#DamaniTalks

Welcome to Episode 54 of Damani Talks! Dive into an enlightening conversation with Abhishek Agarwal, Managing Partner at RockStud Capital, as we explore his journey from 2006 in the UK to becoming a trailblazer in the venture capital space.

In this Episode:

• Early Career Challenges: Learn about Abhishek's initial struggles and his experience of losing 10 lakh rupees in a single day.
• Resilience in the 2009 Meltdown: Discover how Abhishek navigated the turbulent times of the financial crisis and what it taught him about perseverance and the financial world.
• Successful Ventures: Hear about his first two startup investments that have returned all the capital invested, showcasing his knack for picking winners.
• Innovative Funding: Gain insights into his unique approach to managing a fund that blends listed and startup portfolios and delivers a 1.4x DPI (140% return in cash!).
• Future Outlook: What lies ahead for Rockstar Capital III and the vision for the next phase of growth.

Join us for this riveting journey into the heart of startup challenges and investment strategies, a journey full of candid reflections and valuable lessons.

Like, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives with industry leaders on Damani Talks.

This isn’t just a conversation; it’s a masterclass in venture capital and resilience.

#DamaniTalks #VentureCapital #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #FinancialInsights #StartupGrowth

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🌟 Out Now: #Damanitalks Ep. 53 with Mohit Gulati, managing partner at ITI Growth Ventures!

🌍 Mohit spills the beans on his life's rollercoaster ride 🎢 - from challenging norms to conquering the finance world 💼.

Every minute is packed with raw, unscripted stories 📖 and hard-earned wisdom 🦉 that'll leave you inspired and motivated.

Catch this electrifying episode on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcast, and Google Podcast 📻.

🎧 This is an extraordinary adventure of learning and discovery! 🌟 🚀 Get ready for a thrilling journey with the fire beneath ITI Growth Ventures. 🚀

#showmedamani #venturecapital #arthagroup #funding #startup #itigrowthventures #podcast #new #trending

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🚀 Welcome to an extraordinary journey in this latest episode of #DamaniTalks. We're honored to host Akshay Chaturvedi, the visionary CEO of LeverageEdu. In this episode, we delve deep into his life story, uncovering the motivations, challenges, and triumphs that have shaped his remarkable career. 📈 From his formative years at #KPMG to becoming a trailblazer in global education, Akshay's journey is filled with invaluable lessons on leadership, perseverance, and strategic innovation. 🌍 We discuss: - Akshay's personal and professional motivations - The strategic pivot of LeverageEdu - Managing a diverse investment landscape with angels, #VCs, #CVCs, and more - The driving force behind Akshay's intense work ethic - Balancing personal life with the demands of building LeverageEdu - Plus, a rapid-fire round that reveals more about Akshay's unique perspectives and future ambitions. 🔥 Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a student dreaming big, or simply someone ----looking for #inspiration, this episode is a must-watch. It's not just a conversation; it's a ---masterclass in navigating the complexities of the #start-up world and making an impact on a global scale. 👉 Don't forget to watch till the end for some rapid-fire questions that add a fun twist to our deep discussion! 👍 If you enjoy this episode, please like, share, and subscribe to our channel for more -inspiring content. Your support helps us bring these incredible stories to you. #leadership #Innovation #Education #Entrepreneurship #GlobalImpact #StartupLife #VentureCapital #WorkLifeBalance #DamaniTalks

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As #DamaniTalks completes its 50th episode, we bring you a leading personality from the Fintech industry -  Shinjini Kumar, Co-Founder of SALT (mysaltapp)

She had a 17-year stint with the RBI,  Paytm Bank, and later led Citibank's consumer bank for India – each role would make the holder proud – a position that one would retire from.

Yet, she found herself a challenge that got her jumping into the founder role.

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Shinjini’s early days in Bihar. After studying English literature, what prompted her to move into the financial sector?
• Shinjini took up the role of the payment at RBI; why did that space fascinate her attention? After 17 years at the RBI, what were her key takeaways from this experience? Would Shinjini encourage the youth to take up the challenge of working as a government employee?
• How did Shinjini overcome the expectation mismatch on her job responsibilities at PwC? What was her experience like seeing the best of the corporate and government world?
• Why was building a Paytm bank the next challenge for Shinjini? What was her experience working with Vijay Shekhar Sharma? What triggered her to to quit the payments bank just before the launch? What are her thoughts on Paytm’s IPO?
• When did Shinjini know she wanted to quit her employment stint and take up entrepreneurship? Where did the idea of her startup - SALT germinate? How do the startup’s services cater to women?
• How did Shinjini choose her investors? What are the differences between being an intrapreneur and an entrepreneur? Where does Shinjini see SALT in the next 5 years?

Shinjini’s book recommendation:

• The Grapes of Wrath By John Steinbeck

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Luck is when hard work, preparation, and perseverance meet with opportunity. Most founders get the hard work and perseverance right, but very few achieve all 3…

On the XLix (49th) episode of #DamaniTalks, we had 1 such rare founder!

Founder & CEO of WealthDesk, Ujjwal Jain's life journey is a series of forward-looking decisions that got him to founding a top-level fintech startup!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Ujjwal speaks about growing up in Kolkata, in a middle-class Marwari family. Why did he pursue engineering when he knew that Finance was his calling?
• After Jadavpur University why did Ujjwal not pursue jobs with the likes of Google and Microsoft, and chose a stint with D.E. Shaw?
• What does WealthDesk do, and what is WealthBasket all about? It took three years for the team to build the platform; when did Ujjwal know that he was ready to go live?
• Why did full-service brokers like Motilal Oswal, JM Financial, Anand Rathi choose to partner with WealthDesk, despite being in a similar space? How is WealthDesk helping discount brokers like Paytm Money, Zerodha and Upstox? How is Ujjwal creating a “win-win” for all the different classes of brokers onboard?
• How is WealthDesk different from competitors like - Smallcase?
• How did Ujjwal convince his consumers to pay for a service that is otherwise easily available? How is Ujjwal building a brand name for himself?
• How and why did Ujjwal decide to pump in his own $1M instead of raising funds? Ujjwal’s experience of raising $3.88M.
• If Ujjwal could turn back time, what are the things he wishes to have done differently? Where does he see WealthDesk in the next 5 years?

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Luck is when hard work, preparation, and perseverance meet with opportunity. Most founders get the hard work and perseverance right, but very few achieve all 3…

On the XLix (49th) episode of #DamaniTalks, we had 1 such rare founder!

Founder & CEO of WealthDesk, Ujjwal Jain's life journey is a series of forward-looking decisions that got him to founding a top-level fintech startup!

Key takeaways from this episode:

• Ujjwal speaks about growing up in Kolkata, in a middle-class Marwari family. Why did he pursue engineering when he knew that Finance was his calling?
• After Jadavpur University why did Ujjwal not pursue jobs with the likes of Google and Microsoft, and chose a stint with D.E. Shaw?
• What does WealthDesk do, and what is WealthBasket all about? It took three years for the team to build the platform; when did Ujjwal know that he was ready to go live?
• Why did full-service brokers like Motilal Oswal, JM Financial, Anand Rathi choose to partner with WealthDesk, despite being in a similar space? How is WealthDesk helping discount brokers like Paytm Money, Zerodha and Upstox? How is Ujjwal creating a “win-win” for all the different classes of brokers onboard?
• How is WealthDesk different from competitors like - Smallcase?
• How did Ujjwal convince his consumers to pay for a service that is otherwise easily available? How is Ujjwal building a brand name for himself?
• How and why did Ujjwal decide to pump in his own $1M instead of raising funds? Ujjwal’s experience of raising $3.88M.
• If Ujjwal could turn back time, what are the things he wishes to have done differently? Where does he see WealthDesk in the next 5 years?

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As the heath-tech startup ecosystem sees increasing interest, funding, and valuations in India, We delved deep into a conversation with a Doctor turned VC investor for a refreshing perspective on the space!

Our guest Pankaj Jethwani, Executive Vice President of W Health Ventures, sheds light on the following:

• What motivated Pankaj to become a doctor? What was his trigger to change from being a doctor to becoming part of Management? What is the value of an MBA from Wharton?
• Pankaj’s experience in the non-profit, social & healthcare space. How did Pankaj get into Iora Health? What were the key differences between the healthcare space between India & the US? What was his experience like working in a high-flying US startup?
• Pankaj’s background and role with W Health Ventures? What is W Health's investment focus? What areas is Pankaj looking at personally? Did Pankaj’s on-the-ground experience in healthcare and management consulting experience help him pick founding teams?
• How does Pankaj choose the founders he wants to invest in? How does W Health Ventures help businesses, over and above the capital? What does he look for in a company before investing?
• What is The Breakfast Revolution, and what does the program include? Over the years, Pankaj has served 2,20,000 children over 20 million fortified meals; how does he continue making such an impact?
• How does Pankaj get the best mentors for himself? Pankaj’s advice to budding entrepreneurs. Where does Pankaj see W Health ventures in the next 5 years?

Pankaj’s book recommendations:

• Venture Deals by Brad Feld
• The New Business Road Test by John Mullins
• Super Founders by Ali Tamaseb
• The Great CEO Within by Matt Mochary

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Most people believe that an affluent entrepreneurial family provides one a leg up in the entrepreneurial journey. But like any star-kid will tell you, these comparisons are for the outsiders who are looking in.

The reality for someone like Dhruv Toshniwal, scion to the Banswara Syntex family and now the founder of The Pant Project, is vastly different.

Watch this episode to learn:

• Why did Dhruv decide to go abroad and study finance? How did his US experience help him in his entrepreneurial journey?
• Why did Dhruv choose to move to Mexico from the US? What were his key learnings from this experience? What made Dhruv come back to India after spending 9+ years there?
• What prompted Dhruv to start from the factory floor of his family business Banswara Syntex Ltd.? How does he grow an already established business? How is Dhruv steering the Banswara ship into startup-friendly waters? What were the opportunities he came across and what challenges did he face?
• What was the idea behind building Dhruv’s first startup – Aanswr Fashion? What has been his experience working with his brother, and how do they decide the next pivot?
• What is The Pant Project? Why did Dhruv decide to move from B2B to D2C? What is Dhruv’s go-to-market strategy? How are his brands co-existing with each other?
• What’s the difference between TPP, Aanswr, and Banswara Syntex Ltd.? How does he balance running all three businesses?
• Is Dhruv expecting to raise money, and from whom? Where does Dhruv see The Pant Project in the next 5 years and what are the areas Dhruv is investing in? What is his advice to budding entrepreneurs?

Dhruv’s book recommendations:

• Zero To One by Peter Thiel
• Antifragile by Nassim Nicholas Taleb
• Bhagavad Gita

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In 2020, the pandemic resulted in a 55% dip in students traveling overseas to study. How did this university admissions platform grow by 4x even during these trying times?

Our guest Akshay Chaturvedi, Founder and CEO of Leverage Edu has done it all! 
Today, Leverage Edu has over 3 Mn monthly users, 75,000+ 1:1 counseling sessions & 2000+ admission applicants, every month.

Key takeaways from the episode:

• Why did Akshay decide to work at AIESEC before his MBA? Why did Akshay decide to pursue an MBA? How did his ISB experience shape him into the person he is today? Why did he decide to join Draper University? What was the experience like getting mentored by top VCs of Silicon Valley?
• How was it like landing a job at and working with one of the big four’s - KPMG? In just 7 months, Akshay received many awards here; how did he manage to create an impact in a short time? What is babajob.com? What was Akshay's role here? How did he get invited by Hon'ble Prime Minister as part of Committee formed for #India2022 Policy Building?
• What was the trigger that took Akshay from roles in various ventures to starting out on his own? What was Akshay's first entrepreneurial stint? How was Akshay finding some of the best mentors like Vijay Shekhar Sharma to guide him?
• How was Leverage Edu conceptualized? Why did Akshay decide to pivot from a platform that connects students with mentors to a university admission platform? What motivated him to start a business in higher education?
• How does Leverage Edu cater to the government's changing policies? How did Covid impact their business operations? What is Uniconnect all about?
• What was it like for Akshay to get his first fundraising round after 8 years? How does one get the 'who's who' of the Indian startup ecosystem to invest in your startup? What is Akshay's advice to budding entrepreneurs about fundraising?
• What got Akshay to start investing in startups? What is he looking for in startups? How does Akshay maintain a balance between multiple things while building a startup? Where does Akshay see Leverage Edu in the next 5 years?

Vivek's book recommendations:

• Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
• The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone
• The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information by James Dale Davidson

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In 2020, the pandemic resulted in a 55% dip in students traveling overseas to study. How did this university admissions platform grow by 4x even during these trying times?

Our guest Akshay Chaturvedi, Founder and CEO of Leverage Edu has done it all! 
Today, Leverage Edu has over 3 Mn monthly users, 75,000+ 1:1 counseling sessions & 2000+ admission applicants, every month.

Key takeaways from the episode:

• Why did Akshay decide to work at AIESEC before his MBA? Why did Akshay decide to pursue an MBA? How did his ISB experience shape him into the person he is today? Why did he decide to join Draper University? What was the experience like getting mentored by top VCs of Silicon Valley?
• How was it like landing a job at and working with one of the big four’s - KPMG? In just 7 months, Akshay received many awards here; how did he manage to create an impact in a short time? What is babajob.com? What was Akshay's role here? How did he get invited by Hon'ble Prime Minister as part of Committee formed for #India2022 Policy Building?
• What was the trigger that took Akshay from roles in various ventures to starting out on his own? What was Akshay's first entrepreneurial stint? How was Akshay finding some of the best mentors like Vijay Shekhar Sharma to guide him?
• How was Leverage Edu conceptualized? Why did Akshay decide to pivot from a platform that connects students with mentors to a university admission platform? What motivated him to start a business in higher education?
• How does Leverage Edu cater to the government's changing policies? How did Covid impact their business operations? What is Uniconnect all about?
• What was it like for Akshay to get his first fundraising round after 8 years? How does one get the 'who's who' of the Indian startup ecosystem to invest in your startup? What is Akshay's advice to budding entrepreneurs about fundraising?
• What got Akshay to start investing in startups? What is he looking for in startups? How does Akshay maintain a balance between multiple things while building a startup? Where does Akshay see Leverage Edu in the next 5 years?

Vivek's book recommendations:

• Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE by Phil Knight
• The Everything Store: Jeff Bezos and the Age of Amazon by Brad Stone
• The Sovereign Individual: Mastering the Transition to the Information by James Dale Davidson

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