From Zero to Hero: How To Startup On The Right Foot
Thrifty TitansNovember 13, 202200:18:58

From Zero to Hero: How To Startup On The Right Foot

Maybe you have a startup idea. Maybe you're wondering if it's a good one.

How can you evaluate fresh startup ideas to ensure they don't transform into solutions seeking problems? What level of protection should you apply to your startup idea? What are the most significant obstacles faced by pre-seed founders in the realm of startup funding India? How can you determine if your venture is better suited for bootstrapping or VC funding, and how can you comprehend investor optics? 

We have K N Karthikeyan, the founder of Arthhaa, an investment bank specializing in early-stage startups and pre-seeding funding. If you're a prospective or first-time founder exploring how to raise money for your startup, don't miss this invaluable opportunity!

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00:00:05

Saikat Pyne: Hi, I'm Sekar marketer, creative and media nerd. Welcome to




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Saikat Pyne: your empire. Here we go.




00:00:49

Saikat Pyne: Please join me in welcoming Kane Ken, the founder of ARTHA,




00:00:55

Saikat Pyne: an investment bank for early stage startups, Arthur works closely




00:01:00

Saikat Pyne: with founders to help them get funding through full stack




00:01:04

Saikat Pyne: investor engagement from strategy design and pitch deck creation all




00:01:09

Saikat Pyne: the way until term should closer. Welcome to the show.




00:01:13

K N Karthikeyan: Hey, really glad to be here.




00:01:16

Saikat Pyne: They say startup ideas, a dime a dozen. What is




00:01:20

Saikat Pyne: the litmus test you'd recommend for a new startup idea?




00:01:25

Saikat Pyne: So it doesn't turn out to be a solution. Looking




00:01:28

Saikat Pyne: for a problem?




00:01:28

K N Karthikeyan: There's a short answer and a long answer for that.




00:01:30

K N Karthikeyan: I think the short answer would be execution. That's the




00:01:33

K N Karthikeyan: ultimate litmus test for any ideas. But the long answer




00:01:36

K N Karthikeyan: would be in a startup. Essentially idea means something that




00:01:39

K N Karthikeyan: you will eventually become a company. And they




00:01:42

K N Karthikeyan: The key is that there are a few people who




00:01:45

K N Karthikeyan: are ready to pay you for it, which is the customers.




00:01:48

K N Karthikeyan: So the validation on the customer side is the biggest




00:01:52

K N Karthikeyan: litmus test. No matter which stage you are in, there




00:01:55

K N Karthikeyan: are many other metrics that you can look at in




00:01:58

K N Karthikeyan: terms of funding and valuation. Ultimately, the litmus test is




00:02:02

K N Karthikeyan: whether customers are ready to pay for what you offer them.




00:02:06

K N Karthikeyan: I've




00:02:06

Saikat Pyne: heard of people getting others to sign N. D. A




00:02:10

Saikat Pyne: s




00:02:10

Saikat Pyne: just for the privilege of hearing the startup idea. What's




00:02:15

Saikat Pyne: your take on how important the idea is, or the




00:02:19

Saikat Pyne: amount of secrecy and idea has to be kept under




00:02:22

Saikat Pyne: before an M. V. P is created and before the




00:02:24

Saikat Pyne: company is the




00:02:25

K N Karthikeyan: short answer. For this would be a few people who




00:02:28

K N Karthikeyan: have done this where you ask for an N. D. A.




00:02:30

K N Karthikeyan: Just to share anything more than that, being an




00:02:34

K N Karthikeyan: insult that the other person will steal it. If you




00:02:36

K N Karthikeyan: go to ABC and say that I have a great idea,




00:02:38

K N Karthikeyan: can you sign the day before the second chair or




00:02:40

K N Karthikeyan: any investor, right? The reason why they will run away




00:02:43

K N Karthikeyan: in the opposite direction is not really just because they're




00:02:46

K N Karthikeyan: in accepted because they think that, you know, uh, you




00:02:49

K N Karthikeyan: you will steal the idea or that they think the




00:02:51

K N Karthikeyan: person thinks so much of themselves that their idea is




00:02:53

K N Karthikeyan: so great, but primarily because the first thing that you




00:02:57

K N Karthikeyan: said if you're too close to your idea, if you're




00:02:59

K N Karthikeyan: too much into this whole thing of Hey, it's an




00:03:01

K N Karthikeyan: awesome idea Exactly that needs to be done.




00:03:04

K N Karthikeyan: That is more or less, I would say 100% but




00:03:07

K N Karthikeyan: still 99 point How many other minds you can add? A.




00:03:10

K N Karthikeyan: A recipe for disaster, because once you put your idea




00:03:14

K N Karthikeyan: into the execution model, it is going to change. I




00:03:17

K N Karthikeyan: don't think there is any company in the world in




00:03:20

K N Karthikeyan: the history of mankind where the founders started off




00:03:23

K N Karthikeyan: as one thing and it didn't become something. In fact,




00:03:26

K N Karthikeyan: one of the measurement criteria, which is put by many




00:03:30

K N Karthikeyan: of the good or someone like Paul Graham from Y. C.




00:03:33

K N Karthikeyan: Is how many times you wait until you reach that




00:03:36

K N Karthikeyan: golden gold product market fit that becomes a criteria. So




00:03:39

K N Karthikeyan: then how fast you are able to fail and wet yourself,




00:03:42

K N Karthikeyan: that becomes a criteria.




00:03:43

K N Karthikeyan: So in that context, you should do exactly the opposite.




00:03:46

K N Karthikeyan: You're a creator, right? Imagine if you have a novel




00:03:49

K N Karthikeyan: idea or some Web series. Idea. If you go to




00:03:52

K N Karthikeyan: a good writing coach, what? Just tell it to everyone.




00:03:55

K N Karthikeyan: It to your aunt, uncle, your neighbour, your friend, someone




00:03:59

K N Karthikeyan: on the street, anyone who's you're standing in the queue.




00:04:02

K N Karthikeyan: You want to tell that person? I would say the




00:04:04

K N Karthikeyan: startup idea thing is also not very different. Tell it




00:04:06

K N Karthikeyan: to us. And now we are building publicly. There's so




00:04:09

K N Karthikeyan: many benefits for it, I can tell you there are




00:04:11

K N Karthikeyan: so many




00:04:11

K N Karthikeyan: startups. Good startups, which are building build itself, is a




00:04:15

K N Karthikeyan: good example. So building publicly




00:04:18

Saikat Pyne: is a thing you give the example of a creator.




00:04:21

Saikat Pyne: Creators often get into that bit of a dilemma where




00:04:25

Saikat Pyne: their love for their content and their romanticism of their




00:04:29

Saikat Pyne: creative ability becomes a hindrance for their growth. But there's




00:04:34

Saikat Pyne: also the archetype of the crazy founder, who will go




00:04:36

Saikat Pyne: to any length because he really believes in that idea




00:04:39

K N Karthikeyan: right the founders have to be. Yes, because it's not




00:04:42

K N Karthikeyan: very natural, right? Being enterprising might be natural, but being




00:04:47

K N Karthikeyan: an entrepreneur in the current context is not natural, because




00:04:50

K N Karthikeyan: I don't think we were wired to work for us




00:04:52

K N Karthikeyan: 15 hours, 18 hours. So in that sense, yes, you




00:04:55

K N Karthikeyan: have to be a little bit crazy. But here earliest




00:04:58

K N Karthikeyan: I can go back is to see jobs. We started




00:05:00

K N Karthikeyan: that campaign here




00:05:02

K N Karthikeyan: one. And then there are many examples. He himself is




00:05:05

K N Karthikeyan: supposed to be a crazy founder. But don't think crazy




00:05:08

K N Karthikeyan: is the archetype, right? If you take a step back




00:05:10

K N Karthikeyan: and say, Hey, what is that one quality that you




00:05:13

K N Karthikeyan: would want in a founder? And I've seen enough investors




00:05:15

K N Karthikeyan: looking at founders in this way and that one word




00:05:18

K N Karthikeyan: to be great about being focused, being a little bit




00:05:22

K N Karthikeyan: adamant and not giving up and yet being




00:05:25

K N Karthikeyan: adaptive enough to get through even now grit, it comes




00:05:29

K N Karthikeyan: out in many forms and people. It's like saying that Hey,




00:05:32

K N Karthikeyan: how does say you compare how Raul Raul shows aggression




00:05:35

K N Karthikeyan: versus how Vira shows? Look at how Vili himself changed




00:05:39

K N Karthikeyan: from shouting Ben Stokes shedding tears, right? Different people show




00:05:45

K N Karthikeyan: the same quality in different ways. So the same thing




00:05:47

K N Karthikeyan: with grit, right? But what happens is the crazy ones




00:05:52

K N Karthikeyan: stand out in the media or in social media or




00:05:55

K N Karthikeyan: generally in society in terms of people watching. But some




00:05:58

K N Karthikeyan: of the founders I know successful ones are the most




00:06:01

K N Karthikeyan: silent ones. Some might even call them very




00:06:04

Saikat Pyne: reserved. What are some of the biggest pitfalls you've seen?




00:06:06

Saikat Pyne: Preceed level founders do some of the biggest boo boos




00:06:09

Saikat Pyne: that you've seen




00:06:10

K N Karthikeyan: them make. I'm assuming when you say preceed kind of thing,




00:06:13

K N Karthikeyan: they would have at least have a product. You need




00:06:15

K N Karthikeyan: a lot to create fast, right? So you have to




00:06:17

K N Karthikeyan: take it to as many people as possible




00:06:19

K N Karthikeyan: and be ready to see those patterns and change things accordingly.




00:06:23

K N Karthikeyan: That is one thing that is required. Secondly, your product




00:06:26

K N Karthikeyan: should not become a solution. Searching for a problem. This




00:06:29

K N Karthikeyan: is a very critical thing,




00:06:30

K N Karthikeyan: and that is where when people talk about idea, that's




00:06:33

K N Karthikeyan: a slightly subjective thing. In the sense most people, when




00:06:36

K N Karthikeyan: they think about idea, they think about the solution. But




00:06:39

K N Karthikeyan: I think the bigger piece of the idea should be




00:06:41

K N Karthikeyan: the problem itself. So in that sense, obsession, if at




00:06:45

K N Karthikeyan: all you want to have it is better to have




00:06:48

K N Karthikeyan: on the problem side rather than on the




00:06:51

K N Karthikeyan: side. Could be a healthy obsession, because you can continue




00:06:54

K N Karthikeyan: with that and you can keep improving, provided you're just




00:06:57

K N Karthikeyan: keeping your eyes and ears open and trying to see




00:06:59

K N Karthikeyan: what the market is saying. So that is the other




00:07:01

K N Karthikeyan: thing being more attached to the solution rather than the problem.




00:07:04

K N Karthikeyan: And also then the other thing that we would have




00:07:07

K N Karthikeyan: seen when it comes to building the team again, that




00:07:10

K N Karthikeyan: also requires you to At least




00:07:12

K N Karthikeyan: I thought that this would use a different kind of




00:07:14

K N Karthikeyan: deal because founders, when they start off, they have to




00:07:17

K N Karthikeyan: do everything. There are only one or two people in




00:07:19

K N Karthikeyan: the company there. But when you grow to a certain place,




00:07:22

K N Karthikeyan: that entire delegation piece really, which I've seen founders typically struggling,




00:07:26

K N Karthikeyan: I know so many founders. For instance, they say that




00:07:30

K N Karthikeyan: Oh my God, I should have hired this finance person




00:07:33

K N Karthikeyan: who's taking care of all the building and taxing, at




00:07:36

K N Karthikeyan: least




00:07:37

K N Karthikeyan: if not a few months, few years before




00:07:40

K N Karthikeyan: how many founders do that? That is just one example. Similarly,




00:07:44

K N Karthikeyan: a chart comes a little later when there are enough




00:07:46

K N Karthikeyan: and more people but across functions. This is something that that,




00:07:49

K N Karthikeyan: you see, like to say one test of you being




00:07:51

K N Karthikeyan: a founder of a small or a medium sized. How




00:07:55

K N Karthikeyan: well you're doing in that department. The delegation department is




00:07:57

K N Karthikeyan: when you take one week off without phone,




00:08:00

K N Karthikeyan: nothing. And still things are running us. Before I




00:08:03

Saikat Pyne: loved your take on being married to the problem and




00:08:06

Saikat Pyne: not the solution. Because when you're married to the problem




00:08:10

Saikat Pyne: and you are consistently validating the problem statement with some




00:08:16

Saikat Pyne: amount of research, you are more likely to stumble upon




00:08:19

Saikat Pyne: a solution. Uh, as compared to the other way around.




00:08:22

Saikat Pyne: If you find the face, the tail is going to




00:08:24

Saikat Pyne: be there.




00:08:24

K N Karthikeyan: Yeah, yeah, definitely. And the core of it that's also




00:08:27

K N Karthikeyan: a little bit more. It's a buzzword. Empathy. When you're




00:08:30

K N Karthikeyan: obsessed with the problem, that a solution, then you're also




00:08:33

K N Karthikeyan: automatically a little more empathetic. And if you ask me,




00:08:36

K N Karthikeyan: empathy is the starting point for customer service in the




00:08:38

K N Karthikeyan: sense you should be, not just in a very emotional sense,




00:08:41

K N Karthikeyan: but you should be able to put yourself in the




00:08:43

K N Karthikeyan: customer's shoes, and that comes from that. When




00:08:47

Saikat Pyne: is it a time for me to decide if this




00:08:51

Saikat Pyne: model of a start up most definitely




00:08:53

Saikat Pyne: needs a V C or an angel to step in?




00:08:56

Saikat Pyne: How does the founder figure that out?




00:08:58

K N Karthikeyan: I'm in this space. I would say that if you




00:09:00

K N Karthikeyan: can achieve it by boo, you should definitely try, right,




00:09:04

K N Karthikeyan: because you get to focus so much on the core




00:09:07

K N Karthikeyan: of what you're doing as a founder. If you're really




00:09:09

K N Karthikeyan: able to do bootstrap because you don't have to worry




00:09:11

K N Karthikeyan: about investors, you don't have to reach out to people.




00:09:14

K N Karthikeyan: You don't have to answer anyone else in that sense, right?




00:09:17

K N Karthikeyan: You have only your customers to answer to. And if




00:09:19

K N Karthikeyan: you can do that, great. If you think that's not possible,




00:09:22

K N Karthikeyan: then is the funding piece that comes in right




00:09:26

K N Karthikeyan: And funding is also one thing that I always tell




00:09:28

K N Karthikeyan: anyone who comes to me. One thing I would tell




00:09:30

K N Karthikeyan: them is you should not take money for day to




00:09:33

K N Karthikeyan: day operations if you're taking money for day to day




00:09:35

K N Karthikeyan: operations of what you're already doing, or if that is




00:09:38

K N Karthikeyan: the way that you want, then




00:09:40

K N Karthikeyan: you're just fixing the wrong kind of problem. Your problem




00:09:43

K N Karthikeyan: is really not cash flow. Your problem is your model




00:09:46

K N Karthikeyan: is set. And within that model, whether it is a




00:09:48

K N Karthikeyan: PM problem, some other problem or it is your cash




00:09:50

K N Karthikeyan: flow problem. Whatever it is that you have, that is




00:09:53

K N Karthikeyan: one other thing that I tell founders and the money




00:09:55

K N Karthikeyan: should be taken for expansion. It is to do something




00:09:58

K N Karthikeyan: more than what you already are. It could be going




00:10:01

K N Karthikeyan: into your geography, or it could be building something more




00:10:03

K N Karthikeyan: on the




00:10:04

K N Karthikeyan: product side or whatever. But again, this example that you




00:10:07

K N Karthikeyan: gave was particularly of someone who was the M. V P.




00:10:09

K N Karthikeyan: I'm guessing it was a few customers, and it was




00:10:11

K N Karthikeyan: a business kind of. There is another kind of you




00:10:13

K N Karthikeyan: can go with a pitch stick and raise money also right,




00:10:16

K N Karthikeyan: so that is always always an option. But again, it




00:10:18

K N Karthikeyan: depends on what the personal choice of the founder. If




00:10:21

K N Karthikeyan: someone thinks that's the way that they need to start,




00:10:23

K N Karthikeyan: then that is also the approach they can take personally.




00:10:26

K N Karthikeyan: If you ask me,




00:10:27

K N Karthikeyan: I always believe in bootstrapping business to the extent that




00:10:31

K N Karthikeyan: you can without compromising on that eventual goal. Since you




00:10:35

K N Karthikeyan: should not cut down that goal just to be bootstrapped,




00:10:37

K N Karthikeyan: then maybe you're undervaluing your




00:10:40

Saikat Pyne: got it. But there are way too many articles out




00:10:43

Saikat Pyne: there about pros of bootstrapping versus V. C Finding or




00:10:47

Saikat Pyne: V C. Funding versus bootstrapping. Let's speak about the cons.




00:10:51

Saikat Pyne: What are some of the cons of going bootstrapped




00:10:55

K N Karthikeyan: Cos at? At a very fundamental level, no company in




00:10:59

K N Karthikeyan: the world has gone out of business because they are




00:11:01

K N Karthikeyan: not profitable.




00:11:02

K N Karthikeyan: Companies have gone out of business




00:11:05

K N Karthikeyan: only, and only because cash flow stops. That's why you




00:11:09

K N Karthikeyan: have all these unicorns still continue to make laws some




00:11:13

K N Karthikeyan: even maybe after a decade or so, right? But so




00:11:16

K N Karthikeyan: that is the biggest con of bootstrap in In that sense,




00:11:19

K N Karthikeyan: that risk is there and how much of that risk




00:11:21

K N Karthikeyan: is there for your business that you will have to




00:11:22

K N Karthikeyan: evaluate yourself if you're going in a good margin




00:11:25

K N Karthikeyan: right? And there are different formulas for it. I'm not




00:11:27

K N Karthikeyan: going to detail. There are different frameworks that you can




00:11:29

K N Karthikeyan: look at but broadly, a reasonably good margin. If you're




00:11:32

K N Karthikeyan: going with that, then you know and it is OK,




00:11:35

K N Karthikeyan: but otherwise you think that Hey, it is not the




00:11:37

K N Karthikeyan: way you have to for expansion, we need more money




00:11:39

K N Karthikeyan: that's going to come in. And then that is the case,




00:11:41

K N Karthikeyan: then obviously, bootstrap is not discussed. Right? So one cause




00:11:44

K N Karthikeyan: of bootstrap is the cash flow piece itself, right? Secondly, again,




00:11:50

K N Karthikeyan: it's a personal thing for me, but what I what




00:11:52

K N Karthikeyan: I've seen is having some kind of cushion.




00:11:55

K N Karthikeyan: A kind of reduces your mental pressure overall, Uh, right.




00:11:59

K N Karthikeyan: Although when the invest money comes, if you have a




00:12:01

K N Karthikeyan: different kind of depends, which kind of pressure is more




00:12:03

K N Karthikeyan: important for you or what you would like to that




00:12:06

K N Karthikeyan: is the other other con, Uh, and also overall, the




00:12:09

K N Karthikeyan: main thing is, sometimes in the obsession of being bootstrapped companies,




00:12:14

K N Karthikeyan: sometimes the founders, they either underestimate their vision or they




00:12:17

K N Karthikeyan: give up on certain aspects of the vision. What




00:12:19

Saikat Pyne: are some of the cons If I get funded by




00:12:22

Saikat Pyne: a good V, C.




00:12:23

Saikat Pyne: And I say a good V C with a lot




00:12:25

Saikat Pyne: of reservations. Of




00:12:26

K N Karthikeyan: course, At the end of the day, anyone is putting




00:12:28

K N Karthikeyan: the money primarily. There is only one goal right they




00:12:31

K N Karthikeyan: need to get returns out of V. C is also




00:12:33

K N Karthikeyan: someone in the middle. It is someone else's money, so




00:12:35

K N Karthikeyan: they are answerable to their LP s wherever they are




00:12:37

K N Karthikeyan: getting the funds from. From a point of view, the




00:12:41

K N Karthikeyan: thing is, definitely see. Dilution is something that is bound




00:12:44

K N Karthikeyan: to a few founders that I've seen and heard




00:12:46

K N Karthikeyan: is where you dilute so much that after a point,




00:12:49

K N Karthikeyan: you are not able to direct things the way that




00:12:51

K N Karthikeyan: you want. That is something that founders need to be




00:12:54

K N Karthikeyan: aware of. It depends on the reason it depends on




00:12:56

K N Karthikeyan: the kind of relationship that you have. I would never




00:12:58

K N Karthikeyan: demonise them in the way sometimes they demonised because, like




00:13:01

K N Karthikeyan: I said, they are also doing a job. They're answerable




00:13:03

K N Karthikeyan: to certain people, so they'll also look at things in




00:13:05

K N Karthikeyan: a way. But yes, then it's That's also like a




00:13:07

K N Karthikeyan: kind of a marriage, right? So




00:13:09

K N Karthikeyan: the founder has to do. One is the co founder




00:13:12

K N Karthikeyan: of the employees, but with the V E. C. Also,




00:13:14

K N Karthikeyan: it's like a marriage, right? So it's like asking, How




00:13:16

K N Karthikeyan: do I get a good husband, good wife to work




00:13:20

K N Karthikeyan: on that relationship right? If you work on that relationship,




00:13:22

K N Karthikeyan: then C will stand by you. I also know of




00:13:25

K N Karthikeyan: who are back founders who




00:13:29

K N Karthikeyan: shut their, uh, first company down. And still they come




00:13:33

K N Karthikeyan: up with the second firm. They back the founder because




00:13:35

K N Karthikeyan: the b CS also understand the realities of things are




00:13:37

K N Karthikeyan: and and their belief is always on the founder. Like




00:13:40

K N Karthikeyan: the adage of S ABC bet on the jockey and




00:13:43

K N Karthikeyan: the horse. I think this jockey or the horse, I




00:13:45

K N Karthikeyan: think




00:13:46

K N Karthikeyan: most often they are not on the




00:13:48

Saikat Pyne: jockey. I really love this relationship. Parallel. We have drawn




00:13:51

Saikat Pyne: through the podcast. I think that's made it so much




00:13:54

Saikat Pyne: more relatable. The last question I wanted to ask you,




00:13:57

Saikat Pyne: Kartik was around founder trying to understand his or her




00:14:03

Saikat Pyne: own




00:14:04

Saikat Pyne: venture from the optics of the investor. So I think




00:14:07

K N Karthikeyan: this is a wonderful question. This optics becomes very critical




00:14:11

K N Karthikeyan: primarily because the founder optics is very different from the




00:14:13

K N Karthikeyan: investor optics because and you have to be that way right.




00:14:17

K N Karthikeyan: It's not a person dependent thing, because if you're a founder,




00:14:19

K N Karthikeyan: you think right that direction if you're you think different




00:14:21

K N Karthikeyan: now in terms of looking at the investor optics. You




00:14:25

K N Karthikeyan: can go back to the fundamentals of this, right? What




00:14:27

K N Karthikeyan: is the investor sitting listening to you for? What is




00:14:30

K N Karthikeyan: at the end of the day, he or she is




00:14:31

K N Karthikeyan: looking for




00:14:32

K N Karthikeyan: It's r o, right. Like we said, right, I'm gonna




00:14:34

K N Karthikeyan: put in money and is it gonna give me returns




00:14:36

K N Karthikeyan: or not? It's very simple right now. There are different




00:14:39

K N Karthikeyan: ways to look at, but the way I visualise this




00:14:41

K N Karthikeyan: is you imagine the investor is like a humanoid, right?




00:14:45

K N Karthikeyan: Like a robo in the nineties nineties movies I think of.




00:14:50

K N Karthikeyan: He has this entire place like and things will be there.




00:14:54

K N Karthikeyan: So what are How do we show robots? Right. We




00:14:55

K N Karthikeyan: like a human thing, and then we a lot of




00:14:58

K N Karthikeyan: B right B.




00:15:01

K N Karthikeyan: So investors like that with two kinds of bulbs, one




00:15:04

K N Karthikeyan: is the green bulb and one is the red bar, right?




00:15:07

K N Karthikeyan: The green bulb is typically the opportunity bulb,




00:15:10

K N Karthikeyan: right? When you say something and then it hooks them. Yeah,




00:15:12

K N Karthikeyan: this is the market to be Or within this market,




00:15:14

K N Karthikeyan: this is the problem or the huge customer service. There's




00:15:16

K N Karthikeyan: a big need it like a white space. This is




00:15:19

K N Karthikeyan: like a niche thought. Whatever. Whatever would be that green bulk?




00:15:22

K N Karthikeyan: That's the opportunity b.




00:15:24

K N Karthikeyan: The red belt is the risk B or is this




00:15:26

K N Karthikeyan: a red flag? You could give an idea. I directly




00:15:29

K N Karthikeyan: you could give up with your body language or or




00:15:32

K N Karthikeyan: two things that you see. I'm looking at a timeline




00:15:34

K N Karthikeyan: of a small timeline of, let's say, five years or something.




00:15:37

K N Karthikeyan: After that, I would like to exit it in some way.




00:15:40

K N Karthikeyan: You're not really married to the idea or married to




00:15:42

K N Karthikeyan: the problem married to the company. What if if you're




00:15:44

K N Karthikeyan: not that or you don't have a full fledged team




00:15:47

K N Karthikeyan: or there are some ethical issues, right,




00:15:50

K N Karthikeyan: So you have to You should not put those red.




00:15:54

K N Karthikeyan: Will customers really pay for this? There's just searching for




00:15:57

K N Karthikeyan: a problem and stuff like that. So when you during




00:16:00

K N Karthikeyan: this conversation or interaction, it is important that you ignite




00:16:04

K N Karthikeyan: as many green bulbs as possible




00:16:06

K N Karthikeyan: and stop any other, or at least reduce as much




00:16:09

K N Karthikeyan: as possible of the red bulbs or address them properly.




00:16:12

K N Karthikeyan: Even if there is a risk right, you don't have




00:16:13

K N Karthikeyan: a technical co for saying, Yeah, the money once comes




00:16:16

K N Karthikeyan: in I'm gonna hire someone specifically for this. I already




00:16:19

K N Karthikeyan: have talked to them. That person just waiting for the




00:16:20

K N Karthikeyan: money to come so that I can pay themselves whatever. Right?




00:16:23

K N Karthikeyan: So that is the way that that I would want




00:16:25

K N Karthikeyan: to look at it. But in an overall at an




00:16:28

K N Karthikeyan: overall story level,




00:16:31

K N Karthikeyan: there is the the one. I think the would have




00:16:34

K N Karthikeyan: talked about the pitch tech, and I'm not sure if




00:16:36

K N Karthikeyan: it's we would have talked about the structure of it, right?




00:16:38

K N Karthikeyan: So that is there. So one, a certain structure. At




00:16:41

K N Karthikeyan: least we need to make sure that there is a




00:16:42

K N Karthikeyan: flow in the way you are putting it across. It




00:16:44

K N Karthikeyan: flows in a particular way. And then there are certain




00:16:46

K N Karthikeyan: tick marks that you need to put out the problem.




00:16:48

K N Karthikeyan: Side solution. Market sizing the industry is What about the




00:16:51

K N Karthikeyan: market size? You don't know? Or what about why a




00:16:54

K N Karthikeyan: competitor in this space?




00:16:55

K N Karthikeyan: No, it doesn't make sense, Right? So those are the




00:16:57

K N Karthikeyan: basic one fundamental thing that always I would suggest for




00:17:03

K N Karthikeyan: founders really look for and communicate this client. There's no




00:17:06

K N Karthikeyan: point in putting a lot of jargon. And we are




00:17:09

K N Karthikeyan: like a a I based platform working on integrating multiple




00:17:14

K N Karthikeyan: players within the supply chain. Ecosystem doesn't.




00:17:18

Saikat Pyne: Yeah, a lot of




00:17:19

Saikat Pyne: words, but means nothing. Yeah. I mean, you




00:17:21

K N Karthikeyan: like again to take a Y c. You should be




00:17:24

K N Karthikeyan: able to explain it to your granny, right? What you




00:17:27

K N Karthikeyan: doing in business? So that kind of clarity you should




00:17:30

K N Karthikeyan: give and answers should be straightforward, right? For specific questions.




00:17:35

K N Karthikeyan: And if there is something that you still to figure out,




00:17:36

K N Karthikeyan: you should be open and honest about. So those would




00:17:39

K N Karthikeyan: be some of the fundamental things I would say beyond




00:17:41

K N Karthikeyan: the entire structure piece, which I think,




00:17:44

K N Karthikeyan: as you said in the would have. Yeah, it




00:17:46

Saikat Pyne: was very, very helpful. And with that, it's a wrap.




00:17:49

Saikat Pyne: Thank you so much for being on the show. I




00:17:52

Saikat Pyne: really appreciate you taking time




00:17:54

K N Karthikeyan: out. It's been a pleasure talking to you and realise




00:17:56

K N Karthikeyan: the time flew. Probably you should have a longer conversation




00:17:59

K N Karthikeyan: sometime later. I'm looking forward for you to keep growing




00:18:02

K N Karthikeyan: and for you to achieve.




00:18:04

Saikat Pyne: Thank you so much. Guys, please tune in next week




00:18:07

Saikat Pyne: for the next episode of the U Incorporated podcast. See ya.




00:18:15

Saikat Pyne: Thank you for tuning into the U Incorporated podcast with me.




00:18:20

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00:18:25

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00:18:30

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00:18:34

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00:18:38

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00:18:42

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00:18:46

Saikat Pyne: our show loads catch you in the next episode.