BlitzBusiness Indian Podcast
BlitzBusiness Indian Podcast

BlitzBusiness Indian Podcast

Ashish Airon

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Episodes

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The best Indian podcast business/startup stories from India and beyond. On each episode, host Ashish Airon talks to entrepreneurs/CXOs on new-age business models, challenges, opportunities how to scale. New episode every week. www.blitzbusinesstalk.com

Recent Episodes

#173 Building a Home Appliances Brand from Scratch | Tanuj Gupta | Thermocool | Ashish Airon
AUG 6, 2025
#173 Building a Home Appliances Brand from Scratch | Tanuj Gupta | Thermocool | Ashish Airon
Building a Home Appliances Brand from Scratch: A 33-Year Journey with Tanuj of ThermocoolIn this insightful episode of Blitz Business, we sit down with Tanuj, a second-generation entrepreneur from Ghaziabad, who shares the incredible 33-year journey of building Thermocool, a leading home appliances brand. From the early days of learning the business from his family to modernizing it with a strong focus on e-commerce, Tanuj's story is a masterclass in perseverance, strategic thinking, and adapting to change.Tanuj reveals how Thermocool differentiated itself in a highly competitive market, the challenges they faced with production and logistics, and their ambitious plans for future growth, including launching new product categories like refrigerators and ACs. He also discusses the importance of customer service, the pros and cons of an in-house manufacturing model, and his unique approach to brand building in a vast market like India.Whether you're an aspiring entrepreneur, a business student, or someone fascinated by family-run businesses, this conversation offers invaluable lessons on how to build a brand that stands the test of time.00:00 - Introduction to Tanuj and Blitz Business00:14 - Tanuj's background and entry into the family business00:57 - The experience of studying in the US and UK02:45 - An overview of Thermocool's home appliances business03:17 - In-house manufacturing vs. white labeling04:11 - The challenges of manufacturing and a significant business setback05:27 - The journey of selling directly on their website06:28 - Differentiating in a competitive market like home appliances09:15 - Thermocool's market presence in North India09:33 - The need to expand beyond a single product category12:57 - The complexities of customer service in the home appliances industry14:38 - The 33-year journey of Thermocool's growth15:46 - The biggest challenges in the home appliances business17:34 - What products are good for new entrepreneurs to start with?18:50 - White labeling as a strategic starting point21:46 - The high cost of setting up manufacturing for complex products23:57 - The importance of managing inventory and production24:43 - Family dynamics in a second-generation business28:15 - Managing business processes and growth29:14 - What excites Tanuj about the future of his business31:21 - Debunking myths about top brands in the industry33:25 - The strategy for scaling a brand in India35:12 - The vision for Thermocool's future growth#Thermocool #HomeAppliances #BusinessJourney #Entrepreneurship #FamilyBusiness #Manufacturing #StartupIndia #CustomerService #ECommerce #BrandBuilding #BusinessGrowth #InHouseProduction #GrowthStrategy #IndianMarket
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36 MIN
#172 From Zero to 14 IVF Centers: Journey & Insights on Fertility | Risaa IVF | Ashish Airon
AUG 4, 2025
#172 From Zero to 14 IVF Centers: Journey & Insights on Fertility | Risaa IVF | Ashish Airon
From Zero to 14 IVF Centers: Dr. Sarthak’s Entrepreneurial Journey & Insights on Fertility | Dr Saarthak Bakshi, PhD ### Description:Join us for an inspiring conversation with Dr. Sarthak, a multifaceted entrepreneur with a PhD in management. In this episode, he shares his incredible journey from founding and failing at a gaming and a laundry business to successfully building 14 IVF centers across India, Nepal, and Bangladesh.Dr. Sarthak dives deep into the realities of his entrepreneurial path, highlighting the crucial lessons learned from his failures and the importance of perseverance. He also provides valuable insights into the world of IVF and fertility, dispelling common myths and explaining the economic and scientific aspects of the business. He touches upon the challenges of infertility today, the role of lifestyle, and the importance of fertility education.This video is a must-watch for aspiring entrepreneurs, those interested in the healthcare industry, and anyone looking to understand the future of fertility.### Timestamps:00:00 - Introduction to Dr. Sarthak01:40 - Dr. Sarthak's journey as a "failed entrepreneur"02:20 - Overcoming negative emotions and failures03:00 - Passion vs. Talent in business06:11 - Dr. Sarthak's PhD background06:25 - The story behind starting the IVF business08:42 - The economics of IVF: cost and operational breakdown10:12 - Technological advancements in IVF14:07 - Why infertility is increasing in society18:55 - The importance of fertility education24:40 - A look at adoption vs. surrogacy28:27 - Bootstrapping and scaling the business to 14 centers29:57 - Why franchising doesn't work for IVF33:20 - Scaling an IVF business and raising capital35:12 - Dr. Sarthak’s final message on fertility and career planning### Hashtags:#DrSarthak #BlitzBusiness #Entrepreneurship #IVF #Fertility #BusinessJourney #StartupIndia #HealthcareBusiness #EntrepreneurialLessons #SuccessStory #VentureCapital #FertilityEducation #StartupFailures #WomenInBusiness #MensHealth #InfertilityAwareness
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36 MIN
#171 Journey of a Hospitality Entrepreneur | Devanshi Tripathi | TripGo Hospitality | Ashish Airon
JUL 15, 2025
#171 Journey of a Hospitality Entrepreneur | Devanshi Tripathi | TripGo Hospitality | Ashish Airon
** Description:**Join us on BlitzBusiness as we sit down with Devanshi, a dynamic entrepreneur who transitioned from a successful corporate career to conquer the competitive world of hospitality. Devanshi shares her inspiring journey, from her roots in Lucknow to building a thriving hospitality business in Bengaluru.**Key Moments & Timestamps:*** **00:00** - Introduction to Devanshi and her background.* **00:12** - Devanshi shares her journey from Lucknow to Bangalore and her corporate job.* **00:25** - The decision to start her own hospitality company, Tripgo Hospitality.* **00:41** - Discussing her love for pets and pet-friendly restaurant spaces.* **00:49** - What drew Devanshi into the hospitality industry.* **00:57** - Her previous experience in the EdTech and development sectors.* **01:23** - Why Bangalore's F&B culture inspired her to enter hospitality.* **01:40** - The initial exploration and research phase before starting her restaurant.* **02:20** - Acknowledging the challenges in the restaurant business.* **02:32** - Diving deeper into her experience in the EdTech industry.* **03:30** - How she got started in the current hospitality space.* **03:59** - Top 3 crucial things aspiring restaurateurs should know.* **06:06** - The importance of understanding licenses and permissions in hospitality.* **07:17** - The significance of having a good financial runway for a restaurant.* **09:15** - Hidden costs and considerations when creating a business plan.* **10:30** - The variations in licensing and "under the table" costs across states.* **11:46** - Discussion on various restaurant formats and their profitability.* **12:13** - Comparing the risk and profitability of different F&B formats.* **12:30** - Challenges and advantages of cafes vs. bars.* **13:08** - Highlighting opportunities in markets with less competition.* **13:36** - The importance of location specificity in India's F&B industry.* **14:38** - The challenge of acquiring liquor licenses and potential solutions.* **15:10** - Advantages of buying a property with existing licenses.* **16:05** - Understanding the deposit and rental costs for liquor licenses in Karnataka.* **18:31** - The concept of BYOB (Bring Your Own Bottle) and licensing requirements.* **21:12** - How BYOB formats generate revenue from food.* **21:28** - Why cloud kitchens are not as profitable for new entrants.* **22:58** - Devanshi's current hospitality ventures.* **26:10** - Identifying the most profitable format among her current businesses.* **27:26** - Why cloud kitchens may not be a great business for new entrepreneurs.* **28:56** - Cloud kitchens as an additional revenue stream for existing businesses.* **29:30** - The strategy behind restaurants running cloud kitchens from the same location.* **30:15** - Funding options for hospitality businesses in India.* **30:30** - Venture Capital interest in new restaurant formats.* **30:57** - The common misconception that leads to high failure rates in hospitality.* **31:41** - Why almost everyone dreams of opening a cafe or restaurant.* **32:26** - The importance of strong expertise in niche industries vs. hospitality.* **33:37** - Devanshi's top 3 favorite Pan-India restaurants.* **35:45** - Why she admires Booji Cafe from both customer and business perspectives.* **37:46** - The enduring appeal and success of The Big Chill Cafe in Delhi.* **39:41** - The importance of effective marketing, especially on Zomato.* **40:53** - Key takeaways and lessons Devanshi wished she knew earlier about marketing.* **42:40** - Her final advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in the hospitality sector.
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43 MIN
#170 India's EV Battery Revolution & Future of Mobility| Pratik Kamdar | Neuron Energy |Ashish Airon
JUN 26, 2025
#170 India's EV Battery Revolution & Future of Mobility| Pratik Kamdar | Neuron Energy |Ashish Airon
Title:India's EV Battery Revolution: Inside Neuron's Journey & The Future of Mobility Description:Welcome to Blitz Business! In this insightful episode, we sit down with Pratik, Co-founder of Neuron, to deep dive into the rapidly evolving Electric Vehicle (EV) battery landscape in India.Pratik shares Neuron's journey, from his background in finance and real estate to discovering the immense potential in the EV battery space. We discuss the current state of EV adoption in India, focusing on the impressive growth of two-wheelers and three-wheelers, and the emerging four-wheeler segment.Gain valuable insights into:The current manufacturing scenario for EV batteries in India.How Neuron designs its battery packs and manages its supply chain.The economics of EV batteries, including replacement costs and decreasing cell prices.Neuron's fundraising journey, including details of their recent rounds and future plans for expansion, including a new factory in Pune.The crucial role of service networks and overcoming supply chain challenges in this nascent but booming industry.The environmental impact of EVs and the shift towards cleaner energy sources like solar.Exciting future technologies like Sodium-ion and Solid-state batteries.Opportunities for new players in the EV ecosystem, particularly in battery recycling.Don't forget to like this video, subscribe to Blitz Business for more insightful discussions, and hit the notification bell! Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!Connect with us:[Your Social Media Links][Your Website/Blog]Key Moments & Timestamps (Video Length: 23:53):0:00 - Introduction to Pratik and Neuron0:14 - Pratik's professional journey and how he entered the EV battery space1:23 - Current battery manufacturing situation in India1:33 - Growth of Electric Two-wheelers and Three-wheelers in India2:10 - Growth in Electric Three-wheelers and Four-wheelers2:22 - Increasing penetration of EV mobility in India2:33 - Neuron's product offerings: Batteries for Electric Mobility & Energy Storage2:52 - Neuron's supply chain and battery manufacturing process3:26 - Impact of cab aggregator issues on Neuron's business3:45 - Neuron's client segments: OEMs, Fleet Operators, and Retail4:33 - Economics of EV batteries: Replacement cost and battery lifespan5:35 - Lithium-ion vs. Lead-acid batteries: Differences and advantages6:32 - Decreasing battery costs and impact on EV adoption7:14 - Neuron's fundraising journey: Seed and Series A rounds8:15 - Utilization of raised capital: Working capital and factory setup8:53 - Payment terms and credit cycles with OEMs9:17 - Biggest challenges in the EV battery business (SCM & Service Network)10:11 - Future technologies: Sodium-ion and Solid-state batteries10:44 - Neuron's R&D team and its objectives11:25 - Reasons for slower growth of four-wheelers compared to two-wheelers12:35 - Future infrastructure development for four-wheelers12:57 - Impact of monsoon on EV batteries and climate change13:42 - Environmental benefits of Lithium-ion battery manufacturing14:19 - Shift from thermal to solar power in India for cleaner energy15:09 - Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) and grid neutrality16:20 - Pratik's transition from real estate to the EV industry17:45 - The evolving nature of the EV ecosystem and future opportunities18:48 - Current market trends and sales in the EV space19:12 - Neuron's future plans: Factory launch and revenue projections20:10 - Gross margins in storage vs. mobility space20:51 - Opportunities for new players in the EV industry, especially recycling22:39 - Neuron's plans for entering the four-wheeler segment23:25 - Concluding remarks#EVBatteries #ElectricVehicles #IndiaEV #Neuron #StartupIndia #ElectricMobility #BatteryTechnology
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23 MIN