Rahul Mathur

PLG by GrowthX®completely changed my perspective on how to approach partnerships. From thinking of cracking partnerships as a set of ad-hoc activities to finding a structured process, I have come a long way. I now have a structured outreach process for every partnership opportunity I want. From figuring out the right partner to finding the right person to take it forward and more importantly, having the right outreach, conversion and, GTM plan, the process has now become a playbook that can be replicated quickly. The outcome? Shortened partnership cycle, improved process efficiency and most importantly, direct impact on revenue (for both, us and the partner). Shout out to folks Bharatsure, Anuj Parekh Sanil Basutkar to have supported in doing this. Also, special mention to GrowthX®, Abhishek Patil Udayan Walvekar for creating this awesome community. If you are looking for a plug-and-play stack to power insurance for your users/customers with a quick turnaround time, reach out to me at [email protected] to understand how we can help you generate additional revenues while providing value add to your clients.

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Honest review here! I have been in the startup game for over 6 years now. Built countless pitch decks, got tons of opinions and feedback on how to improve. It’s literally a living breathing document. But then I got early access to www.scoremydeck.com a friend of mine Olu Adedeji and Leo Guinan built. So since we just announced our fundraising round for Tenure I wanted to see how our pre-seed deck would fair! Here is how it went! First - struggled to login with just email - brought that to Olu’s attention but logining in through google worked! Uploading my deck was easy took like 10 seconds. It took about 2 minutes to analyze the deck and then the magic happened. BOOM - there was a score on our deck we scored an 83% overall and it broke down other areas. 85% for Market 90% for Team 80% for Product 75% for Traction It gave me feedback on the following: Overall Pitch Deck Analysis Top Investor Concerns Objections to overcome How to address the concerns It told us what we did well and gave us actionable insight on how to get better. Then came the LLM that I interacted with to get more feedback, advice and even ways to structure our deck to get a better score. I went to work - spend a couple hours applying the feedback and was able to increase the product % but overall deck score stayed the same. If this is version #1 - man am I excited for what’s to come with Scoremydeck. Out of the box it worked as expected and helped us refine our deck to tell our story better. If you are a startup founder and want help with your deck this is by far the best experience I have had! Even better than the VC feedback I have had over the years! Great work Olu Adedeji and Leo Guinan - great MVP!

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How does one define "Value" created by startup & its founders? Isn't this the most asked question and most often this gets answered in form of valuation {"Soonicorn"/ "Unicorn"/ "Decacorn" so on & so forth} and we all know that the valuation driven "status" is akin to the "flickering flame in a stormy night". I believe that: In the world of startups, where data holds sway, performance is the compass that shows the way. Real life stories tell the tale, revealing what's true, success should be measured by what startups can do. A startup's true value is felt when it's gone & its absence revealing what once shone. We are still very early in our pursuit of creating a long lasting positive impact in the life of millions of gamer's across the global south. However, we are pleased that KGeN has not only enabled the much needed recognition for gamers in their own homes & their immediate social circles but also delivered the first brush with financial independence to more than 500k gamers via their association with KGeN. Sharing few real life stories of our community members here for all the well wishers and you can view more stories on https://kgen.io/ P.S.: For those who think KGeN doesn't have data to show—stay tuned for the next post on Q1 performance. Shoutout to team KGeN Paranjay Agarwal Ishank Gupta Amit Hardi Tamoghna Biswas Akshey Aggarwal Girijesh J. Anita Srinivasan Tarun Satish Sandeep Shetty Debashish Ghosh Apurv Shrivastava

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As a founder, when you transition from start up to scale up, a few things happen. 1. Become a thinker rather than an operator. 2. Develop less tolerance for mediocrity. 3. Focus on the machine, not just the pieces—your job is to make it run better. Definitions vary for startup vs scale-up but from a founder perspective, things change. #founder

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Only TWO days left to apply for the RippleX Fellowship program! If you are a student/dropout/recent grad building a b2b software company in Canada/US, this is the program for you. In our last batch we had some amazing mentors like: - Braden Ream (CEO, Voiceflow): Mastering storytelling and navigating selling into enterprises - Rahul Parmar (Prev. Senior Director of Sales, Drata): Sales 101 – Converting pilots to real revenue, creating urgency among buyers, and best practices to manage a sales process - Nicholas Chepesiuk (CEO, OnCall Virtual Care, now part of Qualifacts): Striving towards product-market fit, utilizing creative outbound strategies, and the importance of building trust with customers in the early days - Justin Sky (CEO, Rose Rocket): Identifying venture-scale markets, learning when to pivot, and building strong organizational culture - Josh Gray (CEO, Artemis): Conducting customer validation, segmenting your ICP, and advice for young founders Apply here: https://lnkd.in/e2iAu6vi

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Never work in Stealth Mode for a Startup Idea. Very risky. This is the time that the idea needs a lot of Validation, Understanding Use Cases, Market Insights, Understanding Competition, Adoption challenges, Market Sizing. More prospects/customers in this phase needs to be met. Asking all the right & tough questions. The Foundations of Problem Validation & Value Proposition needs to be clear here. Working in Stealth Mode cuts you off from these inputs. We have worked with 100+ MedTech/Healthcare startups over the last 3 years. Impact : ✅ Some startups pivoted after they worked with us in GTM Readiness. ✅ Few founders even went back to their Corporate jobs realising the problem they were solving was wrong & didn't see a path to PMF. ✅ Few changed their Pricing and Business Model and entered the Market. Explore GTM Readiness Services. Enter the form in the comments section for a discussion.

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One of the most soul crushing moments I had in my career was before Chowly even existed. And I almost never started it at all. Here's what happened... I had quit my full time job as an actuary and put all my savings into starting my first company, Nyx. It was an app that allowed customers in a crowded bar to order and pay for drinks on their phones. It was basically qr code mobile ordering back in 2014/15. It was failing. I had given myself 6 months of runway after quitting my job. And my 6 months were up. I figured that was enough time to "know" whether this idea was going to take off or not. It was the latter. We had gotten 30+ bars to try it out. 2 went full time. We were getting users and processing orders, but not enough were going through. My Co Founder of that business was waiting to see if there was enough momentum to to leave his full time job and he wasn't seeing it. So I reached out to my old company. I had always assumed they would take me back. I was a top performer and actuaries are hard to find. Well. They didn't. They said no. So there I was, savings gone. No co founder anymore. Old job wouldn't take me back. And not enough to keep it going. I'll always remember a specific moment. Laying down on the floor and staring at the ceiling. I called my brother McCay Barnes and he did what good brothers do... "You gonna sulk or are you gonna f***** do something about it?" Just the kick in the ass that I needed. Re-energized, within a week I had 3 or 4 business/income ideas. I pursued all of them knowing that I only needed 1 to hit. One of the businesses ended up becoming Chowly. I took everything I learned on the first one, worked even harder, and doubled down. Loaded up on credit card debt and lived as cheap as possible. Ramen and frozen pizza's. 7 months later, Chowly was successful enough to pay myself. So 13 months without a paycheck filled with grueling hard work and a serious low point. That's what it took. I often think back "what if" my old company did take me back? Would I have started another company? Would I have discovered this restaurant industry I've fallen in love with? Sometimes I think those lowest points is what it takes to make us become our best selves. It's another reason that resilience is a core value at Chowly. It's the only reason it exists! What about you? Any low points in your career? Things that seemed bad at the time, but turned into a blessing/reason you ended up in a better place? #entrepreneurship #startups

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Stumbled across a post on linkedin where an investment advisor was boasting about how there is a group health policy available for very cheap and the only reason insurance intermediaries don'd advise that policy is because the premiums are very low . I hope the person (not naming as this post is not for calling out someone personally) sticks to investment only and never steps into the field of insurance. Unlike investments , insurance premiums are not a cost so its not necessary that cheaper products will be best as one health insurance plan will be widely different from another health insurance plan. Why never invest directly in a group medical insurance 1. The holder of the policy is not you but a group, so the renewal is not dependent on you but on the group and the insurance company which issued the policy 2. The premiums are technically based on last year claims so you might be in for a rude shock at the time of renewal. Your premiums can jump up by even 400% from the last year 3. The group policies are in the same flavour as what Indians like to eat - Chanachur. Your group curates the product the way they want it and can remove that feature as per their whims and fancies at the time of renewal. So you might end up with a policy which ends up saying we dont pay you anything unless you go to x group of hospitals for y treatment by z group of doctors 4. Since there is no guarantees of renewal and while IRDAI mandates that a person should be allowed to migrate to a retail health insurance of the same company which he had a group policy from - you will be subjected to fresh underwriting. It means the insurance company might tell you - OOOOPS !!! you are not a good asset to us , sorry we can't let you come to your retail policies Be smart and always cautious when signing up for a health insurance especially if its a group one . Want to discuss about your health insurance ? Connect with us .. #EastStarInsurance #HealthInsurance

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How to Get Featured on the WTF Podcast by Nikhil Kamath Step 1 : Not by paying your way in After months of handling requests, I figured it was time for a little clarity. I get it—pitching tirelessly for clients who deserve a platform is hard. I’ve been there. But here’s the thing: a bit of research goes a long way. Please don’t ask for our commercials or how much we charge or some kind of barter Our approach is simple: we pick a topic, then find the guests who’ll bring the most interesting insights. If your client genuinely brings fresh perspectives or represents an untapped area, we’re open to it—just send the name of the company , spokesperson ( less media trained the better ) and sector. That’s all we need. Think of an elevator pitch on steroids. Please refrain from calling or texting as well - please send an email :) PS- Since this seems to have blown up a little , the incredible people behind the podcast are Meghana Ramakrishnan , Bilal Jaleel , Dhanya Jinapal , Rakshan Kalmady ,Tanisha Jaroli, Deepa and Nikhil Sam. They are the ones who visualise , research , fact check , design and make it happen.

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Building in public: a risk or a revolution for startups?💡 Imagine every step of your startup journey—successes and failures—laid bare for the world to see. That's building in public 👀. A concept that's reshaping the startup ecosystem, but not without its debates 🗣️. Transparency is the cornerstone here. From sharing financials to revealing the raw, unedited process of product development 🚀, startups are tearing down the walls. Why? To foster a community of loyal followers, to gain invaluable feedback, and to set a new standard of authenticity in business. But here's the twist: it's not just about being open. It's about strategic vulnerability. The art of sharing not just what makes you proud, but also what keeps you up at night 🌙. And in this sharing, there's a delicate balance between vulnerability and strategic discretion. It's not for the faint-hearted ❤️‍🔥. Sharing failures and behind-the-scenes chaos requires a new level of vulnerability. Yet, those who dare are finding a loyal tribe, invaluable insights, and sometimes, a success story 💫. Let's start a conversation. Share your thoughts on building in public. Is it a strategy you're considering, or do you see it as a risky gamble? 🎲 __________________________________ Interested in joining us on our mission to revolutionise the insurance industry and empower individuals to lead healthier lives? Let's chat! Reach out to learn more about investment opportunities with Ortē as we look to close a pre-seed round. #AIforGood #InsuranceInnovation #HealthAndWellness #EmpoweringIndividuals #buildinpublic #firsttimefounder #startup #insurtech #welltech #investment #preseed #seis #incomeprotection #lifeinsurance #insurance #longevity

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Are founders wired differently? I recently posted about ENTJ founders, but there's a lot more written about this. One study finds that founders are more likely to have ADHD. [1] Another study shows that being bipolar can be an entrepreneurial strength. [2] And this one goes even further, suggesting that psychopaths may make great entrepreneurs. [3] I have a sign that hangs behind my desk, given to me by a good friend. It reads, "You don't have to be crazy to work here; we'll train you." Perhaps it's more accurate than I realized. References: 1 - "This Study Shows That People with ADHD Are More Likely to Be Entrepreneurs." Inc. https://lnkd.in/gBT8mKrU 2 - "Why Being Bipolar Can Be an Entrepreneurial Strength." The Sydney Morning Herald. https://lnkd.in/gATrZ6JF 3 - "Do Psychopaths Make Better Entrepreneurs?" Entrepreneur. https://lnkd.in/gTPGPDkF

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There's a shift happening in the Indian startup ecosystem, and it's impacting late-stage funding. Here's a quick breakdown of the data points: - Late stage funding slump: Investments in Series C rounds and beyond dropped to their lowest level in seven years for the first half of 2024. Deal negotiations seem to be taking longer to close. - Shrinking deal sizes: The average amount invested in late-stage startups has dipped to $47 million so far this year, compared to over $57 million in the same period of 2023. - Focus on profitability: Investors are prioritizing metrics that demonstrate a clear path to profitability, like EBITDA multiples, over headline numbers like revenue or GMV. What does this mean? The easy money days might be over for late-stage startups in India. Investors are taking a more cautious approach, prioritizing companies with strong fundamentals and a clear path to profitability. #venturecapital #startups #funding #India

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Greed < Growth 📈 The age-old question is, would you rather have greed or growth? At Merak Group, we’re on a mission for growth. Why? Because greed is temporary and only benefits a handful of people, whereas growth is permanent and benefits everybody. Instead of focusing on sexy companies, money, and quick turnarounds, we focus on making a positive impact within the business community, growing the companies we work with, and ensuring everybody in the organization can thrive. After all, greatness isn’t born, it’s built 💪 Learn more about who we are and how we’re shaking up the private equity world: https://buff.ly/3USxbs9 #PrivateEquity #Investment #Growth #Success

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If you have been in VC and PE, you have perhaps come across the J-curve. This curve shows the financial performance of a venture capital fund over time. To put it simply, a venture fund has a start time and an end time. At the beginning, the fund spends money on investments. As you know, startups and failures are like 5 & 6, so those early years often result in significant losses for VCs. That's why the J-curve starts in the negative region of the graph. However, as the saying goes, "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." For VCs, joy comes when they start exiting some of their investments and making money. Gradually, the curve rises from the negative region into the positive, making everyone smile. Let's consider an example: Miraculous Venture, a $50 million fund with a 10-year lifespan. In the first 3-5 years, the fund will primarily be investing and writing off some failed investments, so the curve will be negative. But if they back the next OpenAI, and by the 7th year, they achieve a 1000x return on their capital, this will significantly shift the returns from negative to positive. It's that simple.

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Taking the HARD FACT path. MatchDay Health is undoubtedly taking Path #2 based on Sequoia Capital product market fit framework. The status quo around jobs has always been. Job board > apply to jobs >get interview > get offer > accept offer. We have been brainwashed to believe this is the path to landing a job. I have never personally landed a job this way. It work's, but it's not the ideal path. Also, who the heck said that this was the only way? Would you list your home on the market without an agent? Maybe. Would you get the best offer? Would you get the best buyer in the fastest amount of time? Probably not. The job market has been one sided for so long, without proper representation for job seekers. Taking the HARD FACT path means we are changing the status quo. Making professional EXPERT representation in the job market the new smart approach.

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In our fundraising workshops, we always get many questions on ESOPs (Employee Stock Option Programmes) and their distribution. Founders want to know how much ESOP to give, whom to give, and how to give. What are ESOPs? ESOPs are company shares reserved for employees. Most #startups form an ESOP pool (typically 10% of total equity) to incentivise their employees. In early-stage startups, salaries are generally lower than market salaries because the startup doesn't have enough money (or revenue). Hence, #founders offer their early employees some equity in their company as an incentive. The objective is to incentivise the employees to stay longer because these ESOPs can become valuable once the company grows. In all cases, the initial ESOP pool comes from the founders' shares. When startups create an ESOP pool, founders get diluted (their shareholding percentage reduces). All VCs insist on creating an ESOP pool as a condition of investment. This ensures that ESOPs don’t dilute VCs. VCs invest in startups that already have an ESOP pool. A 10% ESOP pool is the norm. How much ESOPs should you give to early employees? There is no rule dictating ESOP distribution. The board (consisting of founders and early investors) decide the company ESOP policy. In most cases, all full-time employees are eligible for ESOPs. Founders aren't eligible for ESOPs. Neither are advisors or part-time employees. A good rule of thumb is to give 1% ESOP each to key employees (top 3-4 people) and 0.5% to the next important hires (next 5 people). All ESOPs are vested over either 3 or 4 years. This means employees don't get their shares on day zero. They have to earn it over time. 25% after every year for 4 years is a common vesting schedule. Let's imagine you got 100 shares in ESOPs when you joined a startup. When will you get the shares? Assuming 25% vesting over 4 years, After Year 1 (called cliff): 25 shares After Year 2: 25 shares After Year 3: 25 shares After Year 4: 25 years If you decide to leave the company after the 2nd year, you will only get the vested shares (50). The unvested ones (50 shares) will return to the ESOP pool for future employees. As the company grow bigger, more and more employees get ESOPs. Over time, the entire 10% pool gets exhausted. When this happens, the board comprising founders, investors, and independent directors create another ESOP pool for future employees. All shareholders (Founders, Investors, Employees, etc.) get diluted when a new ESOP pool is created. ESOPs are always put in a trust. The company board makes policies on their eligibility and allocation. ESOPs are the best way to attract and retain talent in the early stages. P.S. We are organising our 9th Founder Fundraising workshop this weekend (20th & 21st July). It's an 8-hour boot camp for founders who want to raise #venturecapital. The programme fee is ₹15K with limited places. The registration link is in the comments.

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We spent a year trying to simplify health insurance. Then we realized, it's time to rebuild it. In an ideal world, we would all be healthy and not require an insurance policy. So we thought why not build for improving your health? We built Elixir - a platform that rewards you for every health investment you make. Whether it's that gym membership that you have been meaning to purchase or a blood test that helps you keep your bio-markers in check - if it helps you get healthier, we reward you for it. No network restrictions, no fine print. Just simple rewards for taking care of yourself, your way. We're launching our beta today for the first 100 users. Here's what you get: ⭐ 5% rewards on any health or wellness expense. ⭐ 10% rewards on purchases made through the Elixir app. ⭐ A personal health concierge to answer your questions and guide you toward better health decisions. This is just V0.1, the first step towards where we're headed. If you're reading this, we'd love your brutally honest feedback. We're building this for people like you.

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