Gatikrushna Sahu

The trend of layoffs in the Indian startup ecosystem shows no signs of stopping. Around 10,000 employees working in Indian startups were laid off amid cost-cutting and restructuring in the last 6 months. This is a difficult situation many of us are facing due to recent job layoffs & I understand the uncertainty & stress that come with such news. Losing a job can be a deeply personal & emotional experience & its important to allow yourself the space to process this change. Being impacted by a layoff can be challenging, but it can also be an opportunity to explore new career paths and opportunities. Here are some strategies to help you find a new job after a layoff- 1. Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile- Highlight your most recent experiences, achievements, and skills. Tailor your resume for the types of roles you are seeking. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date, includes a professional photo, a compelling headline, and a summary that showcases your skills and accomplishments. 2. Leverage Your Network- Inform your professional network, friends, and family about your job search. Many opportunities come through personal connections. Participate in industry events, meetups, and conferences to expand your network and meet potential employers. 3. Use Online Job Boards and Company Websites- Regularly check job boards such as Indeed, Glassdoor, LinkedIn, and specialized industry job sites. Visit the career pages of companies you are interested in and apply directly for open positions. 4. Upskill and Reskill- Take online courses to learn new skills or enhance existing ones. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of courses. Obtain certifications relevant to your industry to make yourself more marketable to employers. 5. Tailor Your Applications- Write personalized cover letters for each job application, addressing specific job requirements and explaining why you are a good fit. Understand the company’s culture, mission, and values, and reflect that knowledge in your application materials. 6. Utilize Social Media- Follow industry leaders, companies, and job boards on X for the latest job openings and industry news. Join Facebook groups related to your industry or profession where job openings and opportunities are often posted. 7. Practice Interviewing- Practice with friends, family, or a career coach to improve your interview skills. Prepare answers to common interview questions and develop examples that showcase your skills and accomplishments. 8. Stay Positive and Persistent- Maintain a positive attitude and stay resilient. Job searching can be a lengthy process, but persistence pays off. Take care of your mental and physical health during your job search by maintaining a balanced routine and seeking support when needed. #Layoffs #Strategies

38

4 Comments

The tall poppy syndrome will begin to show up everywhere. In India, we have economy propped up by mostly government spending. Then the GCC brigade has the highest levels of disposable income of any professional sector. And this sector is tied to the global economy which is pretty much the American economy. And the only sector that can fuel Government spending are folks whose paycheck can be taxed at source, which is the salaried class. You can see how critical this sector is because there is additional tax for the top bracket in this category. Almost a disincentive to have a high salary bracket. Coupled with freebies culture and a huge swathe of population that is unorganised, we have a very huge deficit that needs to be managed by the middle class.

8

2 Comments

🚨 Google Slashes Map Prices in India by 70%: Too Little, Too Late? 🚨 Google has announced a 70% price cut for its map services in India. But let’s be real—this move comes conveniently after Ola announced its own mapping services. 🤔 This price cut comes just one week after Ola CEO Bhavish Aggarwal offered one-year free access to Ola Maps for all developers. The announcement was made by Google at its developer event, Google I/O Connect, in Bengaluru on July 17. Why now, Google? This price drop feels more like a response to competition rather than a genuine effort to support Indian businesses. After years of high prices, why should we trust that this discount is in our best interest and not just a temporary measure to squash Ola Maps? 💡 Indian companies and consumers deserve better than reactive measures. Let’s support innovation and fair competition, not just price cuts driven by competitive threats. What do you think about Google’s sudden price reduction? Share your thoughts below! 💬👇 #TechCompetition #GoogleMaps #OlaMaps #Innovation #FairMarket

3

2 Comments

Companies fail, founders don’t. <excerpt> Wishberg, a wishlist site launched in 2012 by Pravin Jadhav and Kulin Shah, struggled and was acquired by Freecharge in 2014, which Snapdeal bought in 2015. Jadhav was then brought on board at Paytm to start Paytm Money for stock trading, and eventually started his own, called DhanHQ. Shah worked at Acko before founding Onsurity, an employee health benefits platform. India’s internet ecosystem is full of stories of founders starting up, shutting down, being acquired, of being forced out, before they build something that works. Many founders who exit their businesses reinvest in new ventures. Freecharge’s Kunal Shah has funded over 200 startups so far. Venture capitalists also often back founders who have tried something new and failed. India’s startup ecosystem is still innovating and is in the process of maturing. As they say: companies fail, founders don’t. </excerpt> Source link in the comment.

12

4 Comments

Post 3 [continued from post 2] Deepak Kumar: 9) An Interesting point was mentioned on how companies like Swiggy & Ola used excel sheets for tracking their first set of orders. Once you have sold your product/service to person or few people then its not a pitch but already a business.   10) An Interesting set of questions was asked by Deepak for a travel based Pitch Idea. Always try to think why the existing vendors are not doing the same , what is stopping them. Spend more days in the internet to research about the answers on who has executed the idea before , if its failed why it has failed which gives more insights.   He said that the whole journey of Startup is going behind the questions which will be keep on getting added as you progress in your journey.   11) Alumni network always gives credibility in all the places, try to build one. Have a content transparency.   12) Community has to match the vision and the mission that the Product/Service provides. Here both the community and the Product/Service solves the problem in different unique ways.   13) It is difficult for a single person to wear both Product & Market guy hats, in this case search for another person who can do one. It doesn’t mean that you have to attend events to find a co-founder but you can follow ways in getting there.    Sudharsan Varatharajan:   1) People will have many ideas but that’s of not a value if it's not executed. He emphasized on starting the vehicle first and sort out things on the go.   2) For a particular pitch, Sudarsan asked the person to start a Whats App group and get the feedback on their product. He mentioned how he executed the same by taking his hot chocolate stick to Besant Nagar beach and then asking people to try the same & then created groups for the end users to post their feedbacks inform of videos.   3) He mentioned that there are many freelancers community & people can be part of it and observe what is happening and what they can do to solve a problem.   4) Sudarsan emphasized on finding out whether people are willing to pay for it and if that happens then it can be monetized. Money is necessary in many cases to proceed on our idea. Thats it, used all my memory & listening skills to capture these invaluable feedbacks. Thank you if you have read through this long 3 part post patiently & reached up to this point... The End.....

7

Had a brilliant conversation with Nuha Bubere from The Ken on how old guards (Flipkart + Amazon) are bringing on the fight to QCs (blinkit + Zepto + Instamart). Following are some pointers that we discussed: 1. Right to win lies with the ones who are able to crack frequency of purchase for the user- thus Fruits & Vegetables + grocery purchase is key for a right to win. Something that QCs are acing right now. 2. For profitability and increasing ASP- categories like electronics, mobiles and large appliances are key for success in the long run. With years of expertise built by the old guards- they have the best of the selection on them right now and will try to guard top selling models from opening up across all channels. Might play aggressive on margin asks on such models to shield marketshare. 3. Old guards also have access to affordability constructs like EMI, exchange constructs for electronics and smartphones, which if unlocked for their QC play, will ensure consumer stickiness given that Indian consumers tend to be net effective price sensitive. 4. In terms of operations- old guards are more seamless- they replicate inventories across their dark stores from the ones that brand/ seller supply to already established warehouses. In contrast- new QC channels are more tuned towards grocery forward replenishment models- which require deliveries every 3-5 days, while electronics are more tuned towards bulk deliveries to ecommerce warehouses. Making the current model of QCs operationally unfeasible for most scaled brands. 5. Large appliances in a quick commerce model is still a puzzle. Single unit delivery for washers, ACs, or TVs would come at huge supply chain costs, and even if deliveries happen within 10 minutes to 4 hours window, can brands enable same day installations? With increasing pressures of unsold inventories and reducing margins in hardware- innovation costs would be tough to figure out. But who had imagined Quick commerce becoming the new age Ecommerce war? Maybe brands too are able to build on scalable solutions across this.   Do read this piece on quick commerce: https://lnkd.in/gH2zue3e

36

Are you a Voter or a Vote Bank? As India is going through the general elections, the air is thick with debates – much like trying to dodge your manager on a Friday evening. But amidst the noise of assumptions, logical fallacies, and the infamous 'WhatsApp University,' how do we make informed decisions? Let's start with some common debate pointers vs what data says: 1: Fuel price and inflation skyrocketed just in the last 10 years. Here are some common indicators: Average CPI Inflation: 2004-2009: 9.1% 2009-2014: 9.4% 2014-2019: 3.4% 2019-2024: 5.9% Average food inflation: 2004-2009: 12.3% 2009-2014: 11.9% 2014-2019: 0.7% 2014-2024: 7.1% Lets also look at Petrol Price: 2004: INR 35 2014: INR 72 (>100% up) 2024: INR 100 (~40% up) 2. Economy grew faster in the last 10 years: Let's look at some of the indicators: GDP growth rate: 2004-2014: 6.8% (including 2008-09 global recession) 2014-2024: 5.7% (including black swan events like Covid) GDP per capita: 2004-2014: 50% rise using inflation adjustment, 204% increase at absolute value 2014-2024: 43.6% rise using inflation adjustment, 114% increase at absolute value USD to INR: 2004-2014: INR 43 to INR 60 (~39% drop) 2014-2024: INR 60 to INR 83 (~39% drop) Debt to GDP Ratio: 2014: 67% 2024: 82% Non performing assets: 2014:INR 5 Lakh Crore, Write-off: INR 32000 crore 2024: INR 20 Lakh Crore, Write-off: INR 14.56 lakh crore Foreign Direct Investment: 2005-2014: ~USD 280 Bn 2014-2023: ~USD 596 Bn Forex Reserve: 2004-05: USD 141 Bn (22% of GDP) 2014-15: USD 341 Bn (16.3% of GDP) 2024: USD 642 Bn (17.4% of GDP) All this data has been collected from available sources of Govt. of India, RBI, IMF, World Bank, and media reports of credible media houses. There are more indicators, more perspectives, and more arguments. These data points and trends will definitely help you cut through the noise of debates and be more aware. Data and analytics can be a strong tool to make comparisons of different governments on quantifiable topics. It can equally be used to disguise you from the real fact. My attempt is in no way to hide/disguise but to reveal the truth to the best of my knowledge. You can add your perspective in the comments to enrich it. Why I wrote this post: I generally have an inclination in reading and learning about socio-economic and political affairs in my leisure time. In my professional work, I do data and AI day in and day out. So I thought of using some of my off-hours to do comparisons of governments between 2004-2014 vs. 2014-2024 to make decisions like a voter rather than a vote bank. I will deep dive into other governance parameters to compare 2004-2014 vs. 2014-2024 in the next 30 days. All these will be purely based on numbers, no opinions, no arguments. PS: Nothing in for or against any ideology or party. It will be just my thoughts and analysis in my leisure time. You can share your views in the comments. You can correct the data in comments. #India

47

4 Comments

🚨 **The Byju's Downfall: A Lesson for the Startup Ecosystem** 🚨 What was once India’s most celebrated edtech unicorn, Byju's has recently fallen from grace, and the implications are far-reaching. As the company faced governance issues, massive layoffs, and ongoing struggles with debt, it has become a cautionary tale for both investors and startups. 💸 **Waste of Investor Money:**  Byju's raised billions from top investors like Sequoia and General Atlantic, growing exponentially. However, its expansion was marked by aggressive acquisition strategies, poor governance, and unchecked spending. Rather than focusing on sustainable growth, they engaged in a cash burn, leading to declining financial health. The funding spree may have created a mirage of success, but in reality, investor money was being wasted on inefficient operations and bad business decisions. 📉 **Impact on Start-up Industry:**  This fiasco has sent shockwaves through the Indian startup ecosystem. Byju's failure to maintain fiscal responsibility has prompted investors to become more cautious, slowing down funding rounds for even promising ventures. The "growth at all costs" mentality is being questioned, making it harder for startups to secure investments. As a result, it could mean longer paths to profitability and more scrutiny on operational fundamentals moving forward. ⚠️ **Lessons to Learn:**  1. **Focus on Fundamentals:** Scale is crucial, but profitability and efficient use of capital should never be compromised. 2. **Governance is Key:** Corporate governance and accountability should be non-negotiable for any growth-stage company. 3. **Don’t Over-leverage:** The financial strategies should always be aligned with long-term sustainability, not just short-term valuation spikes. Byju’s downfall is not just its own story, but a reflection of the larger narrative in the startup world—overvaluation and unchecked growth will eventually catch up. #Startups #Byjus #Edtech #InvestorMoney #StartupEcosystem #LessonsLearned #VentureCapital #India

26

Traditional loan repayments don’t reflect the reality of India’s workforce today, and rigid EMIs often lead to stress, penalties, and ultimately, costlier credit. CLOU opens up the possibility of a new approach - one that aligns repayments with actual cash flows and simplifies the entire process for both borrowers and banks. In this blog, I delve into how CLOU can transform credit repayments, making them more flexible, inclusive, and in tune with the needs of Indians. Check out the insights here: https://lnkd.in/ec5mCTKh #creditlineonupi #digitalcreditwithzeta #financialinclusion

41

3 Comments

It's Amazon v/s Microsoft And not just in Cloud Business. Amazon is forcing people to get back to offices full-time. Meanwhile, Microsoft said they won't call people back to offices unless productivity drops. That's a refreshing approach. Productivity should be the yardstick for these decisions. Not absurd terms like #companyculture building and all. Because you can build a culture from anywhere if done right. At NomadGao, we host #teamretreats for remote teams. Some of them work fully remotely and meet at NomadGao once in a while for a week or two to reconnect, brainstorm, and set the culture right. Even #hybridremote teams come to us to get everyone together. They build the culture the unfiltered way. By spending non-transactional time together. At the karaoke and game nights. OR while playing beach volleyball or going for a hike. OR while enjoying some curated local experiences together. What do you prefer? Office or Remote? #remotework

9

3 Comments

Once upon a time in Bangalore, I dodged a bullet... I got up early, suited up and walked into an interview for a leadership role with a fast-growing startup, X. The leader arrived 30 minutes late. No apologies. No small talk. No intros. Just straight into "Why should I hire you?" I was shaken but hey, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt. Maybe this was his way of making up for lost time? So, I pulled myself together, put on my best professional face, and gave a polite response. His reply? A smirk, followed by another tricky question: "Why do you think X is better than your current employer?" I shared what inspired me about X, while respectfully appreciating my current employer. Apparently, respect for my employer wasn't what he was looking for. He leaned back and said, "You should be grateful for the opportunity to get an interview with me. Do you even know who I am?" I pinched myself. Nope, not dreaming. Then, as if on cue, his phone rang. He answered it as if I didn't exist in the room. What followed was a tirade aimed at some hapless soul, complete with abuses. This time, I didn't even bother to hide the shock on my face. By this point, I realized I was in the wrong place. He returned and proudly declared: "I hate people who think they can join a successful startup and work just 10 hours a day. If you are not ready to work 16 hours, you're not cut out for this." I respect hard work, but this? This was a burnout recipe with a side of toxicity. I politely declined, saying it wasn't sustainable for me. His parting shot? "This is why we don't hire entitled IIM types." The irony? Nine months later, this leader was fired from X. Looking back, this experience taught me a few things: 1) #Red_flags in the hiring process are neon signs for what's coming next. If they don't respect you now, it's only downhill from there. 2) #Leadership_matters. Leaders are the culture ambassadors of a company. One bad leader can wreck an otherwise great organization. 3) It's okay to #walk_away. No matter how desperate you feel, your dignity and #mental_health are non-negotiable. To anyone in a similar situation: #let_it_go. The right opportunity will find you, and the future-you will thank you for dodging this bullet!

802

6 Comments

The uniqueness of the toys made here is that it's versatility & innovation. They are not only made for kids to play, but from a utilitarian point of view as well. From Curtain rings, Candle stands to Teak beads seat rest for cars are few to name which have huge demand. Recall that one of the oncologists devised a wooden device that can help throat cancer patients along with artisans of Channapatna. So next time you take a trip towards Mysore from Bangalore, do stop In Channapatna & shop few wooden articles for yourself & gifting. Recall that gifting will improve marketing as well..

8

Why switching to Cash might just be the best move for the earning class? Have you ever stopped to look at how much of your income just…disappears? Not because of living expenses but because of all those “extra” charges: income tax, road tax, GST, bank fees, convenience fees. The irony is, despite all this money flowing out of our pockets, we still navigate potholes on the way to work, pay extra fees for groceries, and shell out for "convenience" when booking a simple train ticket. If you've felt the same way, you’re not alone. I remember a friend who was saving up, finally getting a little extra in the bank. But each month, he’d vent about how quickly that extra seemed to vanish. “I pay taxes, I follow the rules, and I’m charged on every transaction I make—and for what? The roads I drive on are crumbling, and basic services are still a hassle.” This sparked a conversation about cash—how going back to a simpler, cash-based approach could help reclaim some control over our earnings and avoid the constant fees and middleman cuts that eat into digital transactions. Here’s why that makes sense for a lot of us: 1. Control Over Your Own Money With cash, you cut out the middlemen. No more watching your hard-earned money trickle away to telecoms, banks, or payment processors just for the right to access it. 2. Privacy and Security Unlike digital transactions, cash offers a level of privacy that’s rare these days. Every online transaction generates data—data that’s used, bought, and sold, often without much benefit to us as individuals. Cash gives you back control over that. 3. Fewer Hidden Fees Ever notice how almost everything these days has a “convenience” or “service” charge attached? Cash eliminates these. What you pay is what you pay—no surprises or extra cuts for handling. 4. What About a Universal Currency? Imagine if we had a universal currency—something beyond the grasp of local tax structures and national agendas. It may sound idealistic, but it’s hard to deny the appeal of a system where hard-working people aren’t being overcharged by policies they didn’t create. Right now, the system can feel like a business model designed to profit off people trying to stay afloat. This isn’t about ducking responsibilities. It’s about recognizing that, for many of us, the current system isn’t working fairly. Switching to cash (and, maybe one day, a more universally fair currency) is about taking back a bit of control in a world where we seem to pay more and get less. In a world that profits off every move we make, maybe it's time we find a way to keep what we earn—to truly earn what we keep 😅 I’d love to hear your thoughts and stories in the comments. #FinancialFreedom #CashEconomy #UniversalCurrency #TakeControl #LessIsMore I know it's a little too old school and a long shot. but given the opportunity, I'd switch. My thoughts, ChatGPT’s words—teamwork at its finest!

5