Barada Sahu

Truly inspiring to listen to Dax Dasilva tell the story of Lightspeed Commerce on 20VC. With $900M in ARR I was thrilled to learn that Dax bootstrapped the company for 7 years to get to $10M in ARR. I hope it doesn't take us 7 years to get Liquid360 there but it makes me feel better about the 3.5 years we've put in to date. For me these stories are deeply encouraging. When you're building something very big it can take time to get to launch. A couple of weeks ago we met with a global player in the VC world. They were looking to invest $5M - $10M and we said we weren't there yet. We'll get there but it wouldn't be the right move today. They then jumped to another conclusion. The wrong one. I get it. They have a multi-billion dollar fund and capital to deploy. We have a company to grow and too much cash will not help us do it right. We've made good decisions being lean. Our customers are starting at $500K. This is an enterprise/gov't product. We have to satisfy a very discerning customer. No bugs, no glitches. A dependable and reliable product. We are excited by the feedback. We are making the world safer. Harry Stebbings suggested that Lightspeed is one of the most misunderstood companies. It's market cap is $2.6B which seems really low relative to the ARR. Very interesting episode.

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#BuildingInPublic 20: VCs advice founders to focus and build a single product to $10M ARR. However, more and more founders these days advise on multiple products as early as possible. Met with Girish Mathrubootham today and his advise was... Be a Multi-product company. Happy to say.. Tick, ThriveStack is a Multi-product company from get go! Of course his second advise was, Win and retain Customers.. We have lot to work on there 😊

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#BuildingInPublic 20: VCs advice founders to focus and build a single product to $10M ARR. However, more and more founders these days advise on multiple products as early as possible. Met with Girish Mathrubootham today and his advise was... Be a Multi-product company. Happy to say.. Tick, ThriveStack is a Multi-product company from get go! Of course his second advise was, Win and retain Customers.. We have lot to work on there 😊

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The REAL Investors = always bring in a Dollar+ Value into the business Money = Commodity, & smart founders will always be able to raise rounds, but bringing the ‘Right Investors’ who add $+ Value is THE GAME. Back in 2021 when we were just getting started - Huddle Ventures was one of our earliest believers. From crazy brainstorming to > customer access > preparing our 1st pitch & eventually > raising our first round — we had a lot of fun building our 0-1 with the folks at Huddle (they were an accelerator back then) They’re out with their Fund II now & will be backing the next generation of entrepreneurs. If you’re a founder building an early-stage venture - feel free to reachout to them at Huddle Ventures or email them on [email protected] 🚀 Sanil Sachar | Ishaan Khosla | Sarthak Rastogi

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{New pod 🎤} "𝐆𝐓𝐌 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐔𝐒-𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚 𝐁2𝐁 𝐒𝐚𝐚𝐒 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐩𝐬" This episode explores GTM strategies and learnings for US-India B2B SaaS startups. We cover everything from finding design partners in the US, scoping MVPs, figuring out what ICP to focus on, navigating the unique challenges of early PMF, GTM hiring in the US, and finally, working towards creating M&A exit options. Joining me for this discussion is Satya Ganni, an experienced SaaS founder and operator who has successfully built and sold five companies and led two acquisitions as a buyer. He is currently serving as CEO of Beamer and Userflow. Beamer is developing a cutting-edge product-led growth toolkit tailored to product leaders at SaaS and digital-first companies. They recently acquired Userflow to augment the business. TIME STAMPS: (01:15) Satya’s journey as a repeat US-India SaaS founder and operator (04:38) [Case Study: 0-to-1] Finding US design partners (11:09) Scoping B2B SaaS MVPs (15:42) [Case Study: $10k-100k ARR] Identifying which ICP to focus on - SMB vs mid-market vs enterprise (22:23) [Case Study: $100k-$1Mn ARR] Navigating the unique challenges of early PMF (27:18) [Case Study: $1-5Mn ARR] Building a US leadership team post-PMF (34:33) [Case Study: $5-20Mn ARR] Working towards creating M&A exit options  (38:46) Learning to become a proactive relationship builder YouTube - https://lnkd.in/guGQeBwA Spotify - https://lnkd.in/gAg7XeF4 Apple Podcasts - https://lnkd.in/gkYEDpED An Operator's Blog - https://lnkd.in/ggGbzSKY

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The Watugot Revolution: How Restaurants Can Break Free from Commission-Based Delivery Apps For years, restaurants have been bound to commission-based delivery apps like UberEats, GrubHub, Swiggy, Zomato and DoorDash, sacrificing profit margins and control over customer relationships. However, Watugot is changing the game with its innovative subscription-based model, empowering restaurants to take back control and thrive in the digital age. The Drawbacks of Commission-Based Delivery Apps 1. Exorbitant Commission Fees: Up to 30% per order, eating into restaurants' profit margins 2. Loss of Customer Control: Third-party apps own customer data and relationships 3. Dependence on Delivery Services: Restaurants rely on external services for delivery, compromising quality and control 4. Pricing Pressure: Discounts and promotions reduce profit margins, impacting sustainability 5. Limited Menu Flexibility: Restaurants are restricted in customizing their menu and pricing The Watugot Solution 1. Monthly Subscription Fee: A fraction of the cost compared to commission-based models 2. Restaurant-Controlled Shopping and Delivery: Maintain control over customer relationships and data 3. No Commissions on Orders: Price food similarly to walk-in customers, increasing profit margins 4. Menu Flexibility: Restaurants can customize their menu and pricing as desired 5. Direct Customer Engagement: Encourage customer loyalty and retention through direct relationships Benefits for Restaurants 1. Increased Profit Margins: Reduce costs associated with commission-based apps 2. Regained Control: Over customer relationships, data, and delivery services 3. Competitive Pricing: Offer prices similar to walk-in customers without compromising quality 4. Improved Customer Service: Focus on delivering exceptional experiences and building brand loyalty 5. Sustainability: A cost-effective solution for long-term success By joining the Watugot revolution, restaurants can break free from the constraints of commission-based delivery apps and thrive in a more sustainable, customer-centric ecosystem. #pioneers #pinetwork #web3 #Watugot #dapps #decentralisation #localshopping

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What makes a brand appeal to VCs? When we pitched GoKwik for the first time to a VC, the product didn’t even exist. Just an idea, but VCs were interested. They knew COD RTO, bad checkout experience were some deep rooted problems in the D2C space, that noone was solving for - and they saw a growth potential there.  This week, when Shantanu Deshpande, Revant Bhate, Darshit Vora, and I sat down for the Asymmetric podcast, Darshit made a very interesting point about how VC math works. Some takeaways:  - VCs make follow on investments in companies they believe have growth potential - they catch on to signals of growth. - Backing a company also sends signals to market that the first investors are still with them, showcasing consistency.  - Sometimes, companies pivot in their solutions, which makes them even appealing - that vision that the company will make big is also important. Blackbuck is an interesting example - its into freight logistics but noone ever thought it could techify this business. And today, its IPOed. For D2C brands, the model works in a similar way. - Be an incumbent, launch a product that creates immediate value. - Have scalable unit economics that prove your growth can be profitable. - Build loyalty. Retention and repeat purchases are key signals for VCs. VC math is simple: check the signals, double down and repeat. Full ep: https://lnkd.in/e_bfutuY

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🎉 The Clientell Family has some exciting news to share 🎉 We're thrilled to announce that Clientell has successfully raised $2.5 million in a seed funding round led by Blume Ventures, with participations from our existing investors, including Chiratae Ventures, Artha Venture Fund and from Z5 Capital. https://lnkd.in/gZukPBUg This investment marks a significant milestone in our journey to redefine Revenue Operations. At Clientell, we envision a future where autonomous AI agents handle the entire spectrum of RevOps tasks. These AI-driven agents will serve as copilots, enhancing productivity and efficiency for RevOps teams everywhere. While our vision is expansive, the road ahead is filled with opportunities for innovation and growth. We are gearing up to dive deep into the development phase and are enthusiastic about the impact we as a team can create in this space. We're hiring! To realize our ambitious goals, we are expanding our team. We are looking for passionate, innovative minds ready to join us in shaping the future of RevOps through cutting-edge technology. If you are excited about AI and making a significant impact, we would love to hear from you. Career's page: https://lnkd.in/gwPXQhjZ A special thank you to Venkatesh Peddi from Chiratae Ventures for taking an early bets on us in our first round as well as being the pillar of strength and voice of reason across the pivots and hard decisions. Lastly, the only thing that I'm really proud about here is the stellar team we have who are building this company. It's a whirlwind ride it wouldn't have been possible if any one of them wasn't there. Since it's their company as well so won't say thank you, but I really appreciate the opportunity of building a company with each one of them: Aryan Trip. Ruthuparna K. Prathik Shetty Sayak Samaddar Shivraj N. Ayush Singh Chauhan Palak Jani Penchala Tharun 🚀 Kirti Bhatia Malaya Sahoo Ankit Deshwal To our investors, partners, and the entire Clientell community, thank you for your trust and support. It is an exciting journey and we look for to sharing the same with you all. #Clientell #FundingNews #RevOps #AI #StartUpLife #WeAreHiring #Innovation

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Startup decks vs Business plans. It's accepted that a startup needs a deck. Dax Dasilva of Lightspeed Commerce made an important point on 20VC. Writing a business plan - including financial projections - is an important step. It requires discipline. It provides a rigorous framework for thinking deeply about the problem you're trying to solve. Harry Stebbings countered that he doesn't even want to see a deck since it's all dreams. We spent a lot of time and energy on our business plan with the expectation that we would show it to no one ever. The business plan was part of our roadmap for the company. We researched customers - including having 50+ conversations. We wanted to understand them: their background, their interests, their presence on social media. We also wanted to understand how they were evaluated by leadership and how integrated they were with the business of the company they were protecting. We researched pricing both with potential customers and other products in our industry to find out if OpEx or CapEx was a better fit. How did they buy today? How would they like to buy? We did market research to understand the verticals and map the right entry point - we were wrong but that doesn't reduce the value of the research. We looked at competitors in depth to understand what they were seeing that we weren't. Dax is right. This is an invaluable document that should be updated every year - the company is changing, the market is changing, there's more feedback about price and ICP. It's not for sharing with the outside world. It's a map for driving forward. Decks won't get you investment - VCs invest in people. We make decks but we know they don't tell our story. The deck is a calling card. Dax and Harry are both right. https://lnkd.in/e25M82xY

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Can technical founders become effective CEOs? Srinath Sridhar knew he needed to step out of his comfort zone when he founded Regie.ai four years ago. Now he and cofounder Matt Millen have raised more than $20 million and landed on G2’s list of fastest-growing software products of 2024. My full conversation with Sri is in the comments.

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While feature parity is a common concern in SaaS, the reality of true product commoditisation might be more complex than we think. Even in crowded markets where features can be easily replicated, there's always room for meaningful differentiation. In this clip, Ranudi Jayasinghe shares an interesting perspective using the analogy of strawberry sellers - how two seemingly identical products can still capture different market segments based on factors like convenience and values alignment. But this raises some interesting questions: 🤔 In a world where features can be replicated quickly, how sustainable is product differentiation? 🤔 Are we overlooking simple differentiators that matter more to buyers than we realize? 🤔 How many SaaS companies are actually investing in identifying and communicating their unique value propositions? What's your take on product differentiation in SaaS? Have you seen examples where seemingly minor differentiators made a major impact on buying decisions? You can find the full episode on YouTube and on popular podcast channels. #unsoldpodcast #saas #marketing #differentiation #b2bsaas #positioning

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Sometimes I see team members in startups row in different directions, or the target keeps changing, or worse, the CEO blows in with a fresh and shiny idea and redirects energy away from work already in progress. These are all symptoms of needing a more thoughtful approach to setting priorities. Some prompts below to help leaders think through how to talk about this subtle but important part of the business:

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🚀 Choosing the Right Platforms for D2C Growth: Discovery vs. Intent 🚀 One question we get all the time from D2C brands: "Where should I focus—Website or marketplaces?" Here's a simple framework to maximize each platform’s strengths and scale faster. 🔍 Meta (Discovery Platforms) For products with innovation at their core—think unique ingredients, tech advancements, or a game-changing form—Meta is your playground. With discovery-driven platforms, you can go deep into the “why” and educate your audience on what makes your product special. Here, storytelling wins, and a single, well-positioned product can drive 1 Cr++ monthly with the right value proposition and a couple of upsells. 🌱✨ Meta is built for discovery—ideal for bringing unique offerings to life and creating high-engagement touchpoints. Use it to educate and create loyalty early on, when differentiation matters most. 🔑 Marketplaces (Intent Platforms) Marketplaces, on the other hand, are where intent meets action. They’re ideal for products with top-of-mind recall or where people are actively searching to fulfill a need. Once your product has built some brand recognition and mass appeal, marketplaces can help you capture demand through high-intent queries. Think of them as scaling engines for products that have already won consumer trust. Segmentation Strategy: 1️⃣ Personalized & Unique Products → Use discovery platforms like Meta to build the brand story and stand out. 2️⃣ Established & Scalable Products → Move these to marketplaces to leverage search-driven intent and capture demand. Takeaway: Start on discovery-based platforms to introduce innovation, then leverage intent-based marketplaces to scale once your brand has recognition. This dual approach maximizes visibility and audience engagement as you grow. #D2C #eCommerce #GrowthStrategy #MetaAds #Marketplaces #ProductLaunch #Scaling

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In my latest conversation with Sanjeev Mohan , we took on a topic that resonates with so many of us: → Imposter Syndrome. We all have moments of self-doubt, especially in the fast-paced world of tech and startups. Sanjeev shared his personal experiences and insights on overcoming that nagging feeling of "not being enough." This conversation is a must-listen for anyone who has ever felt like they don't belong or are just waiting to be "found out." →  Check out the clip and don't forget to subscribe to the Better You by Neeraj podcast on your favorite platform. The full episode will be released in 2 weeks. 😎 Just search for "Better You by Neeraj" and hit subscribe! #Podcast #ImposterSyndrome #Startups #Leadership #TechTalks

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if you know, you know Vinod Khosla of Khosla Ventures. nerd. founder. wise. man. been there done that sv. wisdom. it's missing. let's face it. it's always been missing over time. for.ever. so it's a blessing truly to have an o.g. that keeps it for reals. yes we are a fan. much like Jensen Huang Fei-Fei Li ilya sutskever ...and other good people in sv. they are the ones who make this place so special. indeed they do. here https://lnkd.in/exWqey9K we have sam i am that's all that i am sam (alt)man having a 1-1 with the man. this is a must watch to provide a foundational (no llm required here) mindset as to how sv is at it's best (and worse). caution. watch out for the truth bombs. vinod is (in)famous for this style and we <love> him for it. thank g-d he exists. if you meet the dbags in sf/bayarea your experience you will be quickly lonely, dazed and confused. best to listen to these wise words from vinod and from that determine your spot in the sv landscape. with an insight on the sv playbook from a master. well. need i say more. it's about the very spirit of sv that makes it so special. and this is indeed embodied in a few who are masters. deserve our attention. yeah. yeah. i know attention is all you need. although what happens if your attention is being distracted from building. being in the company of those who will join your mission ala brian chesky of Airbnb. missionaries. search for the good missionaries in sv. keep away and keep in mind of the mercenaries. they are there. pg. he's another gift (as opposed to the grifters) paul graham wrote about this too https://lnkd.in/eEYmQwqZ - being a chesky-esque missionary. these are good things to follow on the path of achieving escape velocity as an (ai) startup. oh. hollywood has entered the ranks of sv. yes it has. so there is a bit of performance art that is required. not enough that you've created something that's novel (truly, novel). also requires a bit of showmanship. audacious in fact. it's a well known sentiment that audacious ideas motivate people. sun microsystems. audacious. juniper. audacious. OpenAI. vinod as an early investor. audacious. Vinod Khosla was born audacious. so fitting he found a place in this world where many have benefitted from this sentiment. perhaps years ago a bit on the abrasive side. now with those white hairs. the elder statesman. non-diplomat. rules, the roost of that which allows for others to flourish. note if you manage to thread the needle of vinod means that it's a very very very good beginning. nothing is guaranteed of course. as my lawyer 'friends' like to say. * buyer beware. be aware. Vinod Khosla is. are you (ai)? are you?? perhaps yes. perhaps, non. < . >

Pl do register for this very interesting session!

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India’s Oyo, once valued at $10 billion, is finalizing new funding at a $2.5 billion valuation. This marks a steep decline from its $10 billion valuation in 2019. The startup, which has raised over $3 billion from backers like SoftBank, Peak XV Ventures, Lightspeed, Airbnb, and Microsoft, has struggled to attract institutional investors. In recent months, it has aggressively pitched to high-net-worth individuals after withdrawing its IPO application twice in the past four years. Once a red-hot Indian startup active in markets including the U.S. and Europe, Oyo has now scaled back its international presence. #venture #downround https://lnkd.in/gE2GjYnM

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There's lots of hype around AI, but how can we really derive ROI in real world use cases today? Goda Ramkumar, who leads data science at Swiggy will be helping us answer that question. We'll start with a deep dive into Swiggy's AI practice, recent innovations and future roadmap. Following that, Rakesh M. from Google Cloud will give a demo of real-time personalization with AI: Showing how we can create personalized cart abandonment campaigns seconds after the user leaves. We'll wrap up with drinks on the Alpha Wave terrace in Indiranagar. When: Wednesday September 25th 5:30PM Who: CTO / CPO / Data and Engineering leadership / Tech Founders Where: Alpha Wave India HQ, Indiranagar, Bangalore Register: https://lu.ma/u7c5s83t (limited to first 40, so signup quick!) Rahul Jain Kunal Mathuria Rakesh M. Alpha Wave Global Google

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