Suraj Nalin

Death by Fees My biggest case of 'cheating' regarding legal feed happened when I was funded for 18 crores in 2007 by a VC for Games2win India Pvt Ltd The VC recommended a lawyer and 'assumed' I would negotiate with them. I 'assumed' that the VC would pay the legal fees and never bothered to negotiate. The fees amounted to 35 lacs or 2% of the raise, which was insane. It was inflated at least by 60%. Even today, you can be crippled by fees of all kinds - legal, accounting, consultancy or medical IF you 'assume' things or worse, do not negotiate. My learnings: - EVERYONE negotiates like a Baniya in the streets. They can be X or Y, but when it comes to #Dhandhekibaat, they all want $$$ So, NEGOTIATE!! How? Ask for a fee estimation IN ADVANCE of work, starting with a detailed breakdown. You will be shocked to note that the law firm's janitors are also proposed to be billed at 6k per hour. - CUT PACKAGE deals vs letting the tap run free. So, after you have explained the scope of work and got an estimate, try to make it one final amount. TRY not to keep on an 'ongoing hourly basis'. That's signing up for your blood donation without an end! SHOP LIKE MAD. Ask 10 lawyers or consultants for costs and then get to the one you like. Fees also come with ATTITUDE. The last thing you want is to pay by selling your home jewels AND be given a hard time. - If possible, split costs between parties. Try to do long-term deals. Try a first-time deal. Try special startup prices that you will keep secret. Keep dealing. TRY, TRY, TRY, AND THEN BUY. What is your experience with Fees? #Dhandhekibaat - A rupee saved is a rupee earned.

143

20 Comments

Brilliant insights into how global investors perceive the Indian gaming market. One key take away from this to Game Dev Studios out there is to select a genre and shred it to a point where you can be an expert in it. That creates a compelling value proposition for a potential investor. #gamedev #globalvc #globalinvestments #gamestudio

7

What's with the Indian obsession with SUVs? I've never driven or owned an SUV and probably never will. I find them uncomfortable and inconvenient—dare I say, even 'unclassy'. For the past few years, I began to feel like an outcast on Mumbai roads until I moved houses. My new building residents mostly show up in Sedans :) The Economist has a fascinating article on the SUV Craze in India: "Five years ago, every second car sold in India was a hatchback. Today, that is down to one in four, while more than 50% of new sales are SUVs, according to Hyundai Motor." To compare India vs other markets, I compared the USA and Europe. SUV share in those markets is way lower than 50% (See pic) WHY the Craze for SUVs in India? Via the same article: 1.  SUV sales are booming, but most roads still need improvement. And all over India, overstretched road-traffic departments plonk down poorly designed speedbreakers with little regard for vertebral or mechanical wellbeing. 2. Ground clearance—or the height between the street and the bottom of a vehicle—is a crucial consideration for car buyers in India. 3. Extensive families need larger cars. 4. Until recently, safety was rarely a consideration. But that changed with the Tata Nexon, a compact SUV produced by Tata Motors, a giant Indian carmaker. It was the first to receive a five-star safety rating in international testing and tout those credentials. Potential buyers were willing to overlook some shortcomings in favour of safety 5. Earlier, buyers were more focused on mileage—no more. Indians are increasingly willing to spend more for a better experience. According to Hyundai, the average selling price of a car rose by a third in the half-decade to last year, from 491,000 rupees to 659,000 rupees. 6. But this is mainly because consumers want the best cars they buy. Among some models, the top-end variant now accounts for two-thirds of sales, up from less than half before the pandemic, reckon analysts at Macquarie, a bank. This makes me the happiest: This reflects a trend visible in other consumer products. Cheap mobile phones, for example, are disappearing from the Indian market, even as top-end models like the iPhone are soaring. Question: Will Indians evolve to love Sedans? If you correlate Per Capita Income vs Car (US and Europe), it seems likely. What do you think? If you drive an SUV or Sedan, why do you drive what you drive? #Dhandhekibaat - asking why, why and why

252

83 Comments

Buffet or A La Carte? Subscription vs One-Time Sales. If you create the most successful game in the world, such as Call of Duty, and generate 30 Billion USD revenues (2.4 LAC Crores) (from 2003), you will keep what's worked for you. At least you and me. But life and business are ALWAYS about disruption. Microsoft - the new owner of the Call of Duty (COD) game, is fixing what isn't broken. They are offering the new COD release as a SUBSCRIPTION and an individual sale. What's the big deal? Microsoft's Xbox service, Game Pass, costs $9.99 to $16.99 a month and provides access to hundreds of games from Microsoft and dozens of other companies. Call of Duty has released new editions annually for around $70 each in recent years. (25 million copies sold per edition) What's the Big Fuss? Microsoft could lose (25 million * $45 = 1 BILLION ) revenue if everyone bought subscriptions. But Microsoft doesn't care. It has adopted this model to grow its subscription base instead of bothering with one-time sales. Who gets affected? STAND ALONE independent studios that release Big Hits now have to compete in a market where the biggest game in the world is available as a subscription. This isn't helping them financially. What's the lesson? Big Tech WILL eat the Software trade for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, and High Tea. If you are a standalone sandwich, vada pao, or samosa, you should become part of the Big Tech Buffet instead of trying to sell your little savoury. (message- sell to them and retire). Mota Moti - Traditional Niche Business models have no meaning when large corporations enter those businesses. They think long-long-long term vs medium or short term. Your takeaway? #Dhandhekibaat Link to WSJ article in comment.

55

6 Comments

Exposing the VMAS ASIA INDIA Scam: A Cautionary Tale for the Entertainment Industry In an alarming turn of events, a fraudulent operation masquerading as an OTT platform, VMAS ASIA INDIA, has been unmasked as a scam targeting dubbing vendors and production houses in India. What initially seemed like a promising venture in Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Bengali, and Punjabi content turned out to be a scheme devised by a small group of individuals—just four to five people—whose primary goal was to defraud industry professionals. The Illusion of VMAS ASIA INDIA VMAS ASIA INDIA presented itself as an upcoming OTT platform, luring unsuspecting vendors with promises of partnership and financial gain. Their tactics were created an elaborate facade, replete with a professional website and fabricated testimonials, to convince potential partners of their legitimacy. However, the core of their operation was far from genuine. Their main motto was straightforward: extract money from dubbing vendors and production houses under the pretense of launching an OTT platform. They sought upfront payments, often through contracts that appeared professional but were essentially empty promises. Legal Intimidation Tactics To maintain their ruse and dissuade potential whistleblowers, the perpetrators employed legal intimidation tactics. They sent fake legal notices, supposedly from lawyers, threatening anyone who might consider taking action against them. This ploy was designed to instill fear and silence dissent, convincing victims that speaking out could lead to dire consequences. However, our team at Absolute Films refused to be intimidated. After discovering the true nature of VMAS, we took a stand. When we exposed their fraudulent activities on LinkedIn, they retaliated with a legal notice, attempting to scare us into silence. But our resolve only strengthened. We consulted our own legal team and responded to their threats with full confidence. The Truth Revealed To further investigate, we sent the legal notice to VMAS's alleged head office in Delhi via registered speed post. To our shock, we discovered that there was no such office in existence. This revelation was the final confirmation of our suspicions; VMAS ASIA INDIA was merely a facade with no legitimate business infrastructure. Taking a Stand At Absolute Films, We urge our colleagues to be cautious and to conduct thorough research before entering into any business agreements. Trust your instincts—if something feels off, it probably is. Conclusion The VMAS ASIA INDIA scam serves as a stark reminder of the importance of vigilance in the entertainment industry. We must come together to expose and dismantle these fraudulent operations. By raising awareness and standing firm against intimidation tactics, we can protect not only ourselves but also our colleagues and the integrity of our industry. Let us work together to create a safer environment for all. #aabsolutefilms #vmasasiaindia Dubbing Company VMAS ASIA (INDIA)

3

3 Comments

Do you know that the former Xbox India head is now a Leading Stand-Up Comedian? Yes, You heard it right! He was India's head for Xbox at Microsoft in 2016 and left his job to follow his passion for standup comedy. From finding it difficult to perform for 10 minutes to do 10 hours of non-stop Stand-up comedy for his audience You will be shocked to know about what led him to leave his high-paying job at Microsoft to pursue his passion without any plans. It's the movie “Tamasha” directed by Imtiaz Ali that led him to resign from his job! Yessssss!! I am talking leading Stand-Up comedian of India Anshu Mor But becoming a standup comedian was not an easy cakewalk for him. It took him months to figure out how things worked and what he needed to do right to follow his passion. But this is just the one highlight of his career. In this conversation with Anshu Mor, you will hear so many interesting stories to learn from his journey: - Why did he leave his Job at Microsoft? - Started doing a comedy show after meeting Amit Tandon - How did he feel when his first show was a banger - How does the artist feel when they are not performing well on stage - How Covid-19 affected his mental health - How did he turn lockdown into his advantage - Doing Paid online Zoom shows in covid back to back - Getting Bollywood invitations for an audition - His plans to make his web series - His relationship with his son Listen to the latest episode of Kafi Wild Hai Show with Guptaji to find out more about how to pursue your passion when you are already successful. Check out the link in the comments! (See below) PS: Who do you want to see next on the podcast? Tell me in the comment section.

346

41 Comments

“Anything that can go wrong will go wrong” - this is murphy’s law This day, last month - We successfully executed the #PlayGalaxy Cup Galaxy Z Fold Edition for Samsung India (Cheil India) and the event was flawless even with the last minute additions. But while we were preparing for it, a lot of things went wrong - the shipment reached out to a different city - vendors backed off - equipments weren’t available elsewhere - people stopped responding and what not. We had to reach out for help from our fellow industry folks - few couldn’t - few did not want to - few explicitly wanted us to fail. But luckily our friends helped us and made this show possible. This comes with a very exciting lesson that when you’re at your budding stage, people will try to stop your growth, step on you or try anything and everything to see you fail, but we stood firm, motivated and unshaken. We, as Upthrust, would always be indebted of the help they provided in such an important project, our clients’ believe in us is even stronger now, and we as a team would continue to thrive for such entertainment shows. Also, the numbers were amazing: 48 India’s biggest gaming creators Samsung India YT: 273K Views Upthrust Esports YT: 402K Views We are going to come with more exciting IPs, gaming has huge potential, it just takes a visionary to get the best out of it, don’t miss out. #Esports #EsportsIndustry #BGMI

85

7 Comments

Poker Retention > Poker Acquisition But still very little is done on a fundamental level to help users voluntarily stick around for long. For Acquisition / Awareness : 1. Crores spent on Bollywood celebs. 2. Rs 10K/20K/50K Signup bonus and those gimmicks with underlying conditions (trappy) 3. Massive high budget video shoots to create acquisition ads 4. High Guaranteed events to attract new people. 5. Paying influencers who have nothing to do with poker to integrate your brand in the most cringiest way possible For Retention : 1. Leaderboards 2. Rakebacks ( cashback on the revenue you generate for the site) While these activities for retention bring in lot of stickiness - it is only for the selected few that understand the game and not for the mass audience that has been acquired. Hence you still see 1000-2000 concurrent players on any site at a given time. Educational based cohorts that build a sticky audience who can manage money and then grow it and not just come and lose their 10-20K once is something which is completely lacking when trying to build a strong retention mechanism.

17

7 Comments

ZomatoZomato Care With all the name, fame you have gathered. With all the hike in the platform fee from INR 2 to INR 5, Please invest this into improving the Support section This needs a major overhaul, *if you value your customers Deepinder Goyal Smriti Pandey

8

1 Comment

@ National Broadcasting Bill Should be Enact &: All the Content On Cable tv / Hits / DTH / Free Dish / IPTV / OTT / mobile TV / Broadband Should be Regulated. "MIB" Should control OTT Platform's Content and" MeitY" Should Take Care Of Social Media and User-Generated Content.Then only Level Playing Field will Exist in Indian Broadcasting Industry

2

In a recent episode of "The Great Indian Gaming Podcast", when I spoke to Hrishi Oberoi about the art of creating lasting IPs, he shared the journey of Leela’s World and how it was built with intention to create a lasting impact. Hearing his approach to IP-building left me reflecting on how universal these principles are, not just in gaming but across industries. It’s a reminder of the power of storytelling and the importance of creating something that stays. What are your thoughts on building lasting IPs? How do you create something that resonates with people and grows into a legacy? Share your perspective in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! P.S. - Episode 3 of the podcast coming soon. #greatindiangamingpodcast #gigp #podcast #gamingpodcast

66

2 Comments

1. A crore is still a crore regardless of how big the company is. You’re still answerable to shareholders. 2. Even if they had a crore to spare, this would only encourage others to do the same and make a quick buck. 3. Domain squatting, while is a grey area in India, is illegal in many countries and is unethical regardless. 4. Buying a domain (and possibly many others as a backup) is not an entrepreneurial skill. It costs barely ₹300-400 to buy a domain these days.

8

BOULT: Cracking the Personal Audio Market in India Ever wondered how BOULT made its mark in the fiercely competitive audio market already ruled by Boat and Noise? Here's a breakdown of the insights from THINK SCHOOL'S podcast :) --- 1️⃣ TWS Revolution: The game-changer started in 2017 with True Wireless Earbuds (TWS). Thanks to Apple, TWS became the dominant category in personal audio, capturing 55% of the market share. And BOULT rode this wave perfectly. 2️⃣ Pricing Strategy: International brands like Apple and Sony charge ₹5k-₹10k, but BOULT found the sweet spot by offering top-tier quality at an affordable price. Why? Because they understood consumer behavior—people tend to lose their wireless earbuds, so BOULT’s budget-friendly approach made sense. 3️⃣ Sales Channels: E-commerce is where the action is: A massive 70-75% of TWS sales come from platforms like Amazon and Flipkart, making up ₹6,000 Cr of India's personal audio market. D2C (Direct-to-Consumer) is a tough nut to crack: At just 10% of total sales, it’s not as profitable due to high customer acquisition costs (CAC) and slimmer margins. 4️⃣ Profitability Formula: E-commerce becomes profitable once organic sales start rolling in, after the initial marketing push. Offline sales, despite the higher costs, offer better margins and long-term stability because of the emotional connection with customers. D2C serves the brand recall purpose, not immediate profits. 5️⃣ Cost Breakdown: Marketing costs in D2C can be as high as 50% in the beginning. On the other hand, e-commerce marketing costs stabilize as the brand grows. Offline channels demand a higher team cost and operational overhead, but in return, they build brand loyalty and long-term trust. --- Takeaway: BOULT succeeded by offering affordable quality, embracing multi-channel sales, and truly understanding India's price-sensitive yet quality-conscious audience. They didn't just play the game; they changed the rules. --- So, what do you think about the future of personal audio in India? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! So, if you found this post insightful, make sure to give it a thumbs up. This is Aishwarya, Signing off!! #ecommerce #stratergy

17

6 Comments