What are your thoughts on the Gujarat ecosystem for startups ?
Gujarat is Home to >12000 startups & having studied in Mumbai , worked in Delhi & natively coming from Rajasthan here is my thought on Ahmedabad as a city :
1. Quite economical in terms of rentals & manpower costs for sure 2. Super infra & govt support with places like Ihub by Guj Gov offering coworking starting at just 3k per person which is like 4x in Mumbai. Alongside a lot of fund support also with Schemes like Srujan 3. Very safe & better quality of life (specially Space :)) than both the cities. With the recent new Delhi AQI at dangerous level, I feel Ahmedabad might emerge as a good option (although AQI here is sometimes at dangerous levels too) 4. With the biggest stadium & project like Gift cities some of the best events like Cold play , probably Olympics & recent Diljit show happen here too. For Tea totallers what else would they need :)
Of course there are a lot of challenges in terms of finding the right people to work or also concerns about rapid urbanization but I think Ahmedabad will be able to retain its charm !
If I missed any point do add in comment below 😊
Ps : let's discuss more in depth today in the sessions by one the most active folks in this ecosystem Jatin Chaudhary !
🚀 I am sure you missed this in #Mumbai.. . I was honored to have been the speaker along with Rajendra Lora at the recent eChai Ventures community meetup at DevX, Andheri
🌟 Moderated by Shubham Dumbre, I shared my raw startup journey and it was an absolute thrill, especially with such an inspiring audience of young founders and top voice like Dr. Hashim Adil 🏆, including many incredible female leaders like Aanchal Verma🏆 students, and passionate professionals.
From practical startup-building advice to insights on hiring and achieving the extraordinary, our session was a heartwarming exchange of knowledge and motivation.
Remembering the words of Eleanor Roosevelt, "The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams."
Reflecting on the insightful panel discussion at E-Chai Ventures, where I had the privilege to speak alongside Pathik Patel from Fit & Flex, Sumit 'Curl' Karranji from Curlin Professional, and Kena Shah from Inara. The topic, "Insights from Scaling Up," sparked engaging conversations about the challenges and triumphs we’ve encountered on our journeys as D2C founders.
A special thank you to Jatin Chaudhary, Co-founder of eChai Ventures, for orchestrating this opportunity. Your platform continues to inspire and empower entrepreneurs to share their stories and grow together.
Scaling a business is never a linear path, but with shared experiences and collective wisdom, we can navigate it more effectively. Here’s to continuing the journey, learning from each other, and striving for greater heights.
If you are also a D2C founder, do share the challenges you face in your journey.
🎥 Presenting RENÉE Cosmetics's First TVC Starring Mrunal Thakur! 🎥
We are thrilled to unveil a new chapter in the RENEE journey with the launch of our very first television commercial. Featuring the ever-talented Mrunal Thakur, this film is more than just an introduction to our latest product—RENEE Midnight Kohl Kajal. It’s a celebration of bold beauty and timeless elegance.
Our Midnight Kohl Kajal isn’t just a makeup essential; it’s a statement. Designed for those who believe in the power of their gaze, this kajal delivers intense, long-lasting color that lets your eyes do all the talking.
A special thanks to Mrunal Thakur for embodying the spirit of RENEE, and to our incredible team who brought this vision to life. This is just the beginning of what we have in store, and we can't wait to share it with you.
Stay tuned, because the magic is about to unfold on screens everywhere. ✨
Though I'm not much of a television serial enthusiast, I do consider myself a #series kind of person. I've been captivated by "Shark Tank India" and am keen on exploring the US and UK versions soon. My interest in business and wanting to know more about new startup , ideas and founders led me to attend eChai Ventures meetings. 🌍 Yesterday, I attended eChai Ventures at Ahmedabad University.
There's a saying, "Seeing on TV is one thing, but experiencing it live is something entirely different." The difference between a reel and real life is truly fascinating! 🎥✨ #reelvsreal
I wanted to grow as much as possible and empower as many people as I could. The mantra was, "I don't just want a job for myself; I want to create jobs for many." - #onmyway#startofmyjourney 🚀
Founders who have made it to Shark Tank India, like Payal Pathak and Soham Payal Pathak of The Simply Salad, shared their journey at an e-chai panel discussion. 🥗 "Simply Salad" saw growth from 3k to 9k followers post-Shark Tank and currently boasts 53,000 followers. Inspired by diet and healthy food, the founders believe in the power of authenticity and storytelling. They thought expanding to more cities before appearing on Shark Tank would have been advantageous. 🌱 #healthylife#healthyfood#inspringjourney
In discussions about family support, the consensus is that, while we hope for it, it's often not forthcoming. It's usually a few close people who support you at the start. Social media presence and marketing are key.
Raj Shah from WeHear pointed out that a Shark Tank episode, which lasts 20 minutes on TV, may actually go on for 1.5–2 hours. The foundation of a company lies in its people. #pepole#team#investinpeople
"Why take a flight when you can travel in third economy?" This question underscores the importance of value creation and staying grounded.#staygrounded
This resonates with my personal belief that I don't need expensive gadgets for the sake of it. My journey from coveting an iPhone in school to now prioritizing investment in dreams, vision, and people reflects this ideology. 📱➡️🌟
Ileshkumar Sharma, founder of Same Notification, shared insights on public perception, there's wisdom in focusing on constructive criticism and ignoring trolls with simple answers. Engaging too much with negative comments offers little benefit. 🛡️💬 #focus#crticism
If you've attended events, what inspired you, or what is your vision for business and startups? Let's discuss for mutual growth. 💡🤝
So aaj baat karte hai Sales ki , Sales kya hai and jo bhi hai that is according to me. We can agree to disagree. (This is not AI generated :D )
So I was fired from my job in 2007 for being the worst salesman, as my sales for 6 months was ZERO. That was my first sales job as well.
Fir koi job nahi de raha tha to I started on my own, apporached 200+ customers for my services and finally I got it. It's not the subject of classroom learning but the subject of Action. Do 100 cold calls and you will know and you can see the difference between your first cold and call and 100th.
Then to sharpen my skills, I started learning Sales Techniques and Psychological techniques but at the end Click wahi hua jo hona chahiye tha, today I consider myself a good salesman. My learnings in this journey are
- You don't need techniques but you need authenticity
- Sales is not about processes, openings and closures but It's about People , Understanding people is the key.
- Instead of selling, focus on value creation (waise ye sab pahele bhi 100 baar sun ya padh chuke honge )
- If you have empathy , connection , authenticity, Integrity then you understand your customer , team members , partners far better way and that's the key to sales.
- Last is face your fear. Cold calls are most difficult for many people but once you pick up the call and talk like a human , you will realize that person on other side is same and you can have a good talk at least.
Photo story : I am doing what I love doing most, Sales.
Notes for founders raising funds for the first time
BabyOrgano has raised the funds from DevX Ventures.
During our pitches to various investors, we've recognized that the transparency of our business model and the founder's honesty have been pivotal in garnering positive responses.
Key pointers:
Clearly specify the fundraising goal and provide a detailed plan outlining how the funds will be strategically deployed in future initiatives.
Demonstrate unshakeable confidence in your product idea and vision, even if it appears ambitious or unconventional to others.
Prioritise transparency by openly acknowledging any potential challenges or drawbacks. Build trust with prospective investors through honest and straightforward communication.
First customer : (this is not AI generated story :D )
Today I am going to share how we got our first customer for 58 Miles and how our first stock was sold out in a day.
So once we were ready with our stock and we were planning many things in all directions, that online fod daalenge , Insta pe dhamaal macha lenge and give few samples to influencers and once 10-15 reviews are set , we will sell our stock in next 2-3 months with lots of learning.
As our first product is "Camera wale baba ka Jhola, to Sahil Shah ne bola , to take part in Offline photo expo in Gandhinagar, and I was convinced to give it a try. We booked last moment so got the last stall :D
At the expo, we unveiled our product, but for the entire morning, it was like a ghost town at our stall. Ten other camera bag bigwigs had set up shop before us. But then, around 1:00 PM, a lone ranger strolled in. I narrated the whole saga of Moment Camera bag by 58miles, and guess what? He agreed to pay! A whole year of hard work, and finally, someone was ready to pay for it. I was so overwhelmed that when he swiped for payment, I stopped him and said, "It's a gift from us, Sir." He couldn't believe it! With joy and excitement, he ran out, sharing the tale of our unique camera bag and how he got it for free.
and then it was like everybody was coming to our stall, we were talk of town (thought it was expo and not the town) We were sold out , all 125 bags for first stock, on the first day of expo. I could not believe it.
Photo story : The guy in black tshirt is not our first customer , Its our beloved supporter , my pakka dost Jatin Chaudhary (eChai Ventures wale bhaiya). His support to us and thousands of other startups across the globe is unmatchable. He bought the Camera bag just to support our launch. www.58miles.com
This is the registration form for the 20th Chapter of D2C Unlocked, Ahmedabad. D2C Unlocked is an exclusive networking event for D2C Founders/leaders only!
Event details:
Date: 08th February, 2024 (Thursday)
Time: 6-9pm
Venue: Turquoise Villa, Near AMA, IIM Atira Road
Stay tuned for future event updates by following us on LinkedIn :)
eChai Partner Brands
eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner, helping them expand market reach, drive revenue growth, amplify brand visibility, and strengthen hiring efforts.
Zaiba Sarang
Bhavesh Patel
Aditya Shah
Vishakha Shah
Sushil Agrawal
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