"Money cannot solve problems. You cannot business model your way out of a shitty product."

This powerful insight from Bharat Sethi gets to the heart of his entrepreneurial philosophy. In this episode, he explains that while capital is a tool, it can never fix a flawed business model or an undesirable product. True, sustainable growth comes from building a strong foundation, a lesson he learned through the highs and lows of his own journey.

Bharat Sethi is the Founder of Rage Coffee, a D2C brand that pioneered "caffeine innovation" in India. Starting his first online business at just 16, Bharat went on to build and exit the successful online marketplace PosterGully. With Rage Coffee, he has raised over $10M in funding, crossed ₹100 crores in cumulative sales, and is now aiming to build a ₹500 crore brand by 2025.

• The 10-Year Plan: Bharat emphasizes building a brand that can stand the test of time, operating on a 10-year plan for Rage Coffee rather than focusing on short-term exits.
• Fundraising is a Byproduct, Not the Goal: He candidly describes fundraising as a "strenuous, tough journey" and advises entrepreneurs that raising capital is an after-effect of building a great business, not the first step.
• Building Defensible Moats: Rage Coffee was a deliberate move into a large market with high entry barriers (like instant coffee manufacturing), a strategy to build a business that is defensible in the long run.
• The Power of a Singular Focus: After exiting his second venture, Bharat decided to shut down a parallel nutraceuticals business he had started, choosing to focus all his energy on winning the coffee market.

00:00 - Intro

01:41 - An Athlete's Mindset: The Roots of an Entrepreneur

04:36 - The First Venture: Selling Art on eBay at 16

18:24 - Building PosterGully: From Side Hustle to Profitability

33:13 - The Truth About VC Money & Exiting PosterGully

43:41 - The Rebirth: Crafting the Vision for a D2C Brand

47:45 - Deconstructing the Coffee Market & Finding a Moat

58:50 - Why Focus is Everything: The Decision to Go All-In on Coffee

1:01:42 - The Fundraising Trap: "It's a Very Strenuous Journey"

1:12:20 - The 10-Year Plan: What's Next for Rage Coffee?

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