At Ahmedabad University's eChai meetup, hosted by the university's incubation center, I had the privilege of engaging with a panel of entrepreneurs who had appeared on Shark Tank India.

They candidly shared insights into their experiences on the show, revealing the realities behind the scenes, the impact of the exposure, and the invaluable feedback they received from the sharks. Additionally, they delved into their ongoing challenges and future plans for their ventures.

Their narratives of resilience and determination in overcoming obstacles were truly captivating.

The distinguished panelists included Raj Shah Co-Founder of WeHear; Payal Pathak and Soham Payal Pathak Co-Founders of The Simply Salad; Nayan Shah Co-Founder of Maisha Lifestyle; and @illesh sharma Founder of Same Notification.

Here are few notable takeaways from the discussion:

I extend my gratitude for the opportunity to participate in these enriching events and to connect with these inspiring entrepreneurs.

Special acknowledgment goes to Jatin Chaudhary from eChai Ventures for orchestrating such impactful conferences that unite our startup community.

I believe Valentine's Day holds special significance for every individual, as it's a day dedicated to love and spreading affection. Everyone assigns different values to Valentine's Day. Here's why it's meaningful to me: I found my calling on February 14th, 2022.

It was the day when I took the first step toward Hummingbird. I had been associated with Cadila, and on that day, I resigned from the company. After resigning, as I made my way home, I passed numerous flower shops and realized that after making that decision, it was fitting to treat myself to a bouquet on Valentine's Day. I love roses like crazy, so I asked the cab driver to wait for five minutes while I gifted myself a bouquet :D

Journey from the office to my flat was very difficult and I was feeling “ Aaj ghar kyun nahi aa raha hai” . I questioned myself, wondering if I had made the right decision or not but Abhi to decision le liya tha. I was feeling quite emotional that day as I went to meet everyone. Some of my colleagues seriously started crying and were saying, 'What is this nonsense? Why are you making such a stupid decision but boss samjh to aaya us din ki insaan to apan ache hai Harsha Bhurani :D

I decided to spend quality time with myself when I reached home. The first person I called was Sumita Sharma and I shared the entire scenario with her. It was challenging for her to accept, as she, along with my colleagues, knew I was expecting a significant appraisal after months of hard work. However, she supported me nonetheless.

That day was simply amazing, still, I can recall spending a peaceful evening, enjoying the sunset with a cup of tea, and dinner at my favorite Pav Bhaji place near IIM, Vastrapur.
Eventually, till that time, I gathered the courage to inform my parents about this news. My father was initially shocked but he asked if I was okay, which meant the world to me. I reassured him, saying I was celebrating my day with Pav Bhaji. And then, I concluded my day with a brownie, and you can see the sheer joy reflected in this picture:D

After a brainstorming session with myself, writing three different Harsha on sticky notes and pasted them on my wall. I decided to go with 'Harsha Pro', who wanted to start her own business.

Feeling unsure of my next steps, I called Jatin Chaudhary for guidance and asked if I could meet him, and he suggested meeting half an hour before eChai event at IIM later that evening. I was extremely excited to meet him because I never thought that day would come that soon. So when I met Jatin I said , “Abhi resign to daal diya hai immediate basis par, entrepreneur hi banna hai but pata nahi iske baad kya karna hota hai?

He explained various aspects of HR, training, and development, providing valuable insights and references.

And so began my rollercoaster journey with Hummingbird, which continues to this day. It's been a journey filled with challenges, triumphs, and failures, and I'm ready to build HummingBird whatever it takes.

I met my co-founder, Tuhin in 2008 at The National Institute of Design. At NID we teamed up for projects, eventually falling in love, our relationship sparked a realisation to Tuhin about the lack of menstrual education and the stigma surrounding it. My personal experiences and Tuhin's newfound understanding inspired us to address this gap. Leveraging our skills in communication and user experience design, we sought to provide trustworthy and accessible information on menstruation, recognizing its potential impact not only in India but also in other countries facing similar challenges.

In India, every year 1.2 core girls reach puberty. Since periods are a taboo, 85% of these girls would follow one or more restrictive customs.

1 in every 4 girls start to miss out on her school as she starts getting her periods . When a girl misses out on her education, she goes through systematic gender discrimination throughout her life. 

Also in schools, the chapter on periods comes much after the girls have started getting their periods. And in most of the cases teachers skip the topic. As they don’t know how to go about teaching about periods and puberty to their students,

Periods are a taboo in India. Tuhin and I saw it more like a communication design problem.

Menstrupedia Comics are now available in 17 languages and are being used by more than 25,500 schools as a part of their curriculum across India. Apart from India, the books are locally printed and published in 11 countries in their local language.

Tuhin and I are fundamentally different people with distinct skill sets, but when we work together, something magical happens. It's like we're yin and yang, complementing each other perfectly. Tuhin excels in product development, being very diligent in his approach. On the other hand, I bring strong research and people skills to the table. This is how we define our roles: Tuhin takes charge of all decisions related to product development and content creation, while I handle decisions regarding marketing and sales strategies for the book.

For the first time, BabyOrgano | India's First Dedicated Ayurvedic Baby Care Health and Wellness Brand went for the campus placement!!

This is something that I had on my bucket list forever. In a world, where every company is asking for some experience, we are willing to be the one who gives experience to the young talent.

My Co-founder, HR and our Digital Marketing Manager went to St Kabir Institute of Professional Studies, Ahmedabad and let me tell you, it was a great experience.

I never expected students to be so aware of marketing, business and startup culture. We had some good conversations with some of the smartest students I have ever met.

We learned a lot about Gen Z’s professional behaviour and their expectations from the corporate world.

All in all, it was a day of learning!!

We have met some talented individuals and we will be hiring some of them for the required roles.

We are excited to welcome them to our BabyOrgano | India's First Dedicated Ayurvedic Baby Care Health and Wellness Brand family and help them grow their skills and careers.

We believe in nurturing young talent and giving them the opportunity to work on innovative and impactful projects.

Also, we are grateful to the St Kabir Institute of Professional Studies for hosting us and being so welcoming and supportive.

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:

Do's and Don'ts of Fundraising for early stage founders.

Do's

- You should have a clear plan for atleast next 12 months that can be seen on excel sheet, which clearly shows, what this fund raise is going to achieve for you.

- Start the process 4-6 months before you actually need the funds

- Get an understanding of funds portfolio/thesis/decision making process by reaching their portfolio companies prior to pitching.

Don'ts

- Try not to mention about valuations untill explicitly asked. Do not become rigid on a number, try to negotiate and substantiate your number.

- Don't keep high hopes from 1 single investor, keep talking to multiple people at the time. But at same time be transparent about the options to them, whenever you start doing serious conversations on terms and stuff

- Do not mess your cap table with number of people, keep it as clean as possible, it makes your life much much more easy when raising next rounds!

I'm excited to share my first book, 'Reschool,' a personal reflection of my 20-year journey in the world of education. 📘 It's more than just a book; it's a heartfelt conversation with my younger self, exploring the highs and lows of this incredible journey. 🌟

'Reschool' sketches a vision of what New Age schooling could look like, inviting readers to dream and innovate along with me. 🚀 As we turn each page, we embark on a journey of self-discovery and educational transformation.

🌈 Stay tuned for more about this exciting venture!

And the most promising D2C start-up of the year award goes to…

BabyOrgano | India's First Dedicated Ayurvedic Baby Care Health and Wellness Brand.

I'm still excited about the amazing event put together by eChai Ventures and DevX.

It was filled with energy, and I was surrounded by a group of amazing entrepreneurs determined to create an impact.

The best part of the evening? Definitely get to talk with experienced entrepreneurs, especially Udit Goenka.

Our casual chat turned into a valuable lesson on effective marketing and the important details of running a successful business.

The event wasn't just about listening and learning – it was hands-on.

We played interesting games that were not only fun but also gave practical insights into solving problems creatively.
The pitch sessions taught us a lot about how to communicate effectively, and each entrepreneur had something special to share.

What really stood out was the lively and collaborative atmosphere.

It wasn't just about individual success stories; it was about creating a supportive community where ideas flowed freely.

It felt like a big brainstorming session, and I left with new perspectives on building a brand and being an entrepreneur.

Once again, big thanks to Jatin and the eChai Ventures team for making this happen!
Also, a shout-out to Umesh Uttamchandani and the DevX team for providing such a fantastic venue. 

They did a great job recognizing the efforts of startups and showed a real passion for creating a supportive environment for new businesses.

The event was a boost for growth, a mix of ideas, and a celebration of the entrepreneurial spirit. 

I'm grateful for the experience and can't wait to use what I've learned in my own entrepreneurial journey!

Some moments are captured through our eyes and stay forever in our hearts! A month ago, on the 13th November, I got the opportunity to meet and interact with a legendary football player and UNICEF Global Goodwill Ambassador, David Beckham, during the very first day of his visit to India.

I had never met a humble person like him before! A few minutes of interaction with him about ECOrrect Product and our journey, I felt very inspired. It was a precious opportunity for us.

Whenever I think about that meeting, I still get goosebumps. Thank you GUSEC and UNICEF India, for the opportunity! 💚✨

Little Late Post but full of gratitude for the 2023..


It was a great opportunity for Crooze App to be the part of 40 Fitness, Health & Wellness startups cohort pitching at the 

#FitPitch during TheFitExpo at Kolkata in first week of December.
Thanks to Aaquib Hussain and his wonderful team at FreeFlow Ventures for seamless execution and amazing experience for all of us.. and most importantly making us meet all the founders who are building to make India Fit & Healthy..
Which is by far the most difficult task for anyone.. to make people work towards their fitness and health.. and on the top of it make a sustainable business around it..
Hats off to all the amazing founders I met there - Shweta Thakur Dishita Choudhary Srishti Srivastava Swagatika Priyambada Vishal Nigam, Building WTF , Modernizing Gyms Sahil Pruthi Vipen Jain Manti Pathak Vivek Krishna Karishma Chavan Prapa G. Nilashis Roy Pratik Saraogi Amith Vir @amit k.
@Sriram G from The Whole Truth Foods

it was great catch up with amazing friends from the ecosystem Eashita Maheshwary Vasishta Chary and meeting a great team member of Crooze Deepjoy Ghosh 😊

May the fitness startups tribe go bigger and bigger as we need many more solutions and the market the really big with pie for all ✌️