Podcasts about sheroes

CRM is a category often equated with its market leader, Salesforce.Hence, companies and investors question the viability of building a business in this space.Nilesh Patel, founder of Leadsquared, who built a Unicorn in CRM, joins us today.We discuss the category, the business, and its competitors.With Byju's as their first large deal, Edtech brought over 40% of their customers.Then the industry went through a downfall, but Leadsquared survived by a well timed expansion.From lack of capital restricting entry into the US market, to fast-forward today, where they have gone global.Nilesh shares his thoughts on the skills founders need and the decisions they have to make -on exits, acquisitions, and hiring.Tune in for more!0:00-Trailer1:35 – Building Leadsquared3:19 – First large deal with Byjus7:12 – Fundraising from Private Equity9:58 – CRM as an Undesirable Investment12:10 – Should Co's enter the CRM Space?13:35 – How to price SAAS in India?15:23 – Diversifying beyond EdTech16:49 – How to build market differentiation?20:29 – Highest annual deal of

Meet Sharad Sanghi who built India's first data center, he spent 25 years building Netmagic, India's largest data center company. He came to India in 1995, worked at VSNL as the country was discovering the internet, and built a company focused on internet for businesses.Now he is building Neysa, an AI cloud startup, which recently raised $50M to help businesses adopt AI, all from India. With Neysa businesses can use AI without writing a lot of code or use five different tools to run it. And do everything—train models, test them, deploy them, and monitor them—in one single dashboard.Sharad has a lot of perspective to share—as someone who was at the forefront while India adopted the internet, and now, the AI wave.If you're building in AI, part of an enterprise exploring AI, or simply thinking about where India is in the AI race—this episode is for you.0:00 – Trailer02:00 – How Neysa makes AI easy & cheap?04:37 – From datacentre to AI06:54 – 1200 GPUs & 15 Clients07:24 – Selling internet to Businesses12:03 – Why India Needs Local AI Clouds13:20 – How Neysa Plans to Stand Out15:14 – Is Scaling a Hyperscaler Easy?19:26 – Can India Shift from IT to AI?26:40 – AI in Large Enterprises vs Mid-Market27:51 – AI Revolution vs Cloud in 200631:06 – What's the Moat for AI Startups?33:08 – Is Private Data the Real AI Goldmine?35:59 – Why Product & GTM Matter Early On38:06 – Why Scaling must come before Demand42:12 – OpenAI's edge on Deepseek?44:52 – How should enterprises navigate AI?46:32 – Did Only NVIDIA Predict the AI Boom?48:17 – Founder 1.0 V/S 2.0-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of The Neon Show, we bring you into the room with someone who's spent over a decade backing India's most ambitious companies.We're joined by Prayank Swaroop, Partner at Accel. With over 14 years in venture capital, Prayank walks us through his journey of discovering and building expertise in specific sectors—from cybersecurity and developer tools to SaaS and marketplaces—and how VCs identify the categories they truly understand.We dive into how Accel chooses best founders, and the balance between backing founder versus business across stages. Prayank shares his candid thoughts on why India has been slow and late to the AI race, and what a realistic way forward could look like for Indian startups.He also offers a glimpse into Accel's evolving investment thesis around AI, sector by sector, and talks about how the enterprise landscape is changing—and what that means for Indian founders building in this space.Tune in!0:00- Trailer1:45 – Finding Great Founders6:30 – What We'd Do Differently10:16 – Sector Expertise Matters13:15 – Where AI Money Should Go18:00 – Accel's GenAI Bets21:18 – Sector-Wise Thesis in AI23:24 – Growth means Product in AI26:45 – Rise of Founder-Influencers29:10 – $650million India Fund31:35 – Beyond Roti, Kapda, Makaan34:07 – Why Accel is Big on Content36:03 – 15 Years in VC38:16 – Highs & Lows of VC Ecosystem43:36 – Knowledge Compounds in VC49:45 – Conviction over Consensus51:06 - Conclusion-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Is it time for investors to move beyond the valley when analyzing India?Dev Khare, Partner at Lightspeed agrees. He shares with us an interesting view on two funding models:The Silicon valley model begins with raising millions of dollars & going through huge negative cashflow for years. Hopefully building a great product or maybe even creating a new market. And a few years later, comes out with super fast growth & revenue potential of millions & billions of dollars.Whereas, in the Compounder model companies raise little to no funding in early days. They don't go to negative cash flow, instead growing slowly. Not at 3x ,but at 50% and keep at it for some 10 years building a large company. Thus becoming profitable in a few years following a slow J curve, and raising rounds only to accelerate growth.India has built exceptional companies in the software industry following this model. But, we can all sense that lack of approval for India's enterprise products, which we can confidently say has been achieved in the consumer markets.With 13+ years at Lightspeed, Dev has backed companies like PhysicsWallah, Razorpay, PocketFM, ShareChat, Darwinbox, Portkey.ai, Qure.ai, and Accel Data. Prior to VC, Dev started as a product manager then founded his company Covigo, a developer platform for mobile applications.This episode promises an interesting discussion on building companies in enterprise.0:00- Trailer1:12 - Early days at Lightspeed India8:11 - Learning curve of an Investor11:52 - How OYO fixed supply when Airbnb didn't16:37 - Is organic acquisition now the norm?19:02 - India must rediscover its AI edge20:20 - Compounder v/s silicon valley companies23:26 - Why Freshworks & Zoho chose mature markets?27:40 - Can India create SAAS category leaders?29:18 - Enterprise startups cap at 30%33:07 - How a $3.2B company found its niche37:42 - AI services & AI led services40:37 - Lightspeed's Investment thesis45:34 - Why we have 70% second-time founders?48:18 - Will ITC & Jio acquisitions set a trend?52:37 - Are software IPOs sparse?55:34 - India's enterprise buyer market is small1:04:47 - Missed investments & Lessons1:06:28 - Why is India having a lag effect in AI?1:10:19 - Has India built global enterprise products?-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this not to miss episode, singer, songwriter, producer Caroline Rose returns to SHEROES to join Carmel Holt in conversation about their sixth album, Year of the Slug, which sees Caroline taking a "experimental year" to do things in a much simpler, more grassroots way. No fancy gear, no label, no streaming platforms, no big productions on tour. Just Caroline, a microphone, a guitar, and a desire to find a way to be a modern day musician that makes sense.

In this episode, Avnish Bajaj, Founding Partner at Z47 (formerly Matrix Partners India), shares what it takes to build one of India's most competitive VC firms and land the best startup deals.With over 20 years of experience, Avnish has been at the forefront of India's venture capital industry. He co-founded Matrix Partners India in 2006 after a successful entrepreneurial journey with Baazee.com, which he later sold to eBay, serving as its Chairman & Country Manager.From founder to angel investor to VC, Avnish has done it all—scaling businesses, backing category-defining startups, and navigating the challenges of venture investing. His portfolio includes Ola, Razorpay, Country Delight, Practo, Quikr, and many more.Tune in as we dive into his insights on winning the best deals, building a top-tier VC firm, and the evolving startup ecosystem in India.0:00- Introduction2:58 - How Founders Should Choose VCs?9:02 - Z47 as an Operator-Led VC15:32 - Generalist vs. Specialist VCs20:24 - India's VC Ecosystem in Last 20 Years6:38 - First-Time vs. Second-Time Founders31:48 - Founder-Market Fit Explained35:18 - How LPs Allocate Money in India?46:22 - How Investors Bet on Countries & Assets52:09 - Can Tech Founders Run Multiple Businesses?57:06 - Is India's Market Ahead of Entrepreneurs?1:01:10 - Rapid Fire: How Z47 Picks Founders1:03:44 - Is Seed Stage Funding the Only Battle?1:11:21 - When VCs Like the Founder, Not the Market1:14:11 - Z47's Work Ethic----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7----This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of The Neon Show, we have Sharad Sharma, founder of iSPIRT, the technology think tank behind India Stack, Health Stack, and other digital public goods. If you want to understand where India's digital space is headed, how AI can shape its future, and why strategic autonomy is critical, this episode is a must-watch!0:00 – Introduction03:12 – India's aim to prevent digital colonization05:00 – Democratising digital infrastructure07:09 – UPI's 2012 vision: intraday loan for Rajni12:50 – The origin of ‘DPI' & misconceptions in India14:46 – Can India keep its first-mover advantage in DPI?16:15 – How UPI lost to Brazil's PIX17:49 – Introduction to MOSIP & DEPA19:22 – Did UPI fail to detach from government control?20:33 – The world evaluates DPI with India's 5 sutras22:48 – DPI interoperability & India's global leadership25:23 – Managing $2-3 billion funding in India's DPI ecosystem27:03 – Why India must stay paranoid: The David vs. Goliath mindset30:09 – Sam Altman doubted India's AI, now wants in33:25 – Facebook opposed net neutrality in India, backed it in the U.S.36:46 – Regulatory Innovations: Cable TV, mutual funds & OTAs40:19 – Did GST replace 4 tax filings with 36?44:05 – Does India have a regulatory framework for digital?51:06 – Scaling 10-100 with help from educational institutions53:02 – Breaking away from Visa & Mastercard55:47 – The ‘Stay in India' checklist to bring back talent59:58 – Grading India on DPI globalization01:00:57 – U.S. antitrust battles & how they shaped big tech01:08:25 – Building India's AI ecosystem using its data advantage01:12:50 – Picking India's battles in AI: healthcare as an opportunity01:15:00 – Can India build its own AI assistants?01:17:56 – Why India must update academia & build industrial labs01:22:18 – DEPA: Enabling Low-Cost Access to Non-Public Data01:27:55 – UPI was age & color blind, DEPA won't be01:31:06 – How will India approach AI regulation?01:39:05 – Creating ‘landing spots' for Indian AI talent01:41:53 – Five key actions for India's AI success01:45:01 – Hiring call for India's AI & DPI visionaries01:51:55 – Building Co's for India's strategic autonomy----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7----This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Jessica Dobson aka Deep Sea Diver returns to SHEROES to talk with Carmel Holt about her fantastic fourth full length album (and first for indie stalwart label, Sub Pop) Billboard Heart, and the hard-won journey it took to get here.

Il y a la musique qu'on aime, et puis il y a celle qui nous aide. Pour moi, celle de Low appartient à la seconde catégorie. Ce groupe phare du slowcore, un genre connu de quelques nerds obsessionnels, ne touche pas tout le monde. Mais celles et ceux qui ont la chance d'y être sensibles ne contiennent pas leur passion. Depuis longtemps, l'envie me démange d'écrire sur Low. Mais, comme je n'ai trouvé aucun livre consacré à leur histoire, et que celle-ci semble guère rocambolesque, surtout à l'échelle de Graine de Violence, j'avais de la peine à trouver le bon angle. Et puis un jour, ça m'est venu comme une évidence. L'histoire que j'ai envie de raconter, c'est la mienne, et celle de ma découverte, quasi salvatrice, de Low. A travers ce podcast, je veux rendre hommage à cette musique magnifique, et vous dire comment elle m'aide à vivre dans ce monde de plus en plus irrespirable, ce qui devrait être l'objectif de tout artiste. Quelques références...** Des articles : The Strange World of Low Low par Nathan Keay Texte du lien...Nothing But Heart: Alan Sparhawk of Low's Favourite Albums The Heart of Low par Justin Taylor Why Be Cautious? // an Interview with Low par Steve Marsh Alan Sparhawk interviewed: “I'm trying to tap into the universe” par Tom Pinnock- Low : “C'est comme poignarder l'obscurité” par Thomas BurgelDes documentaires : Closer Than That (2004) par Marc Gartman Low in Europe (2004) par Sebastian Schrade You May Need A Murderer (2008) par David Kleijwegt Un podcast : Sheroes, Spotlight on : Mimi Parker Les morceaux utilisés pour ce podcast : LOW Just Make It Stop (The Invisible Way, 2013=) Shame (Long Division, 1995) Quorum (Double Negative, 2018) Dancing And Fire (Double Negative, 2018) Lazy (I Could Live In Hope, 1994) Words (I Could Live In Hope, 1994) Fear (I Could Live In Hope, 1994) Starfire (Secret Name, 1999) (That's How You Sing) Amazing Grace (The Curtains Hits The Cast, 1996) Do You Know How To Waltz (The Curtains Hits The Cast, 1996) Dark (The Curtains Hits The Cast, 1996) Little Drummer Boy (The Christmas Album, 1999) Closer (Things We Lost In The Fire, 2001) Sunflowers (Things We Lost In The Fire, 2001) In Metal (Things We Lost In The Fire, 2001) Everybody's Song (The Great Destroyer, 2005) Monkey (The Great Destroyer, 2005) Hatchet (Drums And Guns, 2007) Murderer (Drums And Guns, 2007) Tempest (Double Negative, 2018) There's A Comma After Still (HEY WHAT, 2021) Days Like These (HEY WHAT, 2021) White Horses (HEY WHAT, 2021) I Can Wait (HEY WHAT, 2021) More (HEY WHAT, 2021) DIVIDE AND DISSOLVE Oblique (Gas Lit, 2021)ALAN SPARHAWK Get Still (White Roses, My God, 2024) Merci INFINIMENT à Jeff Caboche pour sa relecture sans laquelle je n'aurais jamais terminé ce texte, à Michel Tuttle pour son aide au montage et pour avoir assuré la voix d'Alan Sparhawk, et à Lily Luca pour la voix de Mimi Parker. Je vous aime tous les trois.

In this episode, we have Vishal Jain, CEO of Zerodha Fund House, who brings over two decades of experience in building ETFs and passive investment products.From launching India's first-ever ETF with Benchmark AMC in 2001 to now leading the country's first passive-only AMC, Vishal has contributed through various roles to India's financial markets.We break down:- The history of mutual funds in India from the 1960s to today's ₹68 Lakh Cr AUM industry.- Why index funds & ETFs are transforming retail investing.- How retail participation is growing (but why 2/3rd of investors still hesitate).- Vishal's investing philosophy is rooted in a belief in India's growth story, beyond the obvious goal to beat inflation.- The role of gold as a portfolio hedge, even for those bullish on India.- Zerodha Fund House's vision—Can passive investing truly take over?If you're curious about where India's investment space is headed and how you can position yourself wisely, this episode is a must-watch!2:10 - History of mutual funds in India7:09 - Exchange-traded funds10:13 - Employee Provident Fund in ETFs11:01 - Why COVID increased trading activity?12:36 - Is now a good time to invest?14:02 - How Vishal builds his portfolio16:18 - Trends in India's mutual fund adoption17:44 - Why only 1/3rd of retail investors buy mutual funds?21:36 - Can investment markets learn from OTT growth?22:52 - Does India need more mutual fund providers?23:51 - Is India's growth limited to the top 1%?27:06 - Can you buy mutual funds w/o a demat account?28:07 - Physical gold vs. gold ETFs29:34 - Who's buying mutual funds?33:11 - What's driving usage of financial products?34:26 - AI's role in customer acquisition36:40 - What's Zerodha Fund building?38:32 - Risk & return across asset classes40:12 - Is Vishal bullish on India's future?---Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

A seasoned investor who ran India's Finance Ministry.This week on The Neon Show, we welcome Jayant Sinha—Investor, Policy Maker, and former Minister of Finance & Civil Aviation.Mr. Sinha shares how the government builds innovative investment solutions for startups and large-scale funding programs for institutions.He played a key role in launching a ₹2,000 crore Fund of Funds, which invests in startups through domestic VCs. He was also instrumental in establishing India's Sovereign Wealth Fund, managing ₹39,000 crore in assets as of 2024.As Civil Aviation Minister, he worked on policies like UDAN to make aviation more inclusive and played a key role in DigiYatra, driving digital transformation in air travel.Mr. Sinha is focused on policies that drive India's economic growth in a climate-conscious way. From research to action, he is working across policy, investment, and technology to shape India's path towards Net Zero.Read Jayant Sinha's Latest book : “India's Green Startups:Entrepreneurs That are Driving Growth” - https://www.amazon.in/India%EF%BF%BDs-Green-Startups-Entrepreneurs-Paperback/dp/9353458633  00:00 - Highlights03:01 – Growing up in a diplomat household05:34 – Working at McKinsey06:48 – The Opportunity cost of a political career08:03 – From Harvard to Hazaribagh09:18 – Exposure to Policymaking & elections11:52 – First electoral win in 201414:37 – Twice chosen as Union Minister15:33 – Arun Jaitley: Also an Excellent Advocate16:55 – India's Sovereign Wealth fund18:17 – Higher Education Financing Agency19:32 – Taxation of Alternative Investment Funds20:17 – Fund of Funds for Domestic VC's21:47 – Aviation Reforms: UDAN & Digiyatra30:26 – Privatization of Air India33:32 – India's vision to lead globally35:42 – India's path to a green future39:31 – The CO₂ blanket effect42:04 – Nuclear fusion as a zero-carbon solution44:24 – Why land will be hotter46:13 – How climate change affects Economy48:57 – India's Net Zero Goals50:04 – $1 Trillion Investment to Finance Net Zero55:00 – Scaling green businesses in India56:26 – Global North's carbon responsibility vs India's emissions1:00:52 – Chronic health effects of pollution on children1:02:07 – What India can learn from Beijing1:06:42 – India's Net Zero Bill & global legislation1:08:08 – Personal connection to The Environmental Cause1:12:47 – Trump's impact on the global green mission1:15:05 – Why India must invest in R&D---Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7---This video is for infoSend us a text

In this episode, Sharath shares his journey of building two successful AI-driven enterprise solutions.Sharath Keshava Narayana, founder of Sanas and Observe shares his market-product fit approach of winning enterprise clients in the US- Identifying large, underserved markets and solving their biggest problems. He also dives into fundraising stories, from getting into Y Combinator to attracting top VCs, leading to an $8 million seed round.Sharath emphasizes why founders must be great sellers and how building the right team early on is crucial for scaling a business.If you're looking to build a SaaS company, expand into the US market, or understand the power of AI-driven enterprise solutions, this episode is a must-watch!________00:00 - Trailer01:50 – Early Entrepreneurial Days: From India to the US07:10 – Building a US Clientele for an Indian Product10:55 – Idea Stage of Observe.AI15:20 – Raising the First Cheque16:35 – Y Combinator: From Application to Selection20:38 – Inbound from Top VC's24:53 – Meeting the Sanas Co-Founders27:29 – Raising Funds Pre-Product & Pre-Revenue30:10 – The Sanas Investment Thesis34:03 – What Drove Success at Observe & Sanas38:09 – Drawing Parallels in Building Two Companies45:00 – Scaling Challenges: Hiring & Team Building50:15 – Fundraising Lessons: Always Be Ready54:17 – Market-Product Fit vs. Product-Market Fit57:10 – Solving the Black Box of Call Centers59:12 – Solving for Speech-to-Speech in Real Time1:05:15 – Thoughts on The Neon Fund1:07:03 – Bengaluru vs. Bay Area1:11:10 – Founders Must Be Sellers1:19:42 – Do Indian Founders Underprice?1:23:13 – Final Thoughts: Likeability as a Founder---Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.---Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7---This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Today Polaris Prize and Juno Award nominated Canadian singer, songwriter, and producer Basia Bulat returns with her seventh studio album, Basia's Palace, and returns to SHEROES to sit down with Carmel Holt to discuss the new album, the importance of staying in touch with her inner child, and how becoming a mother herself brought Basia to some unexpected new sonic landscapes.

It's Wednesday, and that means we're talking politics (and policy). Host Trenae Nuri sits down with City Councilmember Kendra Brooks of the Working Families Party in her office at City Hall. They talk about why Brooks voted against the Sixers arena proposal in Market East, the POWER (Protect Our Workers, Enforce Rights) Act that she introduced to try to strengthen protections for workers, and other issues she's focused on as part of the political minority on City Council.  Thoughts on city politics? Call or text us at 215-259-8170 Want some more Philly news? Sign up for our daily newsletter, Hey Philly We're also on Instagram: @citycastphilly Learn more about the sponsors of this episode: Babbel - Get up to 60% off at Babbel.com/CITYCAST  Interested in advertising with City Cast? Find more info here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We love St. Vincent! To celebrate her recent three Grammy wins in one night for her first fully self-produced album All Born Screaming, it's an encore episode of SHEROES with Annie Clark recorded live in conversation at The Current in St. Paul, Minnesota in September 2024.

Venture Capitalists on Venture CapitalIn this episode we have Alok Goyal and Ritesh Banglani, Partners at Stellaris Venture Partners, one of India's top VC firms. We go into details on running a VC firm in India. We discuss the ambition of Indian founders, what are the next B2B SaaS billion-dollar outcomes, market-first vs. founder-first investments, decision-making process at Stellaris and why DPI (Distributed to Paid-in Capital) is the ultimate measure of success.If you're curious about how top VCs invest, what makes a great fund, and what advantages Indian startups have in the AI race then this episode is for you. 0:00 - Stellaris Venture Partners Introduction0:50 - How Stellaris Measures Success3:16 - Deal Sourcing in Venture Capital5:40 - Coverage Ratio in Venture Capital7:39 - Contrarian Bets: Mamaearth and Whatfix9:34 - Independent Conviction in Venture Capital12:03 - Trust in Venture Partnerships15:12 - The War Stories Behind Stellaris' First Fundraise18:10 - Fundraising during COVID22:30 - How Stellaris Raised Its Third Fund26:31 - Stellaris' Investment Strategy30:08 - Founder-First Vs. Market-first Investments36:32 - Strengths of Stellaris' Four Partners41:07 - Culture of Open Disagreement in Decision-Making48:08 - The Ambition Levels of Indian Founders50:08 - Next Billion-Dollar SaaS Companies From India56:17 - How Venture Investing in India Has Changed57:38 - Decision-Making in Stellaris vs. Other VC firms1:07:43 - Global AI Trends and Stellaris' Investment Thesis1:11:31 - Opportunity For Indian AI Startups1:16:17 - How Stellaris is Evolving with Time1:17:24 - The Need for Bigger Outcomes in Fund Three-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

Another year, another month, another pod. Welcome to Episode 54 of This is Not Happening (TINH), an Album of the Month (AOTM) Podcast. In Part 1 we deep dive into an Album that one of us has chosen and in Part 2 we play 'Spin it or Bin it'.  We pick a theme and each pick a song that represents that theme. We judge the selections by asking the question 'Spin It or Bin It'?In Part 1, Joey hosts a bit of a love-in on The Weather Station's 7th album Humanhood.In Part 2, Spin It or Bin It, our theme this month is 'New Music', tracks from the past 2-3 months.                    ----- Part 1 | The Weather Station | Humanhood -----One of the rare times that we've double dipped on artist, we return to Tamara Linderman and The Weather Station. In 2021 we all (eventually) loved Ignorance. An album focusing largely on nature and the climate crisis. It was an album of global concerns. Humanhood is feels quite different, it feels deeply personal but retains global relevance in different ways.I think this is going to be a big one for the pod this year. I know Joey and David will love this album but not so sure about Nolan and Guy. We discuss the album in comparison to Ignorance, we talk about production and sound mixing, percussion backing vocals and lovely lovely woodwind.Listen to the album here.Listen to the essential Sheroes podcast interview with Tamara here.Watch a few videos here.Buy some stuff here.                                               ----- Part 2 | Spin It or Bin It | New Music -----January / February is usually a great time for new tracks. This year is no exception. Let's celebrate that. We each pick a new track and ask each other 'Spin It or Bin It?'Guy chose Orlando In Love by Japanese Breakfast.Joey chose Ocean Steppin' by John Glacier and Sampha.David chose One Foot by Greentea Peng.Nolan chose Lalala by Redman and Method Man.Here is a link to a long list of new tracks that we put together. Enjoy. Episode Chapters: 1 - Intro - 0:002 - Weather Station - Album introduction - 1:483 - Weather Station - What did you expect, what did you get? 5:284 - Weather Station - The energy of the album - 15:395 - Weather Station -  Album production - 27:206 - Weather Station - Favourite tracks - 36:277 - Spin It Or Bin It - 41:538 - Outro - 1:05:54We've been writing the blog for years come and have a look - https://thisisnothappening.net/

Ganesh Krishnan is the man behind some of India's most iconic startups, including BigBasket, Bluestone, Homelane, and TutorVista—India's first ed-tech startup before ed-tech was even a category.Ganesh explains how he thinks about business opportunities in India, why he keeps it simple, and why Indian entrepreneurs need to keep it simple. He shares candid stories—from raising BigBasket's first $10M on a flight to successfully exiting an ed-tech company 15 years ago.If you're curious about India's startup ecosystem and want to understand what works in India, this episode is for you!Read Ganesh Krishnan's latest book: Mastering Disruption: A Practical Guide to Understanding New-Age Business ModelsTimestamps00:00 - Trailer 01:37 - Introduction to K. Ganesh02:05 - Ganesh's Entrepreneurial Journey03:32 - The Growth Story Model06:28 - Challenges and Successes in Fundraising09:25 - Case Study: The BigBasket Story22:12 - Business Models and Market Timing33:51 - Opportunities in India's Broken Systems41:44 - The Evolution of Business Models42:15 - Valuation of Loss-Making Companies42:51 - Network Effects and Demand Economies of Scale43:51 - Platform Businesses vs Traditional Businesses46:27 - Challenges in Platform and Marketplace Ventures50:36 - Exploring SaaS and FinTech Opportunities51:41 - Growth and Monetization Challenges57:44 - Consumer Behavior and Microtransactions01:06:08 - The Rise of Quick Commerce01:09:21 - Vertical Software and Generative AI01:15:43 - What's Next for India's StartupsHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the fascinating history of semiconductors, their evolution over the years, the rise of old giants and new disruptors, and explore why India has yet to produce a leader in one of the most important technological races of all time.Raja Manickam, a serial entrepreneur in the semiconductor industry, shares from his decades of experience about the business and science of semiconductors and offers a glimpse into the future Timestamps0:00 - Trailer 1:20 - Introduction2:10 - History of Semiconductors2:56 - Raja Manickam's Journey in the Semiconductor Industry7:02 - Evolution of Semiconductors Over Time9:49 - Why Silicon Valley?11:30 - NVIDIA: A Leader in Chips14:55 - Competition in the Semiconductor Industry17:31 - Building Microprocessors23:08 - The Race for Top Talent27:41 - NVIDIA's Journey with CUDA and Artificial Intelligence32:03 - NVIDIA's Market Dominance35:07 - How Google, Microsoft, and Amazon Became NVIDIA's Key Customers36:13 - IBM's Transformation: Market Leader to Reinvention37:48 - India's Journey in Semiconductors and IT Services43:22 - Why India Lacks Semiconductor Giants48:00 - India's ₹100,000 Crore Semiconductor Plan57:28 - IVP: Outsourcing Chipmaking and Focusing on Design1:01:22 - Cost of Starting a Semiconductor Manufacturing Company1:05:38 - India's Vision for Its Semiconductor FutureHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional adviceSend us a text

India's leadership story is a fascinating journey full of lessons for anyone looking to make an impact.In just two years, opening up the space economy has led to over 100 new startups in aerospace, sparking innovation and fueling the dreams of a new generation of changemakers.And it doesn't stop there—India is heavily investing in future-focused areas like green hydrogen, quantum computing, and the blue economy, showing a clear vision for industries that will define tomorrow.Drawing from its rich heritage, India blends ancient wisdom with modern governance.Texts like the Arthashastra guide policies that empower people and prioritize collective welfare.Initiatives like Aadhaar and participatory governance models reflect these principles in action, bringing millions into the financial mainstream and fostering inclusive growth.Experts believe India's leadership also addresses the need for decolonization—not just in reclaiming cultural pride, but in rediscovering its intellectual confidence.This leadership model, rooted in inclusivity, resilience, and innovation, is steering India into a brighter future. In this episode of The NEON Show, Dr R. Balasubramaniam, author, member of the Capacity Building Commission (Government of Bharat), and Chairperson of the Social Stock Exchange Advisory Committee at SEBI, shares the essence of Indic leadership as explored in his book Power Within.Time stamp00:00 Intro00:12 Dr. Balu's contributions to rural service00:41 Current roles: Capacity Building Commission member & Rhodes Professor00:55 Overview of "Power Within"01:13 Journey: From physician to policymaker02:16 India's traditional wisdom in governance03:08 PM Modi's leadership focus in Balu's analysis05:24 Modi's ethos of service (Seva Bhaav)08:09 Modi's leadership during Morbi tragedy10:06 RSS philosophy: Cultural nationalism & service13:15 Overcoming colonial mindsets to restore pride17:09 Participatory governance: Janbhagidari & Mission Karmayogi23:57 Revamping civil services training26:08 Influence of Ramakrishna Mission's seva philosophy28:01 Panch Pran: Vision for a self-reliant India29:51 Chanakya Niti: Ancient leadership principles34:38 Decisive actions: Doklam, surgical strikes, Pulwama38:14 Challenges in implementing farm laws45:51 Repeal of Article 370: J&K integration50:05 India's balanced foreign policy (Russia-Ukraine, Qatar)52:03 Comparing Modi's leadership to global icons-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This videoSend us a text

We've dressed up and lit 84 birthday candles for Joan Baez this week with a newly refreshed version of our interview at Newport Folk Festival six months ago. Newport was where an 18 year old Joan Baez got her start in 1959, and where she returned last summer for the first time since 2009 to share some of her poems from her new poetry book, When You See My Mother Ask Her To Dance. She reads from her book during our conversation, and treats us to a powerful impromptu a-capella song.

Harish Bhat, ex-Brand Custodian of the Tata Group, joins us to share unique moments from the extraordinary life of Ratan Tata. From creating India's first indigenous car, Tata Indica, to his on-ground response during the 26/11 Taj Hotel attacks, to the Tata Finance crisis, to leading India's fight against cancer, Ratan Tata led from the front.Harish shares how he first met Ratan Tata and the personal note he received, highlighting Ratan Tata's integrity, humility, and more-than-a-businessman philosophy.Tune in to know more about one of India's greatest icons.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer02:20 – Introduction02:39 – Reflecting on Jamshedji Tata's Legacy04:13 – Celebrating Ratan Tata's Life05:46 – First Meeting with Ratan Tata08:26 – The Birth of Tata Indica16:31 – Ratan Tata's Dedication to Healthcare19:23 – Handling the Tata Finance Crisis25:19 – Ratan Tata's Response to 26/1129:05 – A Story of Grace and Dignity31:33 – A Personal Note from Ratan Tata33:20 – Defining Characteristics of Ratan Tata34:03 – Influences and Inspirations35:49 – Ratan Tata's Vision for the Tata Group37:53 – Fondness for Dogs and Bombay House40:01 – Legacy and Transformation of the Tata Group43:31 – Philanthropy and Nation Building46:18 – Reflections on Ratan Tata's Leadership52:50 – Lessons and inspirations from Ratan Tata's lifeHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this special episode, we embark on a heartfelt exploration of the profound influence that heroes and sheroes have on our lives. From family members and mentors to global icons, our esteemed guests share personal stories of the individuals who have shaped their journeys and inspired them to achieve greatness. Whether it's the steadfast support of a loved one or the trailblazing example of renowned figures, these accounts highlight the transformative power of guidance, inspiration, and leadership. Their stories serve as a reminder that we all possess the potential to make a meaningful impact in the lives of others. We hope you enjoy this inspiring episode!     Timestamps: 00:00 Celebrating people who inspired and shaped us. 03:27 Sharing session about Heroes & Sheroes of Scale Your Sales Podcast Guests     Janice B Gordon is the award-winning Customer Growth Expert and Scale Your Sales Framework founder. She is by LinkedIn Sales 15 Innovating Sales Influencers to Follow 2021, the Top 50 Global Thought Leaders and Influencers on Customer Experience Nov 2020 and 150 Women B2B Thought Leaders You Should Follow in 2021. Janice helps companies worldwide to reimagine revenue growth thought customer experience and sales.   Book Janice to speak virtually at your next event: https://janicebgordon.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/janice-b-gordon/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JaniceBGordon Scale Your Sales Podcast: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast More on the blog: https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/blog Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janicebgordon Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ScaleYourSales   And more! Visit our podcast website https://scaleyoursales.co.uk/podcast/ to watch or listen.

In 2010, Facebook opened its first office in India, four years after it went online.They needed someone bold to lead their journey in India which had a major customer base potential.That someone was Kirthiga Reddy.Under Kirthiga's leadership, Facebook not only grew its user base but also planted deep roots in a complex and rapidly evolving digital ecosystem.Today, India has the most Facebook users with over 448 million, followed by the US (258 million).After six years of phenomenal growth at Facebook, Kirthiga decided it was time for a new challenge.In 2018, she became the first female partner at SoftBank Vision Fund, managing over $5 billion in investments.Today, Kirthiga leads her own venture, Verix, focusing on trust, transparency, and community-driven solutions.In this episode of the NEON Show, Kirthiga Reddy shares her inspiring journey. From a small-town upbringing in India to building Facebook in India, Kirthiga takes us through the challenges of scaling operations, transforming workplace culture, and driving growth. She also opens up about her transition to SoftBank. From leading the fund's first investments in quantum computing and additive manufacturing, Kirthiga shares how she worked closely with founders to shape strategies and scale businesses.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer 01:51 - Intro02:09 - Kirthiga's career from Facebook India to SoftBank03:17 - Childhood in Nanded shaping values04:46 - Early career programming for Let Us C06:20 - Masters in the US and arranged marriage08:33 - Syracuse University and joining its Board09:30 - Silicon Graphics high-tech projects12:20 - Stanford MBA and transition to business17:58 - Startup role in product management21:20 - Motorola acquisition and return to India23:08 - Meeting Sheryl Sandberg27:32 - Joining Facebook as its first Indian employee28:50 - Facebook's 100-100-100 strategy30:40 - Building a Facebook culture35:30 - Personally hiring Facebook India's first 100 employees36:45 - Success stories of early hires37:50 - Leaving Facebook to balance family and career45:20 - Joining SoftBank & managing $5B in investments47:19 - Key investments in IonQ and 8fold.ai52:38 - Transition from SoftBank to new ventures56:14 - Founding Verix and Virtualness57:00 - AI-first companies and tech vision01:00:28 - India's thriving tech ecosystem01:03:51 - Vision for Verix, Virtualness, and social impactHi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This show is for informational purposes only. Send us a text

How a 1,500-Year-Old Game Became an Online SensationIt started as a simple idea in 2005—a hub for chess enthusiasts to connect, chat, and share their love for the game.Erik Allebest and Jay Severson, two college buddies with a shared passion for strategy, had just purchased the domain Chess.com for $55,000. Initially, it was a forum, but then the demand for online play began to soar.In 2007, they launched the first subscription-based version of Chess.com. Within a few years, the platform began to gain members and marked its place as the go-to site for chess lovers.In 2023, it hosted the first-ever Champions Chess Tour, offering a record-breaking $2 million prize pool.Last year alone, 12.5 billion games were played on Chess.com—an astonishing 35 million games per day.In this episode of the NEON Show, Erik Allebest, co-founder of Chess.com, discusses his journey from a chess enthusiast to creating the world's largest online chess platform. He talks about his entrepreneurial start, the hurdles in building a sustainable business, and key moments in Chess.com's success, including lawsuits, early VC rejections, a $600 million valuation, and scaling during the pandemic.Timestamp00:00 - Introduction02:06 - Family influence on Erik's entrepreneurial mindset05:00 - Falling in love with chess at 18 through books07:25 - Selling an e-commerce business to fund chess.com09:00 - Founding challenges and initial growth struggles13:50 - Why conventional careers didn't suit Erik18:30 - Settling lawsuits, including the vodka-based case21:50 - Persevering despite doubts about the chess market22:55 - General Atlantic's investment in chess.com26:10 - Key insights learned from investor partnerships29:56 - Shifting from entrepreneur to CEO33:24 - Erik's passion for creating products37:18 - How media boosted chess's popularity globally44:23 - The downsides of rapid monetization46:53 - Managing chess.com's pandemic-driven growth50:06 - Erik's focus on sustainability and future growth56:00 - India's cultural impact on global chess59:24 - Erik's views on digital security risks01:03:40 - Why employees stay for passion, not just pay01:07:26 - Erik's belief in chess's continued global growth01:09:00 - Embracing errors as learning opportunities-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-----This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

These farmers lost around $1.72B in a single morning.It was all because of tit-for-tat import taxes.But what really happened and who were these farmers?It all started when Donald Trump walked into the White House in January 2017, promising to take on what he called “unfair trade” with China.March 2018, Trump slapped $50 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods, aiming straight at the heart of China's industrial ambitions—its "Made in China 2025" strategy. This marked the start of the trade war.April, 2018, Beijing hit where it hurt—Trump's voter base.It announced a 25% tariff on American soybeans, cars, and chemicals. And it wasn't just any random pick. China was the biggest buyer of U.S. soybeans, importing 60% of all U.S. exports.The markets reacted immediately and soybean prices went into free fall, erasing $1.72 billion in market value by morning.Farmers who relied on China as their primary buyer suddenly found themselves staring at massive losses.In this episode of The NEON Show, Matein Khalid, a seasoned financial advisor, shares his fascinating four-decade journey. Starting as a teenage trader in Dubai, he later advised corporate boards and family offices in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the US. Matein talks about global trade, geopolitics, and economic strategies, providing insights on the US-China trade war, Trump's economic policies, and shifting global power dynamics.Check out Matein's writings here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mateinkhalid/Timestamps00:00 – Trailer01:17 – Introduction02:38 – Matein's early trading and wealth management04:37 – Trump's unpredictability in geopolitics06:04 – Rise of China hawks in US policy07:40 – India's edge in US-China tensions09:50 – Starlink vs. Indian telecoms10:30 – US Steel and political influence12:51 – China's slowdown and unemployment19:02 – US K-shaped recovery and inequality21:46 – US debt crisis and risks26:41 – Adani controversy's geopolitical angle31:17 – Possible end to Russia-Ukraine war33:55 – Israel weakens Iran's air defense37:35 – Trump's isolationist policies41:02 – Trade and capital flows in forex42:39 – South Korea's political turmoil48:04 – Syria's proxy wars reignite52:04 – Modi's UAE visit boosts financial flows54:34 – India's entrepreneurial spirit------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professioSend us a text

In this episode of the NEON Show, Boris Wertz, a renowned venture capitalist and entrepreneur, shares his extensive journey through the tech and investment world over the past 25 years. From founding a company that was acquired by Amazon to becoming an investor and backing emerging fund managers globally, Boris offers a rich and unique perspective on the evolution of venture capital.Timestamp00:00 - Trailer 01:40 - Introduction and background03:17 - Journey as a venture capitalist04:49 - Boris's first investments in emerging managers07:32 - Why is Boris so focused on the Indian market?09:48 - Fund sizes and strategy13:03 - VC returns and liquidity16:06 - Boris's key learnings from successes and failures21:20 - Themes like AI, crypto, and climate tech25:00 - India as the next frontier28:50 - Challenges Indian entrepreneurs face35:46 - Boris's concept of minimum viable fund39:10 - Cycles in venture capital43:46 - A16z board partner program48:45 - Evolution of venture capital mindsets-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

In this episode of the NEON Show, Ashok K. Lahiri, a leading economist and former Chief Economic Advisor, talks about India's economic journey and the changes in its tax system. Lahiri shares why India has fallen behind some countries, pointing to missed opportunities in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. He also highlights the importance of India's democracy and federal system in shaping its progress.Check out Ashok K. Lahiri's book, India in search of glory, https://www.amazon.in/India-Search-Glory-Political-Calculus/dp/067009207X/Time Stamp00:00 - Trailer01:27 - Introduction of Ashok K. Lahiri03:07 - Ashok's upbringing and early education in economics05:27 - Why Ashok went abroad and how UPSC got him back08:33 - Are you satisfied with GDP growth12:42 - Education and health lead to long-term economic growth15:27 - The right to information is important but debatable18:27 - The govt went overboard in the 70s20:37 - What happened to West Bengal24:32 - Improvement will come with liberal society25:57 - Troubles of taxations29:42 - Taxing in the Indira Gandhi era33:27 - People once informed take the right decision37:32 - Chicken and egg in politics39:27 - Why India is on the right track43:27 - Challenges faced by Bangladesh and lessons for India47:32 - India: union of states52:07 - Struggle of India to get where it is right now58:32 - Why we can't blame our ancestors01:01:52 - Importance of transportation and Connectivity------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

The world's largest tech-focused venture capital fund. And the man behind it is Masayoshi Son, often referred to as Masa.At 16, Masa moved to California, drawn by the entrepreneurial spirit of Silicon Valley.Before he turned 21 years old, Son sold his first company— a multilingual translator bought by Sharp for about $1 million.Masa returned to Japan and founded SoftBank as a software distribution company. In 1995, Masa made one of his first bold investments— a $100 million for a 30% stake in Yahoo. In 1999, Masa made an even bigger move, investing $20 million in Alibaba, a year-old e-commerce startup.Over 23 years, that investment turned into a $72 billion gain, making it one of the most successful tech investments ever.In 2014, he brought in Alok Sama who had a key role in some of SoftBank's biggest successes, like the $32 billion acquisition of ARM and the $59 billion Sprint-T-Mobile merger.In this episode of the NEON Show, Alok Sama, takes us behind the scenes of his journey at SoftBank, where he played a crucial role in shaping the group's global investments and strategy. He shares insights into working alongside Masa, managing the Vision Fund, and the challenges of betting on transformative entrepreneurs.Check out Alok Sama's book,  The Money Trap: Lost Illusions Inside the Tech Bubble - https://www.amazon.in/Money-Trap-Alok-Sama/dp/9361134337Timestamps0:00 - Trailer1:13 - Alok's career, and Money Trap2:20 - Transition to SoftBank and the motivation behind Money Trap3:29 - what Alok thinks about Nikesh Arora and Masayoshi Son5:07 - Masayoshi Son's visionary mindset and why Alok admired him6: 40 - Why Alok values intellectual curiosity in people and himself7:50 - Alok's entrepreneurial journey post-Morgan Stanley09:30 - The meaning behind Money Trap and reflections on money12:30 - Masa Son's struggle growing up and the freemium coffee model17:00 - Alok's last year at SoftBank and decision to leave18:08 - Alok's relationship with Nikesh Arora20:10 - Delhi roots, and family time21:20 - Alok's view on vulnerabilities 27:20 - Masa Son's character and commitment to backing entrepreneurs fully31:10 - Valuation lessons in technology investments34:20 - Son's early bets on AI and his timing challenges37:30 -  Joined SoftBank to impress Alok's teenage son and connect with family40: 10 - experience of writing a book43:10 - Masa's thesis on India-----Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-----Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This show is for informational purposes only. The vSend us a text

In the beginning of November 2024, Devorah Buxbaum travelled to Israel with a group of women from our organization, The Lev Experience. The participants were a mix of women from all Jewish backgrounds. In this episode, we hear their stories of meeting heroes from October 7th, wives of soldiers, visiting the Nova site and the cities that were attacked, and dancing in the streets of Tel Aviv. We also hear their personal stories and how visiting Israel affected them personally and spiritually. --- Please rate and review the Empowered Jewish Living podcast on whatever platform you stream it. Please follow Rabbi Shlomo Buxbaum and the Lev Experience on the following channels: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Shlomobuxbaum Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shlomobuxbaum/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@levexperience Order Rabbi Shlomo' books: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Four Elements of an Empowered Life: A Guidebook to Discovering Your Inner World and Unique Purpose⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ - ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Four Elements of Inner Freedom: The Exodus Story as a Model for Overcoming Challenges and Achieving Personal Breakthroughs⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ You can order a copy on⁠ Amazon⁠ or in your local Jewish bookstore.

We just wrapped our limited SHEROES series called The Road to Joni. The road was both a metaphor for artists' paths that led to Joni Mitchell and where those roads led them - and it was a literal road to Joni, as simultaneously, host Carmel Holt travelled across the country from New York to Los Angeles to see Joni at the Hollywood Bowl and back again, while on a tour of public radio affiliate stations who carry SHEROES each week. At the very start of the journey back in September, I visited The Current in St. Paul, Minnesota, and hosted a one hour interview with St. Vincent, recorded in front of a live studio audience of public radio members. A portion of that interview focused on Annie Clark's road to Joni and aired as part of episode six of The Road to Joni series. The rest of the hour centered on St. Vincent's now four-time Grammy nominated, seventh studio album, All Born Screaming, and the interview has been in the SHEROES vault until now. With The Road to Joni freshly in the rear view window, we take one last look back to the beginning of our SHEROES Radio tour, and bring you St. Vincent as this week's SHERO in the Spotlight.

Why does 50% of India's workforce remain in agriculture while the U.S. has just 2%?Despite all those hands in the soil, the sector contributes just 15-18% to the GDP. While countries like the U.S. and Europe shifted quickly from agriculture to industry, India's progress was pretty slow. So, is it too late for India to catch up and move on from agriculture?Although India did build textile mills and steel plants, its industrialization lagged behind faster-growing Asian economies like Japan, South Korea, and China, which aggressively pursued manufacturing.So, what happened? Well, India's focus remained on agriculture, missing the chance to build a strong industrial base that could absorb its large agricultural workforce. But there's a new hurdle—manufacturing isn't the job creator it once was.Experts like Subhash Garg argue India may have missed the industrialization train. With automation reducing labour needs, ramping up manufacturing might not create enough jobs for India's vast workforce.In this episode of The Neon Show, Subhash Garg, former Secretary of Economic Affairs, shares his unique perspective on India's economic ambitions and the journey toward the $10 Trillion Dream.Check out Subhash Garg's book, We Also Make Policy : An Insider's Account of How the Finance Ministry Functions, https://www.amazon.in/We-Also-Make-Policy-Functions/dp/9356994714Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:25 - Subhash Garg's background in economic affairs03:27 - Why has India's "10 Trillion Dollar Dream" dented10:04 - India's current GDP12:50 - Need to shift labour from agriculture to high-value sectors16:48 - Why India missed industrialisation20:26 - The global manufacturing train left—and India missed it21:55 - Why should you invest in services for real growth26:55 - Sports, gaming, and entertainment are hidden gems for rural jobs29:54 - Why is agriculture unreformed31:34 - The impact of subsidies: is it a dead-end for farmers?36:47 - Garg explains GDP with the “potato chip” example42:42 - Why is farmers' share of the final product small47:10 - India's manufacturing needs a tech boost48:22 - Why India's PLI schemes aren't hitting their targets52:58 - How India's service sector thrived due to minimal regulation1:01:57 - Garg's positive take on brain drain1:10:10 - Millionaires on the move1:11:50 - Support for short sellers as market correctors1:13:12 - Announcement of Garg's book, expected in October-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Send us a text

In India, financial security often seemed just out of reach, especially when it came to insurance. For many, insurance was complex, filled with hidden terms, and often mis-sold.That's exactly what happened when an engineer-turned-consultant discovered that his father had been duped by insurance agents into purchasing a policy that was both confusing and overpriced.Instead of just shrugging it off, this experience sparked an idea: why not create a platform where people could get straightforward, honest information about insurance?So in 2008, Yashish Dahiya, along with co-founders Alok Bansal and Avaneesh Nirjar, launched Policy Bazaar. Today, Policy Bazaar has grown into India's largest insurance aggregator, with an annual run rate of 100 million visitors. In 2022, The platform accounted for 93% of online insurance sales in India, holding 25% of the country's life insurance cover and 7% of retail health insurance cover. In this episode of The Neon Show, Yashish Dahiya, co-founder and Chairman of Policy Bazaar, shares his journey of building India's leading online insurance platform. Drawing from personal experiences, including his family's army background, Yashish explores the challenges of creating financial security for India's middle class, when not taking risk is the biggest risk and the HUGE India opportunity.Timestamps00:00 - Trailer01:18 - introducing Yashish Dahiya02:18 - Policy Bazaar's rise as India's top online insurance platform03:26 - India's rising costs and financial aspirations05:11 - Sanjeev Bikhchandani's early investments in Policy Bazaar06:43 - India's economy as a mix of Bahrain, UK, Brazil, and Africa07:49 - Financial inclusion across India's diverse social structure11:53 - Why does mass class movement happen16:20 - Institutional strengths drive GDP19:38 - Why Policy Bazaar outperformed its competitors25:22 - Daily discipline and the importance of consistent execution28:36 - How Yashish built team trust and values at Policy Bazaar31:38 - Things changed when I got married33:40 - Managing family life across India and the UK36:36 - Why the value system is important41:48 - What is stress exactly for an entrepreneur46:18 - Sanjeev view on Policy Bazaar49:40 - Policy Bazaar's vision for social impact53:58 - Consistent values pre-and post-IPO57:33 - Why did Policy Bazaar go public-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the inSend us a text

Ever heard of the M Document?Montek Singh Ahluwalia, an economist in govt of India, saw that India needed to make some big changes to keep up. So, he started working on what would become the M Document. The M Document suggested bold reforms. Many government officials thought these ideas were too radical. Then, something unexpected happened: the M Document got into the hands of journalist Ashok Desai, who saw its potential, and gave it the now-famous name, the M Document.Even though the document was just meant for internal review, the leak sparked public debate on how India's economy could be modernized.Though it didn't lead to immediate changes, the M Document planted seeds that grew in a few years.In this episode of the NEON Show, Montek Singh Ahluwalia, a renowned economist and former Deputy Chairman of India's Planning Commission, shares insights from his pivotal role in shaping the 1991 economic reforms and reveals the behind-the-scenes story of the influential "M document" and how it ultimately shaped India's approach to liberalisation.Check out Montek Singh Ahluwalia's book, BACKSTAGE: The Story behind India's High Growth Years, https://www.amazon.in/BACKSTAGE-Story-behind-Indias-Growth-ebook/dp/B084P4Y3VW/Time stamps 00:00 - Introduction to Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia01:04 - Early life and family's experience post-partition05:11 - Winning the Rhodes Scholarship06:14 - Early career at the World Bank07:15 - Returning to India as an economic advisor09:02 - Washington invitation and Planning Commission role13:02- 1991 economic reforms18:40 - Committees for economic reform22:00 - High import controls as an economic issue26:34 - Challenges in policy reform28:38 - V.P. Singh asks Montek to write the document”?31:36 - How did the “M document" leak38:40 - Maruthi engine block story48:35 - SEBI and financial system reforms58:25 - Moving past the “Tonga mindset.”​1:01:20- Why controlled imports are tax on exports1:09:00 - How do exchange rates impact imports and exports?1:12:04 - Discovery of Roman gold coins in South India1:16:50 - Narayana Murthy's import struggles1:22:25 - Politicians should openly support beneficial policies1:32:55 - Montek's vision for India's next decade1:39:58 - Final thoughts on India's future-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

After India's big economic shift in 1991, each state grew at different rates—but they didn't all get there at the same speed.Western and southern states saw major benefits, while many in the east and north struggled to keep up. In fact, by 2021-22, the per capita income in the top five states was 3.3 times higher than in the bottom five—a clear sign of the widening divide.So, what does this uneven growth look like?In the 1960s, Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and West Bengal were leading India's economy with contributions of 14.4%, 12.5%, and 10.5% of GDP, respectively.  Today, Uttar Pradesh's share has fallen to 8.4%, and West Bengal's to 5.6%, but Maharashtra remains a top contributor.Gujarat's share grew from 6.4% in 2000-01 to 8.1% in 2022-23, driven by strong industry and urban centres. Southern states like Karnataka, Telangana, Tamil Nadu, and Kerala now make up about 30% of India's GDP, boosted by cities like Bengaluru and Hyderabad.In this NEON Show episode, economist and policy advisor Sanjeev Sanyal discusses India's economic journey and why growth has been so uneven across states. He explains why some regions have surged ahead while others have lagged behind, touching on the role of anchor cities and old policies like the Freight Equalization Policy that held back Eastern states.Time stamps00:00 - Trailer02:40 - Banking Reforms and Creative Destruction03:20 - Process vs. Structural Reforms05:33 - Bureaucratic Challenges Affect Efficiency14:09 - Autonomous Bodies and Obsolete Institutions16:02 - Is it time to rethink outdated National Monuments?26:06 - What Does Data Reveal About Indian States35:03 - Did “Freight equalization” Rob Kolkata of its Competitive edge?36:25 - East vs. West: Is this India's true economic divide?37:32 - Southern and Western India's Success42:42 - High Growth States Rely on Anchor Cities44:01 - Reviving Kolkata and Eastern India45:12 - Local policies that can make or break state economies.49:11 - Tourism Has Made Sikkim and Goa Economic Stars.53:35 - India Needs to Modernize the Shipping Sector01:00:36 - India Needs a Healthy Clash of Ideas------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Sponsor shout outLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies. To know more, visit https://primevp.in/-------------This video is for informationalSend us a text

The breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991 was a game-changer for India, shaking up its economy, defence strategy, and foreign relations. For years, the USSR had been India's largest trading partner, pumping in vital support through the rupee-ruble trade agreement.  But then, December 25, 1991, arrived, and the Soviet Union collapsed. While the Soviet Union's collapse seemed like a disaster at first, it actually pushed India to evolve—fast. In this episode of The NEON Show, a former diplomat with a 36-year career in the Indian Foreign Service, Rajiv Sikri examines India's complex ties with neighbouring countries exploring issues like Kashmir, economic interdependence, and political dynamics. He also sheds light on the impact of global powers, especially the US and China, on India's strategic choices.Check out Rajiv Sikri's book Strategic Conundrums: Reshaping India's Foreign Policy: https://www.amazon.in/Strategic-Conundrums-Reshaping-Indias-Foreign/dp/0143464574-------------Timestamps00:00 -Host Siddharth Ahluwalia introduces The Neon Show.00:43 - Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan.01:04 - Pakistan's economic/political issues.05:06 -Pakistan's ties with the West, China, and the military's role.08:40 -Kashmir conflict and India-Pakistan relations.12:06 - Pakistan's internal political dynamics.15:24 - Bangladesh's identity and India relations.18:00 - India-Bangladesh economic interdependence.26:06 - India's strategic geographic position.29:52 - India's foreign policy after the Berlin Wall's fall.33:40 - Economic impacts and India-US relations.37:52 - US-Russia relations and the Ukraine conflict.42:12 - Russia-Ukraine war's effect on India.48:16 - US dominance and unilateral actions post-1989.52:04 - Challenges to US hegemony.56:00 - India-US relations amidst strategic concerns.1:01:20 - BRICS and global multipolarity.1:04:40 - Dollar dependency and US financial power.1:08:20 - Concluding thoughts on India's foreign policy.-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShowwConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/siddharthaahluwalia/Twitter: https://x.com/siddharthaa7-------------Sponsor shout outLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies. To know more, visit https://primevp.in/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

From Baker's Son to Global Investment Legend.Mark Mobius is known as a foundational figure in emerging markets investing. He is the chairman of Mobius Emerging Opportunities Fund. Before that, he led the Templeton Emerging Markets Group for over 30 years, during which the group's assets under management grew from $100 million to over $50 billion.In this episode of The NEON Show, Mark shares his rules for wealth creation, why India is his top investment pick, his reasons for pulling investments out of China, what keeps him at the top of his game at the young age of 87, two ways to lose money fast, and why understanding art and creativity is more important than finance when it comes to making money.Connect with Mark MobiusLinkedIn | TwitterTo learn more from Mark check out his The Book Of Wealth-------------Timestamps00:00 - Trailer00:00 - Early Lessons in Money & Creativity04:13 - Becoming a Professional Student05:43 - The Road to Mark's First Million08:04 - The First Emerging Markets Fund11:03 - To Make Money Don't Focus on It12:38 - Making 10 Million Dollars14:20 - Mark's Early Investment Assets15:56 - Power of Compounding: Reaching $100 Million16:51 - Mark's Success with Investing in Asia19:22 - Why Mark is Not Bullish on China22:44 - How Mark Invests in India25:01 - Why Mark is Bullish on Taiwan25:56 - Mark's 3 Reasons to Invest in India28:19 - When will India Surpass China?30:51 - From Emerging Markets to Emerging Opportunities32:37 - It's All About Liquidity34:27 - Mark's Principles of Wealth Creation35:49 - How Mark Invests in Startups37:33 - How Not to Lose Money38:43 - Make Friends & Learn From Them39:38 - What Mark Learned From John Templeton40:54 - Why Invest in Emerging Markets42:10 - Who are the Best Political Leaders42:50 - Why Mark Shifted to Dubai44:02 - No Recession Anytime Soon-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Siddhartha on:LinkedIn | Twitter-------------Sponsor shout outLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies. To know more, visit https://primevp.in/-------------This Send us a text

In 1947, India gained independence with a per capita of around $2000(adjusted with inflation).But over the next few decades, the govt adopted socialist policies, emphasising self-sufficiency and state-led development. As a result, India's economy grew at a slower pace of 3.5% per year.In 1991, India introduced a series of reforms— liberalisation, privatisation, and globalisation. India's growth rate picked up, and by 2023, India's per capita GDP was back to $2,600, driven by market-friendly policies and increased global trade.In this episode of the NEON Show, Krishnamurthy Subramanian, Executive Director at the IMF, explains how India can become a $55 trillion economy by 2047.To learn more read India @100 : Envisioning Tomorrow's Economic Powerhouse  Connect with Krishnamurthy Subramanian Linkedin |  Twitter---------Timestamp01:20 – The power of compounding in GDP04:55 – Chess game story that explains the power of compounding06:19 – Rule of 72 to understand how money doubles09:06 – How India will become a $55 trillion economy by 204712:33 – Thalinomics to understand inflation14:20 – What is money in economic terms?17:22 – Why was the inflation-targeting regime introduced post-1991?20:30 – Inflation's effects on currency26:42 – How does a currency react to economic shocks?30:34 – India's GDP in 1947 vs today31:28 – How socialist policies potentially held India back34:40 – Capitalism has always been in India's DNA44:31 – How socialist policies have hurt Indian farmers57:22 – Is agriculture a state subject?59:59 – How India's growth is linked to productivity01:09:30 – China's GDP vs India's GDP01:16:48 – Why India is a top investment destination01:26:10 – Indian startups should innovate differently-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Follow Neon:Website | Instagram | LinkedIn | TwitterConnect with Siddhartha:LinkedIn | Twitter ------------Sponsor shout outLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit primevp.in------------This episode is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the Send us a text

How the 1991 crisis got India to rethink its economic approach.By early 1991, India's reserves were nearly gone.The government took a desperate step—it sent 67,000Kg  of gold abroad to secure a loan from the IMF.This was a last-ditch effort to avoid default, but it only bought a little time. But soon, the govt collapsed again, leading to a new election.In June 1991, P.V. Narasimha Rao became Prime Minister, and he chose Manmohan Singh as his Finance Minister— and things changed.Rao and Singh quickly implemented reforms: they removed restrictive licensing, welcomed foreign investment, and eased machinery imports.The 1991 crisis forced India to rethink its economic approach—it highlighted the risks of heavy borrowing and too much government control. But it also showed that when things get tough, bold decisions can turn a bad situation into an opportunity.In this episode of the NEON Show, Rajrishi Singhal, a senior journalist, banker, shares his deep insights into India's economic reforms and financial sector. Singhal offers a nuanced perspective on why India's economic progress hasn't met expectations, touching on issues from private sector investment to the success of reforms during coalition governments.-------------Timestamp 00:00 - Introduction to the podcast and guest, Rajrishi Singhal.01:23 - Corruption in India and its impact on the economy05:30 - how demonetization was not to take out corruption07:06 - Rajiv Gandhi was the original ‘Accidental Prime Minister'12:29 - What pushed us into the 1991 crisis14:45 - Raids on reliance industries 18:57 - How India almost went bankrupt21:45 - Complexities of India's banking system19:15 - What are regional rural banks (RRBs)25:26 - Corruption's impact on investments.28:41 - Why doesn't India have more new banks32:00 - Why private sector investments in India have been limited34:25 - Success of reforms during coalition governments40:26 - Foreign investors' concerns about sudden policy changes in India41:26 - Impact of demonetization on the Indian economy-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww-------------Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

El jazz femenino se celebra en la sexta edición del FeminaJazz. Y suenan hoy: Lara Wong con su Rosa de los Vientos, con Melón Jiménez; la pianista estadounidense Monika Herzig con Janiece Jaffé, que vendrá al FeminaJazz con el cuarto trabajo de Sheroes; la flautista Nara Pinheiro con su Tempo de Vendaval. También suenan la pianista surcoreana afincada en Valencia SongAh Chae con Manos Stratis de Chipre y Joshua Wheatley de Inglaterra, y Sandra Carrasco, que estará acompañada por el pianista José María Cortina en el Café Berlin el 25 de octubre y a la que escuchamos en el programa con Pedro Ojesto y Carmen Linares y junto a Gaizka Baena y Jorge Pardo. Zamá (Alegrías) +     Festival del Cielo      Lara Wong con Melón Jimenez y Tino di Geraldo   Rosa de los Vientos   Both Sides Now                    Monika Herzig y Janiece Jaffe          Both Sides of Joni      Âmago           Nara Pinheiro, Marcio Guelber         Tempo de Vendaval   Covenant + Promise              SongAh Chae In The Beginning       Toma ese puñal dorao Pedro Ojesto, Sandra Carrasco y Carmen Linares  La Luz del Entendimiento      Izan                Gaizka Baena, Jorge Pardo, Sandra Carrasco           Izan    Escuchar audio

In the competitive world of online grocery shopping, BigBasket is a name that stands out.But how did they get here?By 2011, smartphones were everywhere, and you could buy almost anything online—except groceries. The co-founders decided to try the grocery game online again, leading to the birth of BigBasket.In 2015, BigBasket pioneered the dark store model, using small, strategically placed warehouses to speed up deliveries and roll out express delivery services. In May 2021, Tata Digital, a subsidiary of Tata Sons, acquired a  64% stake in stake in BigBasket for about $1.5-2 billion from major shareholders, including Alibaba and Actis.In this episode of Neon Show, Vipul Parekh, the visionary co-founder of BigBasket, shares his invaluable insights and experiences from his entrepreneurial journey. Vipul shares candid insights on the recent disruption in the online grocery space with the rise of quick commerce.----------------Timestamp00:00 Introduction01:14 Reflections on building BigBasket for 13 years02:21 Admitting wrong predictions about online grocers03:25 Analysis of online grocery delivery changes in India05:30 Factors behind quick commerce success in India07:45 Quick Commerce's success in India vs. other countries09:22 Profitability challenges for dark stores11:52 BigBasket's market share and transition plans13:06 Leveraging Tata Group synergies in retail15:36 Shift in household behaviour towards quick commerce21:53  Why India doesn't have its own Walmart-equivalent23:15 Learnings from Big Basket28:22 Tata's long-term approach to business30:04 BigBasket founders' future involvement31:47  Lessons from Tata33:00 Implementing financial governance at BigBasket36:08 Trillion-dollar question39:49 Potential for $100B Indian Startups45:18 Building financial independence through startups49:15 Hard work Vs Luck52:20 Vipul's background 55:40 Time in Wipro and meeting VS Sudhakar-------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.-------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww-------------Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/-------------This video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not constitute professional advice.Send us a text

SHEROES is on The Road To Joni, but in this episode we discover that sometimes that road is a bridge. A bridge to healing. A bridge to holding your own. A bridge to a new creative path. A bridge from one generation to another. Episode 4 of the Road To Joni begins at the SHEROES studio in upstate New York with 5x platinum recording artist and activist Natalie Merchant. A long time friend of host Carmel Holt, they discovered that they were both Joni Mitchell fans at a 1999 at breast cancer benefit concert that Carmel organized and Natalie headlined. The closing song from that show was a cover of Joni Mitchell's “All I Want.” 25 years later, Natalie Merchant sits down with Carmel to reflect on her road to Joni, talks about crying at her kitchen table after missing Joni's return at Newport Folk 2022, and shares an exclusive listen to a previously unreleased recording of her cover of "All I Want" from her personal archives. Then, it's on to Newport Folk Fest 2024, where 4x Grammy Award Nominee Madison Cunningham (who also missed Joni's 2022 Newport performance) recalls listening to Court and Spark and feeling like Joni was looking into her soul. The self-taught guitar and songwriting prodigy tells us that her road to Joni is more of a bridge, partly because of all the literal bridges she crossed while listening to Joni's music, but the deeper metaphor she uncovers during this conversation reveals that Joni Mitchell provided Madison a bridge to cross the “moat” of her religious upbringing to a place that opened up not only her musical world, but made her available for all the opportunities that found her.

This content is for Members only. Come and join us by subscribing here In the meantime, here's some more details about the show: It's a warm welcome then to the man himself: Dr. Brad Stone - the JazzWeek Programmer of the Year 2017, who's here every Thursday to present The Creative Source - a two hour show, highlighting jazz-fusion and progressive jazz flavours from back then, the here and now, plus occasional forays into the future. Please feel free to get in touch with Brad with any comments or suggestions you might have; he'll be more than happy to hear from you: brad@soulandjazz.com or follow him via Facebook or Twitter. Enjoy! The Creative Source 26th September 2024 Artist - Track - Album - Year The Haas Company, Volume 2    Drawn and Quartered    Celestial Latitude    2024 Misha Tsiganov    Chain of Events    Painter of Dreams    2024 Tom Graf    Struttin'    Struttin'    2024 Monika Herzig's Sheroes    Make it Count    All in Good Time    2024 Mike Stern    Echoes    Echoes and Other Songs    2024 Danilo Pérez and Bohuslän Big Band    Lumen    Lumen    2024 Tim Olsen Big Band    Leonine    Obsidian    2024 Bill Warfield and the Hell's Kitchen Funk Orchestra    Wilpan's Walk    Chesapeake    2024 Delfaeyo Marsalis & Uptown Jazz Orchestra    Basin Street Blues    Crescent City Jewels    2024 Christopher Parnis    Unsettling Blue (Unblinking)    Everything You Could Be    2024 Thom Rotella    Mr. Mootanda    Side Hustle    2024 Benjamin Boone    Stern Warning    Confluence: The Ireland Sessions    2024 Jeremy Ledbetter Trio    Flight    Gravity    2024 Zaccai Curtis    Cuban Fantasy    Cubop Lives!    2024 Paul Yonemura    Bengal    Survivors/Thrivers    2024 Leslie Pintchik    Later Than We Thought    Prayer for What Remains    2024 Tomohiro Mori    Let Me Stay    Prana    2024 Ken Serio Quartet    Changes    Brooklyn Oasis    2024 Warren Wolf    Midnight Sun    History of the Vibraphone    2024 Matt Mitchell    Rapacious    Zealous Angles    2024 Charlie Apicella & Iron City meet the Griots Speak    Call to Prayer: Zen Flesh, Zen Bone    Call to Action, Call to Prayer    2024 Charlie Apicella & Iron City meet the Griots Speak    Call to Prayer: Il Nostro Sogno    Call to Action, Call to Prayer    2024 Charlie Apicella & Iron City meet the Griots Speak    Call to Prayer: Rapid Synthesis of Novel Patters    Call to Action, Call to Prayer    2024 Charlie Apicella & Iron City meet the Griots Speak    Call to Prayer: These Boxes are Mostly Empty    Call to Action, Call to Prayer    2024 Charlie Apicella & Iron City meet the Griots Speak    Call to Prayer: Cascading Wave of Change    Call to Action, Call to Prayer    2024 The post The Creative Source (#CreativeSource) – 26th September 2024 appeared first on SoulandJazz.com | Stereo, not stereotypical ®.

Every entrepreneur dreams of turning a small startup into a global powerhouse. But how do you do it without following the typical "build a product, get funding, scale it, and exit" playbook? Luca Ferrari, founder and CEO of Bending Spoons, did just that— their journey is anything but conventional.It started in 2013, when their first-ever startup Evertale flopped and left them with just $40,000. After Evertale missed PMF, they pivoted, bootstrapping Bending Spoons by focusing on acquiring digital products with solid market fit but untapped potential.Bending Spoons has mastered the art of turning underperforming digital businesses into powerhouses using operational tweaks, AI, and machine learning.In this episode of Neon Show, we sit down with Luca Ferrari in the heart of Milan, at the headquarters of a tech company that's rewriting the rules of how digital businesses scale.Discover their bold acquisition strategy behind major deals like Evernote and Splice, and how they've managed to serve 150 million monthly active users with just 400 employees!Timestamp:00:00 Introduction00:37 Who is Luca and what's Bending Spoons?02:32 Bending Spoons by the numbers: Users and revenue03:05 Recent funding rounds: 2023 and 202404:59 Profitability and use of debt07:27 Luca's previous startup experience10:17 The birth of Bending Spoons in 201313:35 The secret sauce: Product-market fit and talent15:29 First acquisition: iPhone keyboard app18:28 Top revenue generators: Remind, Evernote, Splice20:26 Future acquisition strategy debate24:24 Price range for acquisitions33:29 Transforming acquired products like Evernote37:00 Competing with giants: Evernote vs. Notion42:32 Plans to enter enterprise software45:07 Luca's take on product-market fit47:58 Luck vs. skill in Bending Spoons' success51:30 AI's Impact on Bending Spoons54:42 Why Italy for Bending Spoons?59:08 Going public: Future plans1:00:32 Luca's journey: From small town to tech CEO1:04:27 Why aren't more tech companies starting in Europe?1:10:54 Bending Spoons' unique hiring approach1:14:35 Future growth areas for Bending Spoons1:16:47 The art of pricing in acquisitions1:21:49 How accurate are Bending Spoons' acquisition predictions?-----------------------Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes.We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings.—---------------------Check us out on:Website: https://neon.fund/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/Twitter: https://x.com/TheNeonShoww—---------------------Looking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/—---------------------DisclaimerThis video is for informational purposes only. The views expressed are those of the individuals quoted and do not c

To say that India needs to create more jobs, is a downplay - what we need are 20 million jobs every year. But jobs can't be created out of the wishing well.We have resources, but not proper skills. We have opportunities, but not proper initiatives to boost on the employment elasticity. We need a shift from Tier 1 to Tier 2 cities. We need a shift of capitals. We need immigration-based jobs for our youths, and we definitely need the women workforce landscape to improve at the earliest. But, will this be enough?Check out our latest podcast where we are in a conversation with Sridhar Krishna, a senior scholar at the Takshashila Institution, to know more!  Timestamps00:00 - 00:47 - The Karnataka Job Reservation Bill04:19 - The impact on the recruiters/builders07:00 - Public Transport and Women in Karnataka 09:16 - Bangalore is not just for startups!09:27 - Government's performance: what we have done well & where can we improve? 11:19 - India needs 20 million jobs each year 12:00 - How to create jobs in India?13:16 - Annual PLF data on unemployment - truth or facade?14:12 - Have “100 million people joined the workforce” truly?14:52 - Labor productivity in India vs in the US 15:22 - Statistics on how to grow employment elasticity 16:25 - 1800 people apply for 10 vacancies in Gujarat - why? 17:23 - ILO reports on job skills and job vacancy mismatch 18:56 - Is manufacturing & services good options to transition from agriculture?20:32 - Shridhar talks about his take on Raghuram Rajan's book “Breaking the Mould”21:26 - Are PLIs unable to craft job growth?22:30 - Rebuilding big cities - a solution for employment growth?23:22 - Lavasa, Maharshtra failed - why?25:02 - Utlising AI to analyse the nature of jobs in other countries27:08 - Career Impact Bonds - What's that?33:14 - 6 pillars as proposed by the recent Eonomic Survey33:49 - Focus needs to shift from Tier 1 to Tier 2 cities 34:40 - Women workforce participation better in Bangladesh than India?39:57 - India losing significant GDP due to fewer women in the workplaceFollow Sridhar Krishna - Linkedin -   / sridharkrishna  X - https://x.com/sridhar_kri?___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Over the last decade, we have been getting news updates, social media highlights, and WhatsApp forwards about India being the “fastest growing economy” in the world. IMF, World Bank, and ADB have confirmed this. The question is, in the face of demonetisation, GST, and the drastic shift of focus to the organised sector from the unorganised one, is this data a true reflection of India's economic reality?  Today, Neon talks about these facts with Professor Arun Kumar, a renowned author of economic titles and an Economic Professor at JNU.Watch the episode to know more!Timestamps0:00 - Introduction0:14 - Introducing Economist Arun Kumar0:40 - Current scenario of India's Economy1:25 - South East Asian countries' growth from 1947 as compared to India?3:31 - Proof of India's failure in education system 5:20 - How can India develop education & health?8:48 - Does India really have “TOO MANY” billionaires & why is it a concern?  9:24 - The journey from becoming a “developing” nation to a “developed nation.”10:51 - The “Bottom-Up Approach” - What's that? 14:00 - Growing chasm between high-earning & low-earning category?15:22 - Is the current budget failing to fund labour-intensive sectors?17:03 - What's the unorganised sector in India?17:47 - What are the Micro, Small & Medium Sectors in India?18:33 - Robot uprising vs human employment! 21:03 - What are the 4 types of unemployment in India?23:27 - 60k jobs and 47 lakhs applicants ?27:20 - Is GDP a proxy of the organised sector for the unorganised sector?30:03 - Demonetisations hits the unorganised sector32:12 - Is IMF, World Bank & ADB's version of India's fastest economic growth true?34:25 - Black economy = Digging holes & filing holes40:40 - India should have been 8X its current economy - how & why did we fail?42:31 - Are we really a 3.6 trillion dollar economy?51:11 - How can we help the unorganised sector generate more income? 1:01:48 - Bottom economy = 40% of the Goverment's vote bank & yet not the focus of development & growth? Why?1:05:26 - Why does the government want to help the organised sector?1:11:38 - How will India transform into a “developed” nation or double the GDP per capita?___________________________________Hi, I am your host Siddhartha! I have been an entrepreneur from 2012-2017 building two products AddoDoc and Babygogo. After selling my company to SHEROES, I and my partner Nansi decided to start up again. But we felt unequipped in our skillset in 2018 to build a large company. We had known 0-1 journeys from our startups but lacked the experience of building 1-10 journeys. Hence was born The Neon Show (Earlier 100x Entrepreneur) to learn from founders and investors, the mindset to scale yourself and your company. This quest still keeps us excited even after 5 years and doing 200+ episodes. We welcome you to our journey to understand what goes behind building a super successful company. Every episode is done with a very selfish motive, that I and Nansi should come out as a better entrepreneur and professional after absorbing the learnings. __________________________________Visit our Website: https://neon.fund/Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theneonshoww/Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/TheNeonShowwFollow us on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/beneon/__________________________________Sponsor Shout OutLooking to build a differentiated tech startup with a 10X better solution? Prime is the high conviction, high support investor you need. With its fourth fund of $120M, Prime actively works with star teams to accelerate building great companies.To know more, visit https://primevp.in/

Alexis Pauline Gumbs' Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde Book Reading Information: https://www.charisbooksandmore.com/event/survival-promise-eternal-life-audre-lorde-homecoming-celebration-alexis-pauline-gumbs-and   Book Reading Registration: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/survival-is-a-promise-the-eternal-life-of-audre-lorde-tickets-938622193247?aff=oddtdtcreator   A queer black troublemaker, a black feminist love evangelist and a prayer poet priestess, Dr. Alexis Pauline Gumbs was the first scholar to research the Audre Lorde Papers at Spelman College, the June Jordan Papers at Harvard University, and the Lucille Clifton Papers at Emory University during her dissertation research. We are eagerly awaiting her forthcoming biography, Survival is a Promise: The Eternal Life of Audre Lorde on August 20, 2024. https://www.alexispauline.com/   Alexis's work as a media maker and her curricula for participatory digital education have been activated in 143 countries.  Her digital distribution initiative BrokenBeautiful Press, her work as co-founder of Quirky Black Girls and her loving participation in the Women of Color Bloggers Network in the early 2000's established her as one of the forerunners of the social media life of feminist critical and creative practice.   Alexis has been honored with many awards from her communities of practice including being lifted up on lists such as UTNE Readers 50 Visionaries Transforming the World, The Advocate's 40 under 40, Go Magazines 100 Women We Love, the Bitch 50 List, ColorLines 10 LGBTQ Leaders Transforming the South, Reproductive Justice Reality Check's Sheroes and more.  She is a proud recipient of the Too Sexy for 501C-3 trophy, a Black Women's Blueprint Visionary Award and the Barnard College Outstanding Young Alumna Award.   From 2017-2019, Alexis served as visiting Winton Chair at University of Minnesota where she collaborated with Black feminist artists in the legacy of Laurie Carlos to create collaborative performances based on her books Spill and M Archive.  During that time she served as dramaturg for the award winning world premiere of Sharon Bridgforth's Dat Black Mermaid Man Lady directed by Ebony Noelle Golden.   Alexis is a 2023 Windham-Campbell Prize Winner in Poetry. Alexis's most recent book Undrowned: Black Feminist Lessons from Marine Mammals won the 2022 Whiting Award in Nonfiction.   Alexis was a 2020-2021 National Humanities Center Fellow, funded by the Founders Award, and is a 2022 National Endowment of the Arts Creative Writing Fellow.      Original Photography of Alexis Pauline Gumbs by: Sufia Ikbal-Doucet   Graphic Design of cover art image by: Angela Denise Davis

Listen to an interview with the Bloomington-based jazz keyboardist, bandleader, and author Monika Herzig. She'll discuss the latest album from her band Sheroes, titled “All In Good Time”. Monika Herzig's Sheroes is an all-star group, featuring prominent women in jazz music. Sheroes is one of many projects Herzig has created to support women in jazz.

Listen to an interview with the Bloomington-based jazz keyboardist, bandleader, and author Monika Herzig. She'll discuss the latest album from her band Sheroes, titled “All In Good Time”. Monika Herzig's Sheroes is an all-star group, featuring prominent women in jazz music. Sheroes is one of many projects Herzig has created to support women in jazz.