We spoke about a range of topics in this episode like:

1. How working for various D2C startups helped Vaibhav & Sayantani in creating their own company

2. The idea behind entering the nutraceuticals market & the filtering process they used to choose gummies as their medium of distribution of the required nutrients

3. The R&D process - trying out flavors that would work, choosing the right mix of nutrients, sampling the product & using feedback to make changes.

4. The key ingredients used inside the product & what makes it unique Questions that Vaibhav & Sayantani get from their customers & how setting the right expectation at every touch point is vital

5. Key learnings from running their own venture

6. WuW’s long term strategy & the thought process behind the name [which, is quite funky!]

If you’re spending tons of money on skincare/haircare products & are looking for alternative solutions that work - why not give these incredible gummies a shot?

Check out their website here

We talked about a range of topics in this episode like:

1. The central idea behind building a company in the Hemp space

2. Challenges faced during the initial days (insert - the pandemic) & how they turned crisis into opportunity. Also spoke about the GTM strategy and the target market of the company.

3. How being incubated with IIM-Bangalore have helped in the brand building process

4. The product offerings, the manufacturing & sourcing process and the regulatory landscape around Hemp in India & abroad

5. IH&C's NEW PRODUCT LAUNCH - GOOD DOGGO TREATS. We discussed the R&D process, how they came up with the idea to create something in the pet space. IH&C is the only company to launch a hemp treat for pets!

6. Talked about the potential of Hemp, how it could disrupt various sectors & why it is the next BIG thing.

7. Jayanti & Shalini's words of wisdom for anyone entering the Hemp or the F&B space

8. IH&C's long term vision and how they plan to capture opportunities in this space

And, understanding the experience of working with a sister who is also the co-founder. [Well, their secret is that they never fight! :p]

If you're someone interesting in the hemp space or want to learn how to build a sustainable/creative brand - this episode is just for you.

Find more about IH&C here - https://www.indiahempandco.com/

We dived into their respective journeys, how they got in the Hemp space & why they specifically targeted the paper industry. Shailesh explained the benefits of making paper from Hemp & why it is a no brainer to do so!

Animesh covered the process they follow to make paper from Hemp & also spoke about the challenges in the initial days in manufacturing Hemp paper. We discussed OGHemp's target market, distribution channels & what sets them apart from other players in the market.

I was also curious about why Hemp has not exploded [yet] in India & Animesh had a very interesting answer to it. We spoke about the company's long term vision & what exactly does 'OG' stand for in OGHemp!

Check out their website here - https://www.oghemp.in/

This was a really interesting episode, and Guneesh explained how he came up with the idea to start Kensho, explained what exactly does a 'Nootropic' mean. He also touched upon the benefits of each ingredient that goes into their product 'Elevate' & how Nootropics help people deal with stress & unproductivity.

Guneesh explained how educating people about the product is a major challenge for them, since supplements & brain enhancers are still Taboo. Talking about their 5 year vision, Kensho wants to get into therapy, introduce biohacks & also get into exciting ventures like Cryotherapy and sensory deprivation tanks.

You can find more about Kensho here - feelkensho.com

We spoke about how Ajinkya embarked on this journey, how during his engineering days he came across the problem in the Menstrual hygiene space & started Pad Care Labs.

Ajinkya also explained the difficulties & the challenges he faced while building the company & what are the things to keep in mind while scaling a product based company.

You can find more about Padcare Labs on their website - https://padcarelabs.com/ OR check out their Instagram page - https://www.instagram.com/padcare/?hl=en

We spoke about Silawath's journey, how he got into podcasting & how he was able to grow and attract such great minds on the podcast. Silawath broke down the process of how he approaches people and the level of research that goes behind the scenes.

We also dissected the future of podcasting in India and how it's at a tipping point at the moment. If you're getting into content creation or podcasting, this episode is for you.

Follow 'The Growth Mindset Podcast' here - https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZYKAhvHgcM0xaSB65hoec

Mehul walked me through his journey, how his Nanima sparked his interest into Paan when he was a kid and how he turned his hobby into a serious business.

We also talked about the challenges of running a tobacco & nicotine free Paan cafe & how he turned this challenge into an opportunity. Mehul explained the creative process they follow inside PaanCasa before launching a new product or a new flavor & offered a lot of insights into setting up & creating a Food & Beverages business.

You can find more about PaanCasa here - https://www.paancasa.com

To build some context, it takes around 20,000 Liters of water to make just 1kg of cotton! Imagine that, in a country like India where there's massive water shortages.

And, to address this problem statement - Hansika started OneLess. We spoke about how Hansika got into sustainable clothing & what motivated her to become an entrepreneur. We discussed about the pain points that OneLess is targeting and the processes they have in place which truly makes OneLess a sustainable clothing brand.

The journey wasn't an easy one by any means. Hansika faced a lot of setbacks early on - because they were experimenting with materials which were never used before to make clothes [Hint: Bamboo]. The learning curve was a steep one. Hansika explained how OneLess differentiates itself from Competition and why research is extremely important for anyone looking to enter in this field.

We also deep dived into the long term vision of the Company and I couldn't end the conversation without asking her how she came up with the name 'OneLess'. It was a fun packed conversation & I personally cannot wait for their Bamboo products to hit the market!

If you want to find out more about OneLess, check out their website - https://oneless.co.in/

We spoke about a range of topics - starting with how Raina came up with the name [It's really catchy isn't it?].

Raina explained how she used to write physical letters for her future self & how the pandemic and the loss of a close friend prompted her to create a digital time capsule.

We explored how Cheethi works, the security systems in place to protect the data & what's the biggest blocker for Cheethi's growth. We also bounced around the idea of writing a digital letter, which could be physically delivered in the future!

Get started on your first digital time capsule here - https://www.cheethi.com/

Skin care, is quite expensive - especially if it's branded. Plus, you don't really know if what you're using is sourced from natural ingredients. Rishi explained how the idea for Botany Bar came to him, when he saw his friends being ignorant about skin care - shelling out a lot of money on skin care products, on ayurvedic brands, or engaging in home remedies.

He wanted to change that. And Botany Bar was floated. We discussed about the challenges Rishi faced while starting the Company, it's current product offerings. Rishi emphasized how important it was for him to source only the purest of raw materials.

We also touched base on how Rishi differentiates himself from other skin care companies out there and how his bio-chemistry background helps him to maintain a competitive edge, how he creates brand awareness for the Company, and how he has priced the products to strike the perfect balance of premium and cost efficiency. (a Botany bar skin oil costs only INR 400!) Rishi's vision for Botany Bar is to occupy & become a necessity product for each Indian household going forward. They also plan to launch a range of other skin care products which were stuck in the pipeline due to COVID-19.

Finally, we asked him a question he gets asked the most - 'What's the story behind the name?!' You can check out their products here - https://www.amazon.in/s?i=merchant-items&me=A3W17ZOOOLTZ6V

Around 3-5% of the global population suffer from this condition and most of them are not even diagnosed. The situation in India is worse, because not only the patients, but the doctors are also not aware about the treatments of Amblyopia.

That's where CureSee steps in. They have created a large scale awareness among doctors through countless seminars and workshops. Puneet was doing his internship in an eye care hospital, when he saw a patient suffering with lazy eye go untreated. That disappointed him and he wanted to do something about it. And that's how CureSee was born.

We spoke about the initial days of the Company, how Jatin iterated and created the vision therapy software. We spoke at lengths about how lazy eye is different from other eye conditions like squint.

(I had a lot of doubts) Puneet explained how the software works (it's actually a series of eye exercises!), the revenue model of the Company and how they were able to substantially reduce the price of treatment. You can find more about CureSee on their website - https://curesee.com/

We took a journey down the rabbit hole which lead us to the reason why Rishi quit his job, the struggle and the pain he endured to find out what he wanted to do, how he picked up on Indian Epics and how he got his first break into Corporate training.

Rishi, revealed his secret of how he became such a good storyteller & how taking feedback from your wife can change the game completely.

Check out Rishi's website here- www.RishiNanda.co.in, and his book here -https://www.amazon.in/dp/1646786998/ref=cm_sw_r_wa_apa_fabc_gJ27Fb5W9GHM5.

We spoke about how they came up with the idea to start ValuEarth & the product pipeline that they currently have. Sankalp elaborated on the challenges of growing the Company and why plastic is so sticky.

We also spoke about the growth in the plastic alternatives market and how they plan to diversify and enter new business verticals in the future.

You can find out more about ValuEarth here - https://www.instagram.com/valuearth/?hl=en. And, check out their store here - https://www.valuearth.com/shop/

They have also developed a device which runs on Algae and helps factories keep their CO2 emissions in check. Their mission is simple - harnessing the power of AI with the vision to heal the nature.

They have a couple products in the pipeline. One is a GPS based accident notification software called 'VAN' - which alerts the owners of vehicles of accidents on a real time basis.

The importance of that cannot be emphasized enough. Second is a cloud based software which connects a patient with a doctor in a seamless way - something that could change the way healthcare works in the country.

(00:00): Introduction

(01:57): Getting to know the amazing minds behind Black Eye - Amandeep & Harminder ~ overcoming the water scarcity problem in farming

(06:40): Irrigation Alert 2.0 : a smart device which alerts farmers when their land is in need of water ~ understanding how it works

(10:19): Simplicity is the key to success ~ finding answers through simplicity

(12:37): The founders have created a device that helps factories keep a check on their CO2 emissions ~ the story behind the invention of AROG

(16:25): Talking about AROG’s market position ~ what’s in the pipeline for Black Eye?

(19:34): VAN - a vehicle accident notification device ~ talking about it’s market opportunity

(22:33): In the pipeline - A medical device which could change the way healthcare works in the country

(26:25): Amandeep’s two cents for anyone who wants to become an entrepreneur

We spoke about Deep's personal journey, how he pivoted from being one of the main guys in Google India marketing team to then joining his family's real estate business.

Deep has also written a book called 'Brick, Cement & Dotcom' which talks about the stark realities of the business world.

You can read it here

(00:00): Introduction

(02:16): The decisive factor that pushed Deep to pursue entrepreneurship

(07:29): Deep was one of the co-founders of Google India’s marketing business ~ find out how he found his way into that opportunity

(11:00): The challenges faced by Deep while making the switch from Google to the family Real Estate biz

(14:21): A dive into Deep’s Real Estate company - Gemini New Media Ventures

(19:03): A business model that explores unused baggage on international travel - find out about Beck Friends & how Deep came up with the idea

(24:28): Talking about Deep’s book - Brick Cement & DotCom ~ what was the process of writing a book like?

(28:33): Deep’s ecstasy on the encouraging reviews he gets for his book

(30:51): His entry into the world of film-making ~ talking about how he got inspired to dip his fingers into this space

(35:03): We’re both movie buffs - and take a bit of tangent talking about our favorite Nolan movies!

Viren told me how they came up with the idea to start this company, and Govinda deep dived into the entire process of onboarding a cook, maintaining quality control.

We also discussed the revenue model and how it's different from other [deep cough] *unprofitable* food delivery businesses out there! You can find more about Motherhuts here

(00:00): Introduction

(01:30): How did Viren & Govinda come up with the idea to start MotherHuts?

(07:53): Was it difficult to get cooks on board with MotherHuts? ~ how did they ensure quality control for every cook that joined?

(13:11): Ordering process/Pricing plans/Customer benefits

(22:39): How is MotherHuts different from other food delivery apps? ~ Viren & Govinda’s take on why these online food platforms are at loss

(30:57): What is their vision for MotherHuts?

Adete told me how they came up with the idea, the target audience and the market size for nut based milks. We also spoke about the logistics, the current delivery model and the next phase of expansion.

If you live in Delhi NCR, order your bottle of nut milks here.

(00:00): Introduction

(01:19): How did Adete come up with the idea of starting The Nutty Kitchen? ~ talking about the target market for nut based milk

(08:05): Adete’s two biggest challenges in the initial days

(11:03): Talking about parents being involved in the company and also the learning process

(13:24): Adete’s issues in scaling the business ~ shelf life logistics

(16:28): What does Adete want to achieve with The Nutty Kitchen?

We spoke about the idea behind starting M&B, why marketing agencies don't charge for strategy, how having a business parent can be more important than going to business school & more!

If you're a startup looking to create a long lasting brand - check M&B's Instagram page here.

(00:00): Introduction

(01:07): The idea behind starting Marque & Brew

(04:12): Why do marketing companies not charge for building marketing strategies?

(07:53): What are the other services that Marque & Brew provides? ~ growth hacking/ branding/consultations

(10:59): Talking about the advantages of having a business parent and the difference b/w a Founder and a Co-founder

(17:20): What would be the one thing that Raina would change about the Indian Marketing Industry?

(21:11): Raina’s vision for Marque & Brew

We spoke why Rupen chose the comic life, about his advice for people who are just starting out, and about his theory of Equalization. We discussed why Managers don't laugh at Corporate Events and about that one time where he didn't get paid!

And, Rupen told me who his favorite comic was - which blew me away!

You can check everything Rupen does here.

(00:00): Introduction

(01:30): How did Rupen decide to pursue the comic life? We spoke about several events in his life that made him introspect and choose standup comedy.

(07:57): Exploring Rupen's life - which has been nothing short of a rollercoaster & how he went through a phase of growth and shift in perception.

(16:08): Words of advice for anyone looking to get into standup comedy, things to keep in mind & then, Rupen rambled about his corporate gigs & how that one time he didn't get paid!

(23:52): We took a little philosophical turn & I asked him whether 'he ever felt like quitting comedy' and he had a very easy answer to that

(29:12): His favorite comic, which is the same as mine. (BILL BURR!)

We spoke about how she and her husband started this business, how it pays to think like the customer. We also discussed the distribution strategy of retail vs digital.

We spoke about how El Diablo stays ahead of the curve, Tanya's vision for the company and what El Diablo means!

You can check out El Diablo's Insta page here - https://instagram.com/eldiablosauces?igshid=1uuqvnurb6dq4. And, order your bottle of choice here

(00:00): Introduction

(01:03): How a scarcity of innovative sauces lead to the creation of El Diablo Sauces

(04:22): Understanding the market research process & the secret 'sauce' to El Diablo's unique flavors

(09:09): Talking about distribution strategies - retail vs digital & how it makes more sense to create a digital footprint (especially if you're bootstapped)

(15:09): Diving about Tanya's other side hustles [voice over artist, musician] & how you should ALWAYS do what you love!

(20:30): Discussing El Diablo's competitive edge, intuitive price points & Tanya's long term vision for the company

(28:18): WHAT DOES EL DIABLO MEAN?