StartupTalky

Tag: Year End Stories

  • Innovating Education: Zamit’s Future-Ready Approach with Aarul Malaviya

    StartupTalky presents Recap’23, a series of in-depth interviews where we engage with founders and industry leaders to explore their growth in 2023 and their predictions for the future.

    EdTech, or education technology, is booming. Thanks to the pandemic, companies are creating cool tools like online courses, fun learning games, and AI tutors. It’s making education more personalized, breaking down distance barriers, and making learning super interesting.

    The EdTech industry is projected to experience phenomenal growth in the coming years, with estimates suggesting a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2%, potentially reaching a market size of over $605 billion by 2027 (Research and Markets).

    In our recent interview for Recap’23, we connected with Aarul Malaviya, Founder of Zamit. We talked about how Zamit is making waves in the EdTech industry. We covered challenges, strategies for reaching customers, future plans, and more.

    StartupTalky: What service does Zamit provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Aarul Malaviya: We help students prepare for tomorrow today! Zamit, a UK-based organisation, specialises in Skills and Knowledge Integrated Learning for students and Teaching Excellence and Relevance Management for Teachers. Using its unique Measure, Improve, and Monitor model, it offers AI-driven Learner Analytics and an impactful ‘iSKiL’ program for students, nurturing over 70 important skills for academic success. The company’s innovative ‘ZQ’ (Zamit Quotient), the world’s first AI-driven, measurable indexing system, replaces traditional standardised tests to focus on the future readiness of students. Our ‘iTERM’ program supports teachers with Continuing Professional Development on over 80 skills, including classroom resources and CPD programs. Furthermore, Zamit collaborates with various schools to deliver customised iSKiL and iTERM programmes and offers international certifications in line with UK standards through Qualifications and Assessments International in the UK, providing educational content of world standards.

    StartupTalky: What new services have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of Zamit?

    Aarul Malaviya: Zamit stands out in the industry by providing unique programmes to guide teachers and students towards greater success, including portfolio-building services, English language assessment, internships, scholarships, and research grants. Moreover, our services align with India’s National Education Policy 2020. For schools, alongside ZQ assessments, Zamit offers teacher development resources, safe recruitment solutions, a marketplace, news, webinars, curated content, ambassador programs, promotions, and awards. We recently added programs such as ‘iTERM’ for teachers and ‘iSKiL’ for students; both programmes are aligned to the Common International Framework of Reference for Future Readiness or CIFR, a gold standard.

    StartupTalky: How has the Edtech industry changed in recent years, and how has Zamit adapted to these changes?

    Aarul Malaviya: Recently, the EdTech industry has undergone a significant transformation fuelled by the latest technological improvements and evolving academic methodologies. This shift has led to the emergence of online platforms that offer flexible learning, personalised education through AI, immersive learning with the integration of Virtual Reality tools, and a renewed emphasis on practical, real-world skills. In response to these developments, Zamit has overhauled its platform to prioritise user-friendliness. The company is now leveraging adaptive technology for personalised learning experiences, integrating Artificial Intelligence algorithms to actively engage students, using machine learning software to analyze data, and assisting teachers and institutions in integrating the required technology. The need to adapt is now crucial for success in the rapidly changing world of education and technology.

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    Aarul Malaviya: Keeping up with the rapid changes in the educational market requires proactive involvement in industry events like conferences and seminars to directly engage and witness emerging trends and insights. Additionally, our research team consistently dives deep into newly released credible publications and research papers, extracting invaluable data from expert case studies. Moreover, cultivating partnerships with academic experts and international and national educationists provides Zamit with access to relevant and current innovations in the field.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check Zamit’s growth and performance?

    Aarul Malaviya: For a startup, monitoring key metrics is essential to gauge overall growth. In EdTech, user engagement and retention rates gauge Zamit’s impact on students’ long-term learning. Conversion rates and acquisition costs reflect the efficiency of our marketing campaigns while assessing student assessments and completion rates to evaluate content effectiveness. Analysing user feedback through data analytics guides us in making anticipated platform improvements for sustainable company growth.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges Zamit faced in the past year, and how did you overcome them?

    Aarul Malaviya: This year, the EdTech world encountered major hurdles amid swift changes in the global academic sphere. While many companies scrambled to adjust to remote learning needs, Zamit made required enhancements to accommodate more users, boosting server capacity and upgrading internet capacity to ensure a seamless experience. Adapting to new-age requirements of teachers and students alike are as important in education as they are involved the rapid development of interactive and compelling digital content. Moreover, improvements in customer support and tutorials aided the transition to remote learning, enabling us to uphold our dedication to delivering high-quality education.

    StartupTalky: Good service is something everyone is talking about in the service industry. How does Zamit ensure that their clients are happy?

    Aarul Malaviya: Delivering top-notch service and ensuring client satisfaction in any other industry. It means actively gathering feedback from principals, teachers, and students through surveys and direct interactions to understand their needs. These insights drive refinements that align with changing learning patterns, shaping the platform accordingly. Additionally, cultivating a community via online forums nurtures a collaborative environment for the whole industry.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack that you pulled off.

    Aarul Malaviya: Zamit operates on a comprehensive marketing strategy using multiple communication channels. Content marketing, such as blogs and webinars, highlights our academic expertise, engaging both teachers and learners. Social media amplifies this by sharing informative content and success stories, fostering a robust community. Targeted ads on social platforms not only acquire users but also enhance our visibility through word-of-mouth.

    StartupTalky: Foreign clients – this is what most of the service-based companies are looking for. What has been your experience?

    Aarul Malaviya: Partnering with global institutions such as Qualifications and Assessments International, UK broadens Zamit’s platform to cater to diverse learning needs, embracing cross-cultural exchanges for excellent and up-to-date academic content. Our international presence in UAE drives growth, motivating us to seek strong partnerships and aspire to become a top global educational tech provider.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run Zamit smoothly?

    Aarul Malaviya: The combination of tools helps us take a comprehensive approach to managing both customer interactions and internal processes. Some of the important tools and software used to run our business smoothly include ZOHO for CRM, campaign management, social media management, ticketing, etc. In addition, we use Sales IQ, Knowlarity, WhatsApp, and Forms for customer interaction. Additional tools such as uKnowva and Asana are used for internal HRMS and project management. Other technical tools include Adobe, Invideo, StreamYard, etc. All these help us gather data and stay ahead of the market.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in the Edtech industry in India and the world?

    Aarul Malaviya: With a booming population and wider internet access in India, there is ample room to enhance the accessibility of education, especially in underserved regions. Therefore, online platforms offer flexibility to meet this academic gap. Additionally, AI and machine learning algorithms are poised to elevate student engagement experience. Worldwide, the move towards lifelong learning, driven by job market shifts, is propelling the growth of the EdTech industry.

    StartupTalky: What kind of difference in market behaviour have you seen between India and the world?

    Aarul Malaviya: The EdTech markets in India and globally showcase distinct behaviours. India sees a high demand for affordable coaching and skill development for competitive exams, driven by a large population that aspires to illustrious colleges and jobs. Globally, there’s a wider emphasis on long-term skill-based learning, aligning with industry needs. At the same time, both embrace online learning platforms; global trends favour personalised, tech-driven experiential learning, while Indian students lean more towards fundamental content. Nonetheless, both markets are swiftly adopting digital learning avenues to address learning requirements.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year, and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    Aarul Malaviya: The company has been conducting extensive research to identify the gaps in the market regarding future readiness skills for students and teachers. Based on the information gathered, we identified a need for a framework that is standardised, measurable, personalised, and modern and that would guide students and teachers towards greater success. Basis this understanding, Zamit’s proprietary model of Measure-Improve-Monitor was developed. The Zamit programmes are founded on this M-I-M model.

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    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the customers, service offerings, and team base in the future?

    Aarul Malaviya: Our expansion plan revolves around customer outreach and diverse service offerings. Targeted marketing will help us penetrate new markets and fortify existing ones. Prioritising focused assessment and improvement programmes for emerging skills remains advantageous, alongside continuous improvements to our platform and user experience. Based on the encouraging response from the market, we have aggressively begun to expand our team in select cities across India and the UAE. We have a plethora of cloud-based solutions that will help us upscale in regard to technical assistance required for team management while keeping pace with expansion. Some of the tools include ZOHO CRM, Asana, and Odoo.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another Service company founder?

    Aarul Malaviya: Our advice to fellow founders is to always hone your adaptability skills. Education and tech are dynamic, so staying ahead of the curve is crucial in staying relevant. Be flexible in your strategies, be the first one to adopt the latest tech, and constantly keep improving your services based on user feedback, as these aspects will define your future success.

    StartupTalky extends its gratitude to Mr. Aarul Malaviya for dedicating his valuable time and generously sharing his insights with all of us.

    Explore more Recap’23 Interviews here.

  • AASOKA EdTech: Monica Malhotra Kandhari’s Visionary Leap in Learning

    StartupTalky presents Recap’23, a series of in-depth interviews where we engage with founders and industry leaders to explore their growth in 2023 and their predictions for the future.

    EdTech, short for education technology, is flourishing. The pandemic has spurred companies to develop exciting tools—online courses, engaging learning games, and AI tutors. This shift aims to personalize education, overcome distance barriers, and enhance the learning experience.

    Looking ahead, the EdTech industry is poised for remarkable growth. Projections indicate a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 15.2%. The global EdTech market is currently valued at $340 billion and is expected to reach $605 billion by 2027 (Research and Markets). The trajectory suggests a dynamic landscape, showcasing the increasing importance of technology in shaping the future of education.

    In our recent interview for Recap’23, we connected with Monica Malhotra Kandhari, Managing Director of AASOKA & MBD Group. We delved into AASOKA’s impact on EdTech, discussing challenges, customer outreach strategies, future plans, and beyond.

    StartupTalky: What service does AASOKA provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: AASOKA Learning and Teaching Solution is a comprehensive blended learning platform designed to deliver a tailored and research-based K-12 curriculum developed by its in-house research team using cutting-edge learning resources. AASOKA works with schools to facilitate required tools and services to upgrade administrative and teaching processes. It provides a 360-degree solution, including LMS (Learning Management System), SMS (School Management System) fee management, attendance management, digital content, adaptive tests, homework and assignment creation, learning gap analysis, and qualitative/quantitative evaluation of learning outcomes per student. The goal is to make high-quality academic resources cost-effective, ensuring accessibility for all students and supporting schools throughout India. With a deep foundation in EdTech, educational content, and academic research, AASOKA holds a prominent position in the education sector.

    StartupTalky: What new services have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of AASOKA?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: Last year saw the launch of our AASOKA Version 2.0, powered by advanced AI, revolutionizing the Edtech sector in India. The update enables seamless tracking of individual student progress within classes or across subjects using AI-driven analytics. These analytics predict student growth based on real-time performance analysis, understanding their unique learning styles. We have enhanced the dashboard and added features like the Daily Task Calendar, Digital Signatures, Leave Request System, and AI-driven Ask-A-Question, among many others, to enhance the learning experience, streamline interactions, and improve accessibility for students, teachers, and school management.

    AASOKA stands out by offering personalized learning and tailored academic solutions for schools, focusing on customization to address each school’s specific challenges for better teaching and results. Our approach aligns with the National Education Policy 2020, emphasizing 21st-century skills for holistic learning. The learner-centric resources, crafted by our research team, use interactive multimedia content for an engaging learning experience.

    StartupTalky: How has the Edtech industry changed in recent years, and how has AASOKA adapted to these changes?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: In recent years, the EdTech industry has transformed significantly, driven by tech upgrades and evolving academic techniques. The new developments include online platforms for flexible learning, AI-driven personalised education, integrated, immersive learning, and a renewed focus on practical skills. To adapt, AASOKA has revamped itself to be a user-friendly platform, using adaptive tech for personalised learning, embracing AI/AR/VR for student engagement, aligning academic courses with modern job market needs, experiential learning, self-evaluation, and supporting teachers and institutions in tech integration. Adaptability is now pivotal for success in this rapidly changing EdTech realm. Content in AASOKA is updated regularly to align to NEP 2020 and, NCF-FS 2022 &NCF-SE 2023.

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    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: Staying on top of the EdTech market’s rapid evolution necessitates active engagement in industry events like conferences and seminars for firsthand exposure to emerging trends. Building a strong network within academic communities through online forums and professional associations allows us to stay in touch with contemporary insights. Also, our research team is always skimming through reputable publications and research papers to gain invaluable analysis of expert case studies. Additionally, building partnerships with academic institutions and tech firms gives AASOKA access to industry trends and innovations.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check AASOKA’s growth and performance?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: Tracking vital performance metrics is crucial for assessing AASOKA as a product. In the Edtech industry, user engagement and retention rates signify AASOKA’s effectiveness in the long-term learning curve of students. Powered by real-time AI analysis, we get a deep insight into user behaviour and content performance, ensuring our strategies are always razor-sharp. This data-driven approach has yielded remarkable results, with a 6x increase in schools using AASOKA since 2022-23 and a 5x growth in our revenue, all while maintaining a high retention rate that speaks volumes about the value we deliver. Furthermore, analysing user feedback through surveys and reviews guides us in making anticipated tweaks to the platform, ensuring the sustainable growth of AASOKA. By continuously learning and adapting, we’re confident AASOKA will remain a beacon of progress in the education landscape.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges AASOKA faced in the past year, and how did you overcome them?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: In 2023, the EdTech world as a whole faced significant challenges due to rapid transformations in the global academic industry. Some of the major challenges that people still face include a lack of digital/ technical knowledge and minimal to no access to the internet and other resources to people in rural areas. While companies were catching up to quickly adapt to remote learning demands, AASOKA’s new-age online platform was already ahead of the curve. AASOKA upgraded its platform to handle more users, improving servers and internet capacity for a smoother experience. Similarly, meeting the changing needs of teachers and students meant developing engaging digital content fast, but partnering with experts helped us. We also improved customer support and tutorials to help everyone adjust to remote learning. These changes let us stay true to our commitment to quality education.

    StartupTalky: Good service is something everyone is talking about in the service industry. How does AASOKA ensure that their clients are happy?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: Maintaining a great standard of service and ensuring client satisfaction is key in education, just like any other industry. Building on MBD’s 67-year legacy of quality education, trusted products, and deep understanding of teachers’ needs, AASOKA takes a layered approach to understanding user needs. We actively engage with teachers and students through regular feedback surveys and direct communication. These insights guide AASOKA in refining its offerings to match the evolving learning trends in India, curating the platform accordingly. Importantly, AASOKA’s commitment extends beyond meeting user needs. With the educational landscape constantly shifting, we keep schools and teachers abreast of the latest policies and curriculum changes (NEP 2020, NCF) through dedicated resources and workshops. Additionally, we invest in our educators through regular Faculty Development Programs, equipping them with the latest teaching methods and technologies to deliver the most effective learning experiences for their students. Through these ongoing efforts, we ensure our clients feel heard, supported, and equipped to deliver exceptional learning experiences, ultimately keeping them happy and engaged with AASOKA.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack that you pulled off.

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: In our marketing endeavors, AASOKA follows a diverse strategy across multiple communication channels. Content marketing, including blogs and webinars, showcases niche academic expertise, engaging teachers and learners alike. Through social media, the brand shares informative, engaging content and success stories, nurturing a strong community all around. Moreover, targeted ads on social platforms drive user acquisition for the platform and boost our visibility through a word-of-mouth approach. Beyond the digital sphere, we actively engage through collaborative workshops with Sahodaya School Complexes and actively participate in various conferences and exhibitions to solidify AASOKA’s presence. In addition, AASOKA fosters educational enrichment through seminars, workshops, and teacher engagement programs, reinforcing its commitment to tailored solutions and collaborative learning experiences for K-12 schools.

    StartupTalky: Foreign clients – this is what most of the service-based companies are looking for. What has been your experience?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: In the context of AASOKA’s current focus and operations, the company has primarily been concentrating on serving schools across India. As of now, the outreach to foreign clients has not been initiated. However, it is part of our strategic plan to explore and expand into international markets in the future. AASOKA recognizes the potential value of catering to foreign clients and intends to incorporate this into its growth trajectory.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run AASOKA smoothly?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: Behind the scenes of our smooth operation lay different in-house systems, each playing a crucial role in keeping things in tune. Our in-house tracking system tracks every shipment, ensuring timely deliveries and minimizing hiccups. For our internal operations, we rely on a dedicated system that functions as a project manager. It keeps everyone on the same page, with crystal-clear visibility into deadlines, tasks, and progress. This ensures seamless collaboration and eliminates the risk of missed deadlines or forgotten details. As for our support team, transparency is everything. A clear dashboard displays the current queue of needs, and with each resolved issue, a satisfying tick marks it off the list. This not only fuels our team’s motivation but also offers a real-time window into our service efficiency for any curious client. These are just a few examples of systems that power our smooth operation. 

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in the EdTech industry in India and the world?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: In India, driven by a growing population and increased internet access, there’s significant potential to improve the accessibility of education, especially in remote areas. People are not aware of the current changes in the education sector, including National Education Policy 2020. Some of the ways it can be tackled can be in the form of making smartphones cheaper, increasing the reach of the internet in remote areas, and improving digital literacy. Additionally, AASOKA is well-positioned to tap into the growing market for regional language education, aligning with the aspirations of the NEP 2020. This presents a significant opportunity to extend the reach of education to a wider audience, fostering inclusivity and catering to diverse linguistic preferences.

    The rise of online learning platforms holds the potential to meet this demand for flexible learning experiences. Similarly, the integration of AI algorithms, Augmented Reality/Virtual Reality tools, and machine learning (ML) promises to enhance student engagement. Globally, the shift towards lifelong learning due to changes in the job market is fueling the growth of EdTech platforms.

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    StartupTalky: What kind of difference in market behaviour have you seen between India and the world?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: The market behaviour massively varies between the Indian and the global markets, especially in the Edtech space. In India, there’s a surge in demand for affordable education, mainly focusing on coaching and skill development for competitive exams, due to a large population aspiring for prestigious admissions or job opportunities. Worldwide, there is a broader focus on lifelong, skill-based learning and professional development aligning with the industry’s needs. While both markets embrace online learning, the global market leans towards personalised, experiential learning using the latest tech, while an Indian student relies more on foundational content delivery. However, both markets are quick to adopt digital solutions to meet learning needs.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year, and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: The past year has been a period of great learning for the team. With our training team visiting schools to generate awareness of technological interventions in school education, we received a very positive response. Schools are genuinely willing to upgrade to meet current demands. We ensured our training team reached every school, discussing topics related to every new trend in the market.

    Furthermore, our clients have responded positively, seeing their specific needs fulfilled. Whether it’s improving a school’s social media reach or providing strategies for boosting admissions, we take pride in being a complete school partner. Based on observations and responses, our current strategy is to incorporate every aspect of 21st-century schools’ needs within our blended learning solution.

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the customers, service offerings, and team base in the future?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: In 2023, AASOKA partnered with 1,900 schools in the second year of its operations and will be targeting collaboration with 20,000 schools in the next three years. For expansion, AASOKA’s strategy focuses on customer outreach, a variety of services, and staying in tune with current changes in technology. We will use targeted marketing techniques to reach new markets and strengthen existing ones. Moreover, introducing specialised courses for emerging skills is key while constantly improving our platform and user experience on priority.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another service company founder?

    Monica Malhotra Kandhari: For fellow founders, my essential tip is to prioritise adaptability and responsiveness. Education, technology, and learning needs are ever-evolving. Therefore, being responsive is vital to staying relevant and meeting changing demands. Flexibility in strategy, quick adoption of new tech, and constant improvement based on user feedback are defining factors for success. Additionally, investing in curating your own high-quality educational content can be a game-changer. This will allow you to not only stand out from the crowd with unique offerings but also ensure the content aligns perfectly with your company’s vision and values.

    StartupTalky extends its gratitude to Mrs. Monica Malhotra Kandhari for dedicating his valuable time and generously sharing his insights with all of us.

    Explore more Recap’23 Interviews here.

  • Jaideep Tiwari of BramhAnsh Technologies on Pioneering MedTech Innovations and Industry Dynamics

    StartupTalky presents Recap’23, a series of in-depth interviews where we engage with founders and industry leaders to explore their growth in 2023 and their predictions for the future.

    In the world of medical technology, smart solutions are changing how we think about healthcare. The MedTech industry is like a game-changer, transforming the way we handle medical care, figure out problems, and provide treatment.

    Projections for the Indian MedTech sector showcase remarkable growth. Estimated revenue in the medical technology market is set to reach $9.19 billion in 2023, with the medical devices segment contributing significantly at $7.33 billion. Experts anticipate an annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.27% for 2023–2028, projecting a market volume of $13.67 billion by 2028.

    In our recent interview for Recap’23, we connected with Jaideep Tiwari, Founder and CEO of BramhAnsh Technologies Pvt Ltd. We discussed how BramhAnsh is making its mark in the MedTech industry, covering its challenges, customer expansion strategies, future plans, and more.

    StartupTalky: Jaideep, what service does BramhAnsh Technologies provide? What was the motivation/vision with which BramhAnsh Technologies started?

    Jaideep Tiwari: BramhAnsh Technologies Private Limited stands as a trailblazing MedTech company committed to transforming the landscape of healthcare by offering cutting-edge medical devices tailored to address a spectrum of conditions such as headaches, anxiety, insomnia, migraines, and more. Our firm is deeply devoted to a mission that seeks to reshape healthcare through the introduction of innovative, clinical-grade wearable medical technologies, with the ultimate goal of enhancing patient outcomes and raising the quality of life globally.

    The spark for our journey ignited in 2015 when I, Jaideep Tiwari, the Founder and CEO of BramhAnsh Technologies, personally confronted an anxiety disorder and recognized the pressing need for effective treatment. Rather than succumbing to this challenge I and my colleague K. Kartik, Co-founder and COO of BramhAnsh Technologies, decided to harness the potential of technology to address mental health issues. Drawing upon a history of collaboration and shared interests dating back to our college days, we embarked on a mission to establish a company that would utilize technology to provide relief for a diverse range of disorders. Hailing from a small town in Chhattisgarh, we, as emerging young entrepreneurs, carried a bold vision.

    Our official journey commenced in 2017 when we initiated extensive research into the development of a technology utilizing sound waves as a method of stimulation to calm the nervous system. After countless hours of research, unwavering dedication, and hard work, we successfully created this groundbreaking technology. In 2020, we proudly secured a patent for our innovation, aptly named “MIGRAELIEF.”

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    StartupTalky: What new features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of BramhAnsh Technologies?

    Jaideep Tiwari: In 2023, the company commenced clinical trials, conducted comprehensive market research, and successfully launched the first flagship product into the market. “Migraelief” from BramhAnsh Technologies is the first wearable migraine treatment product in India that uses a neuromodulation method for treatment. Migraelief is a medical-grade device and is clinically validated to provide relief to individuals who have not found success with other migraine treatments. MIGRAELIEF is a CDSCO-registered and ISO-CE-certified device that utilizes research-backed low-frequency sound waves generated by the developed patented transducer technology. Migraelief is an effective solution to address the needs of a substantial portion of the population who find pharmaceuticals either ineffective or problematic for migraine relief or seek an alternative treatment method.

    This groundbreaking innovation in the Medtech industry precisely targets a crucial market requirement, offering an alternative to pharmaceuticals that provides meaningful relief to those affected by migraines.

    StartupTalky: How has the MedTech industry changed in recent years, and how has BramhAnsh Technologies adapted to these changes?

    Jaideep Tiwari: The Industry has undergone significant transformations over the past few years. Technological advancements and evolving consumer preferences have been pivotal drivers of change. To adapt to these changes, our company has undertaken a comprehensive digital transformation, leveraging cutting-edge technologies to enhance our products and services. We’ve invested substantially in the shift towards e-commerce and online engagement has been substantial, prompting us to revamp our digital presence and implement robust online sales strategies.

    Additionally, recognizing the growing importance of sustainability, we’ve intensified efforts to integrate eco-friendly practices into our operations, aligning our business model with the increasing environmental consciousness of our stakeholders. Embracing remote work models during the global pandemic has not only ensured business continuity but has also fostered a culture of flexibility and innovation within our workforce. Overall, our adaptive strategies position us to navigate the dynamic landscape of our industry and continue delivering value in an ever-changing market.

    Jaideep Tiwari: As the CEO, maintaining a thorough understanding of the latest trends and developments within our industry is integral to our strategic decision-making process. To achieve this, I encourage the team to actively engage in industry conferences, and exhibitions, facilitating direct interaction with thought leaders and the acquisition of valuable insights. Our corporate culture places a premium on continuous learning, motivating our team members to stay informed and share their findings collaboratively. Leveraging advanced data analytics tools, we monitor real-time market dynamics and consumer behaviors.

    Furthermore, our company fosters collaborative affiliations with research institutions and strategic partners, ensuring access to cutting-edge insights and innovations. Through the implementation of this comprehensive approach, our organization maintains a dynamic and responsive posture, ready to capitalize on emerging opportunities within our dynamic industry landscape.

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    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check BramhAnsh Technologies’ growth and performance? How does the company use these metrics to identify areas for improvement and guide strategic decisions for future growth?

    Jaideep Tiwari:  For a Company’s growth and performance monitoring key metrics is fundamental. Several key performance indicators (KPIs) are pivotal in this regard. Financial metrics, including revenue growth, profit margins, and cash flow, provide a comprehensive overview of our financial health. Customer acquisition cost (CAC) and customer lifetime value (CLV) help assess the efficiency and sustainability of our customer acquisition strategies. We closely track customer satisfaction scores and Net Promoter Score (NPS) to gauge the quality of our products and services from the customer’s perspective.

    Operational metrics, such as production efficiency, inventory turnover, and fulfillment speed, provide insights into the efficacy of our internal processes. Employee satisfaction and retention rates are monitored to ensure a motivated and stable workforce. Additionally, we analyze market share and competitive benchmarks to understand our positioning within the industry. These metrics serve as a compass for identifying areas of improvement. Regular reviews of these indicators allow us to pinpoint operational inefficiencies, customer pain points, or market gaps. Through a data-driven approach, we derive actionable insights that guide strategic decisions.

    For instance, if customer feedback indicates a need for product enhancements, we allocate resources to research and development accordingly. Likewise, if financial metrics indicate a particular product line’s success, we may consider expanding it or exploring similar market opportunities.

    In essence, these metrics act as a diagnostic tool, enabling us to diagnose challenges, capitalize on strengths, and make informed decisions that steer the company toward sustained growth. It’s a dynamic process that ensures we stay agile and responsive in a competitive business landscape.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges BramhAnsh Technologies faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Jaideep Tiwari: Developing products like Migraelief presented significant challenges for a startup company like ours. One major obstacle was establishing a reliable network of fabrication vendors and suppliers. Many vendors demanded large quantity orders, making it financially daunting for a research-focused company like ours to invest heavily in sample pieces.

    Additionally, extensive education and awareness efforts were required to overcome the established reliance on pharmaceuticals for migraine treatment. Building a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of Neuromodulation devices among potential users became a crucial task.

    To overcome these challenges, the company worked diligently to identify vendors willing to accommodate smaller production quantities while remaining cost-effective. Through innovative, pragmatic, and frugal approaches, we successfully navigated these hurdles, leading to the successful development and introduction of innovative products like Migraelief. This product is clinically proven, doctor-recommended, and adheres to all safety parameters.

    StartupTalky: Trust among all the stakeholders is very important for a marketplace. How does BramhAnsh Technologies ensure it?

    Jaideep Tiwari:  In our marketplace, fostering and maintaining trust among all stakeholders is a paramount commitment. Transparency is at the forefront of our strategy, as we believe in openly communicating our policies, practices, and performance. This commitment extends to our customers, partners, and employees. Our customer-centric approach ensures that we consistently deliver high-quality products and services, aiming not only to meet but exceed expectations. A responsive and proactive customer service system is in place to address inquiries and concerns promptly, demonstrating our dedication to putting our customers first.

    Moreover, data security is a top priority, and we employ robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard the privacy of our stakeholders. Ethical business practices, fair pricing, and responsible operations are the cornerstones of our approach, building credibility and trust among our diverse stakeholders. Regular engagement through surveys and feedback mechanisms further allows us to adapt and improve, ensuring that trust remains the bedrock of our relationships in the marketplace.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies BramhAnsh Technologies uses for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack that you pulled off.

    Jaideep Tiwari: Our marketing efforts involve a combination of informative blog posts and engaging social media updates. We regularly share educational content about migraine relief, non-pharmacological treatment methods, and the benefits of our product, Migraelief. Additionally, we utilize eye-catching creative artworks and videos to effectively convey our message to our audience. We have recently started working on SEO activities as well to generate organic traffic. We are also participating in various healthcare events and conclaves.

    StartupTalky: Keeping up with supply and demand is important. How does BramhAnsh Technologies keep both in order while ensuring a seamless experience for users?

    Jaideep Tiwari: Maintaining a delicate balance between supply and demand is crucial for a seamless user experience, and at our company, it’s a meticulous process. We employ advanced forecasting and inventory management systems that leverage data analytics to anticipate demand trends accurately. This proactive approach allows us to optimize our supply chain, ensuring that we have the right level of inventory to meet demand without overstocking.

    Additionally, we maintain strong relationships with our suppliers, fostering open communication to adapt quickly to any changes in demand. Our commitment to transparency extends to our users, as we provide real-time updates on product availability, delivery times, and any potential delays. Continuous monitoring of market trends, coupled with a flexible production and distribution system, allows us to respond swiftly to fluctuations in demand. By prioritizing data-driven decision-making, fostering strong supplier relationships, and ensuring transparent communication with our users, we strive to deliver a seamless experience while efficiently managing the delicate equilibrium between supply and demand.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in the medtech industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?

    Jaideep Tiwari: The Medtech industry in both India and the world is poised for significant growth, driven by technological advancements, increasing healthcare awareness, and a growing aging population. In India, opportunities abound as the government focuses on expanding healthcare infrastructure and digital initiatives. The adoption of telemedicine, wearable devices, and AI-driven diagnostics presents substantial potential for growth. Additionally, India’s cost-effective manufacturing capabilities make it an attractive hub for global Medtech companies.

    Globally, the Medtech industry is witnessing a shift towards personalized and precision medicine, with innovations such as gene editing and regenerative therapies gaining prominence. The convergence of technology and healthcare is creating opportunities for smart medical devices, remote patient monitoring, and data analytics. The global market is also seeing a surge in investments in digital health startups.

    Market behavior differences between India and the world are notable. While developed nations have established regulatory frameworks and higher healthcare spending, India faces challenges of accessibility and affordability. The Indian market often demands solutions tailored to cost-sensitive demographics. Understanding these nuances is crucial for businesses aiming to navigate and succeed in both markets, where adaptability and a nuanced approach can unlock tremendous growth potential.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year, and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    Jaideep Tiwari: Over the past year, our team has navigated challenges that brought forth invaluable lessons and insights. The dynamic business landscape underscored the importance of adaptability and resilience. Rapid shifts in market demands emphasized the need for agility in our operations, prompting us to reevaluate and enhance our supply chain strategies. Moreover, customer behavior underwent significant changes, urging us to prioritize an even more customer-centric approach. These lessons have become integral to shaping our future plans and strategies.

    Moving forward, we aim to fortify our operational flexibility, invest in digital transformation, and further personalize our offerings to meet evolving customer expectations. The lessons learned have instilled a proactive mindset within our team, empowering us to anticipate and respond effectively to emerging trends and challenges, ensuring our continued growth and success in the ever-evolving business landscape.

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    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand customers, service offerings, and the team base in the future?

    Jaideep Tiwari: Our strategic roadmap for future expansion encompasses a comprehensive approach to growing our customer base, refining service offerings, and strengthening our team. To broaden our customer reach, we are implementing targeted marketing campaigns, leveraging data analytics to identify and engage with new segments. Innovation is a core focus for our service offerings, involving rigorous market research, responsiveness to industry trends, and a commitment to customer feedback for the introduction of new, impactful products and services. Strategic partnerships and collaborations are being explored to augment our service portfolio.

    In terms of team development, we prioritize fostering a culture of learning and development as paramount, training initiatives, and the creation of an inclusive work environment to foster collaboration and creativity. This integrated strategy aims to not only expand our market presence and service capabilities but also cultivate a highly skilled and motivated team, propelling our company toward sustained success.

    StartupTalky extends its gratitude to Mr. Jaideep Tiwari for dedicating his valuable time and generously sharing his insights with all of us.

    Explore more Recap’23 Interviews here.

  • Upwards’ Abhishek Soni Discusses Fintech Triumphs, Challenges, and Future Strategies

    StartupTalky is back with its Year-End Stories, presenting Recap’23. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders and industry leaders to understand their growth in 2023 and their predictions for the future.

    Today, our focus is on fintech and financial services. The fintech industry has become a powerhouse, providing innovative solutions that transform how we manage money, invest, and access financial services.

    Projections indicate that the Indian fintech market is expected to reach an impressive $1.3 trillion by 2025. Looking further ahead, the estimated growth in Assets Under Management and Revenue is significant, with estimates hitting $1 trillion and $200 billion by 2030, respectively. These numbers highlight the huge potential and significant impact the fintech industry can have on the future.

    In our recent interview for Recap’23, we connected with Abhishek Soni, the Co-Founder and CEO of Upwards. We discussed how Upwards is growing, the challenges it faces, what they’ve learned, and what’s coming up in the future. We also explored how Upwards is making a difference in the fintech world. 

    StartupTalky: Abhishek, what does Upwards do? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Abhishek Soni: We offer the best-in-class user experience, access to credit to underprivileged sections of society, and a fully real-time and paperless process. Solving the large & underserved credit opportunity in India by leveraging tech and data is the key motivator for us.

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    StartupTalky: What are some noteworthy achievements in Upwards’ journey?

    Abhishek Soni: Our business has received significant validation from the end user, investors, and various ecosystem stakeholders with:

    • 10 million customer sign-ups.
    • $5 million of equity infusion by top global VCs & ~$40M of institutional debt.
    • Deep partnerships with all key institutional lenders like HDB, ABFL, Vivriti, Fullerton, etc.
    • Acquisition by Lendingkart in Jan 2023 in a deal valued at $15 million and numerous industry accolades in 2023.

    StartupTalky: How has the fintech industry changed in recent years, and how has Upwards adapted to these changes?

    Abhishek Soni: While technology has penetrated all aspects of financial services and fintechs continue to grow at an unprecedented pace, a key underlying trend is proactive collaboration between conventional institutions (like banks, NBFCs) and fintechs. In the context of lending, co-lending, joint product creation, and deep tech integrations between banks and fintechs have been key enablers. Upwards has benefitted massively from this trend, and 80% of all loans we disburse are via a co-lending partnership.

    StartupTalky: Could you share how Upwards adjusted its entrepreneurial strategy to navigate the evolving business environment against all odds.

    Abhishek Soni: In the face of an evolving business environment and formidable odds, especially with COVID and various BFSI sector crises, Upwards remained frugal, flexible, and adaptable in our entrepreneurial strategy. When unforeseen challenges (like COVID) arose, we embraced change and leveraged adversity as a catalyst for innovation.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check Upwards’ growth and performance?

    Abhishek Soni: We rely on a robust automated dashboard and data lakes to stay on top of all KPIs. Some of the key ones are disbursal and AUM growth, collection resolution rates and delinquencies, customer satisfaction scores, app rating, and tech downtimes among others.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges Upwards faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Abhishek Soni: Post our acquisition, there was a massive push on growth, and given our vision to stay operationally lean and tech-first, we needed to quickly get to the product market fit. To achieve that, we launched 7 pilots in the last 12 months, and 2 of them worked and received phenomenal customer validation.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies Upwards uses for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack that you pulled off.

    Abhishek Soni: We bet big on iterating to product market fit and listening to the voice of the customers. As mentioned above, we develop a thesis around customer pain points and then ‘win a stay, lose shift.’ Our focus, almost never in our journey of 6 years, has been on paid marketing.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in the fintech industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen within states in India?

    Abhishek Soni: Credit penetration in India is still <5%, so just the domestic opportunity is massive, and with rising consumption, it is growing fast as well. Across states, we have not seen much difference in consumer behavior.

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    StartupTalky: What lessons did the Upwards team learn in the past year and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    Abhishek Soni: Customer-centric products and avoiding short-term gratification for long-term value creation are some of the key lessons. These enable us to lay a strong foundation for the future and ensure that as our numbers keep growing, financials stay green.

    StartupTalky: How does Upwards plan to expand the customers, product, and team base in the future?

    Abhishek Soni: We plan to hit Rs 1500 crore AUM in the next 24 months. Our focus (same as today) will be on fully digital loans to underserved segments across salaried and self-employed segments.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with budding entrepreneurs.

    Abhishek Soni: Embrace failure as a stepping stone to success, stay relentlessly curious, and prioritize a problem-solving mindset. Build a strong network, value integrity, and maintain a clear, unwavering vision. Be adaptable, listen to your customers, and never stop learning. Your journey will be challenging, but the rewards are worth it.

    StartupTalky extends its gratitude to Mr. Abhishek Soni for dedicating his valuable time and generously sharing his insights with all of us.

    Explore more Recap’23 Interviews here.

  • From Shopping to Entertainment: Times Prime Business Head Harshita Singh Shares How the Super-App Is Revolutionizing the Subscription Economy

    StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.

    The subscription economy offers various products and services through a subscription-based model, providing value and convenience to consumers who can access a range of offerings with a single payment. It has expanded into various areas, including digital content, personal grooming, health, and education. This model has become increasingly popular in India, where consumers are looking for cost-effective and convenient ways to access products and services.

    According to Statista, the global digital subscription economy was worth $650 billion in 2020 and is expected to grow to $1.5 trillion by 2025.

    For this Interview, we invited, Harshita Singh, Business Head of Times Prime and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the subscription economy.

    StartupTalky: Ms Harshita Singh, please tell us about Times Prime. What was the motivation/vision behind it?

    Harshita: A glimpse at your smartphone today will tell you just how many subscription-based services have pervaded our lives. Be it booking a cab, shopping, ordering food, or booking a table at a restaurant, there’s always an app for that. But at some point subscription fatigue has to become a real phenomenon right? This is where Times Prime, the super App from Times Internet, comes into play. Rapidly rising as one of the most preferred lifestyle super-apps, Times Prime offers an extensive range of benefits on a single platform, from shopping to entertainment and lifestyle, brands like Starbucks, Myntra, Uber, Disney+ Hotstar, SonyLIV, Google One, and many more. The idea is simple — instead of paying for different subscription services, pay for one and you can access all of these at once.

    StartupTalky: What new services have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your service?

    Harshita: To sustain this growth momentum, we will continue to launch exciting benefits and experiences that are valued by the transacting digital natives in the country. We also want to continually upgrade the app experience to better showcase the new categories and to enable discovery of the range of benefits. The beauty of a subscription offering is that people pay you for their own loyalty. As a platform that gives us a lot of leverage to be a launchpad for new subscriptions, D2C offerings, and ticketed events, thus resulting in monetization opportunities beyond the subscription paywall.

    StartupTalky: How has the subscription economy changed in recent years, and how has Times Prime adapted to these changes?

    Harshita: The subscription economy is growing worldwide. We have led the industry for 3 years and continued to do so last year by a far margin. Currently, we have a strong presence in the Online-To-Offline (OTO) space as some of Times Prime’s benefits and experience can only be enjoyed offline. One good example can be our Grooming & Well-being benefits. Similar to this, our members book curated Times Prime experiences & events like Purple Carpet, The Gourmet Table, History & Food Walks, Photography walks, offers on tea & coffee, and mixology sessions on the platform to enjoy them at some of the top venues with other members. We are seeing strong demand for this category and have a number of exclusive properties in the pipeline.

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    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?

    Harshita: We have had an exponential growth of 300% over the last 3 years. Renewals are one of the highest benchmarks, and the beauty of a subscription offering is that people pay you for their own loyalty, and we are happy with the increasing rate of renewals. Most of our early members are in their 3rd cycle with us.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges Times Prime faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Harshita: The country was reeling with COVID last year. But it did not affect Times Prime as the bundle has great breadth and depth. We have a strong OTO portfolio with OTTs, e-commerce partners, and news & learning brands. Times Prime also introduced quite a few digital events for our members and after the first event response, we knew we were on the right track. Due to this, we had no negative impact in fact it had a positive impact on sales.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run Times Prime smoothly?

    Harshita: Times Prime is part of the Times Internet Group of companies and this gives us access to in-house software and tools. These have given us quick access to data that is easily consumable across teams and functions.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?

    Harshita: The world is shifting to a subscription economy and the same shift is now seen in India. India is a large and diverse country and your marketing tactics change state-wise as well as the size of a town. One shoe does not fit all.

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, product, and team base in the future?

    Harshita: The app has been seeing increasing demand from all regions in India. Over-the-top (OTT) and news content are consumed most often, along with services like cabs, restaurants, grooming, and curated events. Initially trying to get brands to buy into the concept was really difficult. But there is a flywheel that exists in bundles- good brands attract more good brands. We also deliver immense value to our partners – scale, user quality, and transactions, and that’s why they choose to be a part of Times Prime year after year.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with people reading this article who want to get into entrepreneurship.

    Harshita: Identifying the Gap in the market is the most valuable advice to avoid misreading the market demand. Your idea should be profitable and aligned with your interests to grow.

    We thank Harshita for spending her valuable time and sharing her learnings with all of us.

    You can read other Recap’22 Interviews here.

  • EduCrack CEO Anand Bhushan Discusses Innovative Test Prep Solutions for Revolutionizing Education With Technology

    The EdTech industry has grown significantly in recent years as technology has become more widely available and more integrated into education. Edtech products and services are used in a variety of settings, including traditional classroom-based education, online and distance learning, and informal learning environments.

    According to a MarketsandMarkets report, the Edtech and Smart Classrooms market is expected to grow from $125.3 billion in 2022 to $232.9 billion by 2027, growing at a CAGR of 13.2% during the forecast period.

    For this Interview, we invited, Anand Bhushan, CEO of EduCrack, and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the ed-tech industry.

    StartupTalky: Mr Anand Bhushan, please tell us about EduCrack. What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Anand Bhushan: The company EduCrack is a Next-Gen EdTech company empowering the Test Prep Industry to help their students to follow their dreams by providing them with best-curated content by mentors, along with unbeatable test series through Technology enabled state of an art platform. The vision behind EduCrack was to leverage Technology to bring Education, specifically Competition preparation to the reach of all aspiring students, so that they can fulfill their dreams. Our Founder Mr Neeraj Sharma has a clear vision that ‘anyone who is willing to gain knowledge should never be left behind irrespective of their geographical and socio-economic conditions.’

    StartupTalky: What other products/features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your product?

    Anand Bhushan: A technology platform which is state of the art but easy to use, incorporating AI and ML, Educators who are the best mentors for their respective content and subject, unbeatable test series, and AI-enabled Interview Evaluation and Feedback for preparation of interviews.

    StartupTalky: How has the ed-tech industry changed in recent years, and how has EduCrack adapted to these changes?

    Anand Bhushan: The industry has changed drastically in the last few years. From an industry, which was predominantly in the physical mode of teaching, learned to go online during a pandemic and online teaching with the use of technology became paramount. Post-pandemic, there was an immediate surge of getting back offline and corrections happened for the industry. Big shake-ups happened, and those having overleveraged have suffered in terms of revenue, students, and erosion of profits. Now things are stabilizing and finding a mid-way as a Hybrid model where online is going to complement offline and vice versa. We realized that this shake-up was bound to happen and had prepared ourselves as an academic and technology solution provider to the Test Prep industry across the country so that we are part of the Hybrid, and also in sync with the vision of imparting knowledge to anyone who is willing, irrespective of geographical considerations.

    Anand Bhushan: The basics remain the same. You keep your eyes open, and ears to the ground to hear the rumblings and changes around you. Industry forums are a great way to understand the developments. The web has become a big source of updating oneself with the latest trends, provided you can separate out the wheat from the chaff.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?

    Anand Bhushan: The key metrics are both tangible and non-tangible. A few of them being the acquisition of number of students and institutes, the number of courses being added, refinement in the tech platform, usage of AI-enabled interview process, quality of the test series and what the market is saying about it, happiness quotient of the partners being associated with us and the growth in revenues and student acquisition for them.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges EduCrack faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Anand Bhushan: With the opening up of restrictions post-pandemic, students vying more for offline classes on the rebound was a big challenge. EduCrack overcame it in two ways, one by the usage of social media for pushing in and showing to the students, the quality of our content and mentors as well as free tests for them to gauge the relevance and quality of test series. And secondly turning as an Academic and Technology Solutions provider to the predominantly offline test prep industry, so as to enable them to run a hybrid model and disseminate knowledge to more students.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.

    Anand Bhushan: Strategies for most of the edtech companies remain the same. It is the effectiveness with which you execute them that creates the difference in the market. One of the things which were effective for us was a six-hour marathon problem-solving session on all three sections of CAT by our mentors, in front of a live audience of students and also being streamed live directly. The program was much appreciated by our competitors as well.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run EduCrack smoothly?

    Anand Bhushan: Without getting into the specifics, I would like to say that almost all of the digital technology EduCrack uses is developed in-house, including the LMS. We have also developed, in association with our partners, an AI-enabled Interview assessment and feedback tool, which assess on the broad parameters of verbal, and non-verbal cues and sentiment analysis. In addition, we use tools like Google meet, Google Docs, Zoom, etc.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen within states in India?

    Anand Bhushan: Growth potential and opportunities are going to be there both in India and World. Some shake-ups are bound to happen, but the resilient will stay, adapt and grow. With the coming of Web 3.0, there would be a lot of positive changes happening in the education industry, and new possibilities opening up. In India, with the NEP being implemented, changes will happen in the way the education industry is being run today. Metros as usual will be the first to react and respond to the changed behavior of the markets. In the Corporate world also, despite the talk of global recession, India hopefully will not be much impacted and growth will continue leading to more hiring and better hiring solution requirement.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    Anand Bhushan: The biggest lesson in the past year was that markets are going to be dynamic and fluid. Agility is going to be the key with fast decision-making and low turnaround time. Lean teams are the norm of the day and going forward too, with multitasking skills to look for in each employee.

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, product, and team base in the future?

    Anand Bhushan: Our expansion is going to be in two domains.

    One as an Academic Content and Technology solution provider to the Test Prep industry. Providing them with a robust platform to augment their offline classes and helping them with online tests and content, so as to make it easier for them to cater to a larger student base with quality and convenience at their fingertips.

    The second domain will be as a Recruitment solution provider to the Corporates, by way of providing them AI-enabled interview process for recruitment screening.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with people reading this article who want to get into entrepreneurship.

    Anand Bhushan: There is never a shortcut to success. It’s going to be a long haul. Strategies get overturned, revamped, and re-executed but you have to be resilient, once you have chosen a way forward, which your research has shown to be the right path. And finally. Never ignore your gut instinct.

    We thank Anand Bhushan for spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.

    You can read other Recap’22 Interviews here.

  • Chandan Bagwe, Founder and Managing Director, C Com Digital, Shares Insights on Revolutionizing the Tech-Enabled Marketing Landscape

    StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.

    Digital transformation and online presence are becoming increasingly important for businesses of all sizes. Techno-digital marketing agencies are on the rise, helping companies achieve their digital transformation goals and establish a strong online presence. These agencies offer end-to-end digital marketing communication and technology support, including services like social media optimization, digital marketing, search engine optimization, conversational marketing, and more.

    With the constant need for businesses to keep up with the latest trends and developments in digital marketing, these agencies stay one step ahead of the competition by closely monitoring the latest industry trends and technologies. As the demand for digital marketing and transformation grows, these agencies are expanding their services to cater to clients on a global scale.

    As per Statista, the global digital marketing industry is expected to grow at a CAGR of 17.4% from 2021 to 2028, reaching a market size of $422.4 billion by 2028.

    For this Interview, we invited, Chandan Bagwe, Founder and Managing Director of C Com Digital and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the digital marketing industry.

    StartupTalky: What service does your company provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Chandan: C Com Digital is a full-service techno digital marketing agency. The company helps its clients undertake digital transformation and maintain a robust and effective online presence. We create brand communication for modern businesses and help them in digital marketing to grow their Business.

    The vision behind C Com Digital was to build a globally renowned digital company that offers end-to-end digital marketing communication and technology support to its clients. We have steadily expanded our capabilities to fulfill that vision.

    StartupTalky: What new services have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your service?

    Chandan: Our unmatched excellence in creativity, customer understanding, and technical expertise has made us stand out in the market, and we are rapidly scaling our global presence.

    We offer mandatory brand hygiene services like content-focused Search Engine Optimization, Social Media Optimization, and digital marketing tech configuration. Apart from that, we also do brand awareness campaigns, PII-focused campaigns, conversational marketing campaigns, digital PR Campaigns, and advanced AI-ML integration for lead analysis and higher conversion. This delivers more significant ROI for the clients.

    This year, we have entered the US markets intending to become an international provider of reliable and high-performance IT-enabled services, specifically Enterprise Mobility Solutions, Program Support, Cloud Computing, Customer Software Development, and Enterprise Data Management.

    StartupTalky: How has the digital marketing industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?

    Chandan: In the last few years, especially since the pandemic’s start, there has been a great need for digital marketing and digital transformation across all industry segments. Having been in the techno-digital space for more than two decades, we have all the right technologies and market understanding. As the world resumed work-from-office this year, we have expanded our service offerings and services. We have expanded to the US markets to ensure that Indian techno-digital companies get visibility in international circles. We will collaborate with more western businesses to keep the growth trajectory going.

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    Chandan: Being in the techno-digital space and working with clients daily keeps one aware of emerging trends and needs. Our teams are constantly monitoring these needs. We also keep a tab on the US and European digital marketing trends. We use the best of creativity and technology to ensure that we can help our clients achieve all their digital transformation and communication needs conveniently and efficiently.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?

    Chandan: For us, the parameters that matter are how our top-line and bottom-line business grows. We have constantly achieved growth through deploying cutting-edge services, acquiring the right talent, and improving and optimizing processes through integrating CRM tools. We also measure growth by measuring new business generated and the new services launched. This year marked our entry into the US markets, where we have added diverse tech solutions to our offerings. These are some of the things we focus on apart from ensuring consistency of quality and client satisfaction.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Chandan: The significant challenges came in the form of changing expectations from the customers. They didn’t just want us to help them with their brand communication but also to provide holistic support in the digital transformation of their business. We leveraged our technological expertise and infrastructure to create the solutions the market needs. We have added various services to our
    portfolio to cater to the demand.

    StartupTalky: Good service is something everyone is talking about in the service industry. How do you ensure that your clients are happy?

    Chandan: We have built an end-to-end portfolio of services by combining top talent and advanced platform technologies. We have integrated AI, ML, and data analytics to bring the best insights for continuous process improvements. We remain ahead of the competition regarding tech enhancements and understanding the audiences for each campaign or digital marketing activity we undertake.

    Further, we work closely with our clients and constantly listen to their needs and feedback. This kind of collaborative support has enabled us to ensure that our clients are happy. Thus, it helps us solve any challenges that arise or fulfill their expectations.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.

    Chandan: Our digital marketing services for our client gives excellent results. Along with the hygiene activities as part of our services, conversational marketing, PII-focused campaigns, and Digital PR works wonders. We use the same techniques for our business growth too. We have been showcasing and presenting our successful and award-winning case studies to prospects. Case studies are the most important aspect of the growth hack.

    StartupTalky: Foreign clients- this is what most of the service-based companies are looking for. What has been your experience?

    Chandan: An international clientele is key to growth for any service sector enterprise. As a premier techno-digital agency, we have regularly worked with domestic and international clients. We have entered the US markets, and our experience working with international clients has been highly satisfactory, enriching, and encouraging.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?

    Chandan: We use many tools and technologies for web, cloud, and other projects. We primarily rely on Slack and Google suites for all communication needs, AWS Services for hosting and email solutions, and Adobe Suite for creative and web development services. We also undertake custom software development, using all the cutting-edge tech inputs per each project’s need. Apart from it, Various E-Commerce Partnerships and Online business partnerships are key to business success.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen between India and the world?

    Chandan: The potential is enormous as almost every business, whether a startup or SME or a large global enterprise, is going for digital transformation and adoption of SaaS products and digital communication tools and capabilities. Beyond that, the growth opportunities are equally high in the domestic and world markets. Indian companies have traditionally lagged in digitization, but currently, we are witnessing an unprecedented surge in demand for solutions. Western markets have had exposure to SaaS solutions and tech-driven operations, so there is a little more clarity about the need and how things should be.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year, and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    Chandan: Most importantly, we must keep ourselves abreast with the technology change. We have to keep adding new services to meet the market demand. We must keep innovating and scout for the best talent in technology, creativity, content, and influencer marketing.

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, service offering, and team base in the future?

    Chandan: We are a steadily growing organization, and our team base keeps increasing in proportion to business growth. We welcome quality talent in all areas that our operations cover. We entered the US market this year by unveiling our IT-enabled services. Our goal is to steadily expand the spectrum of our services and become an international provider of trustworthy, efficient, and cost-effective IT-
    enabled services. As an Indian company entering the US markets, we are bringing about a transformation in the techno-digital space as earlier the trend used to be of American companies entering the Indian market. This will help C Com grow better in the times ahead and enable the entire ecosystem to evolve faster.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another service company founder?

    Chandan: In digital marketing, “Technology – Change is the Only constant.” Therefore, provide high-quality latest trending services to your client along with consistent performance. It is critical for business success.

    We thank Chandan for spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.

    You can read other Recap’22 Interviews here.

  • Unleashing the Power of Creativity and Tech: By The Gram Founders Redefine Content Studio With Unique Originals

    StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.

    In today’s digital age, content creation, and brand development are crucial components of marketing and advertising. Content creation aims to create and distribute valuable and engaging content that builds brand awareness, establishes thought leadership, and drives engagement with target audiences. On the other hand, brand creation involves extensive research, strategy development, and the creation of visual and verbal elements that accurately reflect a company’s values and mission.

    Effective content and brand creation help businesses establish a strong online presence, increase brand recognition, and drive engagement and sales. With the increasing importance of digital marketing, the demand for these services has been growing rapidly.

    According to a report by Statista, in 2021, the global advertising industry was estimated to be worth over $600 billion and is expected to continue growing at a moderate to high rate in the coming years.

    For this Interview, we invited, Danisha Kohli, Eman Batliwalla, and Aaliya Amrin, Co-founders of By The Gram (BTG) and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the content and advertising industry.

    StartupTalky: What service does your company provide? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    BTG Founders: BTG is a content studio – a unique intersection where creativity meets tech. Production house meets full-service creative agency.

    Our vision was to build a company that did not exist yet in a market-ready and yearning for this unique hybrid.

    StartupTalky: What new services have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your service?

    BTG Founders: We are venturing into long-format original content with a slate of fresh young adult scripts that are currently being shopped around to platforms and production houses alike. Ultimately we are young people writing stories for young people.

    StartupTalky: How has the content and advertising industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?

    BTG Founders: The key is to be constantly evolving and adaptive, never rigid in your services/offerings or even your company culture. The pandemic changed everything about the ad industry today, those that changed with it, were able to last.

    StartupTalky: How do you stay up-to-date on the latest trends and developments in the content and advertising industry?

    BTG Founders: Read, a lot. Watch, a lot.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?

    BTG Founders: Growth in company size, client size, project size, and retention of all of the above.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    BTG Founders: The past year was neither here nor there with regard to the after-effects of the pandemic. A mix of being back in the office meets remote working and so on and so forth. As a company, we’re full of left brains and right brains trying to work together on projects which often require adequate face-to-face time. Getting back into the groove of a ‘flexible’ in-person company culture was the toughest challenge for most of us.

    We remain flexible to those who are not native to Bombay and allow ourselves to pick and choose our in-office days.

    StartupTalky: Good service is something everyone is talking about in the service industry. How do you ensure that your clients are happy?

    BTG Founders: With the economy bouncing back, the advertising industry will boomerang aggressively. The handbrakes are coming off and brands are re-energized. BTG’s intention in the coming years is to provide future-proofing to clients. Future-proofing includes owning the brand experience and the data.

    BTG thrives at the intersection of creativity and tech. Now that more and more
    brands are looking to go direct to consumer, the idea is to own the customer relationship and the data that goes with it (especially with a cookie-less future ahead). Through this BTG works to evolve their clients from focusing on transaction and conversion to deeper engagement, and customer loyalty.

    StartupTalky: Foreign clients- this is what most service-based companies are looking for. What has been your experience?

    BTG Founders: Our biggest USP to date is our ability to produce content of a high caliber globally. Our producers are all over from London and New York to Hong Kong and Dubai. We have a seamless process wherein we are able to shoot for international clients on their home turfs and even shoot for our local clients elsewhere as per their unique requirements.

    With trusted A-Teams in place, we have mastered an automotive experience for our clients wherever they are.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?

    BTG Founders: Investing in the right creatives to build out a brand’s creative strategy will be instrumental in a world that is no longer ruled by algorithmic targeting. BTG’s goal is to get nifty with the privacy-friendly data available, in order to produce data-informed, clutter-breaking content – all whilst remaining personalized, relevant, and compelling.

    BTG plans on investing in AI-powered creative insights to leapfrog our content performance to the next level. AI will dominate when augmented with a human touch. Until today, AI companies and content studios like BTG functioned separately, merging now and again on a token project without any long-term synergy. In the next five years, BTG hopes to bring in-house the technology, and
    infuse it into their day-to-day practices. With AI, agencies have an opportunity to advance digital advertising by eliminating guesswork in creativity—constantly learning and optimizing what is truly resonating with consumers. This will be step one in implementing high-end AI innovation and eventually far more exciting adoptions for agencies like BTG in the ad tech space. They recognize the competitive advantage they have, which is to pair the AI with the right human touch, for this to be done effectively and responsibly, human augmentation
    must play a critical role.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your future plans and strategies?

    BTG Founders: BTG was founded on the commitment to be 75% diverse and will continue to be that way years down the line. We firmly believe our women’s leadership, right from our producers and managers to our cinematographers and designers has been the secret sauce to our global large-scale productions, international presence, and our 16x growth over the last four years.

    By The Gram Team
    By The Gram Team

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, service offering, and team base in the future?

    BTG Founders: Over the last few years, original content has become the cornerstone of entertainment, from household names to niche businesses – It’s not hard to see why – people crave originality and hate being sold to.

    As an agency, BTG has always been content first. With the economy bouncing back, the advertising industry will boomerang aggressively. The handbrakes are
    coming off and brands are re-energized. Their primary play is already in motion. Currently, they own the short format space, with an alarming monopoly over all things short form. They have finessed their production prowess and uber-niche offerings. Earlier this year, they ventured into original content and long formats, ranging from their very own slate of eight-episode series, to buying the rights for Hindi adaptions of the best KTV has to offer.

    The next two to three years will mean harnessing their existing relationships in entertainment to house our long-format vertical: BTG Films. Their think tanks and writers’ rooms are expanding, and over the course of the next five years, they see themselves with a dedicated department for long format and original content wherein we bring the writers, directors, and producers – a triple threat.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another service company founder?

    BTG Founders: Too many voices reduce the quality of a conversation and complicate leadership hierarchies impede swift decision-making.

    We thank Danisha Kohli, Eman Batliwalla, and Aaliya Amrin for spending their valuable time and sharing their learnings with all of us.

    You can read other Recap’22 Interviews here.

  • Co-founder Navin Rao on The Kaftan Company’s Commitment to Sustainability, Comfort, and Style With Their Range of Kaftans and Loungewear

    StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.

    Kaftans are a type of traditional clothing originating in the Middle East and North Africa. They are loose, flowing garments that are typically made from lightweight, breathable materials, such as cotton or silk. They are often worn as a type of formal or semi-formal dress and are often embellished with intricate embroidery, beading, or other decorative elements.

    In recent years, kaftans have become popular as a fashion item in many different cultures, including those outside of the Middle East and North Africa. They are now often used as a comfortable and stylish alternative to more traditional clothing items, such as dresses or skirts.

    There are many companies that specialize in the production and sale of kaftans. These companies offer a variety of kaftans in different styles, materials, and sizes, and many also offer customization options to ensure that each kaftan is as unique as the person wearing it.

    For this Interview, we invited, Navin Rao, Co-founder of The Kaftan Company and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the fashion industry.

    StartupTalky: Navin, what products does your company sell? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Navin: We are India’s leading brand for Kaftans. The Kaftan Company was founded in 2016 when the market was becoming competitive with several new brands. However, this was also when many similar products filled the market, and the founders were keen to create a unique product category that would be comfortable, high-quality, and stylish.

    That’s where the Co-founder Prakruti Gupta Rao came across Kaftans. She found that the dress that has been a favorite of royals and celebrities for centuries afforded the right grace, comfort, ease of wearing, and style for all women. It creates the impression of someone who is free-thinking, courageous, and open
    to new opportunities and experiences.

    StartupTalky: What other products/features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your products?

    Navin: The Kaftan Company is the leading brand specializing in the design and creation of Kaftans in India. We have innovated and created a diverse range of loungewear, sleepwear, and kaftans for every occasion. We have expanded to loungewear, kids’ kaftans, and even a range of loungewear for men apart from traditional kaftans.

    The brand’s commitment to sustainability accompanies the high quality and stylishness of The Kaftan Company’s range of kaftans. The brand has given a contemporary feel to the iconic kaftans and uses cutting-edge technology to make products that are environmentally friendly.

    Departing from the conventional printing methods, TKC produces digitally printed kaftans. This helps in saving water, dyes, electricity, and even fuel. Further, it is almost a zero-waste fashion brand with ethical production practices and a constant focus on using natural fabrics that enable artisans to display traditional craftsmanship.

    StartupTalky: How has the fashion industry changed in recent years, and how has your company adapted to these changes?

    Navin: The fashion industry has become increasingly competitive, and in the last few years, we have seen a lot of D2C brands come up in the segment. In the wake of the pandemic, there is a greater demand for comfortable and stylish dresses to wear at home or outside with equal ease.

    Further, we are witnessing much attention on eco-friendly manufacturing and growing customer demand for natural fabrics and colors that don’t harm the environment.

    At TKC, we have already been following a manufacturing process that minimizes raw material waste through digital design and printing. We use natural fabrics in our products and this emphasis on comfort and sustainability has made TKC a market-leading brand.

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    StartupTalkyPooja Uniyal

    Navin: We constantly follow global fashion trends and keep an eye on what style, pattern, or design dominates the popular international and domestic markets. We read style guides and fashion roundups and follow the fashion trends and leading magazines to remain updated. At the same time, we also regularly focus on innovating and creating new trends based on the kaftans.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?

    Navin: There are multiple metrics we look at when considering the company’s growth and performance. The standard and basic ones include various revenue-based metrics. Being a digital-only brand, we look at various metrics within the digital marketing space. These include monitoring the average revenue per user, lifetime value, customer acquisition costs, repeat purchase rate, etc. Ultimately customer loyalty program and their measurement also plays a significant part in
    understanding the preference of our customers.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Navin: As we continue to grow and evolve as a brand, our messaging to customers was getting confusing with the various categories and names associated with our group of sleepwear and loungewear kaftans. (Women’s, Maternity, Kids, Men’s, etc…) As a result, we spent a lot of time consolidating and identifying a consistent image to portray to our customers in recognition of our brand. This meant creating new standardized logos, taglines, and essentially a corporate identity with relevant guidelines in place. We look forward to maintaining this image and providing consistency so our customers easily identify with our brand as we continue to appreciate their loyalty and support.

    StartupTalky: Repeat purchase is one of the most important parameters on which most e-commerce brands are betting. How do you keep your customer engaged to stop churn?

    Navin: Modern customers are very conscious of the quality, comfort, and value they get from the products they purchase. They are more focused on getting an enhanced all-around experience with the products they buy. Happy customers make repeat purchases and are most likely to help the brand grow organically. By creating, innovative, high-quality, comfortable, and competitively priced kaftans and other dress items for women, kids, and men, we have managed to deliver on
    all these parameters.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.

    Navin: We are an eCommerce platform specializing in fashionable kaftans. We use social media marketing and search engine marketing to promote the products. Further, our most significant focus is on content marketing. We have a high-traffic website where we regularly publish fashion blogs, daily wear guides, and information pieces about innovations and new developments in the world of kaftans.

    Further, we leverage influencer marketing by collaborating with celebrities and
    social media influencers. A key growth hack for TKC has been the focus on quality which has led the brand to a more substantial repeat clientele and word-of-mouth publicity.

    StartupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?

    Navin: We use the latest eCommerce, digital design and printing tools, and various relevant software to keep operations lean, eco-friendly, and smooth.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen within states in India?

    Navin: India has vast market potential, and as awareness about sustainable, comfortable, and high-quality fashion grows, we are witnessing a rapid growth in demand for kaftans. When we started in 2016, there were only a few options to buy kaftans in India, and they were usually uninspiring and costly.

    The Kaftan Company was the first brand to formally retail kaftans as its core offering in the country, and the growth has been spectacular. The market is rapidly growing in India and globally, and kaftans have become the core upon which loungewear, maternity wear, beach wear, etc., is now based. India is a vast country with diverse cultures and fashion sensibilities in each.

    Some regions are very warm to kaftans, and others where we see very little awareness about the kaftans. However, the market is opening up through sustained content marketing and user experience for kaftans. Several new brands have come into the arena. Even though they don’t match our kaftans in quality or creativity, these brands are helping build a competitive and national market for kaftans.

    StartupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year, and how will these inform your plans and strategies?

    Navin: Our team has learned to handle adversity and change in the past year. The continued impact and uncertainty of current times combined with the continuous change in the digital landscape means no two days are ever the same. The team has understood that sustaining through the current business environment isn’t easy, and one must always be ready to embrace change in order to continue to grow.

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, SKUs, and team base in the future?

    Navin: We regularly introduce new designs and have been expanding our presence in the domestic and international markets through the eCommerce channel; we have also introduced a wide range of product categories such as kaftans pants, maternity wear, kids wear, and menswear, etc. The team is also steadily growing in sync with the rise in demand after the pandemic. We currently
    have more than 500 SKUs, and the numbers will keep increasing as we go along.

    StartupTalky: With so much hype around D2C brands spending on ads, what will be your growth strategy, organic or inorganic? How to plan to work around SEO and content marketing?

    Navin: SEO and content marketing are two of our key marketing channels. The Kaftan Company has benefited from content marketing, and it will remain pivotal to our brand. Consumers not only want to browse through the diversity of products but are also keen to know why they should choose a product like a kaftan. They want to know about the various options, the manufacturing process, and the quality of the dresses on offer. Through regular usage of content marketing, we
    advise our audience on what kind of dresses or kaftans they should wear on different occasions and in different seasons.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another D2C founder?

    Navin: Embrace the changes in an uncertain business environment, and always be aiming far ahead while also learning from the past.

    We thank Navin for spending his valuable time and sharing his learnings with all of us.

    You can read other Recap’22 Interviews here.

  • Sasha Revankar, Founder, One Minute Saree, Pioneers Easy-to-Wear Sarees to Transform the Saree Industry

    StartupTalky presents Recap’22. This is a series of interviews in which we conduct in-depth discussions with founders & industry leaders to understand their growth in 2022 and their predictions for the future.

    The saree industry is a significant sector in the textile industry of India and other South Asian countries. It encompasses the production of raw materials, such as cotton and silk, as well as the manufacturing and distribution of sarees. The industry provides employment to millions of people, particularly in rural areas, and generates significant revenue.

    However, the industry has been impacted in recent years by increased competition from fast fashion and other modern forms of clothing. Nevertheless, the saree remains a popular traditional garment, and the industry continues to thrive.

    The online saree market provides a platform for saree retailers to reach a wider audience, both domestically and globally, and offer a more convenient shopping experience for customers. The Indian saree market size is expected to grow by USD 4.14 billion during 2021–2025, progressing at a CAGR of over 6% during the forecast period.

    For this Interview, we invited Sasha Revankar, Founder of One Minute Saree, and we talked about the growth, challenges, insights, and future opportunities in the saree industry.

    StartupTalky: Sasha, what products does your company sell? What was the motivation/vision with which you started?

    Sasha: We sell the saree of the future. It is designed in-house and so easy to wear that anyone, anywhere can order and wear it without any hassles.

    StartupTalky: What other products/features have been added in the past year? What is/are the USP/s of your products?

    Sasha: We launched this year itself and we have introduced blouses as well. The USP of our sarees is that they maintain the look and feel of traditional sarees but are so easy to wear, it’s a no-brainer! Other ready-to-wear sarees are like dresses, we use real sarees and maintain the feel and elegance of the 6-yard saree.

    StartupTalky: How has the saree industry changed in recent years and how has your company adapted to these changes?

    Sasha: We originally planned to launch in March 2020 and of course, those plans got put on hold and we finally launched in Jan 2022. The good news, however, is that during this time our customers adapted more to purchasing ethnic clothing online, so it made our launch all the more impactful.

    How has AI Revolutionized the Fashion Industry?
    Revenue in the Indian Fashion segment is projected to reach $18.51 billion in 2022. Let’s find out how AI is revolutionizing the Fashion Industry.
    StartupTalkyPooja Uniyal

    Sasha: It’s important to talk to other people in the industry and share experiences, as well as listen to your customers. Relevant industry publications and tracking the industry leaders are also important.

    StartupTalky: What key metrics do you track to check the company’s growth and performance?

    Sasha: We track our month-on-month revenue growth as well as our repeat customer rate and return on ad spend and conversion rate as key drivers.

    StartupTalky: What were the most significant challenges your company faced in the past year and how did you overcome them?

    Sasha: As this was our first year we faced many startup challenges, many of which had to do with our product and achieving consistent quality since we launched as a made-to-order product. We compensated customers whenever there were issues and worked towards correcting them. To get full control we set up our in-house production unit.

    StartupTalky: Repeat purchase is one of the most important parameters on which most e-commerce brands are betting. How do you keep your customer engaged to stop churn?

    Sasha: Proper customer service is very key, answering the customers and providing useful solutions. Keeping communication on new launches and engaging them through social media is also effective.

    StartupTalky: What are the different strategies you use for marketing? Tell us about any growth hack which you pulled off.

    Sasha: We target niche customers and this has given us a loyal customer base to build from.

    StarupTalky: What are the important tools and software you use to run your business smoothly?

    Sasha: We use a collaboration calendar to get our marketing/catalog/social teams in sync. We also have various in-house tools to help with our order flow.

    StartupTalky: What opportunities do you see for future growth in your industry in India and the world? What kind of difference in market behavior have you seen within states in India?

    Sasha: We have just started and the opportunity is vast. Although we are online and D2C, there is huge scope and value in bringing our products to stores.

    StatupTalky: What lessons did your team learn in the past year and how will these inform your plans and strategies?

    Sasha: We have to get granular when it comes to the user experience, it’s the number one thing you can’t take for granted.

    StartupTalky: How do you plan to expand the Customers, SKUs, and team base in the future?

    Sasha: Since dealing in sarees we are planning to source more diverse types of sarees and also design in-house exclusive collections.

    StartupTalky: With so much hype around D2C brands spending on ads, What will be your growth strategy organic or inorganic? How to plan to work around SEO and content marketing?

    Sasha: Long-term SEO is essential. Relying on paid ads is a long road to profitability.

    StartupTalky: One tip that you would like to share with another d2c founder?

    Sasha: Research your product demand and competitors especially using free tools that Google offers. Get enough info to work out where you may have an advantage and estimate your realistic price point. This can help estimate your ad spend needed for your target conversion and investment requirements.

    We thank Sasha Revankar for spending her valuable time and sharing her learnings with all of us.

    You can read other Recap’22 Interviews here.