"When people think of AI, they think it's probably happened in the last 10 years or 20 years, but it's a journey of 70 plus years."  

This quote from Vinay Sankarapu challenges the common perception of AI as a recent phenomenon.

Vinay Sankarapu is the Founder & CEO of Arya.ai- An Aurionpro Company, one of India's pioneering AI companies established in 2013. An IIT Bombay alumnus, Vinay led Arya.ai to become a profitable (EBITDA positive for 3+ years) enterprise AI player focusing on the BFSI sector, achieving significant scale (~₹50-100 Cr revenue range) before its acquisition by Aurionpro Solutions. He was named in Forbes 30 Under 30 (Asia) and is now also leading AryaXAI, focusing on making AI interpretable and safe for mission-critical applications.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:

👉AI's True Timeline: Unpacking the 70+ year evolution from Alan Turing to modern LLMs.

👉Core Concepts Demystified: Neural Networks, Deep Learning, Backpropagation, CNNs, RNNs, Transformers explained simply.

👉The Deep Tech Journey: The challenges and pivots involved in building an early AI startup in India. 

👉Explainability is Key: Why making AI understandable (XAI) is critical for trust and adoption, especially in regulated industries. 

👉Future of AI: Insights into AI agents, verticalization moats, responsible AI governance, and the changing SaaS landscape.

#AI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/ai] #ArtificialIntelligence [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/artificialintelligence] #MachineLearning [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/machinelearning] #DeepLearning [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/deeplearning] #AIHistory [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/aihistory] #TechHistory [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/techhistory] #NeuralNetworks [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/neuralnetworks] #LLMs [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/llms] #Transformers [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/transformers] #ExplainableAI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/explainableai] #XAI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/xai] #ResponsibleAI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/responsibleai] #AIEthics [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/aiethics] #AIGovernance [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/aigovernance] #StartupIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startupindia] #IndianStartups [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/indianstartups] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #FounderThesis [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderthesis] #DeepTech [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/deeptech] #BFSI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/bfsi] #FintechAI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fintechai] #podcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/podcast]   

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.



Deep Dive: How We Got to GPT (and What's Next) with Vinay Sankarapu (Arya.ai- An Aurionpro Company)

"B2B sales is not selling a product. It's building up a relationship."  

This insight from Dhruv Verma underscores a core theme of our conversation: in the high-stakes world of B2B, particularly with large enterprises, trust and deep understanding built through relationships are paramount, often trumping product features alone.  

Dhruv Verma is the Founder & CEO of Thriwe, a global B2B consumer benefits marketplace he started in 2011 (initially as GolfLan). Facing extreme hardship early on, including selling his house to keep the company alive, Dhruv pivoted and built Thriwe into a leader serving over 15 million customers globally. The company is profitable and achieved revenues of ~$32 million (approx. 300 Cr INR), while Dhruv and his team retained ~65% equity.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉The immense power of resilience and learning from failure, including knowing when to cut losses decisively. 

👉Why pivoting from B2C to a B2B focus unlocked significant growth and product-market fit. 

👉The art of B2B sales: building deep trust and offering intuitive, innovative solutions beyond just delivering value. 

👉How strategic acquisitions and building a strong tech stack create competitive advantages. 

👉The importance of maintaining founder control and building a sustainable, profitable business over chasing valuations.  

Chapters: 

0:00:01 - Early Drive: Making Money Since School Days 

0:07:14 - Corporate Stints & Early Failed Ventures 

0:09:05 - Idea Spark: Golf & Mass Affluent Benefits 

0:12:41 - Launching GolfLan  

0:15:14 - Painful Failure & Selling House 

0:18:24 - GolfLan B2C Model & The Breakage Problem 

0:27:41 - The Profitable B2B Pivot  

0:35:28 - Expanding Beyond Golf: Becoming Thriwe 

0:41:17 - Building Supply, Tech Edge & Creative Products 

0:51:14 - The Art of High-Value B2B Relationship Sales 

1:07:21 - Rebranding Lessons & Founder Control 

1:10:48 - Angel Investing & Tier 2/3 India Focus 

#FounderThesis #AkshayDatt #StartupIndia #Entrepreneurship #B2BSales #LoyaltyPrograms #CustomerEngagement #Pivoting #BusinessStrategy #Resilience #Bootstrapping #Profitability #StartupJourney #Leadership #Innovation #GolfLan #IndianStartups #TechStartup #GlobalBusiness #FounderStory #Podcast #businesspodcast   

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

The B2B Whisperer: Dhruv Verma's Secrets to Landing (and Keeping) Big Clients

"The journey of reduction in health care costs is not the responsibility of the hospital on its own, it's also the responsibility at the patient level."  

Aditya Sharma, CEO and Co- founder of AffordPlan, is tackling the critical issue of healthcare affordability in India. From his unique perspective as an investor-turned-founder, he's driving a purpose-led mission to reduce out-of-pocket healthcare expenses for millions. AffordPlan partners with hospitals to offer a blend of micro-insurance, loans, and wellness programs, making essential healthcare services more accessible and financially manageable for patients. 

 Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉 Healthcare Affordability Focus: Afford Plan's central mission is to alleviate the financial burden of healthcare on Indian families. 

👉 Integrated Hospital Partnerships: The company's success relies on close collaboration with hospitals, integrating their services into existing healthcare systems. 

👉 Financial Tools for Patients: Micro-insurance and loan options are strategically bundled to reduce immediate and long-term healthcare costs. 

👉 Beyond Traditional Loyalty: Afford Plan's program offers tangible financial benefits, creating a sustainable relationship between patients and hospitals. 

👉 Purpose-Driven Entrepreneurship: Aditya's approach emphasizes social impact, aligning business goals with the critical need for affordable healthcare. 

👉 Strategic Turnaround Experience: Valuable insights into navigating a company turnaround, highlighting the importance of adaptability and decisive action. 

👉 Investor's Perspective on Founding: Aditya discusses how his investment background shapes his strategic thinking and risk management. 

👉 Emerging Healthcare Opportunities: He identifies wellness and AI as key areas for innovation in the Indian healthcare sector.  

#HealthcareAffordability #AffordPlan #FintechIndia #HealthTech #MicroInsurance #IndianHealthcare #PatientFinance #HealthInnovation #StartupIndia #SocialImpact #HealthcareCosts #HealthWellness #AIHealthcare 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

Solving Healthcare Affordability Crisis | Aditya Sharma (Affordplan)

"If you're going to find something, think of building this for the next 20 years. Think very long term."  

This powerful advice from Tarun Mathur underscores the importance of long-term vision in entrepreneurship, reminding founders that enduring companies aren't built overnight but over decades.  

Tarun Mathur is the Co-Founder & Chief Business Officer at Policybazaar for Business, India's leading online insurance marketplace. With an impressive 17-year journey since co-founding the company in 2008, Tarun has been instrumental in its growth, including the launch and leadership of its B2B arm, Policybazaar for Business. His experience spans analytics, revenue management, strategic initiatives, and various insurance verticals within the company.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉Mission-Driven: Policy Bazaar was founded with a mission to protect middle-class India through transparent, accessible insurance, focusing initially on term life insurance. 

👉Evolving Sales Model: Realizing insurance is a complex purchase, Policy Bazaar shifted from a purely digital model to an assisted one, incorporating call centers and advisors to build trust and aid understanding. 

👉Product Focus: While starting with auto insurance, the focus evolved to high-importance protection products like health and term life insurance, educating the market along the way. 

👉B2B Expansion: PolicyBazaar for Business targets the underserved SME/MSME sector, offering protection products like liability, cyber, and group health insurance, tailored to business needs. 

👉Data-Led Product Innovation: Customer conversations and claims data are rigorously analyzed to improve user experience, develop relevant product propositions, and refine pricing with insurance partners. 

👉Building for the Long Haul: Success stems from a long-term vision, customer obsession, focusing on product proposition, and consistently showing up over many years.  

Chapters: 

00:00:00 - Intro: Tarun Mathur's Origin Story  

00:06:43 - The Genesis of Policy Bazaar  

00:12:00 - Early Challenges & Securing Funding  

00:15:37 - Selling Insurance Digitally: The Pivot to Assisted Sales  

00:19:03 - Understanding Insurance Distribution Models (Agent vs Broker)  

00:25:34 - Evolution of Product Mix: Auto, Health & Term Life  

00:35:08 - Building Policy Bazaar for Business (B2B)  

00:45:54 - The Cyber Insurance Opportunity & Product Innovation  

00:55:48 - B2B vs B2C Customer Acquisition Strategy  

01:00:45 - The Journey to IPO 

01:04:14 - Entering the Reinsurance Market  

01:23:28 - Policy Bazaar's Secret Sauce: Customer Obsession  

01:35:42 - Advice for Young Founders 

#FounderThesis #Insurtech #InsuranceIndia #StartupIndia #IndianStartups #Entrepreneurship #AkshayDatt #Fintech #DigitalInsurance #B2B #SME #MSME #TermInsurance #HealthInsurance #CyberInsurance #IPO #BusinessStrategy #CustomerObsession #ProductManagement #DataAnalytics #Leadership #StartupAdvice 

Disclaimer: The views expressed are those of the speaker, not necessarily the channel.

Policybazaar: Growth, IPO & Future Bets | Tarun Mathur

"Behind the scenes, it's a Climate AI. It's a very deep Climate AI engine that we have built, which drives all of these workflows."  

Rohit Toshniwal pulls back the curtain on the sophisticated technology needed to tackle complex environmental challenges, highlighting how Artificial Intelligence is becoming essential for managing sustainability data and driving climate action.  Rohit Toshniwal is a serial tech entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Sprih, which builds a Carbon Intelligence and Management platform using Climate AI to help organizations catalyze climate action. An IIT Kanpur graduate, Rohit previously co-founded Arkin Net, acquired by VMware for over $100 million, and helped scale that business within VMware to ~$250 million in revenue.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉Why tracking environmental and social impact is becoming critical for businesses, driven by regulations, investors, and customers. 

👉 Understanding Carbon Dioxide Equivalence (CO2e) as a key metric for environmental performance. 

👉 How strong performance on sustainability metrics can unlock preferential financing and attract talent. 

👉 The role of technology, particularly Climate AI, in simplifying complex data collection, analysis, and reporting for climate action. 

👉 Lessons from building and selling Arkin Net, and scaling it post-acquisition. 

👉 The importance of long-term vision and the right partners for building sustainable businesses.  

Chapters: 

👉 00:00:51 - Intro: Rohit's Journey into Green Tech & Sustainability 

👉 00:04:30 - Understanding Corporate Impact: Beyond Finance 

👉 00:09:39 - Why All Companies Should Track Climate Impact 

👉 00:15:07 - Deep Dive: Understanding Carbon Reporting & CO2e 

👉 00:20:13 - Climate Performance, Capital Access & Business Advantage 

👉 00:26:05 - Introducing Sprih: Climate AI for Carbon Management 

👉 00:39:50 - The Market Opportunity in Climate Tech & Carbon Intelligence 

👉 00:57:25 - Rohit's Early Career: From Cisco to Startups & VMware 

👉 01:02:42 - The Arkin Net Story: Building & Selling for more than $100 Million 

👉 01:06:30 - Scaling Post-Acquisition: Growing to $250M within VMware 

👉 01:11:31 - Engineer's Take: How to Build a $250M Business 

👉 01:18:29 - Building Philosophy: Focus on Roots, Not Flowers  

#Sustainability #ClimateTech #CarbonReporting #ClimateAI #CarbonIntelligence #Sprih #FounderThesis #StartupIndia #Entrepreneurship #TechFounder #FounderJourney #BusinessStrategy #VMware #IITKanpur #NetZero #ImpactInvesting #ClimateAction #IndianStartups

The Future is Climate AI Solutions | Rohit Toshniwal (Sprih)

"The customer is the CEO of the company; he can fire everyone."  

This core belief drove Harshvardhan Lunia's journey in building Lendingkart. He emphasizes that obsessively solving the customer's problem—be it the need for speed, transparency, or convenience—is the ultimate key to building trust and a successful financial services business.  

Harshvardhan Lunia is the Founder & CEO of Lendingkart, a fintech platform transforming SME lending in India. An ISB graduate and Chartered Accountant, he leveraged his background in banking and SME credit advisory to launch Lendingkart in 2014. Lendingkart has since disbursed over ₹20,000 crores to more than 3 lakh customers across 4,500+ towns and cities in India, achieving a total AUM of ₹7,500 crores (with ₹5,500 crores via co-lending) by FY24.  

Key Insights from the Conversation: 

✅SME Lending Pain Points: Traditional lending for SMEs suffered from slow processes (3-4 months) and lack of transparency, creating a market gap. Lendingkart focused on speed (hours/days) and transparency from day one. 

✅Data Over Tradition: Realizing traditional financial statements were often adjusted for tax purposes, Lendingkart pioneered using bank statement analysis and cash flow data for underwriting. 

✅Tech-Driven Underwriting: The platform evolved from rule-based systems to sophisticated algorithms trained on billions of data points to assess risk and determine loan terms, achieving high predictive accuracy (97.5%). 

✅The Rise of Co-Lending: Partnering with banks and larger institutions (co-lending) became crucial post-COVID, allowing Lendingkart to scale distribution while sharing risk and capital. By March 2022, 80% of business was co-lending, reaching a 25/75 (own books/co-lending) AUM split in FY24. 

✅Distribution is Key: While underwriting and collections tech are vital, building trust and reaching customers across India (distribution) is the ultimate differentiator in the absence of a large legacy brand or branch network. 

✅Fundraising Conviction: Raising capital involves storytelling and unwavering conviction in your vision, especially when building something new. It's an exam where you must clearly articulate why your approach will work. Harshvardhan even shared his unique approach of pitching using a whiteboard instead of presentations.  

#Lendingkart [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lendingkart] #HarshvardhanLunia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/harshvardhanlunia] #FintechIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fintechindia] #DigitalLending [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/digitallending] #SMEFinance [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/smefinance] #MSME [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/msme] #NBFC [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/nbfc] #StartupIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startupindia] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #IndianStartups [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/indianstartups] #FounderThesis [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderthesis] #BusinessPodcast [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businesspodcast] #VCFunding [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/vcfunding] #CoLending [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/colending] #DataAnalytics [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/dataanalytics] #Underwriting [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/underwriting] #FinancialInclusion [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialinclusion]

Building a ₹7500 Cr AUM Fintech | Harshvardhan Lunia (Lendingkart)

"You cannot grow the country's GDP if a third of your population is not a part of the financial inclusion piece."  

Sameer Mathur highlights the critical link between financial inclusion and national economic growth, emphasizing the vast untapped potential of serving the underserved in India. This isn't just about business; it's about societal impact.  

Sameer Mathur, Managing Director of ROINet Solutions, is a former Country Manager at HP who transitioned to entrepreneurship, driven by a desire to make a difference. He co-founded FIA Technology before starting ROINet, which has scaled to 70,000 Customer Service Points (CSPs), generating ₹350Cr in revenue, and employing 500 people. His story is about resilience, strategic pivots, and building a sustainable business in the challenging but rewarding fintech space. 

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉The "Assisted Model" Endures: Digital adoption in rural India is growing, but the need for human assistance at physical CSPs remains strong, driven by trust and familiarity. 

👉Founder-Investor Synergy is Vital: Sameer's experience underscores the importance of having investors who are aligned with the company's long-term vision and provide support during challenging times. 

👉Bootstrapping is Viable: ROINet's initial growth was fueled by internal resources and leveraging existing relationships, demonstrating the power of bootstrapping. 

👉Product Diversification Fuels Growth: Expanding beyond basic banking services to include travel, investments, and lending is crucial for scaling in the financial inclusion space. 

👉Hyperlocal approach wins: Creating a large business is about winning multiple, smaller battles. Having a hyperlocal strategy helps. 

👉Social impact is a business advantage: ROINet's focus extends to the triple bottom line.  

Chapters:  

0:00:00 - Introduction: Sameer Mathur's Journey from Corporate to Startup 

0:03:44 - The Pivotal MBA and the Financial Inclusion Opportunity 

0:07:52 - Founding and Scaling FIA Technology: The BC Model 

0:18:08 - Strategic Differences and the Decision to Leave FIA 

0:20:28 - ROINet: Building a Diversified Fintech Platform 

0:27:10 - The Technology Behind 70,000 Banking Points 

0:32:52 - Scaling Sales and Reaching Rural India 

0:41:44 - Key Leadership Lessons for Aspiring Founders 

0:47:06 - Weathering the Storms: Downturns and Resilience 

0:53:54 - Validating the Customer: Biometrics and Trust 0:56:27 - The Future of Fintech and ROINet's Expansion Plans 

0:59:37 - Expanding Access to Credit: ROINet's Lending Strategy 

#Fintech #India #FinancialInclusion #RuralIndia #Startup #Entrepreneurship #Bootstrapping #VentureCapital #Banking #ScaleUp #Leadership #DigitalIndia #Innovation #ImpactInvesting #SocialImpact #MSME #Lending #Insurance #Investment  #BusinessGrowth

Surviving Downturns and Bootstrapping a Fintech Giant | Sameer Mathur (ROINet)

"ESOPs aren't lottery tickets; they're a calculated risk with a potential for real wealth creation."  

This seemingly simple statement from Satish Mugulavalli, Founder and Managing Partner of Hissa, encapsulates the core message of this episode: shifting the perception of ESOPs from "paper money" to a strategic tool for both companies and employees. We unpack the often-confusing world of ESOPs, going beyond the jargon to reveal the real-world mechanics and benefits. 

Satish Mugulavalli is the Founder and Managing Partner of Hissa, a platform revolutionizing private market transactions in India. Hissa facilitates ESOP liquidity for employees and provides access to growth-stage private companies for investors. Satish is building a 150Cr fund with a 150 Cr greenshoe option. They have already closed 30 crores in their first round. The platform has generated over 5Cr in revenue till date.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

✅Discounts are Normal: Understand why ESOP transactions often happen at a discount to the last valuation, and why it's not necessarily a red flag. 

✅Tax Implications: Learn the crucial difference between perquisite tax and long-term capital gains, and how it impacts your decision to exercise. 

✅The Founder's Perspective: Discover why companies offer ESOPs in the first place, and how they view them as a strategic tool. 

✅The Employee's Perspective: Get practical advice on evaluating an ESOP offer and understanding your potential upside. 

✅Building the Future: Hear Satish's ambitious vision for creating a transparent and efficient private market exchange in India. 

✅The right questions to ask as an employee. 

Chapters:

 * 0:00:00 - Introduction: Demystifying ESOPs and the Rise of Hissa
 * 0:03:15 - Satish's Journey: From Startup Ecosystem to Private Markets
 * 0:05:36 - Hissa's Dual Approach: SaaS Platform and Investment Fund
 * 0:11:05 - Target Market: Identifying the Right Companies for ESOP Liquidity
 * 0:20:30 - The Hissa Fund: Investment Strategy and Fundraising
 * 0:39:23 - Understanding Valuation Discounts in Secondary ESOP Transactions
 * 0:58:11 - ESOP 101: Grant, Vesting, Exercise, and Tax Implications
 * 1:02:37 - The "Why Exercise?" Question: Balancing Risk and Reward
 * 1:07:38 - Employee friendly ESOPs
 * 1:11:51 - Building the "NSE/BSE of Private Markets": Hissa's Long-Term Vision
 * 1:18:00 - Hissa's Go-To-Market Strategy: Reaching Founders and Companies
 * 1:25:00- Future of ESOPs

#ESOPs #StartupIndia #PrivateMarkets #Hissa #SatishMugulavalli #FounderThesis #Equity #Compensation #Vesting #StockOptions #Startups #Investing #Finance #India #Liquidity #TaxPlanning 

ESOPs Aren't Monopoly Money, Here's Why | Satish Mugulavalli (Hissa)

"You have to be good at collections if you want to be a good lender."  

This was just one of Shruti Aggarwal's amazing insights in this episode: lending profitability relies on responsible repayment, not just customer acquisition.  Shruti Aggarwal is the Co-Founder of Stashfin, a digital lending platform in India. She has built a profitable fintech with a loan book of ₹2000 crores and monthly disbursements of ₹300-400 crores. Stashfin operates with remarkable efficiency, generating ₹800 crores in revenue with only 170 employees. Shruti is a CA, holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, and has experience at Merrill Lynch.  

Key Insights from the Conversation: 

✅Underserved Market: Stashfin focuses on the Indian middle class, often underserved by traditional banks, with small-ticket, unsecured personal loans. 

✅RBI Regulations: The evolving regulatory landscape has impacted growth and capital requirements but ultimately promotes a more sustainable lending environment. 

✅Technological Efficiency: Stashfin leverages technology for extreme operational efficiency, automating processes to minimize costs. 

✅Customer Retention: 90% repeat business demonstrates the success of Stashfin's customer-centric approach and product convenience. 

✅Leverage Control: Understanding and managing leverage is crucial for NBFCs, and recent RBI guidelines aim to limit risk.  

Chapters:  

0:00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ] - Introduction: Shruti Aggarwal's Entrepreneurial Journey 

0:05:51 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=351s] - Returning to India & Identifying the Credit Gap 

0:11:18 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=678s] - Choosing the NBFC Model: Control and Responsibility 

0:17:01 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=1021s] - Stashfin's Profitability and Unit Economics 

0:23:43 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=1423s] - Impact of RBI's PPI Guidelines on Credit Line Cards 

0:28:58 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=1738s] - Overview of RBI's Fintech Regulations (2016-2024) 

0:41:17 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=2477s] - The Chinese Loan Apps Issue and Regulatory Response 

0:48:36 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=2916s] - The Importance of Leverage in Lending 

0:53:54 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=3234s] - Stashfin's Funding Strategy: Diverse Sources 

01:15:04 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=4504s] - Technology-Driven Efficiency at Stashfin 

01:27:20 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=5240s] - Stashfin's Underwriting and Fraud Prevention 

01:33:36 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6UKat1I96rQ&t=5616s] - Future Opportunities in Indian Fintech

#FintechIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/fintechindia] #DigitalLending [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/digitallending] #NBFC [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/nbfc] #RBI [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/rbi] #PersonalLoans [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/personalloans] #IndianEconomy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/indianeconomy] #StartupIndia [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/startupindia] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #FinancialLiteracy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/financialliteracy] #LendingRegulations [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/lendingregulations]

Shruti Aggarwal (Stashfin) on Building a ₹2000 Cr Profitable Lending Business

"The solution to every problem lies in the market, not the boardroom."   

Ashok Vashist shares a powerful lesson on the importance of staying grounded and understanding customer needs directly, rather than relying solely on theoretical discussions in boardrooms. This principle has guided WTI's success.  

Ashok Vashist is the Founder of WTI Cabs (Wise Travel India), one of India's leading B2B mobility solutions providers. He built WTI from scratch, starting with ad-hoc services in 2009, to a 400Cr revenue company which had an IPO in 2024, and is now expanding globally. Ashok's story is a testament to resourcefulness, customer-centricity, and the power of a "hungry" team.  

Key Insights from the Conversation:  

👉Niche to Scale: WTI started by dominating a neglected niche (ad-hoc corporate transport) before expanding into broader mobility services. 

👉DCO Model Evolution: The interview provides a unique perspective on the rise and fall of the Driver-Cum-Owner model in the Indian mobility landscape. 

👉Customer-Centricity is King: WTI prioritizes long-term relationships and bespoke solutions for its corporate clients. 

👉Building Internal Strength: Ashok champions financial prudence and building internal liquidity over reliance on external funding. 

👉Org Structure by Capability: Organizational design should be based on the capabilities of the team, not just abstract process frameworks. 

👉Global expansion: A strong B2B focussed expansion strategy to grow into a global mobility major.  

Chapters:  

0:00:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac] - Introduction: Ashok Vashist's Journey Building WTI 

0:03:43 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=223s] - The Origin of WTI and the Early Days 

0:05:41 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=341s] - Finding Opportunity in the Ad Hoc Market 

0:08:50 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=530s] - Scaling Up: From Ad Hoc to Process-Oriented 

0:17:34 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=1054s] - The DCO Model: Origins, Benefits, and Drawbacks 

0:29:28 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=1768s] - The Future of Fleet Aggregation: Beyond DCO 

0:35:56 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=2156s] - Expanding into Car Rentals and MSP Services 

0:40:39 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=2439s] - The Commonwealth Games: A Defining Moment 

0:45:08 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=2708s] - Organizational Structure: People Over Process 

0:50:37 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=3037s] - Going Public: The SME Board and Beyond 

0:58:45 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=3525s] - Global Expansion: The Dubai Strategy 

01:03:51 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=3831s] - Culture, Hunger, and the Importance of Staying Grounded 

01:09:16 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXSivLre1ac&t=4156s] - Building sales culture, and the power of honesty

#IndianStartups [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/indianstartups] #FounderJourney [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/founderjourney] #Entrepreneurship [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/entrepreneurship] #BusinessStrategy [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/businessstrategy]  #CustomerCentricity [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/customercentricity] #OrganizationalCulture [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/organizationalculture] #CompanyCulture [https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/companyculture]

Ashok Vashist (WTI Cabs): The Anti-Unicorn Founder, Bootstrapped to IPO!

Dickens said, it was the best of the times, it was the worst of the times. The words have never been truer.  Best because there’s never been a better time to be an entrepreneur.  Worst because the clutter is mind-numbing. Founder Thesis breaks through the noise to bring you stories of success & failure, grit & struggle, bouquets & brickbats from some of the most brilliant entrepreneurs in India. 

Founder Thesis

Saurabh Garg talks to investors and venture capitalists about what it takes  and
how start-ups to get the funding that they need

Investor Thesis

India Booked is a podcast that uses literature as a lever to bring multiple
facets of India alive. A perfect podcast for bibliophiles, trivia junkies and
people interested in learning more about India. Every episode focuses on a
different theme and takes place via a conversation between the host with
celebrated authors.

India Booked

किस्से कहानियाँ हमारी ज़िंदगी का उतना ही अहम हिस्सा हैं, जितना शायद खाना और पीना
। कहानियाँ हमें हँसाती हैं, रुलाती हैं, सिखाती हैं। वो बचपन में सुलाती हैं,
बड़प्पन में रुलाती हैं। कहानियाँ हमें वहाँ ले जाती हैं, जहां हमें गाड़ी या जहाज़ भी
शायद न ले जा पाएँ । तो चलिए हम भी चलते हैं दूर कहीं, कुछ कहानियों के साथ । आप का
तहे दिल से स्वागत है इस पॉडकास्ट पर, जिसका नाम है ‘कहानियों का गुच्छा’। इसमें आप
सुनेंगे हिन्दुस्तानी ज़बान के प्रसिद्ध लेखकों की कहानियों की कई शृंखलाओं को,
जिनको चुना गया है किसी न किसी विषय वस्तु के आधार पर। तो सुनते रहिए ‘कहानियों का
गुच्छा’। We are the stories we tell! Stories are as important in our lives as
probably food and shelter. Stories make us laugh, cry, and learn. They carry us
to the mysterious worlds of our imagination. So here we are, ready to take you
along with us on a ride with some great stories by some great writers. We invite
you to this podcast ‘Kahaniyon ka Guccha’ where you will hear carefully curated
series of stories written by some of the greatest writers in Hindustani
language. Stay tuned to some of the greatest stories with us in ‘Kahaniyon ka
Guccha’.

Kahaniyon ka Guccha

At The Spotlight, we go behind the scenes and identify and highlight the upcoming disruptors from the startup space!

The Spotlight

Welcome to the podcast where all stories are welcome. This is a podcast with no
agenda. Hidden or otherwise. In a freewheeling conversation over coffee, Sheba
gently nudges people to shake off their masks and share their real selves. Hear
what keeps people ticking, what helps them make sense of the world, and what is
the inner, most private conversation people have with themselves. Hear people
being, well….human. Expect to hear from the quiet introverts, because Sheba has
a soft corner for them.

SoulBrews with Sheba

Marketing is often considered a nice to have, not a must have. “Let’s get business first”, is what one has often heard. However, MARKETING WHEN DONE RIGHT, GETS BUSINESS. In this show marketing stalwarts talk about how marketing works in the real world. In this show you will learn how marketing will help you to - win business - acquire new consumers - grow the brand - build defensibility - command higher pricing power. Vani Dandia is an award winning marketeer who has spent over two decades in advertising and marketing with Unilever, PepsiCo, Reckitt Benckiser, Henkel, BBDO and Leo Burnett. Her claim to fame includes turning around Kurkure and successfully launching brands like Quaker, Veet, Sunsilk Colour, Fa in India and Asia.

Marketing with Vani

Hosted by Nakul Kumar, this podcast will feature some interesting personalities
from various domains of life. From sportsmen to artists and entrepreneurs, we'll
speak to a line-up of unconventional people. What will always remain constant is
our focus on how technology shapes their lives and their go-to hacks & tricks.
We will explore their unique relationship with technology and try to soak in all
that can enhance our and our listeners' relationship with technology. Hacks,
tricks, insights, upcoming tech or innovations, you name it and we'll have
covered it in this stream. So sit back, relax, plug in your earphones and let
the fun begin. About Your Host When not coming up with killer ideas to help the
users of his co-founded app, Cashify, Nakul Kumar is a full-time tech
aficionado, a cook, a proud dad, and a gaming geek. Of late, his super-honest
"2-minute reviews" on the latest smartphones on YouTube have turned him into a
tech influencer to be reckoned with. Through his new podcast on The Podium,
Nakul aims to change our general view of the world of technology and disruption.
Lend him your ears and we're sure you'll go back with your own tech eureka
moment.

Upgrade with Nakul

The minds behind brands, the minds behind ads. 

 

Tune into Marketing Connect as Saurabh Garg, a marketer, startup enthusiast, and filmmaker, gets up close and personal with some of our most celebrated marketers in India. Watch him pick their brains on the method and madness that is marketing, as art and as a discipline. And so they answer the most important question: what does it take to succeed as a marketer in this day and age?

 

Bringing you the first season of the Marketing Connect Podcast, where Saurabh chats with marketers from real estate, to fashion, content, food, retail, and just about any industry you can think of.

 

Hear, learn, and get inspired from the marketers handling the brands you and I consume each day!

Marketing Connect

We get up close and personal to some of the most celebrated marketers in the country. We understand from them the method and the madness behind how they look at marketing as a discipline and what it takes to succeed as a marketer in this day and age. In the first season of Marketing Connect Podcast, we speak to marketers from businesses ranging from real estate to fashion to content to food to retail, and a lot more! These marketers manage some of the largest brands in the country today!

Akshay Datt

Shows