Aditi Wadhwani

Zepto: The Byju’s of Quick Commerce? What happens when a quick-commerce giant grows at breakneck speed, attracts millions in funding, and makes headlines for both success stories and controversies? You get Zepto—a startup rewriting the rules of grocery delivery in India. From 10-minute deliveries to ambitious $5 billion valuations, Zepto’s meteoric rise has captured everyone’s attention. But with rapid scaling comes questions: - How sustainable is its growth? - Is it burning cash faster than it can grow? - And most intriguingly, is Zepto heading down the same path as Byju’s? In my latest case study, I’ve dived into: ✅ Zepto’s journey from Stanford dropout founders to Unicorn status. ✅ Its groundbreaking business model and milestones. ✅ The controversies and red flags that have sparked debates across the startup ecosystem. It’s a story full of twists, lessons, and a question that’s keeping the startup world buzzing: Can Zepto maintain its pace, or is a reckoning on the horizon? Catch the full breakdown in this case study. #Link #In #Comments What’s your take on Zepto’s fast ride? Is it a revolution in quick commerce, or a cautionary tale in the making? Let’s discuss in the comments! #Zepto Aadit Palicha #QuickCommerce Kaivalya V. #IndianStartups #CaseStudy #BusinessInsights beehiiv

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Why are so many startups obsessed with names ending in ‘O’? 🤔 Have you noticed the trend? Zepto, Dunzo, Rapido, OYO, Zomato, Trello, Practo, Wipro, Meesho, Fitsol, RentoMojo, Acko, Niyo Group, Twilio, Loco , Bizongo, Chalo, Zolo, and Turito… the list goes on! But what’s so powerful about that “O” sound? The “O” sound is powerful. It creates a sense of friendliness and is easy for customers to remember. No wonder so many startups are choosing names ending in “O”—it’s catchy, memorable, and inviting. What are some of your favorite “O” startups? Explain this why?

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Unacceptable Experience with bigbasket.com: A Company in Shambles I am appalled and disgusted by the atrocious service provided by BigBasket. While competitors like Zepto and Blinkit demonstrate exceptional proficiency, BigBasket's ineptitude is staggering. Order Details: - Placed on November 4th with delivery scheduled for November 5th - BigBasket conveniently split the order, delivering only one item on November 5th and postponing the remaining 9 items to November 6th without notification - Allocated time slot: 12-1 pm on November 6th; order still not received at 2:15 pm Inexcusable Excuses: BigBasket's customer service team blamed manpower constraints for the delay. This is an unacceptable admission of poor planning and incompetence. Abysmal Customer Service: Agents Pooja (chat), Shruti and Arshiya (call) were utterly ineffective and unhelpful. Their pathetic responses, such as "unable to connect with the operations team," demonstrate a shocking lack of accountability. Consequences: Due to BigBasket's negligence, my plans were ruined, and I was left embarrassed in front of guests. Final Verdict: I will never recommend BigBasket to anyone. Their subpar service, coupled with the existence of superior alternatives like Zepto and Blinkit, makes them obsolete. Demand for Action: BigBasket must overhaul its customer service, logistics and communication. Until then, consumers deserve better. An apology is demanded and should be provided to customers who pay and then get treated like this. Hari Menon TK Balakumar: Need your immediate attention! #BigBasketFail #PoorCustomerService #EcommerceDisaster #OnlineShoppingNightmare #CustomerDisatisfaction #DelayedDelivery #NoCommunication #SplitOrder #ManpowerConstraints #IncompetentCustomerService #BlinkitWins #ZeptoWins #BigBasketLoses #BetterAlternativesExist #SwitchToZeptoBlinkit #BewareOfBigBasket #AvoidBigBasket #BigBasketWarning #DontUseBigBasket #BigBasketReview

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Reimagining Hiring Practices: Commitment and Transparency Recently, I've had the opportunity to interview with some of Kolkata's top companies. However, the experiences left me questioning the state of hiring practices in our city. In one instance, a company declined my application based on my current salary, despite being fully aware of it beforehand. This raises concerns about their commitment to fair compensation and valuing talent based on merit rather than arbitrary metrics. In another scenario, after pouring my time and energy into an assignment for a potential employer, I was met with radio silence for two weeks. While the feedback on my work was positive, the lack of communication afterwards is not only unprofessional but also disrespectful of candidates' time and effort. These experiences highlight a systemic issue within our hiring culture. It's disheartening to see top companies engaging in practices that not only waste their own time but also undermine the trust and respect owed to job seekers. As professionals, we deserve better. We deserve hiring processes that are transparent, respectful, and value-driven. It's time for companies in Kolkata to reassess their approach to hiring and prioritize integrity and fairness above all else. 'Kolkata is a place where everyone craves a buzz without bucks!' #BasedOnTrueStory #Kolkata #HiringPractices

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Ever heard of the term 'Spendvesting'? - Spend + Invest The idea is to invest to spend, but in a planned way. Got a chance to meet the brains behind this - Vikas Jain and Jags Raghavan who are the Co-Founders of Multipl. Multipl is the only app to invest in personalized mutual funds for your spends. It not only offers investment options but also provides proper Advisory for one to plan their expenditures. We discussed how did the come up with this idea and how they are startegising their expansion in India. Looking forward to our next discussion! #Spenvesting #BFSI #Multipl

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Bajaj Finserv sold me an EMI card via airtel . Great, right? Well, not so fast. To activate it, I had to make a purchase from one of their partner stores. So, I walk in, ready to go, and get told, “Sorry, your area is blacklisted due to a high bounce rate.” Translation: You live in a ‘bad neighborhood,’ so no benefits for you. (Bajaj Finserv and airtel initiated, promoted and sold me the card to start with. And not for free). Stereotyping based on where I live? Really? That's not just lazy—it's discriminatory. Sure, their analytics team probably found some correlation between location and bounce rates. But where I live doesn’t decide if I pay my bills. Shouldn’t credit be based on me, not my postal code? What’s next? Denying credit based on gender or city because of ‘statistical patterns’? If so, that’s not just bad business—it’s unconstitutional. Just because you can crunch data doesn’t mean you should use every bit of it to make dumb policies. Analytics teams need to do better. Use data, but don’t lose the plot.

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🔔 A Message to My Byju’s Colleagues, Peers, and Fellow Sales Professionals : *I encourage you to take a couple of minutes to read through this message.* The recent changes in the ed-tech industry, particularly at Byju’s, have left many talented individuals seeking new opportunities. It’s tough to see so many of my ex-colleagues, seniors, and peers reaching out for referrals and openings. However, let us not forget who we are. We aren’t just employees, we are sales professionals who have consistently delivered results, often in high-pressure environments. We’ve grown from entry-level positions to managing larger teams and overseeing P&L units in just 3-7 years. Our experience has shaped us into: - Hardworking Professionals: We’ve thrived in demanding roles, working 11-12 hours a day, six days a week.   - Consistent Performers: Week after week, we achieved targets, proving our ability to deliver in a fast-paced environment.   - Ambitious and Driven: Our career choices have always been driven by a hunger for growth and excellence, never settling for less.   - Adaptable and Dynamic: We have sold a wide range of products to diverse customers, demonstrating agility and quick adaptation to change.   - Reliable and Optimistic: Even through challenging times, we remained resilient, optimistic, and loyal to the mission, often without incentives or recognition. We have all learned and grown tremendously, and there are even greater opportunities ahead. Let’s continue supporting each other during this period of transition. I urge you to step forward and share any sales openings you might come across. Let’s connect these talented professionals with the right opportunities. A little empathy and effort from all of us can make a significant difference. We’ve come this far together, and I truly believe the best is yet to come. If you need help or guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out, we are all in this together. Request all to follow us : https://lnkd.in/gAtAEgBj Follow this link to join my WhatsApp group: https://lnkd.in/gwPFQwy3 #BYJUS #SalesOpportunities #EmpathyMatters #TalentGateway #ByjusAlumni #CareerGrowth #TogetherStronger

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Swiggy’s Pre-IPO demand has seen a sharp rise as it plans to file it’s DRHP for its $1.4B IPO. Institutions, Celebrities, UHNI’s, everyone wants a piece of the pie. Zomato has seen a significant rise in its share price with the Market Cap reaching >2.5 lakh crore with BlinkIt propelling the growth. Zepto also raised funds at a $5B valuation and BB Now is also contributing roughly 60-70% of Big Baskets Revenues. The industry is constantly grabbing headlines and the growth does not seem to slow down. On this context, being a part of the Private Markets, take a look at this report made by us covering the entire QC industry as a whole along with its key players. #Quickcommerce

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Zomato Care Zomato Deepinder Goyal 48 Rs refund for a 400 Rs order for no fault of the customer. Best part, you don't have a choice but to accept 48 Rs or get lost as chat support has no other option only.... Intelligent but creepy! Keep the 48 Rs :) Customer Service at its worst #startup #Customerkokato

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airtel reaching out to you as did not get resolution from your Sales executive, call centre and social media team. I have been following up with them for last 2 months. I am paying extra bill due to a complete mess up from sales person and call centre team. I reached out to call centre 6 times, social team (useless team) 5 times, who just have scripted response. inspite the details are already captured by CC, they are responding me to explain the issue in every response but not calling me even after requested for a call back.. #worstservice.. I am asking to cancel my connection, but they again have scripted response, but not calling to understand the issue. where should a customer go for the resolution..

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HyperVerge is hiring for 3 #SDRs and 1 Market Research Associate 3 Reasons to apply at HyperVerge People- Kishore Natarajan & Kedar Kulkarni opened their doors for School of SDR to let us work from his office 4 months ago. Kishore spent a few hours knowing our story on a Saturday. Story I never told anyone because no one asked like he did. There are stories of his humbleness floating all over the internet. I witnessed it. He's more humble than what people say. The kind of work he and his team is doing is far beyond your and my imagination. Impact- Hyperverge has a platform that brings together techies to mentor and sponsor motivated learners - upskilling them in a few months - so that they can get a creditable, well-paying job. When I first heard about this, I wanted to meet Kishore even more. It was inspiring to see how their team is trying to make a difference. Process- Hyperverge is a process driven org. The kind of detailing we saw they have for hiring was enough to get us onboard to help out. I have met their existing SDR team and can tell you are in for a treat. There are a million more reasons to join them. Find out more by applying. Best in class Salary(my guarantee). Link to apply in the comments(All roles are based in bengaluru only, please don't apply if you are not willing to relocate or not in bengaluru) Gunjan Agarwal Nandana SS #sdr #sales

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#Byjus has recently shifted from offering base salaries to salespeople to adopting a commission-based model. This move places Byju's employees slightly above the sales approach used by Multi Level marketers, who operates on a similar model. People who joined Byju's with high hopes and aspirations, believing they were entering a promising company with a bright future been reduced to functioning as multi-level marketing (MLM) sellers. Byjus had successfully raised over Rs 40,000 crores. Even if this amount had been simply kept in the bank, earning a conservative 3% interest, it would have yielded Rs 1200 crores annually. Which means, it required a series of significant poor decisions coupled with catastrophic events to bring Byjus to a point where they are unable to meet salary obligations. One can't help but wonder about the possible fraudulent practices or grave mismanagement that may have led to this situation, especially considering Byjus' previous standing as a poster boy of India's startup ecosystem. Justice should prevail, not only for the sake of the affected employees, parents, and students who believed in Byju's promises but also for the integrity of India's startup landscape. For now Byju Raveendran has completely destroyed the company and the investors faith forever. Feel bad for those edtech entrepreneurs who are really slogging hard to build something meaningful.

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Byju’s, one of India’s top edtech companies, is currently navigating through a significant crisis, both financially and legally. The company, co-founded in 2011 by Byju Raveendran and Divya Gokulnath, has faced a massive downturn from its peak valuation of $22 billion in 2022. Currently, it is struggling with unpaid loans exceeding $1 billion and is undergoing insolvency proceedings in both India and the U.S. A key factor in this crisis is the company’s legal dispute with the Indian cricket board over $19 million in unpaid sponsorship dues, which led to insolvency actions being initiated. Major investors, including Prosus, Peak XV (formerly Sequoia Capital India), and the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, resigned from the board after raising concerns over “financial mismanagement.” Prosus even wrote off its entire 9.6% stake in Byju’s, while Deloitte, the company’s auditor, also resigned due to non-receipt of critical financial documents. Divya Gokulnath, an integral part of the company’s leadership and once among India’s wealthiest women entrepreneurs, has seen her role evolve significantly during this tumultuous period. She played a crucial part in Byju’s rise during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly focusing on content creation and brand marketing. Despite her contributions, the company’s fortunes have plummeted, with its valuation dropping drastically to less than $2 billion. The company’s downfall is a stark contrast to its earlier success, where it had rapidly grown through acquisitions and an expanded user base during the online education boom. As Byju’s works to resolve its issues, the fate of the once-celebrated edtech giant remains uncertain.

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✨A fruitful year at Zomato✨ I want to share some crisp(y) learning experiences - 1. Learn to say “No” Business is not about pleasing every person you meet. The end goal is not for them to like you! The end goal is “Profitability + Growth”. I have had to eat in almost every client meeting because I wished to be polite and wanted them to like me but I ended up putting 7 kgs in one year 😭😂 (Don’t be like me!) 2. Be like Dum Biryani A good dum biryani won’t taste good if it only cooked for an hour. When you start your job - take your own sweet time to learn your work! Ask as many questions as you want - trust me, you will only come off as curious🕵️ 3. How to make a good “Aloo Paratha”? It is the most simple yet complicated bread to make. The secret is getting your basics right. When it comes to a client / business - before getting started with the complicated elements - get the fundamentals right!📝 4. The secret of a “Fine Dine Restaurant” Always be versatile! The reasoning behind the success of a find dine space is their capacity to service every single person that walks in their restaurant.🌮🍖🍔 5. The power of a “Gulab Jamoon!” When closing a deal / interview save an element to sweeten the deal or to leave a lasting impression. With regards to sale I always try to offer a 5% discount or a freebie to make my client feel better (in some cases it is literally a Gulab Jamoon)🍨🍪 6. “The chef” can make it or break it You can have your pasta flown in from Italy and your Lal Mirch from Kashmir but if your chef and your kitchen not optimum enough for you to execute the recipes - it won’t work out. I have been blessed to work under the guidance of Jayesh Chandnani who gave me the right direction to actually put out my best work!🫂 P.S. will be covering a piece on Culture at Zomato soon. Stay tuned! #corporate #zomato #learnings #1yearatZomato #office #culture

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Blinkit is taking on the ecommerce players like Myntra Fashion and AJIO.com , and of course partly competing with e-tail giants like Amazon Business as well. This Quick Commerce Vs Ecommerce battle is interesting. Cost-efficiency or Fast, On-Demand service? How is it going to shape the future of Retail? Let us wait and see

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Rapido has finally attained unicorn status after raising 120 million $ from West Bridge Capital. Including this new round of funding, Rapido has raised 329 million $ in total, skyrocketing its valuation to more than 1 billion $. Rapido is the third unicorn to be minted this year after Bhavish Aggarwal’s Krutrim AI turned unicorn earlier this year. In 2023, there were only two new unicorns—Zepto and InCred Wealth–underscoring the funding squeeze in private financing markets. It seems investors are all for the new subscription-based model for autowalas introduced by the company, instead of the standard commission on every booking. But here is the catch, this model is already being pioneered by Ola and Uber, which means there is no first mover advantage for the company. Will this model finally nudge Rapido towards profitability? What are your thoughts on the matter? #rapido #unicorn #startup #ola #uber

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'Oravel Travel' founded in 2012, as an India-based startup in Gurgaon by #RiteshAgarwal (Agarwal), offered budget hotel room listing initially and later (in 2016) began to provide co-living, co-working space and other hospitality services known as OYO Rooms (#OYO). During the growing years, although OYO faced #criticism about its #business policies, #lapses in quality control and not addressing #customer complaints, the company continued to #grow and even had #expanded its operations #overseas, including the most lucrative #hospitality market in the US (in 2019). Agarwal expected OYO to become #number one globally #replicating its #success in India (by making hotel brands adopt its branding and technology) across the world. However, since OYO was #losing money in its #core markets, the company was #forced to #pull out of hundreds of cities, #consolidate and #restructure its business. On the other hand, after a #slow growth in the US, OYO witnessed a significant growth in 2022 and its hotel #count had grown over 320 in over 35 states. With OYO's decision to #acquire the iconic #G6 Hospitality brand from Blackstone Real Estate for $525 million to #bolster its #international presence and #drive the #growth of newly acquired brands in September 2024, hospitality industry experts raised #questions whether OYO's new attempt to #strengthen its #presence in the lucrative US #marketplace be successful? #CaseStudy #AmityResearchCenters #AmityUniversity

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Here are the key questions #Swiggy has to answer as it looks to join #Zomato on the #stockexchange. Mugdha Variyar with the analysis.

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After Byju's, another giant edtech startup is struggling in the market. Recently, Unacademy, an edtech startup, laid off 250 employees from the product, marketing, business, and sales departments. This is the third time Unacademy has laid off employees. In March 2023, the company reduced its workforce by 12%, equivalent to 380 employees, and in 2022, they laid off approximately 1,000 contractual and full-time employees. This is not the first time we have seen an edtech startup falter. Previously, we saw Vedantu, Byju's, and other edtech giants who failed to sustain themselves in the market. The question remains: why are edtech sectors failing? There are several reasons: High Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC): In newly established startups, the customer acquisition cost is high, but in the case of edtech, the cost skyrockets and can go up to 70-80%. High Competition: Every year, we see many edtech startups enter the market, but the biggest competitor is YouTube. Many students learn through YouTube without paying any cost. Price Sensitivity: When a business faces a high number of competitors, it becomes crucial for the business to restructure its costs from time to time. For instance, PW (PhysicsWallah) offers courses at very low prices, and these courses are highly demanded in the Indian market and generate significant revenue, especially courses like IIT-JEE and NEET. Two days ago, Gaurav Munjal (CEO of Unacademy) tweeted and showed his positivity towards their revenue and business growth. He is also optimistic about Unacademy's long-term growth. As of now, the future of Indian edtech startups remains uncertain, but witnessing these startups' failures makes employees more anxious about their jobs. The failure of startups also negatively impacts the economy by increasing the unemployment rate. #Edtech #StartupStruggles #Unacademy #JobLayoffs #DigitalLeaning Rishabh Jain

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