How I lost my startup, got it back and scaled
+ why founders should have a 'life' beyond their startups.
He is one of the OGs of new age retail businesses.
Raised funding (am talking 2006 when VC money was as scarce as today’s clean air)
Post-funding: as expected aggressive expansion plans et al.
Reality: The money didn't hit the bank account (some % did)
Lehmann crisis happened / shutdown most of the stores
Almost lost his startup to investors (thanks to one clause)
Somehow got it back (had to take a loan)
Activated the 'sane' mode - survived, scaled up.
Meet my next guest in #UnPluggdWithSinha show - Manish Sharma, cofounder and CEO of Printo, a leading printing business in India.
In this episode, we discuss
Manish’s lessons building Printo
Raising money, the (evil) power of liquidation preference clause most founders often ignore
Building one of the early D2C businesses in India
His advice to founders out there
Why founders should have a life beyond their startups - Manish is into cycling, was intensely involved with AAP political party (Bangalore chapter), does theatres.
(episode language: Hinglish)
UnPluggd with Sinha podcast brings you unfiltered, candid conversations with India's leading entrepreneurs, authors and business leaders.
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