In this podcast, we’re delving into a critical trajectory of the Good Glamm Group (GGG) that quickly rose to prominence in the beauty and personal care space through a series of high-profile acquisitions, but now finds itself in troubled financial waters. We’ll explore how startups scaling rapidly through M&As can hit a rough patch when the market turns south and funding dries up.
In today's episode, we’ll dive into South-East Asia, one of the world’s hottest regions for tech innovation. We’ll explore why companies are flocking here, the factors driving growth, and what’s next for this dynamic part of the world.
In today's episode, we're diving into the recent cost-cutting measures taken by BeepKart, a Bengaluru-based platform for buying and selling used two-wheelers that has laid off 130 employees, and halved its physical footprint by closing 6 of its 11 stores. BeepKart’s case shows that even with substantial funding, missteps in market positioning and cost-control strategies can prove to be costly. Join in to explore, what can founders learn from this case study?
In the podcast, we uncover why retail investors are willing to invest in every IPO for listing gains, and whether they are currently taken for a ride to benefit existing investors or promoters?
In today's episode, we'll delve into how a startup that raised over $400 million in funding and nearly hit profitability, spiraled into near-oblivion. We will explore the key reasons behind the dramatic decline of a once-promising retail-tech startup, Arzooo, founded by 2 Flipkart alumni. The lessons here are not just about failures, but about strategy, relationships, and leadership - or the lack of it.
In today’s episode, we would deep dive into the ongoing saga of MedPlus Health Services, India’s only listed pharma retailer, and its ambitious yet risky private-label strategy. Please visit www.jasarodio.com for our previous insightful podcasts!
In today’s episode, we would delve into the sudden shutdown of Kenko Health, an Indian healthtech startup that had raised $13.7 Million, and yet found itself out of cash. It’s a stark reminder that even with substantial investor backing, the road to startup success is fraught with challenges. Please visit www.jasarodio.com for 80+ insightful podcasts!
In this podcast, I'll be exploring the rise and fall of ReshaMandi, an agritech startup that aimed to revolutionize India's silk supply chain but recently faced a sudden shutdown. ReshaMandi has shut down operations, laid off 500 employees, and took its website offline, as reported by Entrackr.
In this podcast, we’ll be talking about "LogiNext Solutions", a global logistics SaaS startup that, despite its tremendous growth trajectory, has reportedly liquidated its assets. Over the years, it raised a total of $50 million, achieving its peak valuation of $100 million after a $39 million funding by global heavyweights like Tiger Global and Steadview. In a surprising turn of events, LogiNext has recently liquidated its assets for just $250,000, according to a board resolution on July 8, as ...
In this podcast, we've dived into the story of 1K Kirana, a startup that aimed to revolutionize the kirana store business in India. Despite the high hopes and strong backing of InfoEdge and other investors, 1K Kirana is now going through a challenging phase, almost staring at bankruptcy as per a report by Inc42. The podcast uncovers key 6 areas / reasons behind 1K Kirana's precarious situation, and what entrepreneurs can learn from their journey.
In today's podcast, we will dive into the typical challenges that D2C brands face, when pivoting from an online to an offline model. We’ll be looking at a real-life example of Clensta, a D2C brand that made waves for its innovations and recent struggles, as reported by The CapTable.
Today, we will dive into the story of mCaffeine, a personal care brand known for its caffeine-infused products. Despite its initial promise and unique offerings, mCaffeine is navigating a challenging phase, vying for strategic suitors or buyers, as recently reported by VC Circle. This story is a testament that while achieving profitability is crucial, so is managing burn rates, operational efficiency, adaptability, resilience, and strategic planning.
In today's podcast, we will delve into the captivating journey of Koo, once celebrated as India's answer to Twitter (now X). We will explore the remarkable rise of Koo in 2021 and dissect the key factors that led to its eventual downfall. The closures of several startups including Koo that once flourished in recent years, owing to their aggressive growth strategies and the funding winter, highlight the challenges of sustainability and maintaining long-term success.
In this podcast, we will delve into the tumultuous future of the Edtech sector in India, primarily focusing on the dramatic downturns faced by 2 of India's former Edtech giants: Byju’s and Unacademy. Notably, the core reasons behind the struggling Edtech sector are: Struggling to raise fresh capital (funding winter.) Depleting demand, post Covid-19. Lack of innovation, and Business Model, Leadership and Strategic Challenges....
In conversation with Richard Parker, a distinguished M&A expert, who has led successful acquisitions of 13 companies, ranging from $50K to $200+ Mn. Richard shares his valuable insights on: Why should you only buy an existing profitable business? How do you source potential businesses, and conduct due diligence? Finally, how do you integrate it successfully within your business?
Rachel Turner Co-founder at VC Talent Lab, UK Author, The Founder’s Survival Guide Sharing her insights on: She shares a brief background about herself and the inspiration behind "The Founder's Survival Guide." Key challenges most founders typically face as they scale their businesses from 0 to 1. What strategies should the founders apply to navigate these challenges and grow their businesses? Why do entrepreneurs lack in this transition from founders to CEOs? The board's role in coaching their ...
In conversation with Blake Hutchison, the CEO of Flippa, where we discussed: The current trend of buying and selling SaaS businesses. When and why should founders of SaaS startups consider an exit? Prevailing exit revenue/profit multiples for the SaaS businesses. How should SaaS founders maximize the value of their startup, and ensure a smooth transition to an exit? Finally, the key challenges involved during this process of buying and selling SaaS businesses?...
India, being the 3rd largest startup ecosystem is fraught with frauds too. There have been several instances of corporate governance lapses in startups like BharatPe, Zilingo, Trell, and GoMechanics. This time it's a cloud kitchen startup, namely Bigspoon Foods. The fraud was exposed in an article titled "How a cloud-kitchen startup misled investors and left unpaid bills in its wake?" which appeared in the e-magazine The Ken, on 28 August 2023. The podcast covers, how BigSpoon misled into believ...
JasaRodio | Episode 76 | Venture Debt 101 : A Guide on the Why, What, and How! Guest: Punit Shah, Managing Partner - Alteria Capital. Sharing his insights on: What is Venture Debt, and how it differs from other forms of financing? What are the key benefits of Venture Debt for startups, and how can it complement future equity rounds? When should startups explore Venture Debt, is it the right choice for specific needs (e.g. bridge rounds)? What does a typical Venture Debt term sheet look like (i.e...
A 3-part podcast series, in partnership with OfBusiness, India's youngest profitable unicorn! The Third (and final) part of this series covers: Summary of the journey, and mistakes made by the founders. The importance of customer feedback for startups. Some of the key challenges that startups usually face? How did technology/platform really evolve at OfBusiness? Advice for the B2B founders/startups building a marketplace or a 2-sided platform? How should founders secure funding from Seed to Seri...
A 3-part podcast series, in partnership with OfBusiness, India's youngest profitable unicorn! This Second part of this series covers: Advice to the B2B Founders? Create and track 2-3 relevant KPIs for your startup. How did OfBusiness achieve Product/Market Fit (PMF)? Their strategy for customer acquisition and growth. Their Go-to-Market (GTM) strategy to acquire and retain customers. How to hire best talent and use ESOPs to create a performance-driven culture?...
A 3-part podcast series, in partnership with OfBusiness, India's youngest profitable unicorn! Background: OfBusiness is a B2B procurement and fintech platform, which is the youngest profitable Indian unicorn that has crossed over $2 bn in revenue in FY2022-23. The 7-year-old startup which turned unicorn in July-2021 has leapfrogged with a $6+ Bn valuation, operating across 20+ countries. It has impressive backing from top global investors like TigerGlobal, Norwest, Softbank, etc. Both co-founder...
Ashish Kumar Partner, The Fundamentum Partnership (growth-focused VC Fund) Sharing his insights on: 1. As a part of a VC firm, what got you interested in the healthcare sector? 2. You had assessed several players in the pharma space, what were the 3 key factors that stood out for PharmEasy? 3. Besides the team, what other factors drove you to commit to PharmEasy? 4. In general, what makes a team shine over others when it comes to investment? 5. Coming back to PharmEasy, you tweeted about channel...
Ryan Breslow Founder of 2 unicorns: Bolt and Eco. Sharing his own experiences, Ryan talks about the 10 Sales Tactics that Truly Work!
Rishav Agarwal Founder & CEO, Picxele (Gig Economy) Sharing his insights on: What has changed in the Gig Economy, post Covid-19 pandemic? How large is this Gig Market across the globe? What are the challenges with Gig Economy? How are gig platforms like Freelancer, Upwork really differentiating/solving this gap? How can founders/startups benefit from the opportunities involved? Journey of Picxele, and what gap does it fulfill?...
Bonus podcast recorded on a recent Twitter thread by Chris Cantino on the same subject. Chris is currently the co-owner of Color Capital. Prior to this, he was CMO of Schmidt's Naturals and helped propel the company to $100M+ acquisition by Unilever alongside wife and partner Jaime Schmidt. Head on to this podcast, to hear 10 pointers recommended by Chris to scale up your venture as a viable/potential acquisition venture!...
Purva Aggarwal Founder & CEO, Good Good Piggy Women in Tech ® India Ambassador Sharing her insights on: The story behind building Good Good Piggy? How important is financial literacy for kids? How should parents teach financial education to their children? Is pre-teen the right age to talk about investments? What's the market opportunity like for such a sector? Finally, how's Good Good Piggy inculcating financial literacy among kids?...
Parag Dhol Managing Director, Inventus Capital India Sharing his insights on: Why do corporates/startups acquire other companies (key reasons)? When should a founder decide to sell his/her startup? Once decided to sell, how should an entrepreneur prepare his/her startup for a possible acquisition? Why do acquisitions fail at certain times, and how should one prevent it from happening? Based on a portfolio company, what's the journey like from growth to IPO? Finally, a brief about Inventus Capita...
Sameer Sortur Regional Director GCC, Founder Institute Founder-CEO, SquareCircle Global Sharing his insights on: How is the Founder Institute enabling startups globally? What differentiates Founder Institute from the other accelerators? What factors/aspects does Founder Institute look for in a startup to shortlist them in the program? How does Founder Institute help those entrepreneurs who don't make it? What kind of support do entrepreneurs get when they join the program? As a Regional Director...
Shirish Nadkarni Serial Entrepreneur, Author of "From Startup to Exit" Sharing his valuable insights on: How easy/difficult is it to launch and scale up a tech venture? What should be the ideal journey for any venture? What should tech startups do to succeed in all phases? How should founders efficiently raise funding, and when should they start the process? His own journey insights from 3 startups, things that went great, and about his failures? A bit about his book, "From Startup to Exit" and ...
