his self-realization about the true priorities in life and how he maintains discipline to stay ahead of the curve. We delve deep into Dr. Ritesh’s disciplined approach to mastering problem-solving and his predictions for the future of Indian finance. He opens up about the often-overlooked negative impacts of over-glorifying certain aspects of entrepreneurship and the misunderstan ..read more

In this episode, we talk to Gaurav Gupta, co-founder of Gabit and former COO at Zomato. Gaurav shares what initially attracted him to Zomato and the deeper reasons behind his decision. He provides an inside look at Zomato during its hyper-scaling years and discusses what it meant to be elevated to a founder role in a company he didn't start. Gaurav reflects on the journey leading up to Zomato’s IPO and offers insights into building a company ready for such a milestone. He also discusses his experience during COVID, the market opportunity that led to Gabit, and the core principles guiding his n ..read more

In this episode, we talk to Pramath Raj Sinha, a visionary entrepreneur and academic leader who has revolutionized Indian education through founding institutions like ISB, Ashoka University, and Harappa Education. Pramath shares how his multidisciplinary background shaped his approach to building educational institutions. He offers insights into the K12 segment and reflects on the crucial decisions that led him down an unconventional path in his career. The conversation explores Pramath's learnings from his experiences, his approach to managing stakeholders, and his thoughts on navigating comp ..read more

In this episode, we chat with Deep Kalra, the former CEO of MakeMyTrip. Deep opens up about his amazing 24-year journey as an entrepreneur, sharing his experiences and the lessons he’s learned along the way. We discuss how he navigated the pandemic, his thoughts on reinventing oneself, and the exciting impact of AI. Deep also talks about the skills he’s picked up, his approach to building and hiring great teams and the unique challenges in the tourism industry. Tune in for an inspiring conversation where Deep shares his formula for better business and the significant learnings from different p ..read more

In this episode, we dive deep into the world of private equity and India's economic future with Sanjay Kukreja, Chief Investment Officer and Partner at ChrysCapital, India's largest PE firm. Sanjay shares invaluable insights from his 25-year journey in the industry, discussing how ChrysCapital grew from a $60 million fund to managing $9 billion in assets. He offers a candid look at the evolution of private equity in India, from the early days of venture capital to the current focus on growth and control investments. Sanjay explores the art of generating alpha in the market, emphasizing the imp ..read more