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Unforgettable Lessons
The strength of your startup comes from how clearly you understand your customer
At eChai Ventures, our Unforgettable Lessons series brings together founders’ stories about the moments that shaped their journey. These are not just tales of wins or failures, but turning points that leave a lasting imprint on how they think and build.
For Dr. Trishala Punjabi, CEO of BharatMD, one such lesson came during her first venture, when she learned that traction alone does not equal success.
Here’s how she tells it:
When I started my first company, Medguru, I thought traction meant success. Within months, we had 20,000 medical students using our app across 300 colleges. I felt like I had cracked it. But as the months went by, the numbers told a harsher story: in two years, we had made just ₹2 lakhs.
When I started my first company, Medguru, I thought traction meant success. Within months, we had 20,000 medical students using our app across 300 colleges. I felt like I had cracked it. But as the months went by, the numbers told a harsher story: in two years, we had made just ₹2 lakhs.
I couldn’t understand it. Students said they loved the app. They told me it was useful, even essential. Yet when it came to paying, almost no one did. That disconnect frustrated me more than failure. It felt like I was running on a treadmill, moving hard but going nowhere.
It forced me to confront a truth I had overlooked: just because people need something doesn’t mean they will pay for it. True customer development is not about hearing “yes, this is great”, but about digging until you understand what they value enough to part with their money for.
When I carried this lesson into my second venture, everything changed. I approached customers differently, asking sharper questions, testing willingness to pay before building, and focusing only on what truly mattered to them. The result? I made the same ₹2 lakhs in just 15 days that had taken me two years before.
That contrast, two years versus fifteen days, is etched into my memory. It taught me customer development from the ground up. Along the way, I also realized how easy it is, when you’re just starting out, to be blinded by your own idea. You fall in love with it, assume others will too, and lose sight of reality.
I had to learn to be brutally honest with myself and test whether customers actually wanted what I was offering. I even rejected three ideas I was deeply in love with before I started BharatMD, because customer conversations showed me they wouldn’t work.
If you’re just starting your journey, I’d recommend reading The Mom Test. It helped me ask the right questions and separate real signals from polite encouragement.
The most unforgettable lesson I’ve learned is this: the strength of your startup doesn’t come from how much you believe in the idea, but from how clearly and honestly you understand your customer.
Confidence begins the moment you trust yourself
At eChai Ventures, we’re running a new series called Unforgettable Lessons. Founders share the moments that shaped them, stories of doubt, resilience, and discovery that changed the way they build and lead.
For Kena Shah, Founder of Inara, Fashion Coach, and Author, two such lessons from the early days of her journey continue to guide how she approaches business, leadership, and growth as a woman entrepreneur.
Here’s how she tells it:
Trusting My Instincts Above All
I have always been someone who relies deeply on my instincts. More often than not, they have guided me correctly. But in my early days, I found myself doubting them, not because they weren’t strong, but because I wasn’t a trained fashion student.
I have always been someone who relies deeply on my instincts. More often than not, they have guided me correctly. But in my early days, I found myself doubting them, not because they weren’t strong, but because I wasn’t a trained fashion student.
Coming from a management background, I sometimes listened to unsolicited advice from people who had never walked the path I was building. Their words made me second-guess myself, and at times, those detours slowed my process.
What I eventually realized is this: clarity comes from within, not from the noise outside. As an entrepreneur, the most important thing you can do is answer the powerful questions that define your core: Why am I building this business? Who am I designing for? What experience do I want to create and leave behind?
The moment I aligned with these questions, I found not just direction but power. That was the turning point when I shifted from being someone trying to build a brand to becoming a woman who owns her vision with confidence.
Never Judge a Book by Its Cover
Another unforgettable lesson came from my early experiences with clients. I’ll admit, in the beginning, I made one of the classic mistakes of business: judging a book by its cover.
Another unforgettable lesson came from my early experiences with clients. I’ll admit, in the beginning, I made one of the classic mistakes of business: judging a book by its cover.
Once, a woman walked in, and at first glance, I believed she was only there to browse. To my surprise, she walked out not just with interest, but with more than three outfits in one go. That moment hit me deeply because I hadn’t paid her the attention she deserved in the beginning.
I realized that every customer who walks through your door deserves respect, attention, and presence, whether they buy one piece or ten, whether they fit into your assumptions or not. Business isn’t built on assumptions; it’s built on relationships, trust, and service. That single incident reshaped the way I approached every client thereafter.
In business and in life, the most unforgettable lessons don’t always come from victories. They often come from the moments we stumble, reflect, and rise stronger. For me, those early days of doubt and misjudgment were exactly what transformed me into the entrepreneur I am today.
Sometimes It’s Not About Creativity, It’s About Patience
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At eChai Ventures, we’ve started a new series called Unforgettable Lessons. In this series, founders share moments from their journey that taught them lessons they’ll never forget.
Some stories are about big wins, some about tough rejections, and some are about challenges that quietly change the way you work and lead.
For Pinal Didwania, Founder of The Pencil Advertising, one such lesson came from a client relationship that almost broke her team’s resolve.
Here’s how she tells it, in her own words:
There was a client who was never satisfied. New changes every night. New directions every morning. We reached a point where we thought: “This is impossible. We can’t do this.”
But we didn’t walk away. We sat down and said: “Let’s stop fighting the chaos. Let’s understand what’s really behind this.”
We realized the client wasn’t difficult, they were scared. Scared to take risks, scared to trust, scared to fail.
So instead of resisting, we adapted. We communicated more clearly, gave them multiple options, and reassured them at every step. Slowly, their anxiety turned into confidence.
Months later, that same client told us: “I know I was tough. But you never gave up on me. That’s why I trust you more than anyone else.”
Lesson: Sometimes, clients don’t test your creativity. They test your patience, empathy, and consistency. And passing that test is what earns you long-term loyalty.
But we didn’t walk away. We sat down and said: “Let’s stop fighting the chaos. Let’s understand what’s really behind this.”
We realized the client wasn’t difficult, they were scared. Scared to take risks, scared to trust, scared to fail.
So instead of resisting, we adapted. We communicated more clearly, gave them multiple options, and reassured them at every step. Slowly, their anxiety turned into confidence.
Months later, that same client told us: “I know I was tough. But you never gave up on me. That’s why I trust you more than anyone else.”
Lesson: Sometimes, clients don’t test your creativity. They test your patience, empathy, and consistency. And passing that test is what earns you long-term loyalty.
The Grit of Industrial Sales
At Dicot, we build industrial automation solutions that are designed and manufactured in India for factories looking to improve speed, safety, and efficiency. Selling these solutions, however, has never been easy.
I began my journey in industrial sales by knocking on factory doors, walking in, introducing myself, and asking people to give our products a chance. The market was dominated by expensive European brands, and their name alone was enough for orders to flow. When I spoke about our machines made in India, people often appreciated the thought, but very few placed an order. Encouragement was common, real commitments were rare.
There were days when I walked into ten factories and came out empty-handed, no meetings, no orders, not even a phone number to follow up on. Those were heavy days, but I still went to the next gate because even one “yes” could make up for all the “no’s.”
Most of my time was spent inside plants, wearing a helmet and talking to engineers and managers. Many doors stayed shut, some conversations ended quickly, and a handful turned into lasting relationships that helped us move forward. Those few were enough to keep me going.
Industrial sales is tough work. It demands patience, belief, and a lot of resilience. It tests your confidence and helps you see who is open to giving new ideas a chance. Most of all, it has taught me that progress in business, and in life, often begins with the simple act of knocking on the next door.
The First Welcome in Silicon Valley: Nirman Dave, CEO, Zams
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As part of The First Welcome in Silicon Valley series, I have been asking founder friends to share their stories of the first welcome they experienced in Silicon Valley. These are the people, the moments, and the gestures that stayed with them.
In this stream, Nirman Dave, Co-founder and CEO of Zams, shared three moments that defined his early steps in the Valley.
Nirman is now building Zams, his AI command center for B2B sales teams, bringing tools like Salesforce, Hubspot, Slack, Apollo, and Gong into one place. Before Zams, he co-founded Obviously AI (2020–2024), a no-code AI platform for data analysis.
> "Murtaza Hussain was the cofounder of Streamlabs, which sold to Logitech for $200M. I cold-emailed him asking for an internship. They didn’t take interns. He gave me one anyway."
> "Asha Jadeja was the reason I ever set foot in the US. She flew me from India for the Rajeev Circle Fellowship at Stanford even before I started college. That was my first glimpse of Silicon Valley. Later, when I started my first company and needed a place to stay, she gave me hers."
> "Chon Tang was the first investor in my company. I was still in college. I had no track record. He backed me anyway."
Nirman’s story shows how the first welcome can take many forms. An internship that wasn’t supposed to exist, a fellowship that changed his path, or an investor who believed without proof. Each of these acts became part of his foundation in Silicon Valley.
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
“I have no hesitation in saying that my association with eChai has been a gateway into the startup ecosystem. Through this platform, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with many young and dynamic entrepreneurs. These interactions have been immensely enriching - I’ve learned a great deal and have always tried to offer guidance whenever approached. It’s a truly symbiotic relationship that I deeply value, and it wouldn’t have been possible without eChai.”
Syed Nadeem Jafri
Founder, Hearty Mart
“eChai has been that turning point in my journey. It gave me a platform when I wasn’t looking for visibility but needed direction. Over the years, it became more than just a network. It became my tribe; a place where conversations sparked collaborations, and strangers became trusted sounding boards. What I value most is how effortlessly eChai brings people together - no airs, no filters, just genuine people with shared dreams. I owe a lot to this community and to Jatin, whose consistency and belief in people have shaped journeys like mine. Forever grateful to be part of something so real.”
Rushabh Shah
Managing Partner - STIR Advisors
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.
