Vivek Kumar

Shashank Bijapur co-founder and CEO of SpotDraft, our portfolio company, ran a terrific panel at the Arkam Innovation Summit. He covered a lot of ground with Manish Jethani Co-founder and CEO of Hevo Data Data, and Gaurav Sharma Founder, and CEO of SaaSLabs .    Here are some key takeaways that stayed with me: Initial journey of identifying the problem statement and figuring out the solution during the early days at SaaS Labs and Hevo Data After selling his first company in the US, Gaurav returned to India. All he wanted to do was make $4-5 K living in India, so he started out by building tools for Shopify users. But when those tools rapidly grew to half a million in recurring revenue, Gaurav realized that he could build anything, be anywhere in the world, and sell it worldwide. Manish believes that your product has to solve a personal problem in addition to an industrial one. Once you start the journey as an entrepreneur, financial success will not satisfy you. “What one problem can you solve even if the financial outcome is not that great?” Deciding whether to validate the product in India and move to the US versus taking a US market-first approach Selling in India is hard, especially in the early days. As Gaurav said, "if you sell a $10 product, you must create an invoice, and then they’ll make the payment in 60 days. So, it became very hard to make a profit. From this, I realized that India is not ready to buy software yet, so the best model would be to build it in India and sell it across the world" Manish believes customer needs and expectations are completely different across India and the US. It's quite challenging to build a product for India and expect it to succeed in the US. So, from day one, he focused on the US market-first approach. Establishing product differentiation during the early days of growing in the US market? Initially, the number one challenge for Manish was to sell a product that their target audience could build themselves. Hevo Data needed needed financial and operational data from companies, which nobody shares easily. Most companies prefer to build a product in-house and work with that tool. So, Manish decided to find initial customers who meet three criteria: they should not want to build a product in-house, they should be fine with sharing the data, and they should be from the US. Aspects of the business that changed from 0-1 to 1-10 journey and beyond To get initial customers, Gaurav decided to integrate his product into larger companies to get more eyes on it. To sustain this growth, Gaurav bet on excellent customer service, which is “an unfair advantage for Indian SaaS,” as he says. His customer service and fast responses became the talk of the town amongst his customers. Here’s the full video video. Well worth your time to listen to three $10M+ ARR SaaS founders at the top of their game.   Arkam Ventures https://lnkd.in/gP_YT-gV

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Feels good when people start copying your work. That shows the power of what we are doing. Happened to see one such company today that has copied ProductHood School content and approach we are following. Sad that founders do not have enough #productmanagement experience (<2 yr) and yet claim to teach PM. Lol. I read somewhere that people can copy everything but they can't copy your energy, hard work, vision and all such aspects of running a business (which are not visible). Most of these folks will not be there running biz in the next 5/10 years.

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Finsire has recently started its learning series - Ideally by chatting with the best folks in the Industry. Here, with Siddharth Shetty, Co-founder and CTO of Account Aggregator (AA) from DigiSahamati Foundation, we speak about the data exchange's inception, growth, and future in India. - We use AA for various reasons, including pushing boundaries in India's data exchange layer with various use cases. - It's been about three years since it went live, and over 70 million cumulative Indian accounts are linked. - One-of-a-kind data sharing network from India that is not seen anywhere across the globe, baring Singapore with https://lnkd.in/gyrCQtVQ - Different approach to protect consumers as compared to the previous models that existed to attain consumer data by various methods used by Plaid or Salt Edge Onemoney Finvu (Cookiejar Technologies) Protean eGov Technologies Anumati by Perfios AA NADL - Account Aggregator Computer Age Management Services Limited KFin Technologies Ltd. Enjoy - Please click on the link below and watch the video!

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Systems Thinking for Product Orgs. In this episode of the Minimum Viable Podcast by PM School, Nikunj and I talk to Joe Kochitty, ex-VP, Product at Epic for Kids + ex-SVP, Product at Toppr. What started as a friendly catch-up over lunch in Mumbai transformed into a treasure of knowledge on Systems Thinking. Key takeaways - 💡In my previous stints as a PM, I've been at two ends of the spectrum. On one hand, writing concise 1-2 pager PRDs led to quick delivery by Tech, at the expense of quality. Conversely, composing extensive 60 pager PRDs often resulted in them being sidelined, with little impact on actual development. 💡Extensive PRDs, slow-dev cycles, frequent meetings, bugs, and missed release dates are all 𝐒𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐒 of deeper systemic issues. (Please note that in a few cases, extensive PRDs, slow-dev cycles might be necessary.) 💡The ability to perceive underlying Systems is crucial in understanding the root causes behind issues. It's essential to pinpoint the 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐆𝐄𝐑𝐒 behind these 𝐒𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐎𝐌𝐒. 💡One such case - New Product Leader joins ➡️ Measures PM by length of PRDs ➡️ Says yes to stakeholder input (keep SHs happy) ➡️Scope Creep ➡️Inflated PRDs ➡️Dev Burden ➡️Slower Release ➡️Friction ➡️Dev Safeguarding Interests ➡️Dev Starts Rejecting PRDs 💡Recognizing these dynamics is an asset for any Product Leader. When Tech starts rejecting PRDs, it's akin to an emergent behavior, similar to how the immune system works in humans. 💡One of the remarkable aspects of Systems Thinking is identification of recurring patterns. By understanding these patterns, one can somewhat anticipate the behavior of a system. 💡A widely studied phenomenon in this context is the 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩, which pertains to a system's capacity to perform work. Efforts can be directed towards enhancing this capacity or extracting work from it. 💡For instance, in manufacturing, when you use machines to produce goods, the machines break down. If you ignore maintenance and keep producing, the machines break down more often. Preventive maintenance stops production. So you have to decide when to do maintenance and when to do production. 💡Joe also writes about the Capability Trap in Software/PMing on his Substack -“𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘪𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘠𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘱𝘶𝘵𝘴. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘧𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳, 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘯𝘨𝘪𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘯𝘦𝘨𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺. 𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘲𝘶𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘧𝘭𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘯𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘴. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦 𝘣𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘹. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘸 𝘥𝘰𝘸𝘯. 𝘚𝘰𝘰𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘭𝘭 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘥𝘦𝘣𝘢𝘴𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘧𝘪𝘹 𝘲𝘶𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺.” Here's the full chat - https://lnkd.in/daUWyTje #productmanagement #pmschool #product #thinkinginsystems

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Like to order deliveries from the comfort of your own home? Zepto's recent $665 million funding will now allow the company to set up even more store across India to serve you better. Read all about it only in my new article at Entrepreneur India. . . . Follow and connect for more industry news and updates . . . #News #Update #Zepto #Funding #Investment #EntrepreneurIndia #AdityaPranMahanta https://lnkd.in/gYvATrUE

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The GREAT HOMECOMING has started at ADDA.io! Hundreds of Housing Societies/Apartment complexes who had fallen bait for Free Software over last 2-3 years, are now coming back to ADDA! These softwares are no longer Free + Feature deficient + SPAMMY. If you a Management Committee member using a competitor product. Here’s why you should come Home to ADDA now!  - Data related to your Home is Holy. It is about your Family, your Guests, your Home. Do not take a chance with that Data.  - Over the last few years, while our competitors were building an Ad Platform to make the most of YOUR data. We went global - To Singapore, UAE, Mauritius & and the USA. The product is now packed with super useful features which are global standards. This is the NEW ADDA! Built to make Only MANAGEMENT COMMITTEES Successful. Check it out, see a 30 mins Demo. (Are you living in a Community who is using a Spammy Software? Pass on this message to your MC. Make sure your MC sees a demo of ADDA)

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Finding the Sukhi Puri: The Secret to Customer Loyalty As the Founder & CEO of the EleFant,I recently attended a JITO event & was inspired by an insightful analogy shared by a prominent speaker Rajesh Chandan "In India, people pay to eat the 6 Pani Puris, but the 7th Sukhi Puri is what gives them the biggest pleasure." This statement, while simple, carries a very deep lesson for businesses. It emphasises that while discounts and deals may attract customers, it’s the unexpected, value-added services—the “Sukhi Puri”—that generates true customer loyalty.  The Essence of the Sukhi Puri 1. Beyond Transactions: In business, transactions are just the beginning. To build loyalty, we need to create experiences that resonate on a deeper level. This means exceeding customers expectation in meaningful ways. 2. Personalization and Connection: Personalization is key. Offering tailored experiences and services that reflect the unique preferences and needs of our customers creates a sense of connection and trust that goes beyond mere business interactions.  Applying the Concept The concept of the Sukhi Puri is especially pertinent in today’s competitive market, where customers are constantly bombarded with offers and incentives. To stand out, businesses need to find that special something that goes beyond basic expectations and delivers true delight to their customers. This could take many forms, such as exceptional customer service, personalized experiences, or unique value-added services.  Why It Matters The Sukhi Puri analogy underscores the importance of finding that special extra that goes beyond basic expectations. 1. Customer Loyalty: Providing that extra touch can turn a one-time buyer into a loyal customer. It creates a memorable experience that encourages repeat business. 2. Differentiation: In a market where deals and discounts are commonplace, it’s the thoughtful, personalized touches that set a business apart. These touches show customers that they are valued and appreciated. 3. Long-Term Success: Building customer loyalty through value-added services leads to long-term success. Loyal customers are more likely to recommend your business to others, creating a positive cycle of growth.  Conclusion Reflecting on the Sukhi Puri analogy, it’s clear that businesses must strive to find their own version of this delightful extra for their customers. It’s not just about meeting needs but exceeding expectations in ways that create genuine satisfaction and joy. At the EleFant, we are keenly focused on this journey. We are dedicated to continually seeking out and delivering those delightful extras that make a difference. By doing so, we hope to attract new customers and build lasting relationships based on trust, value, and exceptional experiences. Join us in our journey to bring joy and enrichment to every child’s playtime, and stay tuned as we unveil the unique value that the EleFant will offer very soon!

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What sets Veera apart? Nandagopal Rajan asks all the right questions, and Veera CEO Arjun Ghose comes through with the answers. This is one you won't want to miss. #India #Internet #Podcast

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In this episode, we hear from Ritu Kapur, Ph.D, Head of Digital Biomarkers at Verily. The theme throughout our conversation is about the need, skills, and support required to bring people along on the journey to manifest our vision. She shares, It's not about the technology or innovation, creating change is all about people. Her advice to up and coming Catalyst? "It's not all about you!" Early on in our careers, especially for women in more technical industries, Catalysts have the feeling that we have to prove our worth and impact all the time. But at some point in your career, you realize that you can't create change all alone. You have to bring people along on the journey. So being able to identify shared value and help others shine is a great way to realize your vision. While, at the same time, as we grow our leadership capabilities, it's about letting those around you that you've been cultivating, to stand in their own power, giving them the chance to succeed or learn new lessons. It's about not over functioning for those around us, while letting them flourish. Listen to the full conversation here: https://lnkd.in/grevNWmD

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#Phoenix a mythical bird symbolizes the immortality through burning itself and rebirth, everytime it senses the end. We have gone through the phoenix moment atleast once in our life metaphorically. Stopped doing old tasks/habits and started doing completely new ones,reinventing ourselves and becoming what we are today. Can business reinvent itself? Yes!!! This is exactly The Phoenix Encounter Method teaches the readers. By going through preperation,burning to ashes,rebirth and new phases every business has the ability to sustain and grow. Great to have a conversation with PSG Tech Alumni Association Chennai Chapter and PSG TECH ALUMNI BUSINESS COUNCIL EC SANDEEP B N on "How SMEs in India can become Phoenix and reinvent themselves?" The full video is out now and the link is below. #digitaltransformation #indiasme #gigeconomy #futureofwork

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🚀 Ready to evolve with the times? Check out our latest YouTube video featuring Asha Sharma, Chief Marketing Officer at The KariGhars, sharing her marketing wisdom! 🌟 Asha Sharma brings a treasure trove of insights for young and aspiring marketing professionals. Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll learn: - 🌍 Stay Curious: Never stop learning; the world is always changing, and so should you! - 🤖 Adapt to AI: Embrace artificial intelligence to stay ahead of trends and technologies. - 📈 Best Practices: Keep up with the latest trends and technologies for success. - 🎨 Experiment Boldly Don’t be afraid to try new things; the best marketing happens outside the box! - 💪 Embrace Failure: Learn from your failures and keep pushing boundaries. - 💖 Authenticity Matters: Always be authentic and remember your efforts are for your target audience. What’s one new thing you’ve tried in your marketing strategy recently? Share your experiences in the comments below! 👇💬 #MarketingWisdom #AshaSharma #TheKariGhars #MarketingSkills #ContinuousLearning #InnovationInMarketing https://lnkd.in/g_tB92-6

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Program Mgmt = Problem Mgmt?? In matrix orgs, where multiple objectives/priorities of different teams collide; cross functional collaboration becomes key to effective execution. Program Management has been a new buzz word especially in startups where CFT (cross functional teams) have to work on a key program together. Devoid on uni-functional control, these programs need hard coaxing and cajoling across functions. And thats when program managers come handy; who run after teams trying to align/realign, handle new problems from across functions (finance, legal, supply chain...)and move forward. Interestingly, due to the arduous nature of the role, i got to know from a youngster - that it's also called "Problem management" 😇!! Whatever you call it, thats the way future works. Agree? #work #programmanagement

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Unlocking Value with Rental Bonds, Powered by Eqaro Guarantees! Rental market is witnessing a transformative shift not just in Bangalore but in other cities as well, with flats now available without hefty deposits. For tenants, it means liberation from the financial burden of hefty deposits, opening doors to a wider range of rental options without draining savings. Meanwhile, landlords enjoy the peace of mind that comes with having thoroughly vetted tenants, ensuring timely payments and property upkeep. As Eqaro, we're proud to be at the forefront of this rental revolution, providing a seamless experience that prioritizes trust and transparency for all parties involved. #zerodeposit #eqaroguarantees #nobroker

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"Engaging discussion with Mr Sanjeev Chopra, former Director of LBSNAA, on #Indianmasterminds. His book 'We, the People of the States of Bharat' offers pragmatic insights into restructuring India's internal boundaries. Intrigued by the upcoming biography on Lal Bahadur Shastri, a visionary leader pivotal in India's resurgence. The interview unveiled lesser-known facets of Shastriji's life, underscoring his foundational role in shaping India's destiny. Eagerly awaiting the formal release! A must-watch for those interested in Indian history and leadership. Kudos to Mr. Chopra for enriching our understanding of our nation's past and present. #IndianHistory #Leadership #Inspiration"

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Prompt - "Compose a Hindi song on two fruits - Apple & Orange" Outcome - You have two variants of a ~30 seconds song available in a jiffy. I have combined the two and attached them to this post. What did I use? Introducing Udio (https://www.udio.com/), Your New AI-Powered Studio! 🎶 In an exciting development, a team of former Google DeepMind researchers have launched Udio, a revolutionary application designed to transform music production. This AI-driven platform enables anyone, from novices to professionals, to create high-quality music in mere minutes. 🌟 Why Everyone's Talking About Udio Previously only available in closed beta, Udio has already captured the attention of music industry giants like will.i.am, Common, and Kevin Wall. Its public debut is set to shake up the music creation landscape significantly. 🔧 How Does Udio Work? Imagine typing out the genre you love, adding some lyrics or a theme, and mentioning your favorite artists. In just 40 seconds, Udio delivers a fully mastered audio track! What’s more, with its "vary" feature, you can tweak the sound and length of your track until it's just right. 🛡️ Safety First Udio isn’t just innovative; it's responsible too. With robust automated copyright filters, the platform ensures all music produced is original and copyright-compliant. David (Fengning) Ding, Udio’s CEO, reassures us, "We’re deeply committed to ensuring all works created on our platform are novel." 💡 What Sets Udio Apart? Backed by top investors like Andreessen Horowitz and Instagram’s Mike Krieger, Udio is poised to do for music what Instagram did for photography—make it accessible to everyone. It offers up-and-coming artists a chance to produce their tracks without the hefty price tag typically associated with high-quality music production. 🎨 Creative Freedom and Business Impact This isn’t just about making music; it’s about democratizing creativity. Udio provides artists with new revenue streams and reduces barriers to entry in the music industry. Its ease of use and rapid output can spur a new generation of artists and producers. 🚨 Looking Ahead: Challenges and Opportunities While the rise of AI in music poses challenges like potential deepfakes, Udio is committed to ethical practices and collaborates closely with the industry to refine its safeguards. We will have to see the outcome in the near future. Read more - https://lnkd.in/dHJxBS5T #MusicTech #AI #Innovation #Udio #ArtificialIntelligence

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Are you on the hunt for product/market fit? If so, you might enjoy my discussion with Fareed Mosavat on how today's product builders find it. In this discussion, we cover: 😥 Shortcomings of the Lean Startup methodology 👂 Better customer discovery techniques to quickly validate your riskiest hypotheses 💡 The concept of exploring the idea maze & why it's so important 📈 How to rigorously measure product/market fit If you are looking for a modern approach to reaching product/market fit, I'd encourage you to check this out

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What do you do when you are waiting in the airport lounges with flights taking forever to take off? I tend to indulge in some introspection and inward thinking - and one such thought experiment was, "What motivates me everyday and why I enjoy solving some particular problems more than others" Conclusion - Moonshot thinking. I particularly enjoy solving some of the most challenging problems. Interestingly, I found this blog which defines this in a much more detailed manner. Takeaways - To grow your firm/business/startup, find those band of individuals who embrace moonshot thinking and put a structure in place to help them succeed so that your firm succeeds. #innovation #technology #moonshot #startups

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A New Chapter: Reflecting on My Journey from Corporate Leadership to Founding coto Two and a half years ago, I embarked on a journey that was both exhilarating and daunting. After 25 years in corporate leadership, navigating the peaks and valleys of the media & entertainment landscape, I took a leap into the unknown. The entrepreneurial spirit in me awakened, leading to the birth of coto - come-together – a platform dedicated to creating a safe, empowering space for women online. 🌐 At coto, we are not just building another social media platform; we are fostering a community. A place where conversations about periods, mental health, careers, and relationships aren’t just whispered in corners but are discussed openly, with pride and support. coto is where achievements are celebrated, where every member can offer or recieve support and consultations. We're shaping a world where women can connect, grow, and thrive, undeterred by the shadows of societal expectations. 🌟 Breaking New Ground: We are thrilled to announce the launch of 24/7 live and 1:1 consultations on coto. This groundbreaking feature enables our members to receive real-time support and advice, enhancing our community's vibrancy and support system. It also empowers our experts financially, providing them with a platform to share their knowledge and earn recognition and revenue. 🤝 These past few years have been a profound journey of learning and unlearning. The shift from corporate corridors to the vibrant chaos of startups has not been without its challenges. Yet, every stumble has been worth the miles gained. Today, as I share this journey with you, I am also thrilled to invite you to listen to a candid conversation about coto and our mission. https://lnkd.in/df9Sxbnt 💬 I invite you to join us, support our vision, and help us grow this community. Every voice that joins the chorus makes the echo louder, the message clearer, and the impact greater. Here's to more learning, growing, and empowering together. 🌟 #Entrepreneurship #WomenEmpowerment #StartUpLife #cotoCommunity

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I am in this spree of soul searching, setting goals, for which I have to thank the infectious energy of Archana Dutta and Neha Kirpalani. I have been trying a series of journal prompts. The first one is my first principle of any clarity exercise : What would I do, how would I fill my time and attention with, if all my needs were met? And most importantly, there was no one, absolutely no one to witness me - not to criticise, but more importantly - nor anyone to applaud and validate? What would I do? The list is below. What would you do? This is first step towards clarity, and goal setting. #self-discovery, #goalsetting #purpose #clarity #journaling #flowstate #creativity

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