Indian Business Podcast

Thinkschool

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, or simply curious, tune in to the "Indian Business Podcast", where we delve deep into the dynamic world of business, politics, and beyond. In each episode, we bring together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and professionals from diverse backgrounds to engage in candid conversations about the intricacies of the business landscape, to share their insights, experiences, and perspectives on pressing issues shaping India's future.

  1. 1d ago

    The ₹100 Crore Brand Playbook | How India’s First Consumer VC Picks Winners at Zero Revenue

    👉 Check Odoo - https://www.odoo.com/r/LT9J 👉 Insurgent Brand Workbook: https://forms.gle/Gbh85kq1YuD9JCZ98 👉 Think School’s flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions: https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communi... 👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast: https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29 👉 Follow Our Guest https://www.linkedin.com/in/deepakishahdadpuri 👉 Video Introduction Why do some consumer brands become household names while thousands of others disappear, even with great products and millions in funding? And how does an investor spot the next Sula, Epigamia or Bombay Sweet Shop before the rest of the market catches on? In this episode, Deepak Shahdadpuri, Founder of DSG Consumer Partners, breaks down what makes a brand truly irreplaceable, why founders should focus on their first 1,000 customers instead of trying to capture all of India, and why a business can die with the gross margins it is born with. In this episode, you'll learn: - The 4-stage framework every successful consumer brand must cross: Awareness, Trial, Repeat and Scale. - The secret behind building a brand that customers refuse to replace, even when competitors offer alternatives. - Why India's next big consumer brands may come from categories that already exist in the West but are still unexplored in India. - Why you don't need 1.4 billion customers to build a ₹100 crore business. - The 3 financial benchmarks DSG uses to identify genuinely successful and capital-efficient consumer businesses. - Why founders who solve problems they personally experience often outperform those chasing large market opportunities. - The biggest red flags Deepak looks for before investing in a founder, including the personality traits that can make or break a business. - Why AI search could completely change how consumers discover brands, and why Reddit communities may become critical for brand visibility. Chapters: 00:00 - Why India's New Generation Is DUMPING Its Parents' Brands 04:01 - Why Customers Will REPLACE Your Brand Without a Second Thought 12:11 - Why Do Most Brands FAIL at This Stage  17:14 - Why Launching Against Amul and Nestlé Isn't as CRAZY as It Sounds 20:20 - Indians Pay DOUBLE for Imported, Then Call Indian Brands Expensive 27:43 - Why Getting COPIED by a Giant Is Secretly Good News 31:02 - Why HUL and Marico Would Rather BUY Your Brand Than Build One 39:00 - Why Investors IGNORE Your Pitch Deck for the First 30 Minutes 42:46 - Ideas Are CHEAP: What Makes Customers Fall in Love With a Brand 46:25 - The One Number That Decides If Your Brand Lives or DIES 49:35 - The Growth TRAPS That Sink Brands Right When They Take Off 54:44 - Where India's Next Big Brands Are HIDING! 1:08:34 - The Red Flags That Get Even Passionate Founders REJECTED Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, startup founder, investor or simply curious about how India's next generation of consumer giants will be built, this episode offers a rare look inside the mind of one of India's most experienced consumer investors. Must-Watch Episodes -  1. I burnt 300Cr to teach you this | 6 Powerful Steps to Build a 1000 Cr Beauty Brand https://youtu.be/3Qms7gUSTj4?si=5_klxdQ4D-LhiHVG 2. Laws of Hype Creation : How Comet engineered Hype to build 167 cr Sneaker brand? https://youtu.be/CSiNS9566Vk?si=394vBwSKAP1pLXOm 3.  Super You's EPIC ₹100 Crore Blueprint: INSANE Marketing SECRETS Nobody Talks About! https://youtu.be/G8UK7WcdF1Y?si=CZwi2Hcy7Y6-G21P 4. 100x Your Brand in 60 Minutes with These PROVEN Tactics https://youtu.be/H088ypbYuDw?si=qlhQqzNIn2CxyQZF 5.Start a Business With No Money | Eric Ries’ Guide for First-Time Founders https://youtu.be/eErcrQQHzg4?si=B7A5_sJvdp1J_vF4 #DeepakShahdadpuri #DSGConsumerPartners #ConsumerBrands #IndianStartups #VentureCapital #BrandBuilding #StartupIndia #Entrepreneurship #BusinessStrategy #ThinkSchool #IndianBusinessPodcast #D2CBrands

  2. Oct 16

    Kumar Sangakkara Reveals : Why Sri Lanka Could Be the Next Big Real Estate Opportunity

    👉 Check Odoo: https://www.odoo.com/r/SJg7 👉 If you are interested in exploring Crystal Property Group's luxury real estate projects in Sri Lanka, get in touch with their team for investment enquiries: hello@cpg.lk and +94772292202 👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast: https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29 👉 Follow Our Guest Instagram: CPG - https://www.instagram.com/cpgsrilanka... TOG - https://www.instagram.com/theonegroup... The Six - https://www.instagram.com/thesixwelig... Website: CPG - https://cpg.lk/ TOG - https://www.theonegroupofhotels.com/ Facebook: CPG - https://www.facebook.com/share/1FFvDW... TOG - https://www.facebook.com/share/1DADQn... The Six - https://www.facebook.com/share/1M6zNv... Video Introduction Can you buy a $1.3 million holiday home in Sri Lanka and earn an 8% annual return in US dollars? Most people buy a second home for lifestyle and real estate for returns. But what if you could get both from the same property?In this episode of The Indian Business Podcast, we travel to Sri Lanka to meet Kumar Sangakkara, cricket legend, Rajasthan Royals coach and real estate entrepreneur, to understand how he's building a luxury real estate business through Crystal Property Group. From selling six ultra-luxury beachfront villas for an average of $1.3 million each to generating an 8% net annual yield for investors, Kumar reveals the business model behind his unusual real estate bet. In this episode, you'll learn: 1. The Build, Sell & Operate Model: How to sell a luxury property to an investor and continue earning by managing it. 2. The 8% Dollar Return: How The Six generates rental income for investors while allowing them to use their villas as holiday homes. 3. Why Sri Lanka Could Be the Next Real Estate Opportunity: The tourism boom, scarce beachfront land and the gap between perception and reality that investors could exploit. 4. How to Build Luxury Real Estate During an Economic Crisis: How Crystal Property Group navigated COVID-19, political turmoil, currency depreciation and rising construction costs without abandoning its commitments. 5. The $400,000 Entry Point: How Kumar's upcoming projects target different categories of luxury property investors, from beachfront suites to wellness resorts. 6. The Risks Indian Investors Must Understand: Currency depreciation, property titles, ownership structures, regulatory restrictions and the importance of choosing the right developer. 7. The Cricket Legend's Mindset: Kumar's lessons on coaching, curiosity, humility, growth mindset and why you should seek knowledge, not just education. If you're an Indian investor looking beyond traditional real estate markets, this episode explores a question worth considering: Could Sri Lanka offer the rare combination of a luxury second home, rental income in US dollars and long-term capital appreciation? Chapters 00:00 Could Your Next Investment Be a Beach House? 02:01 What Does a $1.3 Million Beach Villa Look Like? 07:23 How Do You Develop Taste That Money Can’t Buy? 10:46 A Dream Home or an Investment? Show Me the Numbers 13:16 Why a Cricket Legend Entered the Real Estate Business 14:04 Would You Invest When Everyone Else Is Leaving? 16:46 How Do You Find a Location People Will Pay For? 21:14 The Property Rule Most Buyers Get Backwards: Location Before Returns 27:23 Is Your Picture of Sri Lanka 15 Years Out of Date? 35:28 What Does $400,000 Buy You on the Beach? 41:34 What Happens to Your Investment When the Currency Falls? 44:19 Biggest Red Flag you Should Know before Investing 46:26 What If Your Holiday Home Paid You to Own It? 49:15 Sri Lanka vs Dubai: What Is the Actual Investment Case? 52:46 Beyond Cricket and Business: Sangakkara's Real Ambition

  3. Oct 3

    How to Sell a Service at 2x the Price | The ₹50 Crore Sales System Every Founder Should Understand

    👉 Check Odoo - https://www.odoo.com/r/qDm 👉 Looking for a Sales job with a 12 LPA package? Fill out this form: https://forms.gle/aGxk4yQaU8BuSB4s9 👉 Fill out this form to hire the top sales talent in the country: https://forms.gle/v74TmWTn4j8bVPZt7 👉 50 Cr. Sales Engine Workbook: https://forms.gle/B1jQhyxfzrEGvfaU7 👉 Think School’s flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions:https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communi... 👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast:https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29 👉 Follow Our Guest Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saadsells?u... 👉 LinkedIn:   / saad-khaj.  . Video Introduction Why do some businesses blame their salespeople when the real problem is the entire sales system? In this episode, Saad breaks down the system behind it, from creating an offer people actually want to buy to generating leads, qualifying them, running the sales call, handling objections and finally closing the deal.The surprising part? According to Saad, sales may be the last thing you should fix. If your offer or distribution is broken, even a great salesperson can only do so much.In this episode, you'll learn: 1. The Offer Stack that can turn a generic service into something people actually want to buy 2. Why “We help you grow your business” is a terrible offer and how specificity changes pricing 3. How organic distribution + paid ads + brand work together to create a predictable sales engine 4. Why responding to a lead within 5 minutes can completely change the sales funnel 5. The “Gates of Hell” framework for qualifying a prospect before you ever pitch 6. How asking “why?” repeatedly can uncover what a prospect actually wants 7. The belief-breaking question → proof → pitch framework used inside the sales call 8. Why the best salespeople sometimes need to stop talking to close the deal 9. How to handle “too expensive” and other objections using information collected during discovery 10. Why tracking every leak in the funnel can increase revenue without changing your sales pitch If you've ever wondered, how to build a sales engine that can scale a service business to ₹50 crore, and why fixing the salesperson is often the wrong place to start, this episode is for you. Chapters: 00:00 - If You Had 6 Months to Make Money, Do This 02:16 - How to Build a ₹50 Crore Business With Just Two Offers 03:02 - The No.1 Sales Problem You Haven't Identified 08:45 - How Make Your Price Look Ridiculously Cheap 12:39 - Why a Money-Back Guarantee Kills Your Margins 16:49 - Foolproof Method which gets you insane margin 20:27 - Why 50% of Leads Saying Yes Means You're Too Cheap 26:39 - How to Cut Your Cost Per Lead by 10x 34:47 - How You Can Double Your Revenue Without Touching Sales 40:50 - Why the First Five Minutes Decide Every Sale 47:10 - Take Every Client Through the Three Gates of Hell 1:06:00 - Why You Should Never Say Your Price First 1:21:54 - The One Hire That Stops Clients Complaining Publicly

  4. Sep 14

    How to Build a Business Without Money | Eric Ries’ Playbook for First-Time Founders

    👉 Video Introduction Your startup can have 10,000 customers and STILL have zero Product-Market Fit.In the age of Meta ads, vanity metrics and AI, it has never been easier to convince yourself that your startup is working.But according to Eric Ries, the creator of the Lean Startup, most founders are measuring the wrong things.In this episode, we sit down with Eric Ries to break down what actually separates a startup with real Product-Market Fit from one that is simply buying growth, why Anthropic chose to move slower than OpenAI, and why some of the world's biggest companies are built around engines of growth that most founders completely ignore.From fake PMF and vanity metrics to hiring, culture, mission, customer validation and the skills every 21-year-old needs in the AI era, this conversation is a masterclass in building companies without fooling yourself.In this episode, you'll learn:- How Meta ads can make a startup look like it has Product-Market Fit when it doesn't- The exact metrics Eric Ries uses to separate real growth from vanity metrics- The 3 Engines of Growth that can determine whether a company actually scales- Why Amazon has made one of the most important startup metrics almost impossible to measure- Why hiring for "culture fit" can secretly create groupthink- Eric Ries' biggest startup mistake and how it cost years of work and millions of dollars- The 3 skills every 21-year-old should build in the age of AI

  5. Sep 5

    How to SELL ANYTHING to ANYONE? | The Cold Calling Masterclass | Saad Khaja

    What if the fastest way to get a job, validate a business idea, or reach a billion-dollar company is simply picking up the phone?Most people think cold calling is spam. Saad argues it can be one of the most powerful business skills you can have because, with the right approach, you can reach people who would otherwise be almost impossible to access.In this episode, we sit down with Saad, a salesman and sales trainer who has spent over a decade studying how people buy, to break down the psychology, strategy, and mechanics behind high-level sales and cold calling.You'll discover:• Why a $20,000 cold-calling exercise saved a company nearly $500,000 by proving its business idea was wrong before it invested heavily.• Why cold calling may be the fastest way to get a job, including how Saad got a job offer after just his third cold call.• The 30-second rule that determines whether a cold call survives, and why most salespeople lose before they even start pitching.• The "Old Friend" opening that makes strangers ask YOU who you are instead of immediately hanging up.• Why the person asking questions controls the conversation, and how salespeople use questions to move prospects toward a decision.• The "Value Delta" that makes selling dramatically easier, and why the best salespeople aren't really taking money from customers.• The four pillars of tonality, and how changing them can completely change how a prospect feels.• How to handle "too expensive" and "we don't have the budget" objections by discovering what the objection actually means.• The BANT framework, Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline, that separates genuine prospects from people who are merely interested.• Why saying "When do you want to get on a call?" is a mistake, and the tiny change that makes it easier for prospects to actually commit.If you've ever wondered how the best salespeople make strangers listen, uncover what customers actually want, and turn a cold call into a business opportunity, this episode is for you.Watch the full episode and learn how to master the art of cold calling, sales, customer research, and persuasion.

  6. Aug 27

    How to WIN Any Argument & Spot a Liar | FBI Negotiation Secrets Ft.Chris Voss.

    How do you get someone to reveal what they really think, without forcing them to say it?Most people think negotiation is about speaking better, arguing harder or having the perfect counteroffer. Chris Voss believes the real skill is getting the other person to talk, and knowing exactly what to listen for.In this episode of The Indian Business Podcast, Chris Voss, former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator and author of Never Split the Difference, breaks down the negotiation techniques he used with hostage takers, bank robbers and terrorists, and explains why the same skills can help you negotiate a salary, close a deal, handle conflict and even deal with people at home. His book has sold more than 5 million copies worldwide.In this episode, you'll learn:1. The 2 negotiation skills Chris Voss says everything revolves around: mirroring and labeling, and how repeating just a few words can make people reveal information they never intended to share.2. How mirroring helped expose a third bank robber during a Chase Manhattan Bank hostage situation3. How “what” questions uncover problems while “how” questions force the other side to think about implementation.4. How labeling emotions can reduce conflict instead of escalating it5. The negotiation trick that works when someone is ghosting you: 6. Why you should stop trying to make people say YES7. How Chris Voss spots different types of liars, and accommodating personalities tend to behave under pressure.8. Why silence after a label can completely change a negotiationIf you've ever wondered how FBI hostage negotiators get people to cooperate, reveal information and change their position without force, this conversation shows how those same principles can transform the way you negotiate at work, in business and in everyday life.

  7. Aug 27

    The Science of VIRALITY | I Gave a Wharton Professor $1,000 To Make Boring Products Go Viral!.mp4

    👉 Check Odoo: https://www.odoo.com/r/qM47👉 Think School’s flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions:https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communi...👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast:https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29👉 Follow Our GuestLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/j1berger/👉 Video IntroductionCan you make a boring product go viral with less than $1,000?Most brands think virality requires a huge marketing budget, an exciting product, or a genius advertising campaign. But Jonah Berger spent nearly 20 years studying thousands of brands, and found that word of mouth isn't random, luck, or chance. There is a science behind why people talk and share.In this episode, we sit down with Jonah Berger, Wharton Professor and author of Contagious, to reverse-engineer how ordinary products can generate extraordinary word of mouth.In this episode, you'll learn:1. The 6 psychological triggers that make people talk about and share anything2. How a blender generated 200M+ views and 700% higher sales with just $503. Why making something viral may actually be the WRONG goal4. How KitKat used coffee to create a trigger that increased sales by over 30%5. Why a boring 80-year-old's corn trick became a viral video6. How to make people remember your product without spending millions on advertisingChapters00:00 - Why Do Boring Products Go Viral?3:21 - Interesting Brands Get ZERO Extra Word of Mouth5:54 - The Secret Framework Behind Everything That Goes Viral7:36 - How the Ugliest Ad Ever Made Grew Sales 700%11:10 - Your Ad Should Never Be About You14:22 - Sell Chips Like a Hermès Bag18:36 - Your Brain Cannot Ignore a Broken Pattern19:10 - Why Chasing Virality Backfires22:50 - An 80-Year-Old Out-Marketed the Professionals25:15 - The Oldest Marketing Trick Still Working27:41 - How to Make Boring Water Worth Talking About32:33 - The Ad That Only Works One Day a Week35:54 - The Chai and Biscuit Trick That Makes You Impossible to Forget38:07 - How to Own a Trigger With Almost $044:48 - How to Sell a Pen Without Talking About the PenIf you've ever wondered why some products become impossible to ignore while others disappear despite millions spent on advertising, this conversation reveals the psychology behind what makes people talk, share, remember and ultimately buy.

  8. Aug 18

    12 Years of BJP: Progress or Propaganda | India’s Rise Comes at What Cost_.

    In this episode, you'll discover:Has India really delivered on the 2014 promise? The BJP's case for poverty reduction, infrastructure, digital payments and welfare, and the opposition's counter using unemployment, savings and rural wage data.Why India's demographic dividend could become a demographic disaster if the country doesn't create enough productive jobs before the population starts ageing.The uncomfortable education problem: More IITs, AIIMS, MBBS seats and higher-education enrolment, but are Indian students actually becoming employable?Why paper leaks and police brutality expose a bigger question: Is the government reacting quickly enough, or should a government of 12 years have built systems that prevent these failures altogether?The manufacturing paradox: India has attracted investment, expanded infrastructure and entered sectors like semiconductors, so why hasn't manufacturing's share of GDP reached the target set in 2014?Can India really de-risk itself from global shocks? From the Russia-Ukraine war to Middle East disruptions, how vulnerable is India's growth model to events outside its control?The biggest debate of all: When two sides can produce a statistic to counter almost every statistic, how do we actually measure whether a country is progressing?This isn't a debate about whether the BJP has done everything right or everything wrong.It's a debate about a much harder question:After 12 years in power, what should India's benchmark for success actually be?Watch the full debate and decide for yourself who made the stronger case for India's future.Chapters -Evaluating the BJP governance record after 12 years in power. Understand the current political climate and actual performance metrics.This video provides a critical look at the long-term impact of 12 years of BJP leadership in India. If you are following Indian political analysis, this breakdown examines whether the ruling party is still in its honeymoon phase or if it has entered a new stage of governance maturity.We assess the trajectory of the current administration by moving beyond standard narratives. By focusing on the 12 years of BJP tenure, we clarify the shift from initial promises to current government performance. This session is designed for anyone seeking an objective perspective on modern Indian political evaluation.Subscribe for weekly political analysis breakdowns, and comment below on which policy area you want us to cover next.00:00- 12 Years of BJP: Progress or Propaganda5:21 - Opening speech: BJP Spokesperson9:10 - Opening Speech: Opposition Spokesperson12:05 - Is the BJP open to criticism?15:08 - Is the Police Brutality Real or not?29:42 - Is India failing its students?29:46 - Is India Failing its Students?36:09 - Is India Facing a Job Crisis!37:18 - Is Government Education System Failing?42:57 - Can India become Rich before it becomes Old45:30 - Is "Make in India" Failing47:02 - Do Global Supply Shock Justify Manufacturing Slowdown53:14 - Is Indian infrastructure getting worse or better?01:05:13 - India's Shocking doctor shortage crisis01:12:00 - Why is the trade decifict increasing?01:16:28 - Closing speech

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About

Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a seasoned executive, or simply curious, tune in to the "Indian Business Podcast", where we delve deep into the dynamic world of business, politics, and beyond. In each episode, we bring together thought leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, and professionals from diverse backgrounds to engage in candid conversations about the intricacies of the business landscape, to share their insights, experiences, and perspectives on pressing issues shaping India's future.

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