At eChai Ventures, our Unforgettable Lessons series shares the stories founders carry with them, the turning points that test not just their strategies, but their resilience, their values, and their ability to keep moving through uncertainty.
For Maithili Shah, Founder of Syntelligence Fintech, that moment came during one of the most difficult chapters of her entrepreneurial journey.
Here’s how she tells it:
I still remember those months as if they stretched into years, when I had just welcomed my second baby, life and business collided in unexpected ways.
Within weeks, we lost a large client, perhaps because I trusted too much and wasn’t “commercial” enough. Soon after, 40% of our team left, some to get married, some moving abroad, others for better opportunities.
It was one of those moments when I kept asking myself: Am I building a business my way, with heart, or should I become more commercial? Can I afford to be vulnerable and still be a leader? I don’t think I have a clear answer even today.
What I did know is that in that period, survival depended on showing up in the smallest possible steps. To survive, we broke everything into micro-pieces: over-communicating, moving from a virtual setup into a physical office, and creating an environment where we could look each other in the eye and rebuild trust.
Our work became intense and fragmented, sometimes measured in two-hour stretches instead of full days. It was exhausting and overwhelming, but also built with grit and togetherness. And slowly, we climbed out. Not because of strategy alone, but because every team member extended themselves with open arms and open hearts.
The question shifted from What can I do in a day? to What can I do in these two hours?
And while today’s challenges are different, scaling, finding clients who align with our DNA, hiring for both likability and capability, the lesson remains clear: when everything falls apart, it’s not your plans that hold you up, it’s your people, your grit, and the decision to keep going even when you want to stop.
At eChai Ventures, our Unforgettable Lessons series shares the defining truths founders discover in their journeys, not in moments of ease, but in the storms, doubts, and disruptions that demand courage and clarity.
For Rashmi Kashyap, Founder of Soul n Spirit, that test arrived with her very first event.
Here’s how she tells it:
When I launched Soul n Spirit, my vision was clear, to create soulful spaces of creativity and connection. But nothing prepares you for the test that comes with your very first event.
Our latest association was a Full Moon Sound Healing Session, a practice close to my heart. Everything was planned down to the last detail. But as the day approached, the universe had its own plans.
News channels flashed alerts of a Lunar Eclipse, and suddenly superstition took over. Many believed stepping out would be inauspicious. To top it all, the city was under an orange alert for heavy rains, and it had been raining relentlessly since morning. One cancellation followed another.
I had two choices: cancel and wait for a “better time,” or go ahead and trust the journey. I chose the latter.
With a quick shift indoors, we created an intimate, cocoon-like setting. Yes, the turnout was 30% less, but those who came experienced something magical. The resonance of the bowls, the rhythm of the breath, and the collective energy turned the evening into something truly powerful.
And here’s the best part, those who attended returned for the very next session, without hesitation.
Lesson learned: Dreams are not tested in perfect conditions. They are tested in storms, eclipses, and moments of doubt. If you believe in your purpose, show up no matter what. The right people will always find their way to you.
What happens when well-funded startups enter a market? Sometimes they grow the pie for everyone. Sometimes they change customer expectations so quickly that early players are forced to adapt. For founders, it can mean rethinking the entire business.
In 2014, Yash Shah started eSwashthya, one of the earliest e-pharmacy ventures in India. At that time, ordering medicines online was still a new idea. The company grew steadily by working within the margins available in pharma. As Yash recalls, "Margins in pharma are 10 to 15 percent, maybe 20 percent at best, so we worked within those limits."
A few years later, larger, well-funded startups entered the space with significant capital. Their approach relied on aggressive customer acquisition strategies, including steep discounts that went far beyond the traditional margins in the industry. “They began offering 30 to 35 percent discounts on medicines,” Yash said. “But in pharma, the business does not allow that. It was far beyond the real margins.”
The impact was immediate. Customers moved toward those offers, and the market changed almost overnight. Early players found it difficult to compete, and even the bigger companies later went through valuation cuts and consolidation as the industry adjusted to new realities. “It disrupted the way the category worked,” Yash noted.
For eSwashthya, this turning point became the start of something larger. “We used our base of eSwashthya customers who needed more health services apart from medicine delivery,” Yash explained. “We took that opportunity to give them pathology and other services by building ES Healthcare Centre.”
That same thinking opened up international opportunities. “We got a chance to expand those services in Dubai, where there is a huge market in home healthcare. So we started giving last-mile health services there. And in Tanzania, we began with doctors at the doorstep, which led us into doctor tourism. It was again a home healthcare service, but this time for African people.”
What happens when well-funded startups enter a market does not have one outcome. Sometimes it drives growth and validation. Sometimes it creates pricing pressures that are difficult to sustain. And sometimes it forces founders to look beyond their first idea and discover bigger opportunities. Markets shift, customer behavior changes, and the rules rarely stay the same.
The bigger question is not only what happens to companies, but what happens to founders when the ground shifts beneath them. Do they collapse under the pressure, or do they turn disruption into their next chapter?
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 a team at BigNano, we cherish these stories, they become the memories we hold onto, reminding us why we continue the journey with confidence and pride. The only lesson: be active, keep responding, and never let obstacles halt progress.
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.
"eChai has played a truly pivotal role in HummingBird’s journey — even before Day Zero. From ideation to establishment and into growth, it’s been a constant source of support. It connected me with incredible people who’ve become more than just friends. One of the biggest reasons I chose to stay in Ahmedabad is because of the eChai community. It has shaped my growth — both personally and professionally — in ways that are hard to articulate. Honestly, words fall short when I try to express what eChai means to me. I’m deeply thankful and forever grateful to eChai for being such an integral part of my journey."
Harsha Bhurani
Founder, HummingBird Consulting Group
"I attended my first eChai event 3 yrs back, and no one knew me in the market. Over the next three years, eChai didn’t only help me with knowledge or networking, but it gave me an identity from being unknown to now being recognized by a group of inspirational entrepreneurs connected with eChai, who have been gracious enough to acknowledge me and Digipple."
Viraj Rajani
Co-Founder, Digipple
"After moving back from the USA, eChai became my go-to space to learn how the Indian startup ecosystem works. It offered direct exposure to startup thinking and a community that openly shares business insights. What stood out was how easy it was to connect, learn, and grow through real conversations. As we built our IT hardware rentals business, eChai helped us find our niche and refine our path. Proud and grateful to be part of this amazing community."
Heet Sheth
Growth and Tech, Sheth Info
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