Sharad Vij

**Founders & GTM leaders ** -- only 2 days left to sign up for Lightspeed India'a #MastersOfSaaS session with the creator of MEDDIC - John McMahon known widely as the BEST salesperson in the world. John is a board member at companies such as Snowflake MongoDB ThoughtSpot and more! This will be an online session on JUN25th 8-9PM IST / 730AM PST. Please RSVP early to reserve your spot: https://shorturl.at/ZPLxH We'll discuss: - common mistakes in setting up sales teams - learnings from being a CRO at multiple 100M+ ARR businesses - how to hire A+ talent, every. single. time. - and much more!

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SCOOP: Urban Company has turned profitable at PBT level (profit before tax) on a consolidated basis in the last month. The development will potentially smoothen its public listing plan which is likely to happen in 2025. My story:

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Unacademy's Merger Talks: A Critical Perspective The recent buzz about Unacademy's potential merger with K-12 Techno Services raises more questions than it answers. As someone who's closely worked and followed India's edtech industry, I can't help but be skeptical. The edtech sector, once full of promise, is now marred by shutdowns and layoffs. Trust has eroded, not just among consumers but also within the industry. Unacademy, once a shining star, is now grappling with huge losses and a tarnished reputation. High-profile departures and staggering FY23 net losses of INR 1,678.1 Cr highlight the chaos. K-12 Techno, a profit-driven company with solid financials, remains cautious. They're still assessing the value Unacademy can bring, especially with its complex product lines and financial instability. The reality is far from straightforward. This deal seems more like a lifeline for Unacademy than a strategic win for K-12 Techno. Unacademy's journey from a promising startup to seeking a lifeline is a cautionary tale. I'm skeptical about this merger. #EdTech #Unacademy #K12Techno #Startups #Merger #Acquisition #CorporateGovernance #TrustDeficit

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When the world is talking about 10X developers, why not also talk about 10X sales, CRM, and GTM teams? Blume Ventures recently partnered with Clientell , which has raised $2.5M in its seed round, led by Blume, which is on a mission to make sales teams exponentially productive. Clientell uses AI to improve productivity, reduce costs of multiple tools and increase data quality at enterprises, with the aim of making the salespeople better at what they should do - selling. “Clientell is targeting the leaky revenue bucket and the lack of comprehensive revenue intelligence and predictability for enterprise sales teams,” says Sanjay Nath, co-founder and managing partner at Blume Ventures. “As AI penetrates different functions of the enterprise, an AI-first end-to-end connected approach will help sales teams to benefit immediately from deeper insights on their deals and revenue milestones.” Check out the post from co-founder and CTO of Clientell, Neil Sarkar to know what's next for Clientell in this exciting journey. Sajith Pai Karthik B. Reddy Ashish Fafadia Arpit Agarwal Shrey Shah Sumangal V. Saahil Dhaka

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Jar's Head of CS shares their feedback loop framework for success. Watch Pankaj Parihar, Head of Customer Success at Jar, reveal their secret to creating a frictionless experience through an effective feedback loop! Click the link to watch the full video for FREE on HelloMeets! No sign-up fees, just sign up and start learning. -> https://lnkd.in/gZB7VU99 #productmanagement #customerexperience #feedbackloop

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RevOps disruptor Clientell has just secured a game-changing $2.5 million seed funding from the esteemed Blume Ventures! Joining the investment fray are notable backers such as Chiratae Ventures, Artha Venture Fund, and Silicon Valley's very own Z5 Capital. This capital infusion marks a significant milestone for Clientell, propelling its mission to revolutionize revenue generation strategies for businesses worldwide! Founded in 2021 by the dynamic duo Saahil Dhaka and Neil Sarkar, Clientell is at the forefront of innovation. It leverages AI copilots to optimize go-to-market (GTM) strategies and streamline pipeline governance and forecasting processes. With a customized approach that eschews the one-size-fits-all model, Clientell empowers chief revenue officers and go-to-market leaders to unlock unprecedented operational efficiencies. Stay tuned as Clientell continues its meteoric rise, reshaping the landscape of revenue operations one breakthrough at a time! Read More: https://lnkd.in/gsH3kPgA #RevOps #Startup #FundingNews #AI #Innovation

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How did Freshworks achieve ARR $597 Million? Recently in a podcast: https://lnkd.in/gXRbFXMt Girish Mathrubootham mentioned how SEO helped them build a huge awareness, eventually resulting in traffic and a lead pipeline Making it possible to do product-led growth. That's how important SEO is for any SaaS business Start investing in SEO today to build a sustainable growth engine #seo #SaaS #marketing

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Streetz Hyperlocal Pvt Ltd had a brief but a very eventful journey. Loads of people supported us which we are really proud of. Thank you ! 🙏🏻 💡I'll like to share our KEY LEARNINGS here for fellow entrepreneurs who're just starting out💡 In 8 months of launch Streetz had 20K+ downloads, 15K Signups and 8000+ users had transacted on the platform with an AOV of Rs 700+. Streetz boasted an impressive repeat rate of 22% where 10% of the users had ordered more than 3 times. In just 8 months Streetz crossed Rs 70L in GMV of business done on the platform. Streetz grew by 100X in just 13 weeks of launch acquiring customers at below Rs 250 CAC. 🚀🚀 BUT, 1. Healthy Cash flow is the most crucial aspect of an early stage startup. Being frugal is always good. 🤑 2. With discounts you can drive customer orders but you can only ensure loyalty by being consistent in your promises to customers. 🌞 3. India is a very price sensitive market and the price is more important then convenience for a large part of India, a general Indian customer mostly makes purchases rationally, evaluating many options. 🎈 4. Switching costs for customers are very low in today's Hyper competitive market. 🙌🏻 5. Product assortment on a marketplace is P0. The last thing you'll want is a customer dropping because of unavailability of a particular product. 🔑 6. Yes, customers are tolerant if tech/App is average as long as you meet the promises you make as a brand.💟 7. Historic data doesn't always show the right picture for future projections as there are too many variables at play at any given time and unless all external+internal variables are accounted for. 🎦 8. The startup world moves very fast and the agility of founder and team to changing circumstances is a very important asset. 🌊 9. There's nothing wrong in building slowly and steadily as long as your loyal user base is growing consistently and cash is depleting at a lower rate compared to increasing revenues. ❤️ 10. As a founder and team accept the fact that there are going to be many mistakes. Just don't repeat the same mistake twice.❌ 11. Your team is a reflection of you and as a founder it's very important to lead by example and be a coach rather than use the dictator approach in leadership.⛷️ 12. The most important thing which can make you and break you is your attitude. Daily dose of positive thinking really helps.💯 13. When you're a startup due to constraints and uncertainty there would be many dark days. The light of Hope should always shine. 🌄 14. You really need to build a self sustainable, profitable and achievable business plan. Think long-term.✌🏻 15. Know when to fold. You will get different signals from different stakeholders eventually all would colide at same frequency towards the end.🤐 I loved the past 1 year of Streetz journey and I wish All the very best to all the hustlers out there. Signing Off 💜, Monish Shah Founder & CEO Streetz Hyperlocal Pvt Ltd #startup #vc #tech

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As India's SaaS buying landscape evolves, the focus shifts towards unlocking growth and fostering innovation. 🇮🇳 Diverse Solutions: With a diverse range of solutions catering to various industries, SaaS buying in India is witnessing a surge in adoption across sectors. Customization and Scalability: Companies are now prioritizing SaaS solutions that offer customization, scalability, and seamless integration, driving innovation in product offerings. Emerging Startups: The rise of innovative startups is reshaping the market, offering disruptive solutions that challenge traditional norms and drive forward-thinking approaches. Investment and Collaboration: Increased investment and collaboration within the ecosystem are fueling growth, enabling SaaS companies to expand their reach and innovate at a rapid pace. Let's embrace this era of growth and innovation, shaping the future of SaaS buying in India! ✅

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SaaS GTM: The Mechanics of Exponential Growth by Santosh Sharan - a youtube video with incredible value that only got 161 views (shocker). In case you didn't know, Santosh is the COO of Retention.com, mastermind behind RB2B, ex-VP Product/Growth at ZoomInfo & advised a load of data SaaS companies you've definitely used, including Gong... I like to geek out on GTM strategies, and this one SLAPS. Here's a little Google Doc I've put together (in collaboration with Samuel Svestka & ChatGPT) which summarizes the hour long video: https://lnkd.in/d4r7EEnn ✅ Drop a like if I should share some of my other findings on SaaS GTM strategies. ✅ Don't forget to drop Adam Robinson & Santosh Sharan a follow, their approach to building in public is defining a new paradigm in B2B SaaS.

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ZEPIC, Inc., a SaaS-based customer experience firm, has secured $2.1 million (INR 17.5 crore) in pre-seed #capital from Neon Fund and other angel investors who hold prominent positions at Apple, Chargebee, Freshworks, Microsoft, and Zoho. Neon Fund had offered $500K to the round. ZEPIC intends to expand its market presence in the US and other regions and strengthen its AI offerings with the #additional funding. Out-of-the-box connectors and no-code philosophy throughout ZEPIC will allow for rapid integration with existing #customer management tools to present the best possible 360 degree view of the customer. ZEPIC, which was cofounded in 2023 by Sunil Kumar Somarajan Pillai, Bharathi Kannan Ravikumar, Naveen Venkat, and Sreelesh Pillai, assists companies in providing excellent customer experiences across #channels and platforms. Siddhartha Ahluwalia To share your startup story write us on - startup@viestories.com #zepic #neon #startup #funding

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Thanks Bismah and Inc42 Media for the insightful coverage and deep dive into the vital role of operator VCs! Bismah's thoughtful analysis underscores the growing need for operator VCs in today's startup landscape. As an operator VC , I've witnessed firsthand how founders increasingly value more than just capital. They seek partners who bring operational expertise, strategic guidance, and an extensive network to the table. These elements are crucial for driving sustainable growth and navigating the complexities of scaling a business. At GrowthCap Ventures , we understand the unique challenges faced by early-stage startups, which is why we prioritize offering not just funding, but also hands-on support and access to our extensive network. Together, we're empowering founders to realize their vision and build transformative businesses. #OperatorVC #StartupEcosystem #Gratitude

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Today, June 29th, marks 9 years of our launch with just two completed bookings! Some people said it was impossible, other's said the TAM wasn't big enough, but here we are today 9 years, profitable, growing and many imitators entering the market! It's rather flattering we're seeing heavily-funded entrants despite them not being able to create a profitable core business of their own. It also further validates our persistence, patience and business aptitude 😊 From day one, we've focused on positive unit economics, building a scalable tech-stack and not throwing money at problems. With our limited resources, we strived to create proper product-market fit that would sustainably benefit consumers and driver partners, all while generating enough net revenue to build a strong brand and team. It's not just $6m that has been invested, but north of $30m from proceeds we've reinvested. So, for my gracious new competitors out there, best of luck and thank you 🙌 To my 160+ team members, 1,00,000+ driver partners, 8,00,000+ transacting users and our investors thank you for your steadfast support and belief in our brand for nearly a decade. I couldn't be more than excited for what this next year has in store for us! #startups #anniversary #teamwork #profitable #scaling

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Co-lead a workshop (with Sumathi my business partner and Komal lath of Tute Consult) on branding and communication and why/how its' strategic & important for the portfolio companies of an early stage growth focused PE fund in Mumbai this noon. very interactive session. lots of takeaways. one of the biggest benefits of doing such workshops with founders and CXOs of growth companies is that you get to first hand understand their pain points and priorities. which makes you realize there is a long road ahead laden with great opportunity for those in PR & comms if we take off our hats and look at it from their perspective.

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𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗙𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗮 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗛𝘆𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 Dunzo, once a promising player in India's hyperlocal delivery sector, is facing significant challenges despite its innovative approach and initial success. Here’s a look at the key factors contributing to Dunzo's downfall: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀: Dunzo was founded in 2016 by Kabeer Biswas, a serial entrepreneur who had previously sold his first startup, Hopper HQ, to Hike. Alongside Biswas, co-founders Mukund Jha and Ankur Aggarwal played crucial roles in building Dunzo from the ground up. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀: 🔸 Dunzo struggled to scale its operations effectively across different cities. 🔸 Result: Inconsistent service quality and delayed deliveries. 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 🔸Between FY 2018 and FY 2021, Dunzo generated only ₹88 crore in revenue but incurred losses exceeding ₹750 crore. 🔸High operational costs and unsustainable cash burn rates led to significant financial strain. 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗲𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 🔸Intense competition from well-funded giants like Swiggy's Instamart, Zomato's Blinkit, Tata's Bigbasket, and Zepto. 🔸Struggled to differentiate and retain market share in the crowded quick commerce sector. 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝘅 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: 🔸Over-reliance on a broad product mix without focus on profitable segments. 🔸Failed to optimize logistics for different types of deliveries, especially with the transition to quick commerce. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰 𝗗𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 🔸Raised $240 million in early 2022, giving Reliance Retail Industries a 26% stake and veto power over major decisions. 🔸This limited Dunzo's ability to raise further funds without Reliance's approval, leading to financial constraints. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗴𝘁𝗵𝘀: 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗹: 🔹Pioneered the concept of hyperlocal delivery in India. 🔹Initial success with a significant increase from 15,000 monthly orders in 2016 to 2 million by 2021. 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵-𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: 🔹Utilized technology to optimize delivery routes and reduce wait times. 🔹Innovative features like in-app chat for customer support. 𝗕𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗴𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 🔹Established a strong brand presence in major cities. 🔹Recognized for convenience and quick service. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱: Dunzo's focus should now be on: ▶ Streamlining operations to reduce costs. ▶ Enhancing customer service to boost retention. ▶ Refining their product mix to focus on profitability. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗶𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: The hyperlocal delivery market in India is set to grow significantly, but sustainability is key. Dunzo’s journey offers critical lessons in scaling, financial management, and market competition. PC-Backstage With Millionaires Best, Harsh Shah #Startup #Entrepreneurship #HyperlocalDelivery #BusinessStrategy #QuickCommerce #IndianMarket #Dunzo #BusinessLessons #Innovation

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