Vyapaar

Logistics is an unorganized industry. Not a lot has changed in a very long time, and this industry is ripe for disruption.One of the big problems in India (and globally), is the transport of empty containers. This is what happens:(1) Once a container lands in India, it goes to the Importer's premises by road and it is unloaded.(2) Once unloaded, the empty container goes back to a depot, where it is inspected and then it is re-used for Export.(3) Once again, post inspection - the empty container travel by road to the Exporter's premises.This delays exports. Stretches working capital for shipping lines. No one wins. And this is precisely the problem that MatchLog is trying to solve. It tracks empty containers and links importers & exporters. They inspect the empty containers so that it doesn't have to travel all the way back to depots.MatchLog works with various stakeholders in the Logistics industry and through their platform have been able to drive efficiencies for all players involved.I had a blast picking Harsh's brain about all things Logistics and how they built MatchLog through several iterations. We spoke on various topics like:(01:55): Introduction to Harsh Gupta - talking about college biz, family biz, a few job stints before starting MatchLog.(11:44): Making a transition from operating a family business to joining Grab + learning how to integrate tech into logistics + ultimately starting MatchLog.(16:07): ITERATIONS - talking about various changes in the b-model & a crash course in container logistics(23:06): ELEVATOR PITCH FOR MATCHLOG(26:09): How much time is MatchLog saving?(27:34): How does International Logistics work? Is empty container shipment a global issue?(30:46): Who are the various stakeholders involved in Logistics?(32:19): Talking about carbon emissions, competition, awareness required, dealing with business owners(37:07): Current sales strategy & pushing technology into Logistics(41:17): Recruitment @ MatchLog - BIG opportunity(42:29): What’s next for MatchLog? Talking scale and expanding to new geographies.(45:42): How difficult is it to iterate? What goes in the mind of a founder? How do you deal with uncertainty?(48:39): CORE TEAM @ MATCHLOG(51:27): Rapid Fire QsYou can check out their website here

When I think about diamonds, a few words come in my mind instantly. Shiny, glamorous, precious, rare and expensive.Buying diamond jewellery used to be a luxury for most people in India. People would save for years and buy on special occasions like family weddings, anniversaries, birthdays & festivals.But, times have changed. And diamond trade is going through a phase of evolution. A wave of disruption caused by lab grown diamonds (LGDs).LGDs are an exact replica of mined diamonds with a contrasting difference - their cost. Cost of LGDs are lower by 80-95% compared to mined diamonds.Riding this wave, is Solitario - a luxury lab grown diamond brand with presence in India, Dubai, Malaysia among others.The brand promotes sustainable practices with the aim of making luxury diamonds more accessible to a wider audience.This podcast was a crash course for me on LGDs and I had an absolute blast hosting Anurag. We spoke on a range of topics like:(3:13): TRICKS OF THE TRADE - How does a mall work? (8:03): The Engineering DNA - how can do they everything?(14:06): Joining Solitario + creating the offline launch strategy(20:05): GOING GLOBAL - launch in Dubai @ Burj Khalifa & other countries + how mall zoning helps in building an aspirational brand.(27:16): A crash course in lab grown diamonds [CVD / HPHT](33:50): Potential of the LGD Market(36:03): Quick take on Distribution / Marketing strategies - Target audience, Exclusive Brand Outlets (EBOs), Multi Brand Outlets (MBOs), Indian customer profile, Global customers(40:11): Current challenges for growth(42:52): Leadership Team @ Solitario (Ricky + Vivek Oberoi)(46:17): RAPID FIRE QsYou can check out Solitario's luxury collection here

In 1978, Nand Kishore Chaudhary (NKC) got a job offer from a Government bank and the chance to move from Churu to Jaipur -- something most people could only dream of back in the day.But, he declined that offer. He saw an opportunity in the carpets business which was a 100% export market and was growing steadily. He also saw this as an opportunity to impact lives and connect with people.So, he took a leap of faith. He took a loan of INR 5000 from his father. Bought a bicycle. Two looms. And started working with 9 artisans in Churu.And that's how Jaipur Rugs was born.Fast forward to today, he has created a sprawling empire with their carpets being exported to 60 different countries. They have trained >40,000 artisans and run various social initiatives via Jaipur Rugs Foundation.NKC & Jaipur Rugs are a shining example of how a business can create lasting impact in the lives of people.I learnt a lot while speaking to NKC and we spoke about a range of topics like:(02:03): How NKC started his entrepreneurial journey with INR 5,000(08:14): Inception of JaipurRugs — navigating early challenges of doing biz in the 1980s(14:49): What goes into making an exquisite handcrafted rug? Wool > Yarn > Carpet(20:31): How long does it take to make one carpet?(22:02): Challenges in the rug making biz - machine made carpets + reduction of artisans(25:28): BIG OPPORTUNITY — Evolution of luxury rugs market in India(28:17): Jaipur Rugs Foundation — changing lives of artisans(32:12): BUILDING LEGACY — Integrating children into the family biz(36:33): New initiatives @ JaipurRugs - converting artisans to artists(39:41): RAPID FIRE QsYou can check out their website @ JaipurRugs

The story of Mikiamo begins in Agra, with 3 friends [Aakriti, her husband & Davide] chilling out discussing [drunk] business ideas in the midst of a lot of beer, wine & whisky. While discussing business ideas, their Italian friend [Davide] asked if he could have a shot of Limoncello -- and all of them came to the realisation that there was no proper Limoncello brand in India. Lo & behold, an idea formed in their minds. Why not bring this traditional Italian drink to India? And that's what they're doing with Mikiamo. They're brining the taste and the culture of Italy to the bustling cities of India. I learnt a lot about operating an alcohol brand in India from Aakriti and we spoke about a range of topics like: (02:00): Introduction to Aakriti Kochhar, the founder of Mikiamo Limencello (05:44): Aakriti’s take on the India growth story (06:46): Making an entry in the liquor biz + idea for Limencello (11:57): IDEA > REALITY (15:44): What’s so special about Italian lemons? (18:15): How is Limoncello different from whisky / wine / beer? (24:39): What’s the best way to consume Limoncello? (26:48): Strategy behind choosing Goa to launch the brand (29:26): How do you distribute a liquor product? (34:53): Expansion into other markets (Delhi / Haryana) + understanding the regulatory requirements of setting up a liquor brand (39:08): How is the market shaping up for Limoncello in India? (43:58): Talking about Pocket Dynamite + the importance of Limencello in Italy (49:43): What is the meaning of Mikiamo? (51:08): VISION FOR THE FUTURE (54:11): RAPID FIRE Qs

In this episode, I invited Jigar Mehta - founder of Honey Twigs, a company that is reshaping how we think and consume honey. Honey has a lot of nutrients. Rich in anti-oxidants. Better for blood sugar. Helps in healing. Honey is a segment which has not been disrupted for a VERY long time. The first thought that I get when I think about honey, is that it is a medicine. We're not really motivated to consume it daily. With Honey Twigs - Jigar is on a mission to change that perception. They make aesthetic looking 'twigs' which are mess free, naturally sourced and make consuming honey a lot of fun! I had a lot of fun talking to Jigar on this episode, and it was like a crash course into the business of honey. We spoke about: (01:58) How did Jigar get a taste of entrepreneurship & the idea to enter the world of honey? (06:52) The 0 to 1 journey of HoneyTwigs — creating innovative honey variants  (14:42) Strategy to create mass market flavors for consumers (18:42) Disrupting the way people consumed honey (27:00) THE SHARK TANK EFFECT (32:22) Competition from new players? (34:13) Crystallisation = Pure Honey (39:12) Mythbusters on Honey (46:38) Key takeaways running HT (48:12) RAPID FIRE Qs