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.