ChaiNet: The Agentic Commerce Podcast

Welcome to Chainet, your destination for inspiring founder stories and entrepreneurial journeys. In today’s episode, we sit down with Dr. Dominica, a cosmetic scientist with a PhD in plant biotechnology and over 15 years of experience formulating products for hundreds of beauty brands.* She’s also the author of Beyond Beauty, a launch playbook for aspiring founders.* Dr. Dominica walks us through what a cosmetic scientist actually does behind the scenes, from researching ingredients and creating formulations to stability testing and packaging compliance.* She warns founders about common mistakes like over-marketing products that don’t perform and skipping market research.* On AI, she shares that while it can help with brainstorming and strategy, it’s still far from replacing a chemist for actual formulation.* Her advice? Focus on creating a product that delivers results, because word of mouth and repeat purchases are the real markers of success.Stay tuned for more such insightful conversations, only on Chainet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Welcome to Chainet, your destination for inspiring founder stories and entrepreneurial journeys.In today's episode, we sit down with Mahima, founder of Rajshan, a handcrafted kundan and fusion jewelry brand that's been winning hearts on Instagram. What makes her story truly special is that she's building this brand while working a full-time 9 to 5 job in tech sales. The inspiration came from her father, and the brand name Rajshan is a heartfelt tribute to her mother and grandfather. Her first sale wasn't to friends or family but to a man at a wedding who boldly styled a green jewelry piece with traditional South Indian attire. Mahima shares how she personally video calls every customer to build trust before they buy, especially in a world full of online scams. She speaks openly about the challenges of turning leads into customers and staying consistent despite slow days. Looking ahead, she dreams of opening an offline store so customers can try pieces in person. Her advice to anyone wanting to start? Just start, don't wait for perfection, and stay consistent. Stay tuned for more such insightful conversations, only on Chainet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Welcome to Chainet, your destination for inspiring founder stories and entrepreneurial journeys. In today's episode, we sit down with Vivek, co-founder of Nuito, a fashion brand focused on bringing innovative fabrics to India. After spending over a decade at Amazon and facing two back-to-back layoffs, Vivek decided to build something physical and AI-proof. Interestingly, he chose to enter a space he openly admits he sucked at: fashion and dressing well. Nuito focuses on premium fabrics like Supima cotton blended with bamboo charcoal, offering t-shirts with a 50-wash warranty after rigorous lab testing proved the fabric retains its anti-odor properties even after 50 washes. Vivek shares how the brand started with just 40 t-shirts sold to friends and family, and has now crossed 10 lakhs in revenue within its first year. He emphasizes that building physical products requires learning an entirely new ecosystem, from sourcing to vendor management, and notes that India's supplier ecosystem remains fragmented with no Alibaba-equivalent. His advice to struggling professionals: Instead of sulking, just start building something even if it's just for yourself. Stay tuned for more such insightful conversations, only on Chainet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Welcome to Chainet, your destination for inspiring founder stories and entrepreneurial journeys. In today's episode, we sit down with Manya Nayar, founder of iBeauty and a brand marketing consultant, who shares her journey of building a gender-neutral makeup brand in one of the most crowded consumer categories. Raised around colors and chemicals through her father's business, Manya's path led her from journalism aspirations to becoming a brand manager at 19. She noticed a major gap: no brand was catering to the makeup needs of men and other genders. This inspired iBeauty, built on the philosophy of 50% skincare and 50% makeup with FDA-approved formulations suited for all skin types. She emphasizes patience over hype, launching only one product a year and perfecting formulations before releasing them. She also shares her thoughts on building a luxury brand in India, the power of organic growth, and why every new founder should embrace constructive feedback as a blessing. Stay tuned for more such insightful conversations, only on Chainet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Welcome to ChaiNet! In this episode, host Rachit speaks with Sanchita, founder of Mr. Sa a men’s wear brand focused on short kurtas for daily wear. She shares her journey from engineering to corporate sales and finally launching her own brand in 2025, aiming to make Indian wear a daily habit for men rather than just festive wear.Key takeaways:* Market gap identified: Short kurtas exist (FabIndia, Sada) but aren’t marketed as a daily habit Mr. Sa positions itself as a lifestyle shift.* Validation: Surveyed 300–350 people before launching to confirm demand and timing in the growing men’s wear market.* Content & burnout: Created a 75-day pre-launch content series but took a mental break in Rishikesh when burnout hit, realizing pauses are okay.* Biggest challenge: Converting Instagram virality into actual sales marketing a cultural habit takes time and patience.* Advantage: Family background in textiles (grandfather’s fabric shop, mother’s boutique) helped with sourcing and quality.* Advice to founders: Take the leap of faith, embrace failure as learning, and stay persistent you’ll figure it out along the way.Stay tuned for more inspiring stories on ChaiNet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Welcome to ChaiNet! In this episode, we sit down with Subhash Kalluri, the founder of FreJun, a communication infrastructure company. Subhash shares his non-traditional path to success moving back to India from the U.S. without a roadmap and navigating years of product challenges before finding his stride.We dive into how FreJun evolved from a niche recruitment tool into a robust telephony infrastructure platform. Subhash explains the pivotal moment he realized his own business was losing half its revenue to third-party providers, leading him to build his own, more efficient internal systems. Today, as the AI landscape explodes, Subhash positions FreJun as the essential ‘shovels’ in the AI gold rush, providing the core infrastructure for voice agents.Throughout the conversation, we explore the realities of building a bootstrapped company: why he stayed remote out of necessity, how he manages a global team using asynchronous workflows, and his philosophy on hiring for discipline and maturity. We wrap up with his candid take on why founders should spend less time obsessing over competition and more time on mastering their marketing and staying deeply connected to their customers.Stay tuned for more insights on building in an AI-first world! This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Welcome to ChaiNet, In this episode, host Rachit chats with Ashish, co-founder of the bootstrapped clothing brand Quoted Dhaaga, which launched in May 2023. Ashish shares how the brand was born from his desire to create relatable, meaningful clothing inspired by a documentary dialogue and his own impulse purchase of a quote T-shirt and how he and his childhood friend co-founder are building a story-driven brand despite the crowded market. They discuss their content-first, zero-ad-spend approach, having sold over 3,500 units through D2C and B2B channels, and the early struggles with unreliable Delhi vendors, including a chaotic launch week where they had to personally oversee production. Ashish emphasizes the importance of patience, trust, and emotional attachment to the brand, and highlights their unique customization service and best-selling Sabra T-shirt as examples of their focus on relatability and customer experience. Looking five years ahead, he envisions seeing Quoted Dhaaga merchandise on every fourth or fifth person on the street, along with a physical store. Stay tuned for more inspiring founder stories on ChaiNet. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Shantanu, founder of Eclat Maison, launched his perfume brand in October 2025 after being inspired by how people in Europe choose fragrances based on weather conditions. He creates perfumes suited for Indian weather, with unique offerings like Rage Blanc, which blends with sweat to give a citrusy scent. Starting with just three bottles in the first three months, the brand now grows 30-50% monthly with sales between 15-30 lakhs and over 10,000 bottles sold. Shantanu emphasizes building a team, learning from mistakes like cluttered packaging, and differentiating through minimalist design and artistic storytelling. He plans to expand into retail, an app, merchandise, and eventually global markets, while advising entrepreneurs to just start and learn along the way. Stay tuned for more such insightful conversations. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Hardika Kohli, founder of Mokaki Foods, built her sauce brand while working full-time, driven by curiosity about why sauces are either tasty but filled with questionable ingredients or healthy but bland. She sees crowded markets as validation, not competition, and focuses on improving everyday products like her jaggery ketchup, which replaces refined sugar and artificial additives. She advises consumers to ignore front-of-pack marketing and read ingredient lists on the back instead. Recipe development, she admits, was the easy part the real challenges are packaging, shelf-life, logistics, and manufacturing hygiene. Looking ahead, she wants Mokaki to become a household name that makes ingredient transparency normal, with a community-first approach where sales follow naturally. Stay tuned for more such insightful conversations. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Astha Suri, founder of NASO Profumi India’s first green perfumery.Astha studied in Bristol and Milan, then came back to Lucknow to do something her family said was impossible. NASO is vegan, gender-neutral, and bootstrapped. Vogue India called their Tabac the best fragrance of the year.We talk about why people don’t see Indian perfumes as luxury, what happens when someone loves a product only to learn it’s Indian, and whether AI can ever truly understand what someone wants in a scent.If you still think luxury has to be foreign, this one’s for you.Listen to Astha Suri on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Shilpa Rathi, founder of Its Moong India’s mung bean protein brand.Shilpa’s journey started with cystic acne. She moved from creams to food, from skin to gut health, and built a brand around one humble Indian ingredient, moong.We talk about why she chose moong over whey, how she makes people respect a familiar ingredient, the biggest myths Indians have about protein, and where AI fits in her business.If you still think protein only means whey, this one’s for you.Listen to Shilpa Rathi on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

Ali Syed, founder of Okami Parfums, left a policy career (Ministry of External Affairs, Asian Development Bank, UN Ukraine) to build a made-in-India fragrance brand inspired by Japanese perfumery’s muted, restrained style. After his 2021 skincare startup SuperSkin failed, he built Okami with an obsessive focus on product and packaging, no samples, no discounts, targeting serious perfume users rather than beginners.The brand grew almost entirely by accident: two viral tweets (one from a Substack writer, another from investor Sanjay Bakshi, a repeat customer) drove over ₹20 lakh in sales between August and December with zero ad spend. Okami is bootstrapped, profitable, and holds a 17% recurring customer rate without retention marketing.Ali argues India’s gap isn’t manufacturing but storytelling, comparing it to how India exports huge carpet volumes yet has no globally recognized carpet brand. He’s open to the right VC partners, plans to diversify beyond perfume, and eventually wants to take Okami global.Stay tuned to ChaiNet to listen to the full conversation. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ankush Jagga, co-founder of UnfoldXR, AI for frontline workers who fix ACs and pick your Blinkit orders.Ankush has built three startups with two exits. Now he’s building for the workers the world forgot to serve.We talk about what happens when a technician hits a new problem, how quickly commercial pressure shapes his product, and his goal of impacting one million lives by 2030.If you run a frontline business this one’s for you.Listen to Ankush Jagga on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Kathy Walkling, co-founder of Eco Femme, a social enterprise that pioneered washable cloth pads in India and reached 27 countries.Eco Femme created livelihoods for rural women, ran free education for girls, and proved that purpose and profit can coexist. Then, after 15 years, Kathy handed it over and moved back to Australia.We talk about why she believed in cloth pads, how she built without outside funding, what 15 years of slow growth does to a person, and what it felt like to let go.If you’re building something you hope outlives you, this one’s for you.Listen to Kathy Walkling on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Shivam K, founder of The Teaser Company, a creative shop that has worked with over 100 D2C brands.Shivam trained as a screenwriter at FTII and wrote ads for Honda and McDonald’s. He believes most founders are fixing the wrong problem.We talk about what kills an ad in three seconds, why high-production ads often fail, the five links in a creative chain, and whether AI excites or scares him.If you’re about to increase your ad budget without fixing the creative first, this one’s for you.Listen to Shivam K on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Dr Brent Ridge, co-founder of Beekman 1802, one of the world’s most recognised goat-milk skincare brands.No funding, no plan. Just an idea that kindness could be a business strategy. We talk about cold-walking into Henri Bendel with a bar of soap, why they bootstrapped for a decade, what happened on QVC, and what happens to a kindness brand when AI starts shopping for consumers.If you think kindness is soft, this one’s for you.Listen to Dr Brent Ridge on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Sukrit Goel, founder of CannazoIndia, who took his brand to Shark Tank.We talk about why a ₹100 crore brand doesn’t exist yet, whether this is a demand or supply problem, what it takes to get a compliant product to market, how hemp brands acquire customers without paid ads, and whether AI can level the playing field.If you’re watching a category that should be bigger than it is, this one’s for you.Listen to Sukrit Goel on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ali Syed, founder of Ōkami Parfums, a made-in-India brand inspired by Japanese minimalism.Ali went from policy and development banking to building fragrance. We talk about why India supplies ingredients but not brands, whether young Indians treat perfume like sneakers, how you sell scent online, and where AI helped him build Ōkami.If you think Indian perfume is only attar and old-world luxury, this one’s for you.Listen to Ali Syed on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Nishtha Khanduja, a growth marketing leader with eight years of experience across food, wellness, and fitness.Campaigns that took weeks now run in hours. Content that needed a studio now takes twenty minutes. But having the tools doesn’t mean you know what to do with them.We talk about when she felt the shift, where ChatGPT works and where it flops, whether AI can actually tell a brand story, and whether marketing jobs will exist in five years.If you’re a marketer trying to figure out what matters in 2026, this one’s for you.Listen to Nishtha Khanduja on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ankit Agarwal, co-founder of Fang Oral Care, backed by Mamaearth’s parent company.Ankit started with his own dental problems. Before Fang, he built and shut down MyNutraCart. That failure taught him what he needed.We talk about what “clean label” actually means in toothpaste, whether Indians care what’s inside their tube, why disrupting Colgate is hard, and where AI fits inside Fang.If you care about what goes into your food but never look at your toothpaste this one’s for you.Listen to Ankit Agarwal on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Carlos Chacón-Martínez, a cell biologist who studied at the Max Planck Institute and built Niostem, a headset that aims to wake up dormant hair follicles.Carlos went from scientist to founder, then stepped down as CEO to focus on the tech.We talk about why keeping hair is so hard, how to convince people that a headset works, what broke when orders flooded in, and what he’d tell someone scared to start.If you think hair loss solutions only come in a bottle, this one’s for you.Listen to Carlos Chacón-Martínez on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Shray Arora, CEO of Helium, an AI platform that personalizes D2C storefronts in real time.Shray is a McKinsey alum and a Forbes 30 Under 30. His customers include Noise and Marks & Spencer. His argument: the leak is not in your ads. It’s your store.We talk about what it costs when every visitor sees the same homepage, the signals most people never look at, and when personalisation becomes manipulation.If you’re still spending more on traffic instead of fixing the leak, this one’s for you.Listen to Shray Arora on ChaiNet now This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ayush Aggarwal, founder of Rasayanam.First, he left a stable finance career in Canada with no plan. Then, after building a brand with over 20 lakh customers, he tore it down and rebuilt it as a science-backed nutraceutical brand.We talk about why he left Canada, what the first day in his basement looked like, why he keeps saying no to funding, and one decision he wishes he could unmake.If you’re sitting on a decision you’ve been avoiding, this one’s for you.Listen to Ayush Aggarwal on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Shubhangi Bansal, co-founder of Ekaksh International.After nine years at Microsoft, Shubhangi pivoted into ingredients exports. Her approach: spec first, documentation upfront, and telling buyers when she can’t help.We talk about what surprised her about Indian exports, where AI fits in her business, and whether AI can ever replace human trust in global trade.If you’re in sourcing or exports, this one’s for you.Listen to Shubhangi Bansal on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Sargam Dhawan Bhayana, founder of Planet Herbs.Sargam took her family’s manufacturing credibility and built a modern wellness brand, thinking seriously about quick commerce, AI-led discovery, and making Ayurveda feel new.We talk about why she launched with therapeutic products, what quick commerce does for her business, how AI changes trust in Ayurveda, and one metric she watches more closely than most founders.If you’re building in wellness or modernising an old category, this one’s for you.Listen to Sargam Dhawan Bhayana on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Kailash Nichani, founder of Topee.Half of Indian men deal with hair loss. Almost no one talks about it properly. Kailash lost his hair early, found something that worked, hated how the industry sold it, and built Topee.We talk about the stigma versus the products, what people get wrong about hair systems versus transplants, and why he bet on transparent pricing in India.If hair loss has ever made you feel less confident, this one’s for you.Listen to Kailash Nichani on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Akshita Singla, founder of Akya Wellness.Most people spend a lot on supplements, but still don’t know what they actually need. Akshita lived in Europe, saw how wellness worked there, and came back to India to fix the product-and-trust problem.We talk about what she checks first on a label, what sells more good products or good marketing, and where AI can actually make wellness useful.If your supplement shelf needs a reset, this one’s for you.Listen to Akshita Singla on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Shilpa Khadilkar, a pharmacist and founder of Renewtra.India is protein-deficient. A study found nearly 70% of popular supplements were mislabelled. Shilpa spent a decade on the supply side before building differently, three years of formulating before selling a single product.We talk about what she saw behind closed doors, the real math on dal and protein, how to separate real claims from marketing, and why she put a QR code linking to clinical evidence on every pack.If you’ve ever wondered what’s actually inside your supplement jar, this one’s for you.Listen to Shilpa Khadilkar on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Devika Bajaj, founder of Daivik Moringa.When doctors gave her supplements that didn’t feel right, Devika looked elsewhere. Moringa worked for her. But the category was broken, weak products, no way for consumers to tell the difference. So she decided to control the product from the source. Her own farm.We talk about what felt broken in moringa, why she had to control the source, building a brand while being a mother of two, and why India trusts foreign wellness language over its own ingredients.If you’ve wondered what “premium” actually means in wellness, this one’s for you.Listen to Devika Bajaj on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Sam Chetwood, founder of CeCe & Me.After 15 years in financial PR, Sam quit her corporate career, retrained as a qualified shoe fitter, and started taking appointments from her kitchen. Today, she runs a franchised business built around one simple belief: kids’ feet are more complicated than most parents think.We talk about:* The moment in a shoe shop that made her walk away from her career.* What parents do that makes her cringe every time.* Why buying a size up or saving “good shoes” for occasions is actually harmful.* What those first few months from her kitchen looked like.* How she teaches someone else to do what took her six months of specialist training.* Where AI fits into a deeply hands-on business.* What’s real and what’s just a trend with barefoot shoes?* The one piece of advice that surprises parents the most.If you’ve ever bought shoes for a child and hoped for the best, this conversation is for you.Listen to Sam Chetwood on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Nikita Naterwalla, founder of Arelang, and Dr. Shefali Thakkar, who leads R&D.They’re building what they call India’s first candyceutical brand, wellness through chocolates and gummies. No boring pills. No supplements that disappear into a drawer.We talk about:- Where the idea came from and why supplements needed a rethink.- The biggest misconception people have when they hear candyceutical.- How to make a product enjoyable without making it feel unserious.- What consumers should look for to separate real formulation from good marketing.- Whether they’re building a product brand or a whole new category.- What’s harder, making the product or making people understand it?If wellness feels like homework to you, this conversation might change that.Listen to Nikita and Shefali on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Dr. Kanan Doshi, co-founder of The Able Company.For 32 years, Dr. Kanan worked as a pediatric occupational therapist. At some point, she stopped recommending solutions and started building one.The result is Hands-On, a simple, battery-free device that helps people feed themselves, write, and brush their teeth. No app. No power. Just seven attachments. IIT Madras-incubated.We talk about the little girl who changed everything, what the prototype looked like, and why selling a product people need but aren’t looking for is the hardest part.If you believe the best solutions come from people who have seen the problem up close, this one’s for you.Listen to Dr. Kanan Doshi on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Rohan Rai, co-founder of EDA Baby & Child.Rohan and his wife, Dr. Sonali Kohli, a practising dermatologist, built a skincare brand specifically for Indian skin, Indian summers, and Indian conditions.We talk about the dinner table conversation that started it all, what Dr. Sonali saw in her clinic, the truth about baby powder and oil massage, why they built through doctors instead of influencers, and what happens when a dermatologist and a packaging expert disagree on a business call.If you’re a parent wondering what actually works for Indian baby skin, this one’s for you.Listen to Rohan Rai on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ashok Chowdhary, founder of Vrindaam, who proved that entrepreneurship doesn’t have an age limit.At an age when most people are planning retirement, Ashok started a company. Not because he had to, but because he saw a problem that needed solving.We talk about his journey before Vrindaam, the moment he decided to start, whether age was a challenge or advantage, and what he would say to someone who feels it’s too late.If you’ve ever thought it’s too late to start something of your own, this one will change your mind.Listen to Ashok Chowdhary on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Samuel Ade, founder of Ilana, a luxury fashion platform creating pathways for Black fashion designers.Ilana means “pathway” in Yoruba. The platform was born from Samuel’s mother’s dream of seeing her designs sold globally. Today, Ilana offers free mentorship and a scholarship fund powered by every sale.We talk about his mother’s story, launching during COVID, giving away mentorship for free, and who actually decides what counts as luxury.If you believe talent is everywhere but access is not, this one’s for you.Listen to Samuel Ade on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Sidharth Sahni, Co-Founder of Helium.Someone clicks your ad. Lands on your page. Then leaves. Most brands call this a bounce rate and buy more traffic. Sidharth thinks that’s the most expensive mistake in D2C.Helium uses AI to adapt storefronts in real time for each visitor.Sidharth talks about:* What happens in the first thirty seconds in a store?* Why founders misdiagnose conversion as a traffic problem.* What he built first that didn’t work.* What a fully autonomous Shopify store looks like in three years.If you’re still blaming traffic for your conversion problem, this one’s for you.Listen to Sidharth Sahni on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Hunny Bhagchandani, founder of Torchit Electronics.After watching a visually impaired mentor get hurt, Hunny spent three years and built 16 prototypes. Today, his device Saarthi, sells for ₹3,199 compared to German alternatives at ₹70,000 and has shipped to 50,000 people across 40 countries.We talk about walking off Shark Tank without a deal, blindfolding himself live on TV to demo the product, and how AI is changing life for the visually impaired.If you want to hear what building with purpose actually looks like, this one’s for you.Listen to Hunny Bhagchandani on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

India is protein-deficient. So I turned the country’s favourite snack into the solution.On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Razia Ali, founder of Poptein, India’s first protein popcorn.After 20 years at Dell, AMD, and Yahoo, Razia walked away with a few lakhs, a WhatsApp number, and a Wix website. Four months later, she’s bootstrapping a clean-label protein popcorn brand.We talk about why she left corporate, why popcorn instead of protein bars, what it costs to stay clean on ingredients, and how AI made building easier than it would have been in 2018.If you’ve thought about leaving corporate to build something, this one’s for you.Listen to Razia Ali on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, Asgar Dungarwalla, founder of GiftsOnline4U, shares his journey from the RAF to building an e-commerce business in 2007, when people were scared to use credit cards online.Today, his team of five sells over 4,500 personalised products, including AI-generated caricature gifts made from customer photos.In this conversation, Asgar talks about:- What e-commerce looked like before the internet was trusted.- How he survived 19 years of constant change.- What mobile, social, and AI actually did to his business.- Why he’s not afraid of AI and you shouldn’t be either.- One mistake he sees founders repeat again and again.If you think AI is the hardest part of e-commerce, listen to this.Tune in to ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

She spent 28 years climbing the corporate ladder. Won awards. Did everything right. Then one day, she threw all those trophies in the trash and walked away.Today, Shilpa Arora is the only woman among five co-founders at Insurance Samadhan, a company that has recovered over ₹220 crore for Indians cheated by their own insurers.She also pitched on Shark Tank. And has a lot to say about what it actually takes to be taken seriously as a woman founder.If you’ve ever felt invisible in a room full of decision-makers or wondered whether you need to know everything before you lead this conversation will hit different.Listen to Shilpa Arora on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Burak Karabulut, co-founder of Boost Up Solutions, a consultancy that helps brands actually get value from the martech they’ve already paid for.After four and a half years at Insider Turkey’s first software unicorn, Burak watched brands sign six-figure deals, get excited about flawless demos, and then fail to use the platform three months later. That gap between buying and using became the foundation for his own company.Key insights from the conversation:* How expensive martech ends up unused, and who owns the failure.* What separates brands that get value fast from those that never do?* Why vendor case studies rarely match a brand’s actual situation.* How Boost Up delivers implementation faster than in-house teams.* What AI features brands buy but never turn on.* What Indian D2C brands are about to get wrong as they spend big on martech.If you’re sitting on a martech stack that isn’t delivering this one for you.Listen to Burak Karabulut on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Jashid Hameed, co-founder of Nuvedo India’s first premium functional mushroom brand.After IIM Indore and a career managing 25 fast-fashion stores, Jashid walked away to grow mushrooms. When he entered the market in 2021, it was practically empty. Even on Shark Tank, one shark had to be told that mushrooms are fungi, not plants. Today, Nuvedo has created a category from scratch.Key insights:- Why did he leave a structured career to pursue something that didn’t exist?- How to launch when you can’t advertise without first educating your audience.- The Shark Tank moment, no deal, but a 1,100% traffic surge.- Where AI fits in a business, blending science with wellness.- Building a community that failed once and why he’s attempting it again.- Bootstrapping to a crore in revenue and knowing when funding actually matters.- What IIM didn’t teach him that the farms did.If you’re building in a category that doesn’t yet exist, this conversation is your playbook.Listen to Jashid Hameed on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Lokendra Tomar, founder of Diabexy India’s first and largest manufacturer of low glycemic load food products.Lokendra spent years selling diabetes medication at Sun Pharma, but something bothered him: he was selling management, not a solution. He left, started nutrition consultations, and built Diabexy. Today, the brand has ₹16 crore in revenue, 2.1 million YouTube subscribers, and a 70% repeat purchase rate all with zero VC money and zero debt.Key insights:* Why did he walk away from selling drugs to build a real solution.* The Shark Tank moment when he said no to 20% equity.* How bootstrapping for eight years shaped the business.* Why 2.1 million YouTube subscribers became his moat.* What AI means for a brand where the founder is the trust.* How does he sell premium products in a price-sensitive market.If you’re a founder wondering whether to raise or bootstrap, this one’s for you.Listen to Lokendra Tomar on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Nirav Bhatt, founder of Sellers Umbrella, an Amazon agency that has managed over 200 brands and more than $5 million in ad spend. After six years at one of India’s top Amazon agencies, Nirav built his own firm to help founders move past guesswork and build real growth on the platform.Key insights from the conversation:* What separates winning Amazon sellers from those who struggle.* Why Amazon should be a primary channel, not an afterthought.* How the first 90 days set the trajectory for the entire first year.* When PPC becomes a crutch instead of a growth tool.* Why inventory decisions are actually SEO decisions.* The most common mistake across 200+ brands.* How AI-driven automation is changing Amazon advertising.* The one thing to do tomorrow if you’ve never sold on Amazon.If you’re an Indian D2C founder who has been overlooking Amazon, this episode gives you the real playbook.Listen to Nirav Bhatt on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Charles Roche, co-founder of The Roche Hair Experience. After 19 years in fuel logistics, Charles left a stable career to build a wig company built around one belief: losing your hair should not mean losing your confidence. He opens up about the moment he decided to start, the first six months of building while still working full-time, the hardest conversations he's had with clients, and what nineteen years of logistics taught him about running a deeply human business. If you've ever wondered whether your current skills could build something completely different, this conversation is for you.Listen to Charles Roche on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Seena and Reyana, co-founders of SheR HQ, a platform that helps health and wellness brands build online communities people actually want to be part of. Both founders have deep experience inside some of India’s most interesting health companies, Seena at Rocket Health, and Reyana leading content at Rocket Health and building community at Databeats in Singapore. In this conversation, they make the case for why brands need community before they need more customers, what separates a real community from a WhatsApp group nobody talks in, and where a D2C founder with thousands of customers but zero community should start on day one. They also unpack the most common mistakes brands make, how to keep spaces safe when people share personal struggles, and whether AI makes the community more valuable or less in an era of automated content. If you’ve ever wondered whether community is actually worth the effort, this one will change your mind. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Anant Bhat, Co-founder and CTO of Paperflite.After a decade at Cognizant, Anant left to build a content intelligence platform. But today, we’re talking about what happens when AI agents become the shoppers instead of humans.In this conversation, Anant breaks down:* What changes when AI agents shop on behalf of consumers?* Whether great creatives still matter when the buyer isn’t human.* What “AI-ready content” actually looks like for D2C brands.* How AI will reshape India’s D2C market.* Concrete steps founders should take to prepare for the AI agent era.* The biggest mistakes brands are making with AI right now.If you’re a D2C founder wondering what agentic commerce means for your business, this episode is for you.Listen to Anant Bhat on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Amit Singha, founder of Anuprerna.Amit left a high-stakes M&A career at Infosys to go back to his roots in West Bengal. Today, he works alongside artisans who carry 200-year-old traditions, connecting them to modern markets.In this conversation, Amit opens up about:* What made him walk away from corporate life to count handloom threads in a village?* The on-ground reality of working in weaver clusters that nobody talks about.* How he’s solving the brutal working capital gap in artisan commerce.* What “technology-enhanced” actually means when you’re working with handloom weavers.* The big question: What happens when AI agents start making purchase decisions for consumers?* Whether AI becomes the biggest advantage artisan brands have ever had or their biggest threat.* India’s China+1 moment and why global ethical fashion brands aren’t already calling.* The thing he built that he was confident about, and later realized he was completely wrong.* His advice to anyone wanting to build a sustainable artisan brand in India.If you’re wrestling with what AI means for human-centered businesses, this one’s for you.Listen to Amit Singha on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Matthew Taff, co-founder of Natch.Matthew landed in Mumbai from New York and saw something most locals had stopped noticing a gap in the market for honest, premium snacks. In 2017, he and his wife Meher took the leap.Eight years later, they’re still here.In this conversation, Matthew opens up about:* What jumped out at him when he first walked into an Indian supermarket was* The moment an observation became a business idea.* The hardest year in eight years of building.* Whether being an outsider was an advantage or a disadvantage.* What nobody tells you about building a premium brand in India.* His advice to founders with a small budget and a lot of conviction.If you’re building something in a market you didn’t grow up in or just need to hear what patience and clarity actually look like, this conversation is for you.Listen to Matthew Taff on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Manish Paul, founder of MoePuppy.After his dog Juno passed away because he couldn’t get a vet in time, Manish walked away from a 16-year trading career to build something that mattered. His first venture, Monkoodog, grew to real revenue and made it to Shark Tank India auditions, but eventually had to shut down.Most people would have stopped. He started again.Today, MoePuppy is competing against funded giants with zero external capital, all because his German Shepherd needed better skincare products.In this conversation, Manish opens up about:* The moment that made him leave finance forever.* Why Monkoodog looked successful but was breaking inside.* How a former trader learned to formulate pet products.* Competing against $50M+ brands as a bootstrapped founder.* What failure taught him about himself.* His advice for new founders.If you need to hear what persistence actually looks like, this one’s for you.Listen to Manish Paul on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com