Shark Tank Woman Founder on Building India's Only Men's Rental Platform

On this episode of ChaiNet, meet Shweta Poddar, founder of CandidMen India’s only men’s-only rental fashion platform. A woman founder in the world of men’s formalwear, she built a profitable, bootstrapped brand by ignoring conventional startup wisdom.Shweta’s journey began when her own data revealed a clear mismatch her inventory was women’s, but her customers were men. Instead of following the crowded women’s fashion market, she doubled down on men’s formalwear, renting premium sherwanis and tuxedos at a fraction of retail price.We explore:* Building a men’s-only brand as a woman founder and how it became her advantage.* Why she pivoted from online-only to opening six physical stores, and where most sales actually happen.* How CandidMen stays profitable in an industry where funded competitors burn cash.* Her real Shark Tank experience before, during, and after the tank.* The unglamorous truths of running a rental business: fraud, perception, and unit economics.If you’re building a brand, thinking about rental, or just tired of the same old D2C playbook, this conversation is a refreshing lesson in building differently.Tune into ChaiNet to hear Shweta Poddar’s unfiltered founder story. 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