Networking doesn’t have to feel fake. We break down 10 authentic, culturally-aligned strategies for Indian entrepreneurs—from the art of ‘Chai pe Charcha’ to giving before you get—to build relationships that …
Startup Dharma
The Data Delusion: How Indian Startups Make Gut Decisions While Pretending to Be Data-Driven
In Indian startups, data is often used to justify decisions already made by gut feeling. We explore this “data delusion,” the cultural roots of trusting intuition over spreadsheets, and how …
Remember how our parents handled cash? We compare their disciplined habits to our frictionless UPI world, revealing the financial wisdom—from budgeting to delayed gratification—that we’ve accidentally lost in the digital …
Jugaad vs. Process: The Tension Between Improvisation and Systematization
Jugaad is the Indian startup’s superpower, but it breaks at scale. We analyze the identity crisis founders face when their scrappy startup needs to grow up and embrace process, without …
The Metrics Theater: How Indian Startups Track Vanity Numbers While Ignoring Real Performance
Welcome to the ‘Metrics Theater,’ where startups boast of millions of downloads but hide their dismal retention. We explore why Indian founders chase vanity numbers and how a focus on …
The Hustle Worship: How Indian Startup Culture Glorifies Overwork and Punishes Efficiency
In Indian startups, the person who leaves last is the hero. This ‘hustle worship’ punishes efficiency and fuels burnout. We dive into the cultural roots of this toxic mindset and …
Swap your tense boardroom agendas for a round of Pachisi. This ancient Indian game is a powerful, low-cost tool for surfacing conflicts, fostering collaboration, and saving the modern family business …
The Execution Gap: Why Indian Startups Excel at Strategy But Fail at Implementation
Brilliant strategies die in Indian startups due to poor execution. We analyze the cultural gap between planning and doing, and profile the companies that built a culture of relentless implementation …
Festival Leave Calculations: How Indian Startups Schedule Around 47 Different Holidays
Managing India’s diverse festival calendar is a startup’s biggest operational test. From Diwali to Onam, we dive into how companies are turning this logistical nightmare into a unique cultural strength, …
The Silicon Valley narrative worships VC funding and rapid growth. But in India, a quiet revolution of profitable, bootstrapped startups is proving that real freedom comes from customers, not investors. …