Halo Drop

Halo Drop

Have you always wondered what it takes to make an Idea go from ok to amazing? To go from Idea to Exit? What are the trends shaping India today, and how can we take the lessons from Silicon Valley and apply them at scale? We created Halo Drop to build a community of amazing entrepreneurs, investors, family offices, hustlers, and change agents. We want you to be inspired to learn, build, and become successful! We spend countless hours researching the top trends in India and America to bubble up the macro trends, find amazing companies, and share actionable tips for you to get started. This isn’t just a show for you to listen in on, we want you to participate and build. Visit https://www.halodrop.fm for more information.

  1. 08/07/2021

    Sustainable Fashion, the Popularity of Podcasting & Mental Health Support

    How sustainable are your fashion choices? With all the insanity happening across the world right now, what can you do to play your part in consuming clothes that respect the planet? “As eco-conscious consumers realize the environmental toll of fast fashion, there's an increased focus on making clothes that are better for the planet. This can be using less resource intensive manufacturing processes, committing to recycled or sustainable materials, designing more durable fabrics, and even creating markets for clothing resale.” The audio app space has been booming in India. India has about 150 million daily listeners. They’re the third largest podcast market after the US and China, and they're growing at 50% annually. In fact, the majority of our listeners are from India! While listening to podcasts is a great way to escape mentally, the third and probably most important topic we discuss on this episode is companies set up to support mental health. Following the year we’ve just had, the demand for mental health services has risen exponentially. “The mental health market will probably be worth around $250 billion by 2027. So there's a lot of room to grow here.” Finally, we discuss trading baseball cards on Stock X, creating your own Avatar and the importance of stretching your calves out via a wooden slant box. This episode is jam packed full of great Indian companies you should check out. Download and listen today.  On today’s podcast: Sustainable fast fashion brandsThe audio app spaceTaking care of your mental healthTrading baseball cardsStretching your calves Links: The August CompanyNo NastiesNorth MistKuKu FMPocket FMMind HouseStock X

    14 min
  2. 24/06/2021

    Applying Lessons Learned from Football to the Business World with San Francisco 49er, Jerry Rice

    We are super excited for this episode of Halo Drop. At the start of the pandemic we hosted an amazing conversation with American football player, Jerry Rice, who imparted a wealth of wisdom gleaned during his time both on and off the football field. “I never thought I would get drafted and go on to live the ultimate dream of playing professional football. You know, a guy out of Mississippi who goes to Mississippi Valley State University and gets drafted by the greatest team ever: The San Francisco 49ers.” Jerry is a Hall of Famer, was a part of three winning Super Bowl teams and holds over 100 NFL records. Today he’s the CEO and founder of GOAT Fuel (Greatest Of All Time).  “You're not always going to win. But it's like, what do you do when you don't? And that's when I think you realize that you have to be tougher, you gotta be stronger. You have to be able to fight through adversity.” In this episode, Jerry shares his journey from football dream to reality, the power of working together as a team, winning the Super Bowl three times, why losing makes you stronger, how to prepare mentally and physically for greatness and longevity, and why the GOAT mindset is for everyone.  “I'll do what others won't, so tomorrow I can accomplish what others can’t. That's what I'm all about. That's what I did in football. I always tell people to love what you do, and always give 100%.” On today’s podcast: From football dream to realityWinning and losing the Super BowlWhy fear of failure is his biggest motivatorThe importance of leading by exampleFueling the GOAT mindset Links: Jerry Ricehttps://goatfuel.com/

    43 min
  3. 10/06/2021

    Venktesh Shukla - Becoming One Of Silicon Valley’s Most Active Angel Investors

    If you’re an Indian entrepreneur or you're thinking about founding a startup in India, don’t miss Venktesh Shukla this week on Halo Drop. Venk is a general partner in Monta Vista Capital, a VC company focused on seed stage B2B companies, bringing a hands-on operational approach to the first years of a company's life. As President of TiE, a nonprofit that exists to promote wealth creation through entrepreneurship, Venk presides over one of the most powerful networks focused on technology startups in Silicon Valley. Venk is also the founding chair and active member of the TiE angels, one of the most active angel investor groups in the Valley. “In those 3 years that the group invested in 25 companies, I wrote only 5 checks, but those 5 companies turned out to be the best of those 25, and nobody else in that 100% investor group got those 5 right.” Venk is also involved in Startup India, an initiative designed to make it easier to startup, fund and grow a company in India. “I used to write extensively, criticising [startup] policies in newspapers in India. The government thought that the best way for them to prevent me from writing all these things is to bring me inside.” In this latest episode, Venk shares his incredible journey: from his boyhood dream of being an engineer, to coming to the US for his MBA. How he became Teradyne’s most successful sales person having never sold before. Why he became a VC. How he became involved in Startup India. Why having a wide network of people is invaluable. And how meditation gets his head back in the game.  “I sit down and try to figure out where I want to be two years from today. That frames how I should be spending my time today. What do I want to see happen in two years from today, and then work backwards from there.” On today’s podcast: Finding product market fitBecoming a TiE angelThe advantage of being a distributed companyStartup IndiaHis advice for new entrepreneurs  Links: Venktesh Shukla https://tie.org@vshuklhttps://www.montavc.com/Steve Blank - The Four Steps To The EpiphanyBertrand Russell - In Praise Of IdlenessRies & Trout - Positioning

    41 min
  4. 27/05/2021

    3D Printers, DTC Brands & Hydration Multipliers

    The longer we’re all working from home, the more we figure out how to be self-sufficient, and one thing that’s becoming increasingly popular is 3D printing, in particular, printing things at home.  In fact, you can even 3D print your new home if you want. “There's a bunch of interesting new startups that are 3D printing houses, where they'll prefab all of it, pre-print it and then essentially move an entire house to wherever the location you want to build it is.” DTC brands are really shaking up the marketplace right now. By going direct to consumers, they’re cutting out the middleman and one thing that makes them super successful, is they are creating a community around the brand too, building awareness and encouraging advocacy.  “Live Tinted is a beauty brand started in the US and it’s basically beauty products that are catered towards tinted skin. One of the amazing things they've done is built this really powerful community across social media that is driving all their success.” Finally, if you're looking for a hydration multiplier, try Liquid IV. You can also find a hydration multiplier with immune support, there’s another with energy, and another to help you sleep.  Don’t miss this latest episode of Halo Drop, it’s eclectic, educational and cheeky in all the right places.  On today’s podcast: 3D printingJinx dog foodGender neutral perfumeThe rise of DTC brandsHydration multipliers Links: 3DexterThink JinxMamaearthLive TintedLiquid IV

    13 min
  5. 29/04/2021

    Peter Pham - The Entrepreneurial Journey To Science Inc.

    We are thrilled to chat with serial entrepreneur Peter Pham, one of L.A.’s most prominent early-stage investors and the co-founder of Science Inc. For those not in the know, Science Inc. is a Santa Monica startup studio and early-stage venture fund that manages over $100 million and recently launched a $310.5 million SPAC (they’re also behind Dollar Shave Club). “You know what you’re going to get with me, you're going to get a neurotic person who's passionate beyond belief. You want me on your team.” As an operator, Peter grew Photobucket to become the largest photo sharing site in 2007, exiting to Myspace for $300 million. He repeated that success as a co-founder and CEO of BillShrink, which was acquired by MasterCard. But how did he start out, what shaped him as a kid to become the preeminent VC he is today? “I think what shaped me in terms of growing up, not having anything and the classic American dream. No one’s gonna give it to me, I’m gonna go earn it, work my ass off. I had three jobs to pay for college, as a waiter.” He spent 9 years jumping between 13 different enterprise software companies, but his advice for wannabe entrepreneurs today is this: “Go work at a startup, pick it up, try different things and just be the motivated person who's willing to learn and do whatever it takes, and don't get sucked into titles.” From finding your superpower, to founding Photobucket, BillShrink and Color, to choosing a co-founder, the qualities he looks for when he meets a founder, to the ideal company he’s looking for.  “Across all three categories for us, it's mobile, marketplaces, and consumer brands, those are the types of companies we're looking for.” If you’re an entrepreneur, you don’t want to miss this. Download and listen now.  On today’s podcast: His journey to entrepreneur Find your superpowerFounding Science Inc.What makes a desirable founderMiami vs LA vs Austin vs Bay Area Links: Peter PhamScience Inc.

    43 min
  6. 14/04/2021

    Virtual Events, Clean Cosmetics, Drones & Surveillance

    Restrictions are slowly beginning to lift, the vaccine is being rolled out both in the US and across the world, but that doesn’t mean we’re going to go right back to how we were pre-pandemic. Virtual events are likely to be an ongoing feature of life as we know it, for the foreseeable future at least.  “With revenue totaling over $330 million in 2019, Zoom expects a total revenue of over $620 million by the end of fiscal year 2020. With such growth and further uncertainty ahead regarding the pandemic and working from home, there's definitely an opportunity for competitors to enter the market.” In today’s episode of Halo Drop, we discuss the rise of virtual events, from conferences and trade shows, to virtual workouts and cooking classes, before jumping into clean cosmetics, drone technology and surveillance. “Drones are a $23 billion industry right now. And it's going to double in the next five years. So 2025, you're looking at a $42 billion industry, which is pretty, pretty amazing.” Finally, love him or hate, you’ve gotta check out Dave Portnoy’s Barstool Fund (link below). Someone on Twitter challenged him to put his money where his mouth is and help raise funds for struggling restaurants. To date he’s raised over $32m, in under two months, from 200,000 people and supported close to 200 different businesses. On today’s podcast: Virtual events and conferencesDrone technology and surveillanceIndian video conferencing companiesClean cosmeticsThe Barstool Fund Links: https://www.barstoolsports.com/the-barstool-fundNew Yorker Suspends Jeffrey Toobin for Masturbating on Zoom CallChina takes surveillance to new heights with flock of robotic Doves, but do they come in peace?Hosts TwitterVishal - https://twitter.com/vgurbuxaniKrishna - https://twitter.com/ksub15Sunil - http://twitter.com/vermasun Show SocialTwitter https://twitter.com/halodropfm

    16 min
  7. 01/04/2021

    Managing Your Work From Home Life

    As more and more people have to work from home, there have been pluses and minuses across the board. Whether you’ve embraced it or not, the general feeling is that productivity has increased with everyone being at home.  That’s great news for the companies, not so much for the workers. Productivity has increased because people can work longer hours because they aren’t having to do two hour commutes, they aren’t taking breaks, they aren’t socializing. And while increased productivity translates to increased revenue for companies, it also increases instances of burnout.  Which begs the question - what happens when we move into the next phase and people can start to go out again? How does it affect productivity? And how can startups who don’t have the luxury of a large HR department, manage output? “In China, you have the idea of 996, which is you work from 9am to 9pm, six days a week. That is something that a lot of people talk about. To some degree, I feel like the West is now starting to feel that pressure.”  Finally, in the company section we discuss top Indian startups on the disfold list, and in the tips section we recommend some awesome books. Another fantastic episode and we are only three into the series! On today’s podcast How to work from homeThe impact of WFH on creativityAsian culture of 6 day work weeksManaging camaraderie over ZoomThe top 30 Indian startupsTikTok doesn’t exist in India Links: https://disfold.com/top-indian-startups/InMobiPipeDream With Your Eyes OpenBillion Dollar LoserHosts TwitterVishal - https://twitter.com/vgurbuxaniKrishna - https://twitter.com/ksub15Sunil - http://twitter.com/vermasun Show SocialTwitter https://twitter.com/halodropfm

    17 min

Ratings & Reviews

2.8
out of 5
71 Ratings

About

Have you always wondered what it takes to make an Idea go from ok to amazing? To go from Idea to Exit? What are the trends shaping India today, and how can we take the lessons from Silicon Valley and apply them at scale? We created Halo Drop to build a community of amazing entrepreneurs, investors, family offices, hustlers, and change agents. We want you to be inspired to learn, build, and become successful! We spend countless hours researching the top trends in India and America to bubble up the macro trends, find amazing companies, and share actionable tips for you to get started. This isn’t just a show for you to listen in on, we want you to participate and build. Visit https://www.halodrop.fm for more information.