About Utsav Somani:
Utsav is the founder of Offline — India’s most exclusive community of scaled-up tech founders. Early members include co-founders of Zomato, Country Delight, Ultrahuman, Noise, CoinDCX, and many more.
He is responsible for bringing AngelList to India. AngelList India became the most active seed investor in the country with 500 investments since it’s launch in 2018. He runs 2 separate funds called iSeed and Galaxy that have around $100M in AUM. Utsav has personally invested in companies like BharatPe, CoinDCX, Pristyn Care, Jupiter, Park+ along with top-tier VC firms.
Key Insights:
Why Starbucks Must Choose: Connection or Convenience?
The future of brand trust lies in one powerful decision.
In an ever-evolving world dominated by technological advancements, companies face a pivotal challenge. It isn't just about adopting the latest technology; it's about striking a balance with the irreplaceable human touch. Today, we delve into the journey of Starbucks and explore how a brand known for creating a communal coffeehouse vibe navigates redefining its identity amid technological progress.
Follow & Subscribe:
WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/TOP_WA2
YouTube: https://bit.ly/TOP_YouTubeVideos
Pritish Sanyal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pritishsanyal/
Mastering Antifragility: Insights from Amazon, Zoom, and Nokia's Journeys:
Jitha and I delved into Nassim Taleb's concept of Antifragility, a topic Jitha had explored in his newsletter No.147. We explored the concept of Antifragility, examining how leading organisations like Amazon, Zoom, and InMobi not only survived but thrived during uncertain times, and contrasted this with Nokia's transformation into a fragile organisation.
We discuss how, in uncertain times, fragile companies perish, resilient companies survive, and anti-fragile companies grow.
We also talk about why startups should focus on scoring in their markets and act like a mosquito rather than being Antifragile.
Given the current landscape of Artificial Intelligence and the uncertainty it's causing in the workforce, this discussion has never been more critical. Which organisations will be able to adopt an antifragile mindset and grow as AI becomes mainstream?
Follow & Subscribe:
Jitha's Newsletter Sunday Reads: https://jitha.substack.com/
The One Percent Project: WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/TOP_WA2 YouTube: https://bit.ly/TOP_YouTubeVideos
00:00 Introduction02:36 Understanding Antifragility06:21 Amazon's Antifragility During COVID17:51 Zoom's Antifragility During COVID21:12 Nokia's Journey from Antifragile to Fragile27:08 Conclusion and Key Takeaways
Full Conversation: https://bit.ly/TOP_BusinessBreakdownIndianFB
Full Conversation: https://bit.ly/TOP_BusinessBreakdownIndianFB
Full Conversation: https://bit.ly/TOP_BusinessBreakdownIndianFB
About Salone Seghal:
My next guest on The One Percent Project is Salone Sehgal, a trailblazer in the world of gaming and interactive media. Salone has shattered the glass ceiling by becoming the world's first female general partner of games and interactive media VC funds. Her impressive journey has seen her co-founding Lumikai Fund, India's first early-stage interactive media and gaming VC.
Salone's remarkable career expanded to over 18 years as a global game and new media investor, games entrepreneur, and former M&A banker.
In this conversation, she talks about the history of gaming, the cultural impact of gaming, the female Indian gamer, the unit economics of the gaming industry, and much more.
Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to it and sign up for The One Percent Project's "Think" newsletter at onepercent.live for curated content that adds value to your professional and personal development.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Salone
Follow & Subscribe:
00:00 Intro 02:14 Salone's journey into Gaming. 07:38 The History and Evolution of Gaming 16:11 How did Nokia stumble upon "Snake"? 17:49 FAANG founders are gamers. 23:41 The Indian Female Gamer. 27:32 Unit Economics of the Gaming Industry. 30:37 Observations on One-Hit Wonders in Gaming. 34:39 Evaluating Success in the Gaming Industry. 38:36 Understanding the Gaming Demographics- Building a Career in Gaming. 44:26 Views on the Metaverse. 47:59 One management advice that you have learned as a leader. 50:44 Reflections on Leadership Figures- Michelle Obama & Indra Gandhi. 52:22 Are leaders polarising? 52:56 Kindest thing anyone has done for you. 53:32 Key takeaways
About Arjun Ranga:
Globally, incense is the silent bridge that connects humans to the divine. And naturally, no Indian wants to compromise when it comes to their hopes and prayers. This episode of The One Percent Project is an intriguing exploration of the incense business and its essence in Indian culture with a remarkable guest, Arjun Ranga, the CEO of Cycle Pure Agarbathis, a part of the NR Group.
In this insightful conversation, Arjun delves into the fascinating journey of Cycle Agarbathis, the world's largest incense manufacturer, and its transformation into the world's first certified zero-carbon manufacturer of incense, prayer, and air care products. Arjun also shares his journey as the CEO, drawing inspiration from his grandfather and NR Group's founder, Shri N. Ranga Rao. He sheds light on the deep-rooted significance of prayer in Indian culture and the sentiments attached to it, his marketing strategies through the years, his vision for the company and much more.
Joining him in this conversation is Sarthak Ahuja, a seasoned Chartered Accountant with expertise in startup advisory and investment banking and a LinkedIn top voice who brings a wealth of intriguing insights to the discussion. Join us in this fascinating episode to explore the dynamic intersection of business, culture, and sustainability.
Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to it and sign up for The One Percent Project's "Think" newsletter at onepercent.live for curated content that adds value to your professional and personal development.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_ArjunRanga
Follow & Subscribe:
In this conversation, he talks about:
About Vijay Rayapati:
The next guest on The One Percnet Project is Vijay Rayapati, the co-founder and CEO of Atomicwork a startup that helps enterprises bring their employees, IT systems, and HR operations together to drive business impact. Previously, Vijay co-founded Minjar, a cloud management startup. Minjar was acquired by Nutanix in 2018.
Vijay’s journey is a testament to grit, patience, and perseverance. From his early life in a small town in Andhra Pradesh in India to becoming a prominent entrepreneur, Vijay shares his counterintuitive insights on entrepreneurship, the importance of people's success, and his passion for seeding and building.
Join us as we explore Vijay's journey, from his roots in a small town to his role as a leader in the tech industry.
Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to it and sign up for The One Percent Project's "Think" newsletter at onepercent.live for curated content that adds value to your professional and personal development.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Vijay
Follow & Subscribe:
In this conversation, he talks about:
About Sawan Kapoor:
My next guest is Sawan Kapoor. Sawan is widely recognised as 'The Career Guy' and India’s foremost career coach. From his early days at Daymon Worldwide, the largest private label broker in the FMCG industry, to his rise as CEO of a multi-million-dollar organisation in the Wine & Spirits industry, Sawan's journey is marked by rapid progression and visionary leadership. His ability to navigate challenging situations, like a sudden job loss in a foreign country, spurred him to develop a systematic, scientific approach to finding the perfect job fit, a methodology he uses to guide thousands of professionals towards career success.
In this episode, we will dive deep into Sawan Kapoor's life, extracting insights and wisdom that have the potential to reshape career journeys. Discover how Sawan's experiences, from the corporate world to entrepreneurship, have shaped his perspectives on adversity, growth, and the art of career development.
Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to it and sign up for The One Percent Project's "Think" newsletter at onepercent.live for curated content that adds value to your professional and personal development.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Sawan
Follow & Subscribe:
In this conversation, he talks about:
00:00 Intro
02:13 History of career guidance and coaching.
03:22 Early life.
13:53 Path to becoming a CEO.
18:40 How important is it to invest in yourself?
20:08 His journey to becoming a Career Coach.
23:56 How to design a career?
29:02 How to find the right career coach?
32:38 Why do you need to surrender to your coach?
37:07 How to kick off a career in coaching?
40:11 How do you create a brand that lasts for generations?
45:33 His views on being a generalist vs. a specialist.
47:23 Counterintuitive insights about career coaching.
50:13 Books that have influenced him the most.
51:45 Advice to his younger self.
About Chaitanya Ramalingegowda:
This episode of The One Percent Project tells the story of Chaitanya Ramalingegowda, the co-founder of Wakefit, a household name in India synonymous with quality sleep.
Chaitanya's journey to Wakefit is a testament to persistence and unwavering determination. Before starting Wakefit, Chaitanya had nineteen years of experience spanning entrepreneurship, management consulting and marketing. Wakefit, his third start-up stint, co-founded with Ankit Garg, has emerged as a game-changer in the world of sleep solutions. Crafting products that redefine comfort and wellness, Wakefit's journey parallels Chaitanya's own pursuit of excellence in entrepreneurship.
In this episode, Chaitanya talks about his remarkable journey, an expedition marked by uphill battles, shares the challenges he faced, the motivations that fuelled his drive, and the strategies that led Wakefit to its current stature. From the tough decisions to the transformative moments, Chaitanya's story is a masterclass in turning adversity into an advantage.
Join us as we dive into the narrative of Chaitanya's entrepreneurial journey and explore the grit, resilience, and insights that turned a vision into a successful venture.
Subscribe to the show wherever you listen to it and sign up for The One Percent Project's "Think" newsletter at onepercent.live for curated content that adds value to your professional and personal development.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Chaitanya Follow & Subscribe: WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/TOP_WA2
YouTube: https://bit.ly/TOP_Youtube LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/TOP_LinkedIn Twitter: https://bit.ly/TOP_Twitter1 Instagram: https://bit.ly/TOP_Insta
In this conversation, he talks about:
00:00 Intro 02:19 Why is sleep important? 08:06 What was India's association with sleep and mattress before Wakefit? 12:24 Chaitanya's entrepreneurial journey: Setting up English classes in a garage as a youngster? Setting up a failed content startup with friends. Finding a job post his startup failure 32:32 Founder Market Fit 35:32 Building Wakefit: Is a startup an extreme expression of the founders? At what point did Chaitanyia and Ankit become bottlenecks in Wakefit's growth? Setting up internal feedback loops. 44:03 Marketing Vs Branding: One is built, and the other gets built. 49:36 How has packaging accelerated Wakefit's growth? 52:41 40 investor rejections- Chaitanya and Ankit built a business which didn't even have a category on Amazon. 55:35 Importance of capital allocation 57:04 Counterintuitive insights about D2C business. 58:15 How do you build a great company? 1:00:12 Identifying a Hero Product. 1:02:02 Is it service or product- that leads one to become an industry leader? 1:03:34 Competition. 1:06:11 What is the kindest thing anyone has done for Chaitanya? 1:08:59 Advice to your younger self. 1:09:28 His superpower. 1:09:50 Three Books he recommends
About Dhruvank Vidya:
Dhruvank is the Head of Podcasts for Spotify India. Over a career spanning 25 years, he has launched several media and technology businesses and held leadership positions (CxO/ Business head) in digital media, content, television and technology companies like Star TV, Times of India group, NDTV Imagine/ Turner Broadcasting etc.
In his entrepreneurial stint, Dhruvank co-founded ‘The Adaptation Company’-- a content company focused on book-to-film/TV adaptations.
Dhruvank delves into key topics that shed light on his unique perspective. Drawing from his experiences, he shares valuable insights on decision-making, career choices, good workplace relationships, and effective team-building. Furthermore, Dhruvank emphasises the significance of grit, the balance between being a generalist and a specialist, and the power of a clear vision in leadership.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Dhruvank Follow & Subscribe: WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/TOP_WA2 YouTube: https://bit.ly/TOP_Youtube LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/TOP_LinkedIn Twitter: https://bit.ly/TOP_Twitter1 Instagram: https://bit.ly/TOP_Insta In this conversation, he talks about: 00:00 Intro 01:53 How was life growing up? 02:40 What is the journey to becoming the head of the podcast at Spotify India? 04:47 What made you join Spotify? 05:57 What did your parents expect you to be? 06:44 What influence does IIM have in your life? 07:44 Do you attribute your success to your brilliance or your network? 08:52 Decision Making: You kicked off your career as a manufacturing consultant and moved into media, which is a significant jump- How do you reflect on it and study your decision-making? 10:26 What is your view on being a generalist Vs specialist? 13:11 You have been an entrepreneur and launched new businesses for MNCs. What is your counterintuitive insight about building a business? 14:31 What is the role of Ego in one's career? 15:23 Team Building: You have played a lot of team sports. What do you think about building a team? 17:06 What is your superpower? 18:07 What is the best leadership advice you have ever received? 19:13 Who is Dhruvank in a stressful environment? 19:57 What are your three productivity hacks? 20:50 Books, coffee and your walks- What is your relationship with books? And your passion for coffee? And your walks? 18:07 One advice that you would give to yourself? 24:31 If you had to work with one of these people, who would you choose, someone with grit or brilliance?
Listen to the entire conversation: Spotify: https://bit.ly/3pwiWwe YouTube: https://bit.ly/44bkR8s Apple: https://bit.ly/3NXQnkL Or available on all other platforms (The One Percent Project Podcast) Show notes & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Mayank
Listen to the entire conversation: Spotify: https://bit.ly/3pwiWwe YouTube: https://bit.ly/44bkR8s Apple: https://bit.ly/3NXQnkL Or available on all other platforms (The One Percent Project Podcast) Show notes & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Mayank
Listen to the entire conversation:
Spotify: https://bit.ly/3pwiWwe
YouTube: https://bit.ly/44bkR8s
Apple: https://bit.ly/3NXQnkL
Or available on all other platforms (The One Percent Project Podcast)
Show notes & Transcript:
https://bit.ly/TOP_Mayank
Listen to the entire conversation:
Spotify: https://bit.ly/3pwiWwe
YouTube: https://bit.ly/44bkR8s
Apple: https://bit.ly/3NXQnkL
Or available on all other platforms (The One Percent Project Podcast)
Show notes & Transcript:
https://bit.ly/TOP_Mayank
About Nuno Goncalves Pedro:
In the realm of innovation and strategy, few individuals embody the true spirit of transformation, possessing a unique blend of strategic prowess, unwavering determination, and a passion for creating lasting impact. Nuno Goncalves Pedro, the co-founder of Chamaeleon and Strive Capital, epitomises this rare breed of visionary leaders.
Welcome to the second part of our captivating series with the remarkable Nuno. In The One Percent Project episode, we continue our deep dive with him about carving a unique path in the venture capital landscape. In this second episode of the two-part series, he shares his insights and perspectives on building a venture capital fund, investing in start-ups, shedding light on his decision-making strategies and the meticulous analysis behind his investment decisions.
As we delve further into this conversation, Nuno reveals his favourite books, productivity tools, and the mechanisms he employs to analyse his decisions- part one with Nuno.
Key Take Aways & Transcript: https://bit.ly/TOP_Nuno_2
Follow & Subscribe:
WhatsApp: https://bit.ly/TOP_WA2
YouTube: https://bit.ly/TOP_Youtube
LinkedIn: https://bit.ly/TOP_LinkedIn
Twitter: https://bit.ly/TOP_Twitter1
Instagram: https://bit.ly/TOP_Insta
In this conversation, he talks about:
00:00 Intro
01:32 Building Chamaeleon and decision framework of investing in start-ups.
07:18 Investing in consumer tech and the impact of AI.
11:13 What is his due diligence framework, and how do they analyse their decisions?
20:27 Three productivity tools
21:10 Three books
23:03 Advice to the younger self.