Episode 68: Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of LenDenClub | Bhavin Patel

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#DamaniTalks

Anirudh A Damani

75 episodes

6 days ago

I look for exciting people doing unique things, often being entrepreneurs and people with startup experience. Instead of just talking about 'what' they do, I want to bring out the 'why' behind what it is they do. Live every week on LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter @showmedamani.

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Episode 68: Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of LenDenClub | Bhavin Patel | #DamaniTalks

#DamaniTalks

1 hour 15 minutes 23 seconds

6 months ago

Episode 68: Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of LenDenClub | Bhavin Patel | #DamaniTalks

What happens when your startup loses 97% of its revenue overnight—and you still don’t shut down?

Bhavin Patel, Co-founder & CEO of LendenClub, returns to #DamaniTalks. But this time, it's not a victory lap. It’s a story of near-collapse and the bold reinvention that followed.

After scaling to ₹1,000+ Cr in monthly disbursements, LendenClub ran headfirst into regulatory reforms that wiped out most of its business. What followed? A ₹16 Cr quarterly loss, a brutal product reset, and a team that refused to give up.

Bhavin breaks down how they:

Navigated RBI’s toughest lending reforms
Rebuilt a high-trust, tech-first lending engine
Managed team morale in the middle of crisis
Turned every new product line into a breakeven playbook
Built one of India’s most disciplined fintech machines

This is the story of staying in the game without shortcuts, vanity metrics, or VC crutches. It’s about building real value when the world isn’t watching.

If you’re a fintech founder, investor, or someone riding the cycles of startup highs and lows; this episode is for you.

Timestamps:

00:00 - Introduction

03:21 - Growing up, sports, and early influences

05:16 – First venture in lending business

09:09 - Starting LenDenClub: The origin story

11:00 - Challenges in early fintech days

15:11- Regulations impact on P2P business

18:35 - Breaking through: profitability & scale

25:17 - Building a strong team & shared vision

28:01 - Shutting down the partnership model

32:54- Break-even & crisis mangement 101