Lalit Kalani, Founder of Rock Paper Rum, On building an innovative premium Indian Rum brand

Indie Hacker Special! I speak to Piyush Patel, the founder of AmplifyX Labs and a prominent voice in the micro-SaaS and indie hacking space. From bootstrapping projects to building in public and exploring AI-powered tools, Piyush shares invaluable insights into his personal journey, product development strategies, getting your first customers and the future of micro-SaaS. This episode is packed with actionable advice for aspiring indie hackers, developers, and entrepreneurs who want to build and scale meaningful projects without funding. He also shares how numerology and astrology influence both his personal and business decisions, and reveals the surprising story of how he used Bumble to gain new customers!in this conversation we talk:Why most people don’t know what indie hacking is, and how the small but vibrant community in India is shaping the space.Piyush's step-by-step ideation process for identifying and validating product ideas.Building Minimum Viable Products (MVPs) and finding your first customers without breaking the bank.Common mistakes to avoid when developing and scaling a micro-SaaS product.The key strategies Piyush uses to scale his projects while staying bootstrapped.Why he prioritizes “selling before building” and “distribution before product” as the foundation for success.Navigating tough calls, feature prioritization, and knowing when to pivot or shut down a project.His thoughts on the rise of "AI for X" products and how indie developers can leverage AI to innovate.Opportunities and threats AI presents for the indie hacking community.Learning from failure and building emotional resilience as a bootstrapped founder.Tips for indie developers to build their personal brand on YouTube and social media.How to prioritize marketing efforts across channels like SEO, Meta, TikTok, and email marketing.Why networking is crucial for indie developers and Piyush’s advice for making meaningful connections.How public speaking has helped him grow personally and professionally, with tips for beginners.Where Piyush sees the micro-SaaS industry heading in the next 5–10 years.Advice for aspiring indie hackers: Qualities you need, mistakes to avoid, and how to stay motivated.What he would do differently if he had to start over from scratch.and much more!Links https://www.linkedin.com/in/whatsuppiyush/https://bento.me/whatsuppiyushhttps://x.com/WhatsUpPiyush  Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Chicken and hot sauce are a match made in heaven! In this episode, II’m joined by Mikhel Rajani, co-founder of Naagin Sauce, India’s first and favourite hot sauce brand. Mikhel and his team spotted a gap in the market about five years ago and have since transformed Naagin Sauce into a household name, now partnering with KFC India and reaching both domestic and international customers.We dive deep into the story of building Naagin Sauce and what it takes to pioneer a brand in an untapped market. Here's what we cover:Why India didn’t have a hot sauce brand before Naagin and how they championed Indian Ghost Chillies.The challenges of being first movers in the market—and how they overcame the heat, both figuratively and literally.Creating and  testing recipes that balanced nostalgia and innovation.Mikhel’s insights from 15 years in the F&B industry: branding, marketing, and growing a team from 3 to 50 employees.His hiring philosophy: "Loyalty over certificates."Overcoming the challenges of Covid, raising funding, and why every business idea should be stress-tested by smarter people who can punch holes in it.We also touch on fascinating behind-the-scenes stories:The quirky inspiration for the brand name, involving cricket and the iconic "Naagin dance."Mikhel’s preference for low-key launches instead of flashy events.His incredible marketing innovations, including the world’s first pizza delivery by drone in 2012, which was featured on BBC and CNBC.Mikhel also shares valuable advice for founders:Why India is not for beginners, and how to handle 100 rejections without taking them personally.How his management style has evolved over the years and why documenting mistakes is crucial for growth.Practical tips on working with co-founders and maintaining healthy partnerships.Finally, Mikhel’s closing advice for first-time founders:“Don’t accept defeat. There will always be someone willing to help you on your journey.”Links https://www.naaginsauce.com/ Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

The world is getting fatter! In this episode, we dive deep into fitness and nutrition with Adarsh Gopalakrishnan, founder of Move101 in Chennai. Move101 is a unique strength and conditioning gym tailored for regular folks with little to no training background, and it also offers online coaching.Adarsh’s journey into fitness began in an unexpected way: he started working out to impress a girl who liked the biceps of a popular MTV VJ. He had no biceps and he wanted biceps and he started lifting weight and he got biceps! Thirteen years later, he’s trained hundreds of clients both in-person and online.Here’s what you can expect in this episode:Adarsh’s Journey: Being an unconventional, anti-institutional kid who dropped out of school.Right Place, Right Time: Catching the CrossFit wave in 2008–2010 and building a unique, community-driven gym.Word-of-Mouth Success: Why Adarsh spends zero on Google or Facebook ads and still has an 80% client retention rate—higher than most big box gyms.The Protein Problem in India: Why Indians often lack protein in their diets, the supply chain issues around whey protein, and what alternatives you can eat.Fitness in a Post-COVID World: How the pandemic actually boosted his business and his thoughts on the global obesity crisis.Social Media Pressure: The unrealistic expectations to look “jacked” and the common mistakes people make in strength training (like too much volume and variety, and poor goal setting).Adarsh shares insights on improving your communication skills Training Myths & Realistic Goals: Why you don’t have to train like a beast,  loving single-leg squats, and why a six-pack is hard. But a  four-pack is good enough!The Problem with Corporate Wellness Programs: Why Adarsh isn’t a fan and his thoughts on the most effective exercises.Navigating Diet Fads and Fitness Trends: Adarsh’s advice on avoiding the hype around the latest diet crazes, fitness gadgets, and weight-loss drugs.The Indian Fitness Market Today: His views on why he’s not interested in scaling his business and how his philosophy on fitness has evolved over the years.And for a fun finish: we talk about how to handle those family gatherings where well-meaning aunties offer Pepsi and jalebi when you’re trying to stay on track!Linkshttps://www.move101.net/ Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

On a mission to make intimacy easy, approachable, and fun. Today my guest is Anushka Gupta, co-founder of MyMuse. MyMuse is India’s first bedroom essentials brand, dedicated to making intimacy easy, approachable, and fun for Indians everywhere. Anushka and her husband started in a small apartment and now operate a warehouse serving over 150,000 customers across 1000+ Indian cities. They've also built a massive community of over 100,000 followers on Instagram and other social media platforms. During our conversation, Anushka discusses smashing taboos and disrupting the industry, as well as the different and innovative products offered by MyMuse. She also talks about the pros and cons of being the first to market, funding rounds, and social media marketing including the 3 second rule.  Additionally, she shares valuable insights on building a brand from scratch, utilising email marketing for brand loyalty, conducting customer development and dealing with assumptions. Anushka reflects on her journey, from meeting her husband to overcoming conservative mindsets and the role of education in dismantling taboos. She also discusses the future of sexual wellness in India and what has surprised her the most in her entrepreneurial journey with India's leading luxury intimate wellness brand. Finally, we delve into the topic of which city in India is the most friskiest and much much more.Linkshttps://mymuse.in/  Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Experience real cricket at home! In this episode, I sit down with Prince Thomas, co-founder of MetaShot, a Bangalore-based gaming startup. MetaShot offers a unique and immersive cricket experience through a cutting-edge metaphysical smart bat.Prince shares how the idea for MetaShot emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic. We discuss the early days of development, from the initial prototypes—a cricket bat with a sensor and a copy of EA Cricket 2007—to securing significant investments from prominent investors and eventually having a best selling product on Flipkart. Throughout our conversation, Prince delves into the intricacies of how MetaShot works, the major challenges faced, and why they chose to launch exclusively in Bangalore initially. He offers insights into their marketing funnel strategies, leveraging social media influencers, and handling both positive and negative feedback. We also explore the future of the gaming industry in India, pitching to investors, and using customer feedback to refine the game. Prince shares his experiences working with co-founders, the unwavering support from his wife, and overcoming scepticism from his father in the early years. Additionally, he reveals some fascinating hiring strategies. We talk about the T20 in America, being a cricket nut and finally an interesting tale on the origins of his name. Linkshttps://metashot.in/ Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Step into the dynamic world of Indian menswear fashion with our latest episode! Join us as we sit down with Karan Singh, the creative force behind Aristobrat, a brand renowned for its premium men's clothing. In this insightful conversation, Karan takes us on a journey from his inspiration drawn from a transformative trip to Scandinavia to the inception of his own fashion brand. Delve into his innovative financial strategies, including the use of factoring, and gain a deeper understanding of India's burgeoning menswear scene. Discover Karan's pearls of wisdom as he discusses crafting a brand strategy, mastering social media marketing, how he came up with the name and his take on social media influencers. He unveils his secrets behind effective Google & Meta ads campaigns and his unique perspective on decision fatigue. Karan talks about his favorite brands, the importance of gut instincts in business, and learning how to navigate competition while staying true to your brand's narrative. But that's not all! Karan shares his fashion disasters, reveals the benefits of avoiding the news, discusses whether Indian men are fashionable compared to the rest of the world, and explains why focusing on the constant rather than the changing is key. For aspiring founders, Karan offers invaluable advice, and for fashion enthusiasts, he provides expert tips to elevate your wardrobe game.Linkshttps://www.aristobrat.in/  Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Drawing inspiration from the timeless game of Rock-Paper-Scissors, today's guest is Lalit Kalani, the Founder of Rock Paper Rum, an innovative Indian Rum brand prominently featured on Season 3 of Shark Tank India. In this episode, Lalit delves into the journey of launching his venture, shedding light on navigating the competitive Mumbai market, mastering branding, product development, and effective marketing strategies. He talks about India's complicated relationship with alcohol. He offers invaluable advice on pitching, discusses the transformative impact of Shark Tank, and reveals insights into the decision-making process behind delaying the launch.  And finally, Lalit shares enticing cocktail recipes for our enjoyment. Join us for an insightful discussion that not only explores entrepreneurship but also reflects on the significance of reestablishing family legacy as a third-generation entrepreneur, along with its accompanying pros and cons.In this episode we talk about:Thoughts on going globalWhy rum?What can go wrong?What should first time founders be focussing on?MentorshipInfluencer marketing.Dealing with regulationsBeing a 2nd time founder. Spending time in America.Linkshttps://www.rockpaperrum.com/  Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Driven by love for Table Tennis. Megha Gambhir, is the amazing co-founder and CEO of Stupa Sports Analytics. Her company is revolutionising the world of sports by providing athletes with cutting-edge analytics and insights to improve their performance. She talks about how she got started with a MVP - an Excel spreadsheet, to now working  the ITTF and  multiple international federations on her client list  and a number of global clients. She talks about leaving a well-paying job to figure it all out. Talks about working with her husband (pros & cons) She talks about pivoting. Building a B2B AI-based SaaS platform,  enabling end-to-end tournament management with live streaming and building an AI-based video analysis solution. She talks about funding. The two main questions VC’s asked about. Advice for building an MVP . What should a first time entrepreneur be focusing on? Manifesting things, and table tennis tips. So please enjoy the show. In this episode we talk about:Being in a data driven worldMatches analysed.What excites her most about building this startupDigitising sports events.Being motivated my money.Bring an IT professional turned entrepreneur,Video analysis.ImplementationReal time analytics and performances (KPIs)And much moreLinkshttps://stupaanalytics.com/#/home Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Making India sleep better: More than 55% of Indian adults face trouble falling asleep at least three nights a week. Today, I speak with Surbhi Jain, the founder of Neend, a free app offering stories, soothing sleep sounds, meditation, and more to help users unwind and nod off. Launched in 2021, Surbhi shares how she started this journey after contracting Covid and struggling with sleep issues. She released the MVP on YouTube, experiencing significant organic growth. Surbhi discusses building a consumer app in the wellness space, addressing topics like traction, funding, her background, dealing with competition, and a referral scheme that didn't work out. She also shares insights into investing in startups, revealing what she looks for and her thoughts on the wellness space. Finally, Surbhi talks about handling criticism of her WhatsApp display picture by an unnamed investor and much more!In this conversation we also talk about:How it worksHer reluctance to seek feedback from friends and familyContacting customers first thing in the morningBusiness model.General sleep tipsThoughts on blue light glasses , do you they work.Dealing with biases. Scaling the business. Links https://neend.app/  Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV

Universal factories of the future. Today my guest is Gokul NA, Co-Founder of CynLr.  a pioneering deep-tech startup dedicated to the radical reinvention of dynamic vision-enabled robots, unlocking the potential to create the 'universal factories' of tomorrow. In this enlightening discussion, Gokul takes us on a journey back over a decade, recounting the humble beginnings with his co-founder in a modest office that evolved into a sprawling 13,000 sq ft research space. This state-of-the-art facility boasts robot research cells, cutting-edge electronics, a sophisticated camera and vision laboratory, all meticulously managed by an expert team of engineers and researchers. He delves into topics ranging from design, product development, and entrepreneurship. Why does he seek more competition, not less? Gokul discusses the impact of robotics on jobs and elaborates on the intricacies of the design process. The conversation explores high barriers to entry ($30K to buy the robot arm, $250K to adopt the full solution, over 12-24 months) , The robotics scene in India, energy consumption considerations, and the evolution of early prototypes. Gokul sheds light on their business model, detailing the planned volume of robot sales, revenue figures, and the current status of funding.Gokul shares insights into motivation, the strategic onboarding of new team members, market validation, and adoption strategies. He imparts valuable advice tailored for first-time founders, Real-world applications. in the final stretch, Gokul provides an in-depth answer on the art of securing partnerships for startups.In this conversation we also talk about:Selling to engineers.Coconuts!Building the ecosystem before building your business.Onboarding new team membersMeeting his co-founderOpening an office in Switzerland.Dealing with initial feedbackLinks.https://www.cynlr.com/ Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2 Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends. Listen and Subscribe to More Episodeshttps://www.indianstartupshow.com/ Music by Punch Deck.https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV