Swamini Khanvilkar

V3 Ventures Deal Announcement: Creme Castle - A tech first driven assembly line bakery for Bharat! 🔥 While I was evaluating this file, a lot of people said - bakery? There are 100s of home bakers. How is this scalable? I would have agreed, until I met Pranjay Mittal, who brought innovation from IIT-D, FMS and CarDekho Group to his mom’s humble bakery in Noida. You might remember their Shark Tank episode where his mom famously said, “Main neend mein baking kar sakti hu” 😊 That passion is exactly what we want in founders! From a small bakery in Noida to now clocking monthly sales of over 1 Cr, Creme Castle is disrupting the $12.6 billion Indian bakery industry. 🎂 Here is why we invested… ✅Changing consumer behavior from mithai → cakes & desserts India is a land of festivals and no festival is complete without mithai. However, cakes & desserts are now taking center stage in these celebrations. as the Gen Z takes over. We all know India is trading up. So, there's a growing demand for Tiramisu in Tier 2 and 3. But, we’re lacking a player. ✅The Assembly Line Model: And, we need a player that’s standardized. The biggest problem with F&B is that when you order from the 2nd and 3rd outlet - the product isn’t as good. This is the most unique part of Creme Castle. Cakes are made in 3 components in a central kitchen - base (sponge), icing and customization. At spoke kitchen it’s only about putting these parts together - thus ensuring quality! ✅This industry is regionalized and heavily fragmented: Think about it, growing up, we all had cakes from our favorite local bakery. Every city has one, but when we moved for college or work - it wasn’t there. Cakes have a nostalgia factor associated with it and so making this change is hard. With all of this Creme Castle is can offer something India hasn’t seen before: - 100% customized cakes in just 2 hours - World's highest # of flavor profiles to choose from They have >10 Lakh loyal customers with a 60% repeat rate and we’re all geared up to expand from NCR to Jaipur and Chandigarh! We’re excited to back the mother-son duo of Veena and Pranjay to disrupt India’s cake market 🎂 What’s do you order cake? PS: Delhi-NCR folks, give us a try. Even available on Blinkit! #india #investment #startup #investor #entrepreneur

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Secludy uses differential privacy & synthetic datasets that mimic source data to train AI models on your most valuable data – without leaking PII. Translation? They build the safest, most private way to train AI for your user base. Excited to support Ben Cerchio and Mingze He,Ph.D. on this mission.

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I am always amazed when someone discovers whitespace in B2B SaaS that is eligible for pre-seed funding. It's interesting to see that Chiratae Ventures led Pre-Seed round for Pepsales. Pepsales is trying to help B2B SaaS companies improve their sales by creating personalized product demos using AI and ML. The pain point they are trying to address is that most demos don't impress buyers because they tend to be generic and one-size-fits-all. Congrats Ajay Singh and Abhinandan Sahgal! Source: INC42, Entrackr, VCCircle #VentureCapital #B2BSaas

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Connecting Early-Stage Founders with Exceptional Investors: My Favorites In the ecosystem, where conversations with funds and investors can be daunting, these individuals make you feel welcomed. They empower you to keep moving forward. 🚀 Let's explore my top recommendations: 1. Ishan Sinha from Athera Venture Partners (formerly Inventus India)     - Ishan embodies humility and honesty. His genuine interest in your journey creates a welcoming atmosphere.   - Throughout discussions, expect a constant feedback loop. Ishan's insights help refine your proposal.   - Led by Rajiv Mehta, a one-hour meeting with him can propel your business months ahead. Rajiv's wealth of experience transforms your perspective in a positive way. 2. Naman Lahoty from Stellaris Venture Partners    - Naman's responsiveness is unmatched. A quick LinkedIn message leads to an efficient meeting setup.   - His excitement and respect for founders demonstrate his commitment to fostering meaningful connections.   - When you engage with Naman, you'll feel valued and heard. Major kudos for his approach! 3. Marmik Mankodi from Blume Ventures    - Marmik combines positivity with actionable advice. In your first call, expect constructive feedback.   - He goes beyond the surface, sitting down with you to fix your pitch deck. A kind and empathetic human being.   - Marmik's genuine interest in your success sets him apart. 4. Laksh Sharma from Eximius Ventures    - Laksh ensures consistent communication from the initial conversation to the deal's closure.   - You won't feel disconnected; he maintains a personal touch.   - Led by Pearl Agarwal, Eximius operates with dynamism. Pearl's quick grasp of your business details is commendable.   - Faster turnarounds and clear communication define the Eximius experience. 5. Prateek Agarwal (Pre-seed investor)   - Prateek is your compass in the investment world. His honesty and willingness to guide early-stage founders are invaluable.   - He provides the correct picture of scenarios, helping you navigate challenges.   - Regardless of outcomes, remember the kind gestures from these individuals. As an early-stage founder, their support boosts your confidence. Wishing you the best as you raise funds for your startup! Feel free to reach out if you need further insights or advice. 👏😊

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One of the biggest lessons I learned from working on this business is that there is no greater foundation for a young person trying to break their way into the business world than sales. This doesn't mean if you aren't a good seller this invalidates your ability to start a business. But someone on your team needs to be. Also as social media progresses, marketing and sales become increasingly intertwined. LinkedIn itself is a huge part of that. I think there is usually a point in every bootstrapped entrepreneurs journey where the partners say - "Alright, we need to make some money otherwise were gonna have to go find a job." And usually 1 of 2 things happen from that point. Either the startup fades away (Startups don't die they fade away). Or you break down your offering to the simplest level (guided by actual customer feedback) and try to ascertain what your target customer actually wants to pay for. Then you sell it to them. That's how you build a business in a nutshell.

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Excited to announce the launch of Bracket by BoldCap 🚀 India's first Go-To-Market platform for entrepreneurs building global AI companies. For the past year, Bracket has been exclusively supporting our portfolio founders to tackle the complexities of scaling AI-native products in the global market, especially North America. Today, I am excited to launch Bracket; to provide all AI builders with the same GTM accessibility.. 🎯 The new landscape shift has made it absolutely clear that traditional SaaS playbooks no longer fit the bill for AI-native products. We are redefining this through Bracket – our closely curated community of 50+ GTM operators across North America and Europe who offer the resources, networks, and the new-age playbooks that founders need in their $0-$1M journey of building an AI company from India to the world. 🌍 We work with some of the smartest minds in GTM globally– from the Revenue director at Clari, Pricing leader at DocuSign, GTM leader at Databricks, Sales leader at Outreach to Growth Leader at Snowflake and many more– all exceptionally talented operators who have built multiple GTM motions from scratch and are now committed to support the upcoming generation of entrepreneurs along with us. We deeply believe this is what our ecosystem needs: accessibility to the right leaders in the global market, and we aim to bridge this for Indian founders. Thanks to our early GTM partners Jyoti Swarnkar Samuel Sunderaraj Kiran Surapaneni Merritt Baer Murali K Atul Sahai Ramana Narayanam Sara Archer Sara Jones Shiv Sundar Stan Rymkiewicz Andreas Drakos Andres Lozano Sanudo Ashwath M. Brant W. Cody Harris Connor Williams Daniil Krets Jake Haselden Jeff de Ruyter Karthik Ramamoorthy Kevin Flitcroft Laura Handy LeeRon Yahalomi Paul McGhee Shane O'Neill (and the list goes on.... unfortunately not able to tag more) who shaped Bracket into a powerful community along with us. Big shout out to Aditi Gera for all her effort on putting this together and to the rest of the BoldCap team Shiv Tayal Pratham Chadha Kevin D'Souza. Thank you Bhuvana Kamath and YourStory Media for this exclusive coverage - https://lnkd.in/gZBXTsmv If you're founder in the AI software space, we are excited to work with you! BoldCap

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Recently read a very interesting post by Balaji BK about how he’s frustrated with the Indian VC ecosystem. While I completely agree with you, I think you should chat with us. We have a different and new strategy at All In Capital. Best in class or not we don't know but we are surely doing our best to achieve that. 1) We back way more companies than a traditional VC would back (20-25) - It allows us to back non-obvious founders and newer technologies. 2) Our Value add is very well defined our expertise lies in backing non-obvious founders who are not ready for tier 1 VC and preparing them for that. Our 100+ founders would vouch for that. 3) Yes we are a bit conservative but very open to backing new technologies - our portfolio includes a space tech company - PierSight Space, @Piiko.io - Helping improve diagnosis with a deep tech revolutionary device and many more. 4) We have this thesis of obvious and non-obvious founders and we don't back companies alongside tier 1 VCs but before them. Many of our founders are not from tier-1 colleges. Our strategy does get pushback at times but we continue to try and disrupt the pre seed VC market in India.

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EdTech: The Highs, the Lows, and the Reset 📚 The Indian EdTech sector has been a whirlwind, hasn’t it? From skyrocketing valuations to gut-wrenching reality checks: Unacademy, once valued at $3.44B, now facing an $800M acquisition offer. BYJU'S’S, the behemoth, dusted. Vedantu, with $326M raised, makes a mere $20M in revenue. PW (PhysicsWallah), once a beacon of hope, now navigating losses of ₹1,131 crore. And let’s not forget other players like Doubtnut, Stoa, and Bluelearn, which have either downsized or exited entirely. So, what went wrong? 1️⃣ Overfunding without a sustainable model. 2️⃣ Aggressive scaling leading to unsustainable losses. 3️⃣ Misalignment between growth aspirations and market realities. But is this the end? Absolutely not. I see this as a reset for the sector. The EdTech space still holds immense potential for innovation—leaner models, localized approaches, and genuine problem-solving can pave the way for a new breed of startups. The question is: Who will step up and rewrite the EdTech narrative? Share your thoughts! What lessons can we take from this reset? #EdTech #Startups #Reset #LessonsInBusiness #Innovation

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"Interesting insights into the Indian VC landscape! This article sheds light on the evolving nature of venture capital investments in deep tech. It's fascinating to see the changing dynamics and the potential impact on innovation and entrepreneurship in India. #VentureCapital #DeepTech #Innovation #Entrepreneurship" https://lnkd.in/gNY_zNXq

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Eat the customer!? Rinky Jain, Head of TA and HR at Jupiter, shares the most inappropriate interview response she’s ever gotten! If you're hiring for your startup and want to find the right talent, try Weekday. We've worked with >500 seed funded startups to help hire their core teams across Engineering, Product, and Design. Link in comments if you want to explore (get 5 free resumes within 24 hours).

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5.1 Years to Billion Dollar Dreams: India's Startup Boom Accelerates Forget the seven-year itch. In India's booming startup scene, achieving unicorn status (a valuation of over $1 billion) is happening at breakneck speed. While Inc42 Media reports a median time of 5.1 years, some startups are reaching this milestone in mere months! This lightning-fast growth is a testament to the incredible maturity of India's entrepreneurial landscape. Gone are the days of waiting years for billion-dollar valuations. Today's market is a launchpad for ambitious ideas, fueled by increased investor interest and a growing pool of tech talent. Of course, the past two years haven't been without their challenges. Market corrections have slowed the overall pace of unicorn creation. However, this doesn't diminish the underlying trend: India's startup ecosystem is undergoing a revolution, with innovation happening faster than ever before. This is a powerful moment for Indian entrepreneurs. The time is ripe to seize the opportunity and build the next generation of global giants. What do you think of India's Startup Ecosystem and journey to 100+ unicorns? Is it time to forget Silicon Valley? Is India the New Startup Capital? Share your insights in the comments below! 🔖Save this post, for future reference 🔁Repost to help others If you liked this post,give a 👍Follow me Monica Jasuja #startups #india #unicorns #digitalindia #fintech

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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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Managing a VC fund is not as easy or glamorous as it might seem. While there are opportunities, there are also many challenges. Here's a candid conversation with Dr. Srikanth Sundararajan general partner at VenturEast Investing since 1997! Dr. Sundararajan has experience in both the US and Indian startup ecosystems and has witnessed the evolution of the venture capital industry. He shares valuable insights on how to improve the investment landscape, focusing on policy and regulatory changes. Link to the video in the first comment. #venturecapital Excluto

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Last year, we featured perspectives of some well established VCs on what makes a good pitch. Some of the names include Aditya Arora of Faad Capital, Mehul Shah of Ivy Growth and Gaurav Aggarwal of Seed VC Innovation. Their top takeaways: 1. Respect VC time. A good pitch can wrap up in under 4 minutes 2. Don't brag about a million dollar market when your startup hasn't even captured 0.1% of it. 3. Nervousness is a big red flag 4. Founder, Founder, Founder...is the most important thing VCs bet on!

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🌟 Startup Spotlight-7: PW (PhysicsWallah)    Industry: #Edtech   Founded: 2016   Founder: Alakh Pandey (PhysicsWallah)   Valuation: Estimated $1.1 Billion+ (#UnicornStatus)   Milestones: Over 10 million students impacted, with a #YouTube channel boasting over 20 million subscribers and an expanding range of affordable online and offline courses. 🚀 Brief: #Physics #Wallah (PW) has emerged as a game-changer in India’s edtech landscape, offering high-quality, affordable education to millions of students. What began as a humble YouTube channel has now grown into a full-fledged edtech #unicorn, redefining how students across India prepare for competitive exams, particularly in #STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. 🌟 Positive Points:  - 🎓 Accessibility & Affordability: PW’s courses are priced significantly lower than those of competitors, democratizing access to #high-#quality education for students from all walks of life.   - 📈 Massive Reach: With a strong presence on YouTube and its own app, Physics Wallah reaches over 10 million students, providing them with #free and #paid content that covers everything from basic concepts to advanced topics.   - 🌐 Hybrid Learning Model: PW offers both online and offline learning options, catering to a wide range of students. Their offline centers, known as “#PW #Vidyapeeths,” are expanding across major Indian cities.   - 🏅 Proven Results: The platform has consistently delivered top-tier results, with many of its students securing top ranks in competitive exams like #JEE and #NEET.  ⚠️ Challenges:   - 💼 Scaling Operations: As Physics Wallah expands rapidly, maintaining the same level of quality across all its offerings, especially in new offline centers, is a significant challenge.   - 🌍 Competitive Landscape: The edtech market in India is highly competitive, with players like BYJU'S, Unacademy, and Vedantu investing heavily in marketing and product innovation.   - 💰 Profitability Pressure: Despite its success, there is ongoing pressure to balance #affordability with #profitability, especially as the company scales its operations and enters new markets.   - 🛡️ Content Regulation: Navigating the evolving regulatory environment in India’s education sector, including content guidelines and #data privacy laws, presents ongoing challenges. 📊 Current Status:   - 🏆 Market Position: Physics Wallah is a dominant force in India’s edtech sector, particularly known for its expertise in #STEM education and competitive exam preparation.   - 📅 Recent Developments: Recently raised $100 million in #Series #A funding, making it one of the few profitable unicorns in the edtech space. The funds are being utilized for expanding offline centers, enhancing tech infrastructure, and launching new courses.  #STEMEducation #StartupIndia #AffordableLearning #InnovationInEducation #CompetitiveExams #7 #99DayChallenge

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Had an amazing conversation with Amrth Shenava of Flashmates  on Business Podcast by Roohi- a while back That episode is now finally live on YouTube My key takeaways: 1. Podcasting = exponential grow your network, and audience 2. Media adds distribution 3. Network effects matters a lot  4.IRL connections are really important Link to watch the episode below 

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I never imagined I could manage both - job hunting and building a startup. Here are 5 strategies that have helped me to balance both pursuits effectively, along with my personal experiences that have shaped these methods. 🎖 Targeting Skill-Enhancing Roles: I mostly focus on roles in marketing and consulting that provide practical skills in market analysis, strategic planning, and client management. For instance, during my previous marketing internship, I mastered digital campaign strategies that directly benefited my startup @ConceptCorner 's online presence. 🎖 Structured Networking: Networking with industry professionals has been instrumental. I actively seek out marketing consultants, educators in the test prep industry, and startup mentors. A pivotal moment was meeting a seasoned marketing executive who shared insights that revolutionized my approach to customer engagement, leading to a significant boost in our user base. 🎖 Time Blocking: To maintain focus and productivity, I practice strict time blocking. Mornings are dedicated to job applications and interview preparations, while afternoons and evenings are reserved for working on my startup. This structured approach was particularly effective the night I balanced preparing for an investor pitch with studying for an international marketing exam. 🎖 Leveraging University Resources: I make full use of The University of British Columbia 's career services, workshops, and alumni networks. These resources have been pivotal in resume building and interview preparation. A mock interview session with a career advisor once gave me the confidence boost I needed to excel in a critical consulting job interview, which at the same time opened doors to valuable industry experience. 🎖 Seeking Mentorship and Feedback: Actively seeking mentorship and feedback has truly been a game changer. By regularly consulting with mentors who have experience in both the corporate and startup worlds, I've gained invaluable insights and guidance. One mentor's advice on refining my business pitch led to a successful partnership with a school for my startup while another's feedback on my job interview techniques helped me secure a key internship. In my opinion it's all about finding roles that align with your long-term goals and using each experience as a stepping stone. This journey has not only fostered my growth as an entrepreneur but also sharpened my ability to navigate the professional landscape with confidence and strategic insight. Passion and perseverance are crucial in achieving great work and making a meaningful impact, and through this balancing act, I’ve learned that both are essential to success. #Startup #Entrepreneur #JobHunting #Entrepreneurship #CareerGrowth #skills #strategies #internship #TimeManagement #PersonalDevelopment #MarketingStrategy #Consulting #Networking #ContinuousLearning #Mentorship #ProfessionalGrowth #CareerAdvice #Innovation #WorkLifeBalance

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Does improving your GMAT score feel like an insurmountable challenge? Imagine going from 490 to 685! Meet Kartik, who did just that, achieving a stellar 685 on the GMAT Focus Edition, placing him in the 97th percentile. Through unwavering diligence and strategic approach, Kartik transformed his performance in Verbal from the 43rd percentile to an impressive 98th percentile and improved to the 96th percentile in Data Insight. 1. 𝐕𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Starting with a 43rd percentile in Verbal, Kartik soared to the 98th percentile. How? Kartik honed the skills of pre-thinking in CR and reading strategies in RC. The video lessons in the course and Scholaranium helped him master Critical Reasoning, and Reading Comprehension. He says, “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘰 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘦𝘭𝘱𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘺 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘴 𝘦𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘭𝘺. 𝘚𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘶𝘮’𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘩𝘦𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘢𝘵 𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘺, 𝘴𝘪𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘧𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘭𝘺 𝘪𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘧𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦.” 2. 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐐𝐮𝐚𝐧𝐭: From a 21st percentile to the 81st, Kartik’s quant journey was transformative. Despite a math background, he struggled initially. Learning the process skills taught in the course and focused practice on the cementing quizzes made all the difference. 3. 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐲: A section that initially seemed daunting turned into Kartik’s strength, taking him from the 56th to the 96th percentile in just 40 days. By learning the art of reading tables and interpreting data correctly, Kartik could efficiently break down complex information and draw accurate conclusions. “𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘢𝘯𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘹𝘦𝘳𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦𝘴 𝘮𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘋𝘐 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘦𝘢𝘴𝘪𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘮𝘦,” he says. 4. 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Kartik’s success wasn’t just about learning concepts but also strategic preparation. He meticulously analysed his mistakes, managed his time effectively, and maintained a positive mindset throughout his journey. If you’re facing similar challenges, don’t miss Kartik’s inspiring story! Learn how strategic preparation and the right resources can transform your GMAT journey. Watch Kartik's Journey Here: https://lnkd.in/gTcDVqwr Follow Payal Tandon and Rajat Sadana for more stories and strategies that will help you ace the GMAT! Rajat, Abhinav, Atul, Shubham, Rida, Prakriti, Sanchari, Abhishek, Rashmi, Abha, Satish, Manas, Dhruv #GMAT #GMATPreparation #GMATSuccess #eGMAT #TestPreparation #SuccessStory #MBA #BusinessSchool #StudySmart #AchieveYourGoals

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