⁠I was associated with iBall Brand since 2001 and Vikalp joined in 2008 and we did lot of projects together for 11 years.

When I discussed about the idea of making a business intelligence software with Vikalp, he immediately came to Ahmedabad from Delhi to discuss about the next steps.

Our approach to defining co-founder roles was intuitive rather than structured. Vikalp naturally gravitated towards product management due to his deep tech background and passion. Our mutual understanding was that, regardless of our individual expertise areas, we would maintain an open dialogue, challenging and questioning each other's decisions. 

This dynamic allows us to progress collectively, guided by the strong conviction of the decision-maker in any given situation.

Glad to have attended the eChai Ventures Startup Growth Meetup at CIIE, IIM Ahmedabad. Thanks, Jatin, for the invitation.

We had esteemed panelists from various industries including B2B, D2C, and SaaS.

We discussed various aspects of running and growing a startup. Here are a few highlights of the event:

1. Solve the problems of customers. Sometimes, as an early-stage startup, we are too involved in our idea, but solving real-world problems is key to sustaining and scaling.

2. Nowadays, D2C startups' Go-to-Market strategies are 100% dependent on Paid Advertising, and that is not sustainable. D2C startups need to find organic growth channels to sustain growth while reducing costs. (CC: Sumit 'Curl' Karranji)

3. Running a business is a marathon, not a sprint. Patience is what makes or breaks a business. Some years you might not generate enough positive cash flow, but suddenly one year, you get all the ROI. So, staying in the race is important. (CC: Udit Goenka)

4. Dealing with the government requires an H2H approach, meaning Human to Human Relationship. One needs to build rapport to do business with the government. (CC: Shani Pandya)

Thanks again to everyone who joined the event, to Jatin for hosting this wonderful event, and to the fellow speakers for sharing their wisdom about their journey.