At GDG Ahmedabad 2024, Manoj Adwani (narad.io) Made the Case for Founder-Led Content
- by: Jatin Chaudhary
- 2 comments
At GDG Ahmedabad 2024, Manoj Adwani, founder of narad.io, delivered one of those talks that quietly rewire how you think about growth.
His central idea was simple but powerful:
"People don’t buy the best product. They buy the best-known product."
"People don’t buy the best product. They buy the best-known product."
And in the current landscape, where founders obsess over features, Manoj made a compelling case for why visibility, not just innovation, is what drives traction. Especially for early-stage startups.
Drawing on 17 years in tech and his experience building narad.io, Manoj outlined why video content should be a top priority for founders — not later, but right now.
He shared how startups can punch above their weight by focusing on:
Cost-effective reach:
You don’t need a marketing team. Just a smartphone, a basic mic, and something meaningful to say. Compared to ads or paid campaigns, videos have more longevity and better ROI for early-stage teams.
You don’t need a marketing team. Just a smartphone, a basic mic, and something meaningful to say. Compared to ads or paid campaigns, videos have more longevity and better ROI for early-stage teams.
Building trust at scale:
Seeing the founder speak — whether it’s in a product walkthrough, a behind-the-scenes vlog, or a short insight reel — creates authenticity. It helps users, investors, and potential hires connect with the people behind the product.
Seeing the founder speak — whether it’s in a product walkthrough, a behind-the-scenes vlog, or a short insight reel — creates authenticity. It helps users, investors, and potential hires connect with the people behind the product.
Creating long-term assets:
A well-made YouTube video or a LinkedIn post by the founder can keep working for months. Unlike ads, which stop performing once the budget runs out, good content compounds over time.
A well-made YouTube video or a LinkedIn post by the founder can keep working for months. Unlike ads, which stop performing once the budget runs out, good content compounds over time.
He also laid out a practical framework for founders:
-
For Customers – Focus on content that solves real problems or shares customer success stories. Educational content works well here.
-
For Investors – Show traction. Talk about your wins. Give context. Your voice matters more than your deck.
-
For Talent – Showcase how your team works. Why you exist. Why someone should choose to work with you. Culture videos matter more than a careers page.
One thing he repeated often: the founder has to lead this.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the more real it feels, the better.
It doesn’t have to be perfect. In fact, the more real it feels, the better.
He talked about using strategies like the "silence pitch" — where you showcase your product inside a story, without selling it outright.
He emphasized storytelling that makes people feel something — not just think something.
He emphasized storytelling that makes people feel something — not just think something.
And when it comes to gear? Keep it simple.
Phone. Wired mic. Decent lighting. Budget? Around ₹50,000, if that.
Phone. Wired mic. Decent lighting. Budget? Around ₹50,000, if that.
Most importantly, he shared his own journey.
It took him 20 months to reach his first 1,000 Instagram followers. But once he hit that point, consistent content started compounding. It wasn’t about going viral. It was about showing up, over and over again.
It took him 20 months to reach his first 1,000 Instagram followers. But once he hit that point, consistent content started compounding. It wasn’t about going viral. It was about showing up, over and over again.
He ended with a strong reminder:
“Content will win the game. Just like every business needed a website 20 years ago, and a mobile app 10 years ago — today, you need content. Real content. From the founder. That’s what people connect with.”
If you’re building something and still stuck in stealth mode, this talk is your nudge.
Start small. Start messy. But start.
Start small. Start messy. But start.
This is one of those sessions you’ll probably come back to.
.jpg "Draper Startup House - Living and working spaces for startup communities."){kind=logo}
.jpg "Upsquare - Upsquare is a global holding organization and incubator of independent and integrated companies across the globe."){kind=logo}
