The Neon Show

In this episode, we chat with Ghazal and Varun Alagh, Co-founders, Mamaearth. 

Ghazal & Varun’s entrepreneurial journey began when they were expecting their first baby and were on the lookout to ensure that they could use the best childcare products to keep their baby safe. But what came up as a shock for them was that every product out there had some or the other form of harmful chemical component.

This experience drove the duo to create then a babycare brand: Mamaearth.

Mamaearth is Asia’s first brand with MadeSafe certified products and has recently crossed Rs.500 crore revenue run rate.

During the podcast, they talk about how they initially started interacting and understanding their future customers and their concerns. They also share how they built a closely-knit community of parents with a newborn where prior to every product launch, they would take feedback from them, and then they’d launch the product after working on their suggestions.

For anyone looking to start up a D2C brand, this conversation can be of great value. From building a close connection with your prospective customers to earning their trust to building your brand, to differentiating your brand vs other players, this podcast has it all.

Notes - 

03:13 - Their personal experience which led to founding Mamaearth

04:30 - Career prior to Mamaearth

07:42 - Things to prioritise early on to build a base for a D2C brand

11:28 - Top-seller product categories at Mamaearth

13:36 - Journey & Challenges from 0 to $1 Mn ARR and beyond

15:34 - Major milestones and fundraises

17:43 - Difference in Mamaearth’s growth strategy vs other D2C brands

21:47 - Future plans with Mamaearth 

23:38 - Connecting & Understanding with the first few customers (mothers)

26:51 - Identifying vendors for packing, shipping, and production

29:02 - Bringing Shilpa Shetty on board as a Brand Ambassador & Investor

33:11 - Leveraging Influencer marketing to propel growth

35:01 - What they admire in each other as Co-founders & life partners

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In this episode, we chat with Dilipkumar Khandelwal, Limited Partner with Stellaris Venture Partners & Fireside Ventures, and an active Angel Investor in 25+ companies.

He’s Ex-President at SAP HANA Enterprise Cloud business and came closer to the startup community in late 2016.

He has keen interest in D2C, Consumer-Tech and B2B SaaS. Some of his portfolio companies include Whatfix, Signzy, Moglix, Yellow Messenger, Credgenics, and Pepper Content among others. 

During the podcast, he shares how he initially got introduced to investing in startups and began building his portfolio.

For anyone looking to begin investing in startups either by their own-self as an Angel Investor or as an LP with a VC firm, this conversation can be of great value. From building your own thesis to curating an exit strategy, this podcast will really help you through it.

Notes - 

00:59 - From a Traditional Rajasthani business family to Investor in Early stage

04:28 - First interaction to Startups via Alok Goyal - Stellaris Venture Partners

07:12 - Change in perspective; investing in startups

08:51 - Thesis: Solving small but focused & specific problem statements

11:15 - Scaling can only work with the overall fundamental mechanism of the Org

15:09 - Making a product scalable is different vs adding more features

18:11 - Exit strategy as an Angel Investor

27:30 - Importance of deeper understanding with a sectoral perspective

28:14 - Upcoming trends over the next decade

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In this episode, we chat with Arun Venkatachalam, who comes from the Murugappa Group - family, and is also an active Angel Investor. 

Arun has invested in 25+ companies including Posist, ZoomCar, ZestMoney, AdPushup among others. And he has also got successful exits from companies like Innov8 CoWorking (acquired by OYO Rooms), Yourbus (acquired by Naspers/Ibibo Group), Endless Robotics (acquired by Mojay) etc. 

During the podcast, he also shares how he initially invested in equity markets to build his own capital, which he later invested in his studies and his portfolio companies.

For anyone looking to start up as an Angel investor, this conversation can be of great value. From gaining a deep understanding of a particular space, to sourcing potential deals, to making your first investment, this podcast will really help you start and build.

Notes - 

00:55 - Belonging to Murugappa Group (Family Enterprise); starting in Investment Banking

04:56 - Initial investments as an Angel investor

07:42 - “In order to be an expert down the line, someone has to start somewhere.” 

12:50 - Creating an impact on Cap-table

25:21 - Investing in Recykal; creating impact because of ESG

28:01 - Advice for a first time Angel investor

32:12 - Having a conservative approach as an Angel investor

34:32 - “Opportunity isn’t in running with the herd, it's always in running against the herd.”

36:51 - Finding investment deals as a first-time investor

39:17 - Having a nuanced view while investing in Fintech

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In this episode, we chat with Nishith Rastogi, Founder of Locus.sh; a startup that uses technology and proprietary algorithms to provide smart logistics solutions to businesses such as route optimisation, real-time tracking, insights, and analytics, vehicle allocation, and utilisation.

In 2015, Nishith along with his former AWS-colleague Geet Garg, built RideSafe, a real-time route deviation detection, for passenger safety in cabs. However, they eventually realised the potential of this concept in logistics & supply chain, which led to pivoting to Locus.

Apart from India, Locus.sh is present in Jakarta, Ho Chi Minh, San Francisco, and the East Coast.

For anyone looking to explore horizontal pivot or growth strategy, this conversation can add great value. From identifying the problem statement to creating customer-focused solutions, by leveraging a committed team & inward focus for efficiency, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes - 

01:55 - Graduating from BITS Pilani, joining Amazon

03:11 - Creating RideSafe, a geo-tracking app for women’s safety

04:26 - Identifying the problem statement in supply chain & logistics

05:53 - Early adopters of Locus.sh

09:30 - Having more PhD’s in the team than engineers early-on

11:58 - Onboarding experience with Unilever; as first enterprise customer

17:56 - Scale up journey from India to 20+ countries

22:15 - Clarity of purpose both as a startup & founder

30:40 - Inward focus on efficiency in terms of capital

31:20 - Cultural shift with the growth of Locus.sh

31:35 - Focus while hiring: Ambition, Commitment & Integrity

36:48 - Concept of “Yes process, but no policy”.

39:21 - Implementation & Ideation OKRs

42:01 - Helpful books & resources

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In this episode, we chat with Bhaskar Majumdar, Founder of Unicorn India Ventures; an early-stage fund with portfolio companies such as - Inc42, OPEN Bank, and VLCC’s VanityCube among others. 

Bhaskar spent his early career in various Media companies like - Zee Network & Times Group. He also had an entrepreneurial stint with Recreate Solutions in 2001, which he later sold to US systems integrator. 

He has since been an investor in several early-stage technology startups over the years, in India and the UK.

For anyone looking to start up in unconventional sectors, this conversation can add a great value. From identifying the problem statement to creating digital solutions, by leveraging trends & technology, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes - 

02:04 - Early career in Media domain and founding Unicorn India Ventures

04:25 - Traditional mistake - “Finding a Co-founder whose skillset is exactly complementary to your own”.

06:26 - Identifying portfolio companies in uncommon sectors

08:04 - Thesis behind investments: Digitization of old, rugged & broken systems

11:07 - Investing in Neo Banks based upon the trend shift in large banks abroad

16:59 - Enabling Indian portfolio companies to go global

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In this episode, we chat with Geetha Manjunath, Founder of NIRAMAI; one of India’s most awarded health tech startups using AI to solve the detection of early-stage breast cancer. 

Prior to NIRAMAI, Geetha has made her mark at CDAC, HP & Xerox, with her 25+ years of research and innovation background.

Set up in 2016, NIRAMAI is India’s only startup among CB Insights’ 100 most promising AI startups. 

For anyone exploring health tech, this conversation would be of great value. From identifying the problem statement to creating affordable solutions for the end-user, by leveraging AI & technology, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes - 

01:33 - Her belief in “Karma Yoga”

05:11 - Family background and upbringing

06:20 - Getting into IISc, learned - “Enjoying the newness of something”

07:36 - Joining CDAC -  Member of the team that developed the First Indian Supercomputer

10:23 - NIRAMAI’s cause - Enabling early-stage detection of Breast Cancer

15:16 - Identifying problem statements and creating solutions

20:11 - Partnering with hospitals and health startups

21:54 - Mammography vs NIRAMAI screening (in terms of OpEx & CapEx)

29:06 - Challenges while fundraising as a Healthcare startup

34:33 - Opportunities for Healthcare startups in India

36:10 - Challenges Healthcare startups should brace up for

42:53 - Future plans at NIRAMAI

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In this episode, we chat with Viraj Sheth, Co-founder, Monk Entertainment and the man behind one of the fastest-growing Influencer marketing agencies in India. 

At the age of 24, Viraj started his entrepreneurial journey with his college senior Ranveer Allahbadia who is better known as BeerBiceps on social media. 

In this episode, catch Viraj talking about starting Monk Entertainment, getting their first few clients, achieving their current scale, working with companies like Nykaa Men, MamaEarth and much more. 

For anyone looking to explore influencer marketing, this conversation would be of great value. From building an audience by sharing about your niche, to having a long term vision when working with a brand, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes - 

01:14 - Starting Monk Entertainment with Ranveer Allahbadia

06:33 - Working part-time on acquiring clients and Quitting a stable job

08:07 - Growing the startup at the age of 25

10:11 - Current scale at Monk-E

15:35 - Building monetization & business model with creators

19:39 - What differentiates them from other Influencer Marketing Agencies?

22:16 - Setting the right practices for influencers while interacting with brands

23:40 - How is India’s influencer market space evolving?

26:27 - Segmenting creators 

30:51 - Two rules to grow the audience on Twitter

35:22 - Structuring and organizing the workflow at Monk-E

39:50 - Learnings from Ranveer Allahbadia

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On our 102nd episode, we chat with Jon Sakoda, Founder, Decibel Partners, a Cisco-backed venture fund. Jon founded Decibel to push through the conventional boundaries of early-stage investing in SaaS startups. 

After being an entrepreneur for a few years and working as a General Partner at New Enterprise Associates, Jon decided to set up Decibel Partners. 

With Decibel, Jon’s vision was probably an industry-first approach to provide a way for entrepreneurs to get access to unparalleled resources at a time and stage when they need it most.

In this episode, catch Jon talking about pivoting as an entrepreneur, finding the right coach to guide you through your startup journey, and much more. 

Notes - 

01:39 - “I’m a recovering entrepreneur.”

06:29 - Pivoting and finding product-market fit

09:11 - Partnership with Cisco

13:20 - Leveraging strongholds of industry dominant LPs in the VC firm

17:20 - “What makes you great in getting you from 0 to 1, may not be great in getting you from 1 to 10 or 10 to 100.”

23:10 - Coaching for early-stage founders; for Performance and Efficiency

29:27 - Having an Advisor v/s having a Coach as an early-stage founder

32:30 - “You should be more conscious about who you want to work with, rather than, where you want to work.”

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The guest for our 101st episode of 100xEntrepreneur is Abhishek Asthana, Founder, Ginger Monkey, and the man behind one of the most followed accounts on Twitter, @GabbbarSingh with 1.3 Million followers. 

He is amongst the few who have transitioned from an engineer to a successful marketer. He has been the brains behind some of the marketing campaigns at AirAsia, Bounce, Durex, and Urban Company among others.

It was in 2019 when he decided to help companies with their branding and marketing strategies by founding Ginger Monkey. 

In this episode, catch Abhishek talking about starting GingerMonkey, working with AirAsia, Durex India, Urban Company, and much more. 

For anyone looking to explore digital marketing, this conversation would be of great value. From building an audience by tapping your creative side, to building a brand for a D2C company to reach your customers, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes - 

01:39 - Abhishek’s journey as an engineer

03:28 - Corrupted by Twitter

04:21 - Getting featured in Outlook while doing his MBA

06:37 - Founding GingerMonkey as a first-gen Entrepreneur

08:02 - Taking calculated risk while setting up the business

09:17 - Key milestones of GingerMonkey’s journey

11:12 - “We don’t have a BD team, our clients are our BD team. It’s a complete word of mouth.”

16:39 - Viral campaigns for Schindler - Getting Ankur Warikoo & Ranveer Allahbadia

19:17 - Creating and going viral with @GabbbarSingh on Twitter

21:43 - “If you’re not able to monetize your hobby, it will die.”

32:02 - Indian D2C brands leveraging digital marketing

38:18 - Branding without burning money on advertising

44:12 - Reaching out to early adopters being a new D2C brand

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Our guest for the 100th episode of 100x Entrepreneur Kunal Bahl is best known as the co-founder of Snapdeal & Titan Capital.

He co-founded Snapdeal back in 2007 along with his high school friend Rohit Bansal. It initially started as a daily deals platform but soon expanded to become one of the largest online marketplaces in India. 

Over the years, Kunal has mentored and invested in several early-stage entrepreneurs. In 2011, he decided to formalize it by setting up Titan Capital. Titan Capital has invested in the likes of Ola, Urban Company, Mamaearth, and Bira among others.

In this episode, catch Kunal talking about starting Snapdeal, guiding and investing in early-stage founders, having the drive to keep going as an entrepreneur, and much more. 

For anyone looking to explore entrepreneurship, this conversation is worth its weight in gold. From learning from your own mistakes & failures to keep going even when you want to give up your entrepreneurial dream, this podcast will guide you through it all.

Notes - 

01:43 - Launching Snapdeal after getting H1-B Visa rejected

03:59 - Pivoting from coupons marketplace to a marketplace for physical products

05:17 - “Identifying the type of businesses Rohit and I like to build”

12:01 - Why not fearing being wrong/failing is important

13:29 - “Our greatest powers will come from our greatest wounds”

15:04 - What drives Kunal even after 13 years as an entrepreneur

18:29 - Tectonic shifts in the Startup ecosystem over the last decade

26:42 - Investing in D2C companies; Beardo, Mamaearth, & OZiva, etc

39:02 - Investing in Urban Company based on their customer-first approach

43:32 - Investing in companies prior to Product-Market Fit 

51:48 - Starting up as an Angel Investor and eventually setting up Titan Capital

56:59 - What has changed for Kunal after becoming a parent

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