At eChai Ventures, our Unforgettable Lessons series shares the defining stories founders carry with them, not the polished wins, but the raw moments of exhaustion, doubt, and resilience that end up shaping their journey.

For Koumal Kalantry, Founder of BigNano Ventures, one such moment came during a grassroots activation in rural Gujarat, where a simple logistical snag turned into a long night that revealed the value of quick decisions and unshakable commitment.

Here’s how she tells it:

Entrepreneurial journey is a true rollercoaster, full of challenges, adventure, and unexpected moments that shape us. Sometimes there’s joy and laughter, sometimes exhaustion and frustration, and sometimes an overwhelming sense of losing control. Yet, in those blurred moments of doubt, clarity hides, pushing us to keep moving.

Recently, during a routine grassroots on-ground activation in rural villages, we faced regular operational problems, from logistics to last-mile challenges. But the real test came late one night, when our booked accommodation turned out to be a frighteningly isolated hotel. Dead tired from a hectic day, our trio tried huddling in one room; when that proved too unnerving, we decided to spend the night in our car, parked in a busy market area for safety. We twisted and turned but managed to get a bit of sleep, then, without missing a beat, went straight back to work the next morning.

What this taught us is the immense value of momentary decisions. Even with all plans in place, the unexpected demands quick thinking and adaptability. Rural activations are dynamic, plans can go haywire, and it’s only the ability to decide in the moment that sees us through. Each grassroots experience reinforces our resolve; far from deterring us, these challenges double our excitement and motivation about the work.

As part of The First Welcome in Silicon Valley series, I have been asking founder friends to share their stories of the first welcome they experienced in Silicon Valley. These are the people, the moments, and the gestures that stayed with them.

In this case, Tony Tom, Co-founder of Orca AI, shared the person who made all the difference when he first moved from India to San Francisco.

Tony is now building Orca AI, a context-aware AI platform for B2B support that unifies customer success, customer support, and product marketing into a single post-sales experience. Before Orca AI, he spent a decade in B2B, was the founding PM and 5th employee at Insent (acquired by ZoomInfo), and co-founded Refly, a smart editor for content marketers.

"For me, that person was Arjun Pillai. When I first moved to San Francisco from India, he was the one who helped me find my footing. He made critical introductions to the right founders and investors, but his welcome went far beyond that. He and his family opened their home to me, which made a huge difference for someone missing home and the food.

What truly stayed with me was seeing his genuine desire to make a difference in people's lives. It showed me that the most valuable welcome in Silicon Valley isn't just about business; it’s about human connection and building a community where everyone can thrive."

Tony’s story is a reminder that the first welcome often extends beyond professional help. Sometimes it is about being invited into someone’s home, sharing a meal, or simply being cared for in a new place. That spirit of generosity is what makes Silicon Valley more than just a hub of innovation. It makes it a community.

What was planned as two neat panels turned into a whirlwind of ideas, discussions, and insights. The air was buzzing with more energy than a Friday night concert.

The conversations went way beyond slides and soundbites. Speakers opened up about what’s really working in GTM and CX and how AI is shaking things up from the inside out. It felt less like a panel discussion and more like a backstage pass into the playbooks of builders, innovators, and leaders who are shaping this shift in real time.

A massive thank you to every speaker who brought their A-game on stage.

AI × CX Panel:
Harshita Banka - VP of Customer Experience Transformation, Infor
Rafael Godinez - Senior Manager of Customer Success, Zoom
Sangita Ray - Director of Customer Success, WRITER
Gaby Moran - VP of Cutomer Success Management and Experience, Workato

AI × GTM Panel:
Aquibur Rahman - CEO, Mailmodo
Jen Cheng - Founder, Arc and Amplify
Hitesh A. - Co-Founder, Breakout
Nalin Senthamil - Founder & CEO, Storylane

You all made the night unforgettable and left the room smarter, sharper, and hungry for more. And of course, a huge shoutout to everyone who showed up. You’re the heartbeat of this community and the reason it’s growing faster than we ever imagined. Gratitude also to Zoom (Ojus Save) for giving us the perfect stage and to eChai Ventures (Jatin Chaudhary) for always being the strong support behind the community.

If you weren’t in the room you missed the vibe, the rawness, the laughter, and the moments of “aha” that no LinkedIn carousel can truly capture. But don’t worry… this is just the beginning. The AI Shift has momentum and the next one will be even bigger.

At eChai Ventures, our Unforgettable Lessons series captures the stories founders carry with them — the moments of rejection, resilience, and realization that change how they build and grow.

For Ishani Upadhyay Dave, Co-Founder & CEO of ShaadiVibe, one such lesson unfolded in a café in Ahmedabad, just weeks before her official launch.

Here’s how she tells it:

My path to building this platform has been filled with unexpected twists, but one story from early on taught me a lesson I'll never forget: the importance of community over competition. It unfolded in a bustling Ahmedabad café in March 2025, just weeks before our official launch.

I was there to meet a potential investor, a well-known name in Gujarat's startup scene, hoping to secure funding to scale ShaadiVibe. ShaadiVibe was still a bootstrap operation, and I had sunk my personal savings into developing the website and onboarding our first 100 verified vendors.

The meeting started promisingly; he praised our focus on Tier 1 and 2 cities, where 55% of Gujarat's weddings happen. But then he leaned in and said, "This is great, but you're too small. WedMeGood and WeddingWire dominate, why not sell your tech to them instead?"

It felt like a gut punch. I'd quit my corporate job to build something that empowered offline vendors, not to hand it over. My face burned with a mix of anger and disappointment as I shook his hand and left, wondering if I was naive to think we could compete.

That rejection lingered for days, making me question everything. But it also sparked an idea: instead of chasing big money, why not lean into the local network?

I reached out to a small group of vendors we'd already connected with, florists and decorators who had shared their pain points about 10–40% middlemen fees. I talked to vendors not to pitch or sell our subscription plan, but to listen and collaborate.

To my surprise, one vendor, a young photographer named Aarav, offered to introduce us to his network in Surat. "We're all in this together," he said. That single gesture snowballed: within a month, we onboarded 200 more vendors through word-of-mouth, and our site traffic hit 1,500 couples.

It wasn't investor cash that fueled our growth. It was genuine relationships.

The lesson hit hard: in a cutthroat market, building a community of allies beats going it alone. That investor's “no” pushed me to prioritize trust and collaboration, which has grown ShaadiVibe to 490+ vendors today, saving couples 20–35% on planning costs.

At eChai Ventures, our Unforgettable Lessons series brings forward the defining truths founders learn on their journeys. These are not just stories of success, but of survival, resilience, and the inner conviction that keeps entrepreneurs moving through uncertainty.

For Priyanka Sachdeva, Founder of Core & Pure – Essential Oils, the most powerful lesson has been about passion, purpose, and the responsibility to keep going even when no one else can step in.

Here’s how she tells it:

From the outside, entrepreneurship often looks like a straight path to success, freedom, innovation, and growth. In reality, it is a relentless journey filled with volatility, setbacks, and constant recalibration. The lesson I’ve learned is simple yet profound: unless you are building something you truly believe in and are deeply passionate about, you won’t have the resilience to navigate the inevitable ups and downs.

I’ve seen days in business where survival itself was in question, when money was scarce, both personally and professionally. In those moments, one truth became crystal clear: no one else will step in to rescue you. You are the one who has to find the ways and means to move forward.

As the first Shiva Sutra says, “Only you are your own.” That wisdom holds 100% true in entrepreneurship. Only you can make it possible, no one else.