Startup Stream

eChai’s Sales Masterclass Brought Practical Sales Lessons for Startup Founders in Ahmedabad

eChai’s Sales Masterclass Brought Practical Sales Lessons for Startup Founders in Ahmedabad
It was a true honour to speak at the "Sales Masterclass for Startups : Ahmedabad Edition" organized by eChai Ventures yesterday,

A massive thank you to Jatin Chaudhary and the entire eChai Ventures team for creating such an impactful platform for startup founders. It was a privilege to share the stage with another insightful speaker, Yash Shah (Co-founder, Momentum. Ex Clientjoy), and delve deep into how founders can truly leverage sales strategies for early-stage success.

I had the fantastic opportunity to discuss critical aspects including:

- Getting Customers in the Early Stages: Practical approaches to land those crucial first deals and build initial traction.

- Mastering the Pitch: Crafting compelling narratives to effectively present to prospects and turn rejections into valuable relationships.

- Defining a Winning Pricing Strategy: Insights into setting prices that reflect value and drive growth.

The energy and engagement from all the attendees were incredible. Your insightful questions and active participation made the session truly interactive and rewarding. I hope the frameworks and real-world stories shared will provide actionable strategies for your entrepreneurial journeys.

Looking forward to more such enriching discussions!

Founders Didn’t Talk About AI Use-Cases. They Demoed What They’re Actually Doing With It.

Founders Didn’t Talk About AI Use-Cases. They Demoed What They’re Actually Doing With It.
eChai + Chai + How of AI:

The age of AI belongs to the curious minds -

This Sunday, from 3 to 6 pm,
a group of rebels gathered ... not for gyaan,
but for AI-first workflow rewiring.

We didn’t talk about “what AI can do.”
We showed what we are doing ... with it.

From rocket .new to Claude.code agents,
ChatGPT + Gemini to granola .ai,
lovable, hume, emergent ...
each tool had a champion.
Each workflow, a story.
Each person, a perspective.

We explored:

→ Why Business Process Reengineering is no longer a Six Sigma luxury—it’s survival.
→ Why AI Horror Stories start with blind use, not bold use.
→ Why Full-Stack Thinking beats tool-stacking.

No slides. No spectators.
Just hands-on demos. Laughter. A few “oh damn” moments.

We didn’t leave with answers.
We left with upgrades ...
mindset, skillset, drive...
and toolsets to execute next.

Grateful to everyone in the flock for your participation and energy -
Amish Neha eChai Ventures Jatin Rushabh Viraj Kush P. Jhalak Manasvi Hardik - House of Starts - at Upsquare® India office (SBR)

#DhandheKaFunda
Spending 3 hours on a Sunday thinking about your tomorrow?
That’s not nerdy. That’s competitive advantage.

→ Better is a matter of mindset. ✌🏻


How Bill Gates Thinks, Decides, and Solves — A Founder’s Lens on the Netflix Doc Inside Bill’s Brain




Most tech founders obsess over speed. Bill Gates, it turns out, obsesses over clarity.

Whether he’s scaling Microsoft or reinventing sanitation, Inside Bill’s Brain shows us a mind wired not just for ambition — but for deep, structured thinking.


What This Watch Is

Directed by Davis Guggenheim, this 3-part Netflix doc explores how Gates works through massive challenges — from building software that changed the world to tackling polio, nuclear energy, and toilet tech. It’s part biography, part systems thinking masterclass.


Why It Matters Now

For founders navigating complex products, ambiguous markets, or long feedback loops, this is a crash course in mental modeling. Gates doesn’t just move fast — he moves deliberately, with frameworks that stretch across decades. His ability to absorb, abstract, and act is something most of us try to mimic, but rarely see up close.


Key Takeaways

– Bill protects deep focus like it’s oxygen. He schedules “Think Weeks” where reading and reflection are the only agenda.

– He treats hard problems like engineering puzzles — even in public health. That mindset shift is powerful.

– Decision-making isn’t rushed. He gathers, questions, rewrites the problem, and only then commits.

– The documentary also shows emotional complexity — how he processes loss, legacy, and imperfection.


Why I’m Recommending It

It reminded me that systems outlast sprints. That intensity is nothing without insight. And that founders aren’t just builders — we’re problem framers first. Watching Gates reframe challenges with almost mechanical patience helped me reconsider how I approach product strategy at Upsquare.

If you’re building something ambitious — and want to sharpen how you think, not just what you do — this one’s worth your time.

eChai Startup Demo Day in Mumbai Brought Founder Pitches, Candid VC Insight, and a Whole Lot of Morning Momentum

eChai Startup Demo Day in Mumbai Brought Founder Pitches, Candid VC Insight, and a Whole Lot of Morning Momentum
I just love this audience! The energy, the curiosity, the questions - you all made this session truly special.❤️

It was such a pleasure hosting this morning’s fireside at eChai Ventures with Pras Hanuma, General Partner at NextUnicorn.Fund | VC, Accelerator, NextUnicorn Global StartUp Awards Fund.

We had a packed room, some super interesting founder pitches, and a whole lot of wisdom and warmth.

Huge gratitude to Pras Hanuma, who literally came straight from the airport after a delayed flight - thank you for showing up with such presence and generosity 🙏

Thank you to the amazing team at DevX for the vibrant work space, and to Jatin Chaudhary and eChai Ventures for giving me the opportunity to host this incredible session!

We need more mornings like this in Mumbai! One where founders show up, ask better questions, and leave a little more inspired than when they walked in.

What Today’s Founders Taught Me About Teams, Culture & Letting Go



Just a few hours ago, I had the opportunity to attend one of the most grounded and honest startup conversations I’ve experienced in a while. Hosted by eChai Ventures, the focus was clear: Building Startup Teams & Company Culture — but the takeaways went far beyond titles.

Here's what I learned today from founders who’ve been in the trenches:

1. Culture Isn't Built in Docs. It’s Built in Reactions.

One founder said it best:

“People don’t watch what you say, they watch how you act—especially in difficult moments.” Whether it's resolving disputes or making tough calls, your reactions shape your company's real DNA.

2. Want Loyalty? Build Open Channels, Not Just Pay Hikes

“If someone wants to leave, they will. But if they feel heard, they might not even want to.” An open-door culture with real feedback loops matters more than retention bonuses.

3. Hire for Alignment, Not Just Resumes

One founder shared how their average cost per hire rose from ₹3.5L to ₹12L in under a decade. The shift? Not just inflation—but a focus on mindset alignment over skill matching.

4. AI Is Coming—But Adoption Is a Culture Shift Too

Some brands, like Theka Coffee , are still experimenting. Others are integrating AI into internal workflows and CX. The consensus:

“AI isn’t about tools. It’s about readiness—organizationally and mentally.”

5. Sometimes Leadership Means Saying Goodbye

“If someone repeatedly blocks progress, you must choose mission over momentary peace.” One founder shared how hard, but necessary, it was to part ways with senior team members misaligned with long-term goals.

 Personal Reflection:

As someone who works closely with teams across marketing, sales, and product, this session reinforced a key truth: People strategy is business strategy. Whether you’re scaling a startup or running a digital campaign—how you build matters just as much as what you build.

Gratitude to the stellar speakers:


If you’re building a team, culture, or vision—let’s connect. And if you’re curious how AI, leadership, marketing and digital culture can intersect—DMs open.

Grateful to be part of Ahmedabad’s buzzing #founder ecosystem. If you're building teams or culture—or just figuring it out like the rest of us—this one's for you.

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"From late-night brainstorming over chai to early morning founder calls, eChai has been more than just a network for me; it’s been home base for ideas, impact, and inspiration. What started as a simple meetup years ago turned into a powerful movement, connecting founders, creators, and dreamers. I’ve had the privilege of seeing startups find product-market fit, marketers (like me) find unexpected collaborations, and most importantly, people finding their tribe. संगच्छध्वं संवदध्वं – Let us move together, speak together. It’s not just a verse from the Rigveda — it’s how Jatin and the entire eChai community truly operate. We don’t just network, we grow together. Forever grateful to be a part of the eChai Effect.
Jaydip Parikh - Chief Everything Officer at Tej SolPro
Jaydip Parikh
Chief Everything Officer at Tej SolPro
“eChai has been that turning point in my journey. It gave me a platform when I wasn’t looking for visibility but needed direction. Over the years, it became more than just a network. It became my tribe; a place where conversations sparked collaborations, and strangers became trusted sounding boards. What I value most is how effortlessly eChai brings people together - no airs, no filters, just genuine people with shared dreams. I owe a lot to this community and to Jatin, whose consistency and belief in people have shaped journeys like mine. Forever grateful to be part of something so real.”
Rushabh Shah - Managing Partner - STIR Advisors
Rushabh Shah
Managing Partner - STIR Advisors
"eChai has been a game-changer for Hungrito, providing us with invaluable connections, insights, and opportunities that have significantly fueled our growth. eChai has introduced us to a global network of entrepreneurs and experts, fueling our growth and opening doors to new opportunities from Ahmedabad to Dubai. The community has become like a second family to us, providing support, guidance, and valuable insights as startup entrepreneurs."
Sahil Shah - Founder- Hungrito & Netsavvies. Digital Marketing Evangelist
Sahil Shah
Founder- Hungrito & Netsavvies. Digital Marketing Evangelist