Books for Entrepreneurs: The CEO Factory - Management Lessons from Hindustan Unilever by Sudhir Sitapati

Jatin Chaudhary

Salesman @eChaiVentures l Good at managing WhatsApp groups n organizing high quality, large gathe...

We are starting the Books for entrepreneurs series where we invite the authors of awesome business books to share about their experiences, why they wrote these books, what are the takeaways for founders, and their own journey of writing a book. publishing and distributing the book.

For the 1st episode of this series, we were delighted to have Sudhir Sitapati, Executive Director & VP, Foods and Refreshment, Hindustan Unilever, and author of The CEO Factory.

image credit: HUL

About The CEO Factory:

For six decades Hindustan Unilever has remained among India’s top five most valuable companies. No other corporation in the world has done so well for so long. Its brands sit in most Indian homes (nine out of ten Indians use an HUL product every month), its financial indicators are among the best in Dalal street and it is famously a factory for CEOs.

For the first time comes a book that decodes how this great business works – from a director of the company who has spent his whole career there.

Why are there so many CEOs across industries in India who are ex-Unilever people? What is the company’s secret management training sauce? Why is marketing at the heart of every business? Why is it easier to create a new market than to grab a slice of an existing one? How is it actually smarter to stock your product in smaller quantities in a store than to aggressively push orders? And why you should never, ever believe that pricing down your product will get you more customers.

Sharp, insightful, and entertaining, the CEO factory is an MBA course in a single book.

You can watch my conversation with Sudhir below.

https://youtu.be/wpKaLifHc-c

You can buy this book from Amazon.

Startup Stream

Blessing in disguise Books for Entrepreneurs Documentary eChai Wall of Love How I Met My Co-Founder In Focus Today Insight Reports Movies for Entrepreneurs Notes from Podcasts Slice of Startup Life The First Hire The First Welcome in Silicon Valley The Reading Room Unforgettable Lessons

The eChai Effect - In Their Words

“You don’t plan to build a company via eChai. You just keep showing up … and one day, you realize you did.” I’ve known Jatin since 2012, when I was still deciding what kind of second innings I wanted to play as an entrepreneur. Over the years, through events, chai breaks, intros, and seemingly small conversations, eChai helped shape not just Upsquare but also refined the lens through which we see collaboration. At Upsquare, we’ve hired talent, met partners, discovered co-investors, and built lifelong friendships. One of our joint ventures exists today only because a casual eChai memory sparked a deeper trust. Now, as we build House of Starts — our venture builder — eChai continues to fuel our mission: co-creating a shared future. eChai isn’t just a startup network. It’s a trust network. And for business builders like me, that makes all the difference."

Utpal Vaishnav

Founder @ Upsquare & House of Starts • Angel Investor + LP

"At DevX.Work, we’ve greatly benefited from our association with eChai. Their events and networking forums have connected us with high-potential startups, ecosystem leaders, and innovation-driven professionals — many of whom have become valuable partners, collaborators, and even clients. What stands out most is the openness and accessibility of the community — whether you're an early-stage founder or an experienced entrepreneur, eChai provides a welcoming space to learn, collaborate, and grow. It's more than just a network — it's a catalyst for real, collaborative growth. We’re proud to be part of the eChai community. Highly recommended for any organization aiming to grow within the startup space."

Umesh Uttamchandani

Co-Founder, DevX

"For me, eChai is a second home. I've been associated with it since the early days, when it was already setting a different tone for how startup communities could work. As a traditional business owner entering the new-age D2C space, eChai supported me in every direction. Over the years, it became my window to the startup world — and also gave me lifelong friends who continue to show up, for business and beyond."

Pankaj Bhimani

Founder, 58miles

eChai Partner Brands

eChai Ventures partners with select brands as their growth partner - working together to explore new ideas, open doors, and build momentum across the startup ecosystem.

DevX

DevX

Collaborative workspaces and a venture fund.