How an investor Thinks | Manish Johari, Lead Angels, Maple Capital advisors

The speaker in the podcast is Manish Johari, who has 25 years of experience in the investment ecosystem. He talks about what investors look for when they are investing in startups. He also talks about the importance of having a strong business model and a clear value proposition. He also talks about the importance of having a good team and a strong culture. Finally, he talks about the importance of having a clear exit strategy.

Here are some of the key points that Manish Johari makes in the podcast:

• Investors are looking for startups with a strong business model and a clear value proposition.
• Startups need to have a good team and a strong culture.
• Startups need to have a clear exit strategy.
• Investors are looking for startups that are solving real problems.
• Startups need to have a strong community.
• Startups need to be focused on their customers.
• Startups need to have a clear understanding of their competition.
• Startups need to be able to tell a good story.
• Startups need to be able to raise money.
• Startups need to be able to manage their resources effectively.

Manish Johari also talks about the importance of having a good relationship with your investors. He says that it is important to keep your investors updated on your progress and to be transparent with them about your challenges. He also says that it is important to be able to articulate your vision for your company and to be able to answer questions about your business in a clear and concise way.

Overall, this is a very informative podcast about how an investor thinks. It is a must-listen for any entrepreneur who is looking to raise money from investors.

Here are some additional points that Manish Johari makes in the podcast:

• The importance of having a strong brand
• The importance of having a good marketing strategy
• The importance of having a good customer service strategy
• The importance of having a good sales strategy
• The importance of having a good product development strategy
• The importance of having a good financial management strategy

Manish Johari also talks about the importance of being patient and persistent. He says that it takes time to build a successful startup. He also says that it is important to learn from your mistakes and to never give up on your dreams.

Key Questions asked:

“What are the top 3 things investors look for in a startup?”

• Answer:
  • A strong, defensible business model with high growth potential.
  • A passionate and experienced founding team with a clear vision.
  • A large and addressable market with a significant unmet need.

“How important is team culture in an investment decision?”

• Answer:
  • Team culture is crucial. Investors look for teams that are aligned, collaborative, and resilient. A strong culture fosters innovation and helps navigate challenges.

“What are some common red flags that deter investors?”

• Answer:
  • Weak financials, lack of a clear competitive advantage, a history of missed milestones, and a founder’s lack of conviction in their own vision.

“How can startups effectively communicate their value proposition to investors?”

• Answer:
  • Through a concise and compelling pitch deck that highlights the problem, solution, market opportunity, team, and financial projections.

“What are the different exit strategies that investors consider?”

• Answer:
  • Initial Public Offering (IPO), acquisition by another company, or a strategic partnership.

“How can startups build strong relationships with their investors?”

• Answer:
  • Regular and transparent communication, proactive updates on progress, and seeking advice and guidance from investors.

Understanding the Real money gaming ecosystem | Puneet Dua – Cofounder, Sportsbaazi

The guest of the podcast is Puneet Dua, the co-founder and CMO of Sportsbaazi, a leading fantasy sports platform in India. He has a background in fashion and previously worked at Arvind Internet Limited, where he was involved in launching their e-commerce business. He met the founders of PokerBaazi while working at Arvind and was drawn to the idea of launching a sports-centric platform in the real-money gaming (RMG) space.

1. Introduction to Sportsbaazi:

• Speaker: The host introduces Puneet Dua, co-founder and CMO of Sportsbaazi, a leading fantasy sports platform in India.
• Guest: Puneet briefly explains that Sportsbaazi started as a fantasy sports platform but has evolved into a full-fledged platform offering prediction games and the ability to create custom leagues.

2. Puneet Dua’s Background:

• Guest: Puneet shares his background in fashion, having specialized in marketing and worked at Arvind Internet Limited. He was involved in launching their e-commerce business and managing their online supply chain.
• Guest: He met the founders of PokerBaazi while working at Arvind and was drawn to the idea of launching a sports-centric platform in the real-money gaming (RMG) space.

3. Founding of Sportsbaazi:

• Guest: Puneet and his co-founders, Saurav and Nivesh, founded Sportsbaazi in 2017.
• Guest: They leveraged the growing popularity of the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the overall expansion of cricket to fuel their platform’s growth.

4. Challenges and Opportunities in the Fantasy Sports Industry:

• Guest: Puneet emphasizes the importance of consistent innovation in the fantasy sports industry to stay ahead of the competition.
• Guest: He highlights the crucial role of user retention and the need to provide a valuable and engaging experience to keep players coming back.
• Guest: He discusses the impact of the 28% GST on the industry and how Sportsbaazi adapted to remain profitable within six months.

5. The Role of Influencers in the Fantasy Sports Industry:

• Guest: Puneet acknowledges the growing influence of sports personalities and experts in the fantasy sports space.
• Guest: He mentions the trend of former cricketers becoming active fantasy players and influencers, citing examples from international markets.

6. Puneet Dua’s Daily Routine and Productivity Tips:

• Guest: Puneet describes his typical workday, emphasizing the importance of regular check-ins with his team and daily performance reviews.
• Guest: He shares his preference for using simple tools like Excel for tracking progress and maintaining a flexible schedule.
• Guest: He highlights the importance of a healthy work-life balance and incorporating activities like yoga into his routine.

7. Future of Sportsbaazi:

• Guest: Puneet outlines Sportsbaazi’s vision to become a leading player in sports trading and prediction leagues.
• Guest: He emphasizes the importance of building a strong community around the platform through engaging content and interactive experiences.

The Indian Hemp Industry | Jahan Peston Jamas – Cofounder, BoHeCo

The guest speaker in this podcast episode is Jahan Peston Jamas, the chief strategy officer of Bombay Hemp Company. He is one of the co-founders of the company and has been instrumental in its growth and success. Jamas has a strong background in entrepreneurship and has previously founded other successful startups. He is passionate about the potential of hemp to transform the Indian economy and improve people’s lives.

Key Points and Insights:

• The Importance of Hemp in India’s History and Future:
  • The speaker emphasizes the historical significance of hemp in India, highlighting its use in various sectors like textiles, medicine, and construction.
  • He argues that India has the potential to become a major player in the global hemp industry, given its rich history with the plant and its vast agricultural resources.
  • The guest speaker, Jahan Peston Jamas, shares his personal journey of discovering the potential of hemp while traveling in Australia and witnessing its successful integration into the local economy.
• Building the Bombay Hemp Company:
  • Jamas recounts the founding story of Bombay Hemp Company, emphasizing the collaborative spirit and diverse skillsets of the founding team.
  • He highlights the challenges they faced in navigating the regulatory landscape and building a market for hemp products in India.
  • He discusses the importance of building strong relationships with government officials and other stakeholders to drive policy changes and create a favorable environment for the hemp industry.
• Overcoming Challenges and Building a Successful Hemp Business:
  • Jamas emphasizes the importance of patience, persistence, and a long-term vision for entrepreneurs entering the hemp industry.
  • He discusses the challenges of hiring qualified talent, navigating social stigma surrounding hemp, and securing funding.
  • He shares his experience in securing investment from prominent figures like Ratan Tata, highlighting the importance of building strong relationships and demonstrating a clear vision for the company.
• The Future of Hemp in India:
  • Jamas expresses optimism about the future of the hemp industry in India, citing growing consumer awareness and increasing government support.
  • He believes that hemp can play a significant role in addressing various challenges facing India, such as rural poverty and environmental degradation.
  • He encourages entrepreneurs to focus on developing innovative and high-quality hemp products that meet the needs of the Indian market.

Overall, the video provides valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities associated with building a hemp business in India. It highlights the importance of collaboration, innovation, and a long-term vision for success in this emerging industry.

Community, Content, Capital | Naiyya Saggi – CoFounder, The Good Glamm Group

This is a odcast with Naiyya Saggi, the co-founder of The Good Glamm Group.

In the video, Naiyya Saggi talks about her journey as an entrepreneur, from starting a school in her own house to becoming the co-founder of one of Asia’s largest content creator commerce conglomerates. She also talks about the importance of community and content in building a successful business.

Some of the key points that Naiyya Saggi makes in the interview include:

• The importance of solving real problems for people.
• The power of community.
• The importance of content.
• The importance of scale.
• The importance of trust.
• The importance of purpose.
• The importance of being authentic.
• The importance of being in service of others.

Naiyya Saggi also talks about her experience as an investor and her thoughts on the future of the Indian startup ecosystem. She believes that India is poised to be the third largest consumer economy in the world and that there is a lot of opportunity for entrepreneurs in the country.

Overall, the video is a great resource for anyone who is interested in learning more about entrepreneurship, community, and content.

How founders should think | Prof. Dhruv Nath, Bestselling Author and Investor, Lead Angels

The guest in this podcast is Professor Dhruv Nath. He is an angel investor and the author of the book “Funding My Startup and Other Nightmares”. He is also a professor at MDI Gurgaon and has previously taught at IIT Delhi. He has mentored numerous startup founders and has a deep understanding of the Indian entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Key Points:

• The Persistent Framework: This framework, developed by Professor Dhruv Nath, is a guide for building successful startups. It is based on the acronym “PERSISTENT,” which stands for:

• Problem: The startup must solve a real problem for a specific group of people.
• Earnings Model: There must be a clear and sustainable way to generate revenue from solving this problem.
• Size of the Market: The market for the solution must be large enough to support significant growth.
• Niche: Even in a large market, the startup should focus on a specific niche to avoid direct competition with larger players.
• Scalability: The business model must be able to scale rapidly to maintain a competitive advantage.
• Entry Barrier: There should be significant barriers to entry for competitors to enter the market.
• Team: The founding team must be passionate, flexible, and knowledgeable about the business.
• Resilience: The team must be able to overcome challenges and setbacks.
• Importance of Validation: The video emphasizes the importance of validating the startup idea before seeking funding. This involves demonstrating proof of concept, gathering customer feedback, and building a minimum viable product (MVP).
• Role of Investors: Investors play a crucial role in providing funding and guidance to startups. However, they are increasingly demanding proof of traction and a clear path to profitability before investing.
• Building a Successful Startup: The video highlights the importance of passion, flexibility, and resilience for founders. It also emphasizes the need to understand the market, identify a niche, and build a scalable business model.

Overall, the video provides valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs on how to build successful startups. It emphasizes the importance of careful planning, thorough validation, and a strong team.

Understanding Myntra’s Founder Mindset with Vineet Saxena

This is a podcast episode of The Builders Club with Vineet Saxena, the co-founder of Myntra. The episode is about Vineet’s entrepreneurial journey, including his early days at Myntra and his current venture, Card91. In the episode, Vineet talks about the challenges of starting a business in India, the importance of pivoting, and the role of funding in a startup’s success. He also discusses the importance of building a strong team and the challenges of scaling a business.

Early Days of Myntra

• Vineet’s Background: Vineet Saxena is a techie who worked in various startups across Pune, Hyderabad, and Bangalore for seven years after graduating from IIT Kanpur. He started his entrepreneurial journey with a small service startup that provided tech solutions to other startups.
• Founding Myntra: Vineet and his friend Ashutosh met Mukesh, who had an idea similar to CafePress, a personalized merchandising company in the US. They decided to bring a similar idea to India and founded Myntra in 2006.
• Initial Focus on Personalized Merchandise: Myntra initially focused on personalized merchandise, such as IPL jerseys and mugs.
• Pivot to Fashion and Lifestyle: In 2010, Myntra pivoted from personalized merchandise to a full-fledged fashion and lifestyle portal.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

• Importance of Mentorship: Vineet emphasizes the importance of mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs, even if they are not from the internet industry. He advises seeking guidance from people who share the same vision and can provide valuable insights.
• Following Your Gut: Vineet believes that ultimately, it is the entrepreneur’s decision to make, but mentorship can provide valuable guidance.
• Dealing with Failures: Vineet views failures as an integral part of the learning process. He encourages entrepreneurs to learn from their mistakes and not give up easily.

Challenges of Starting a Business in India

• Regulatory Hurdles: Vineet points out that the regulatory requirements in India can be lengthy and time-consuming, which can slow down the funding process.
• Lack of Trust: In the early days of e-commerce in India, there was a lack of trust among consumers. Myntra addressed this by prioritizing customer satisfaction and building a strong reputation for trust.

Role of Funding

• Funding as a Catalyst: Vineet acknowledges the importance of funding in scaling a business. However, he emphasizes the importance of bootstrapping and building a solid product before seeking external funding.
• Choosing the Right Investors: Vineet advises entrepreneurs to choose investors who not only provide capital but also bring valuable expertise and connections.

Building a Strong Team

• Importance of Team Dynamics: Vineet highlights the importance of building a strong team with complementary skills and a shared vision.
• Delegation and Empowerment: Vineet emphasizes the importance of delegating tasks effectively and empowering team members to take ownership of their work.

Scaling a Business

• Customer Acquisition Strategy: Myntra initially focused on acquiring customers through word-of-mouth referrals and leveraging corporate networks.
• Building Trust: Myntra prioritized customer satisfaction and built a strong reputation for trust, which was crucial for growth in the early days of e-commerce in India.
• Strategic Alliances: Vineet discusses the importance of strategic alliances with other businesses to expand into new markets and reach new customers.

Card91

• Focus on Issuer Processing: Card91 focuses on providing the infrastructure for businesses to issue their own cards, rather than competing with existing card issuers like Happy or Slice.
• Differentiation from Competitors: Card91 differentiates itself from competitors like Zeta and M2P by focusing on businesses as its primary customers and providing deep expertise in card issuance.

This podcast episode provides valuable insights into the entrepreneurial journey of Vineet Saxena, the co-founder of Myntra. It covers a wide range of topics, including the challenges of starting a business in India, the importance of building a strong team, and the role of funding in a startup’s success.

D2C Business Model & Marketing Strategies | Shruti Agarwal, D2CInsider

Shruti Agarwal, a founding team member of D2C Insider, one of India’s largest D2C founder-focused communities. Shruti brings over 15 years of experience in e-commerce and 20 years in business, making her a valuable resource for insights into the evolving D2C landscape.

In this episode, we’ll delve into:

• The evolution of e-commerce and the rise of D2C brands
• The key elements of building a successful D2C brand
• The challenges and opportunities facing D2C businesses
• The role of technology and community in the D2C ecosystem

Whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or just starting your entrepreneurial journey, this conversation with Shruti Agarwal offers valuable insights into the world of D2C. So, let’s dive in!

Key Points and Discussion:

1. Evolution of E-commerce:
   • The discussion starts with the evolution of e-commerce, tracing its roots back to platforms like Flipkart.
   • Early on, investors were hesitant to fund brands solely reliant on marketplaces.
   • Now, the focus has shifted to product quality, target audience, and consumption power.
2. D2C: More Than a Trend:
   • D2C is essentially e-commerce first, with a focus on building a strong online presence from the outset.
   • Offline brands are increasingly adopting e-commerce strategies, but D2C brands prioritize online sales as their primary revenue stream.
   • D2C can encompass any online-first business, including services.
3. Building a Strong D2C Brand:
   • Storytelling: D2C brands emphasize unique brand stories, often rooted in personal experiences and addressing specific consumer needs.
   • Innovation: D2C brands often introduce innovative products or approaches to existing categories.
   • Understanding the Target Audience: Deeply understanding customer needs and preferences is crucial for success.
   • Manufacturing and Logistics: Finding the right manufacturers and optimizing the supply chain are critical aspects.
   • Community Building: Engaging with customers and building a loyal community is essential for long-term growth.
4. Challenges and Considerations:
   • Competition: The D2C space is becoming increasingly competitive, requiring brands to differentiate themselves.
   • Sustainability: Building a sustainable business model, both environmentally and financially, is crucial for long-term success.
   • Finding the Right Team: Assembling a skilled team with the right expertise is essential for growth.
5. The Role of Technology:
   • Technology plays a crucial role in D2C, from building online platforms to managing customer relationships.
   • While technical expertise is valuable, it’s not always a prerequisite for success in D2C.
6. The Importance of Community:
   • The D2C Insider community plays a vital role in supporting and connecting D2C founders.
   • The community fosters collaboration and knowledge sharing among its members.

Overall:

The podcast provides valuable insights into the D2C business model, highlighting the importance of strong branding, customer focus, and innovation. It also emphasizes the challenges and opportunities facing D2C brands in today’s competitive landscape.

Ruchin Kulkarni, Cofounder Toplyne : Understanding SaaS Startups, Sales and Strategy

Ruchin is a serial entrepreneur with over 15 years of experience in the SaaS industry. He has founded and co-founded several successful SaaS companies, including Toplyne, which he founded in 2017.

In this episode, we’ll discuss the evolution of SaaS go-to-market strategies, from sales-led to product-led growth. We’ll also cover how Toplyne helps SaaS companies identify their most valuable users and increase their conversion rates. Additionally, we’ll touch upon the current state of the venture capital market and the challenges faced by early-stage startups in raising capital.

Evolution of SaaS Go-to-Market Strategies:

• Sales-Led (Early 2000s):
  • Focused on large enterprise deals, driven by sales teams, and centered around on-premise software.
  • Question: How did SaaS companies transition from a sales-led to a product-led model?
  • Response: Ruchin Kulkarni: “The transition was driven by a few factors, including the rise of cloud computing, the increasing availability of free and open-source software, and the changing expectations of customers. Customers are now more likely to do their own research and evaluate products before talking to a salesperson. This has made it more difficult for sales teams to reach potential customers and close deals.”
• Inbound Marketing (2010s):
  • Shifted focus to mid-funnel, leveraging search engine optimization and content marketing to attract leads.
  • Question: How did inbound marketing help SaaS companies scale their go-to-market efforts?
  • Response: Ruchin Kulkarni: “Inbound marketing helped SaaS companies reach a wider audience and generate more leads. By creating valuable content, such as blog posts, webinars, and ebooks, SaaS companies could attract potential customers who were already interested in their products. This helped to reduce the cost of customer acquisition and improve the quality of leads.”
• Product-Led Growth (2020s):
  • Emphasizes user experience and product virality, targeting individual users within organizations.
  • Question: What are the key characteristics of product-led growth?
  • Response: Ruchin Kulkarni: “The key characteristics of product-led growth are self-service, freemium models, focus on user experience, and virality and referral loops. Product-led growth companies focus on creating products that are easy to use and adopt, and they offer free or trial versions of their products to attract potential customers. They also encourage users to invite others to use the product, which helps to grow their user base.”

Key Characteristics of Product-Led Growth:

• Self-Serve: Minimal human intervention required for user onboarding.
• Freemium Model: Offers free access to basic features to attract users.
• Focus on User Experience: Prioritizes user-friendliness and ease of use.
• Virality and Referral Loops: Encourages users to invite others to use the product.

Toplyne’s Role in Product-Led Growth:

• Identifies High-Value Users: Analyzes user behavior data to predict which users are most likely to convert to paying customers.
• Optimizes Go-to-Market Strategy: Helps companies tailor their sales and marketing efforts to target specific user segments.
• Increases Conversion Rates: Improves the efficiency of converting free users into paying customers.

Challenges of Raising Capital in the Current Market:

• Increased Scrutiny: Investors are more cautious and demand stronger fundamentals from startups.
• Focus on Profitability: Emphasis on building sustainable businesses with healthy profit margins.
• Competition for Funding: Increased competition among startups for limited capital.

Advice for Founders:

• Focus on Fundamentals: Build a strong team, develop a differentiated product, and prioritize profitability.
• Adapt to Market Conditions: Be prepared to adjust your strategy based on changing market dynamics.
• Learn from Other Founders: Seek advice and mentorship from experienced entrepreneurs.