What Today’s Founders Taught Me About Teams, Culture & Letting Go



Just a few hours ago, I had the opportunity to attend one of the most grounded and honest startup conversations I’ve experienced in a while. Hosted by eChai Ventures, the focus was clear: Building Startup Teams & Company Culture — but the takeaways went far beyond titles.

Here's what I learned today from founders who’ve been in the trenches:

1. Culture Isn't Built in Docs. It’s Built in Reactions.

One founder said it best:

“People don’t watch what you say, they watch how you act—especially in difficult moments.” Whether it's resolving disputes or making tough calls, your reactions shape your company's real DNA.

2. Want Loyalty? Build Open Channels, Not Just Pay Hikes

“If someone wants to leave, they will. But if they feel heard, they might not even want to.” An open-door culture with real feedback loops matters more than retention bonuses.

3. Hire for Alignment, Not Just Resumes

One founder shared how their average cost per hire rose from ₹3.5L to ₹12L in under a decade. The shift? Not just inflation—but a focus on mindset alignment over skill matching.

4. AI Is Coming—But Adoption Is a Culture Shift Too

Some brands, like Theka Coffee , are still experimenting. Others are integrating AI into internal workflows and CX. The consensus:

“AI isn’t about tools. It’s about readiness—organizationally and mentally.”

5. Sometimes Leadership Means Saying Goodbye

“If someone repeatedly blocks progress, you must choose mission over momentary peace.” One founder shared how hard, but necessary, it was to part ways with senior team members misaligned with long-term goals.

 Personal Reflection:

As someone who works closely with teams across marketing, sales, and product, this session reinforced a key truth: People strategy is business strategy. Whether you’re scaling a startup or running a digital campaign—how you build matters just as much as what you build.

Gratitude to the stellar speakers:


If you’re building a team, culture, or vision—let’s connect. And if you’re curious how AI, leadership, marketing and digital culture can intersect—DMs open.

Grateful to be part of Ahmedabad’s buzzing #founder ecosystem. If you're building teams or culture—or just figuring it out like the rest of us—this one's for you.
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The eChai Effect - In Their Words

"I have evolved from role of Community Builder to Startup Consultant to Startup Ecosystem Enabler to Angel Investor and now launching a Venture Studio and eChai has been a catalyst in my overall journey as Startup Evangelist since 13 years."
Mehul Shah - Co-Founder at Counselvise & Ivy Growth
Mehul Shah
Co-Founder at Counselvise & Ivy Growth
"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
Harsha Bhurani
Founder, HummingBird Consulting Group
"We found eChai to be a force multiplier throughout our startup journey. Through it, we connected with folks from DevX, Allevents, Plutomen, and more - many of whom became friends of IndiaBizForSale.com and even part of our clientele."
Bhavin S Bhagat - Co-founder of Indiabizforsale and IBGrid, TiE Ahmedabad President
Bhavin S Bhagat
Co-founder of Indiabizforsale and IBGrid, TiE Ahmedabad President

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