Six years of uncertainty. Or ninety days of clarity.
Six years of uncertainty. Or ninety days of clarity. That is the only real choice a founder makes. Six years…
I do not bet on the smartest founder in the room.
I do not bet on the smartest founder in the room. I bet on the one still in the room…
Funding is an amplifier, not a badge.
Funding is an amplifier, not a badge. It makes a good business bigger and a bad one die faster. Originally…
Most startups are not built. They are assembled.
Most startups are not built. They are assembled. Decks, rounds, narratives, held together by the next fundraise. Originally posted on…
The richest builders I know in India are not on any funding list.
The richest builders I know in India are not on any funding list. They are too busy being profitable. Originally…
At 25 I cried for two weeks after losing everything.
At 25 I cried for two weeks after losing everything. Then I went back to work. The crying did not…
A founder with receipts answers in 30 seconds.
A founder with receipts answers in 30 seconds. A founder with only a deck needs 30 slides. Originally posted on…
Show me the bank transfer from client, not the projection.
Show me the bank transfer from client, not the projection. Originally posted on X
My pager beeped in the middle of a meeting at 1-800-FLOWERS.
My pager beeped in the middle of a meeting at 1-800-FLOWERS. I knew exactly what it was. Another order on…
I have made more than forty bets on founders.
I have made more than forty bets on founders. The ones who won could all describe their boring work in…
My first employee was a housewife with no experience.
My first employee was a housewife with no experience. She closed four placements in six weeks. 21 years later she…
I flew to Mexico. No language. No network.
I flew to Mexico. No language. No network. 90 days. I built a million dollar business anyway. You learn fast…
Fraudsters drained my entire inventory overnight.
Fraudsters drained my entire inventory overnight. Bank balance near zero. I rebuilt it by hand in three months. Two years…
The best hire I ever made had the worst resume in the pile.
The best hire I ever made had the worst resume in the pile. Talent is mostly hidden. Resumes only show…
Most founders confuse being needed with being valuable.
Most founders confuse being needed with being valuable. The first traps you. The second frees you. Originally posted on X
Cusotmer Churn: Loud churn you can fix.
Cusotmer Churn: Loud churn you can fix. Silent churn you never see coming. Originally posted on X
You do not need perfect conditions.
You do not need perfect conditions. You need a clock and the courage to start. Originally posted on X
Stop polishing the deck. Spend that week getting one more receipt.
Stop polishing the deck. Spend that week getting one more receipt. Originally posted on X
We celebrate the fund raise like it is the win.
We celebrate the fund raise like it is the win. It is not. It is borrowing the right to be…
The salary is nothing. What you learn in year one, you keep for life.
The salary is nothing. What you learn in year one, you keep for life. Originally posted on X
Why Founders find co-founders instead of solo founder and his team
I want to admit something most founders never will. In my fourth startup, I called employees co-founders. Not because they…
A partnership without a written agreement is a slow disaster waiting for a date.
A partnership without a written agreement is a slow disaster waiting for a date. Originally posted on X
I bought a finance company older than I was, in a market everyone called boring, and…
I bought a finance company older than I was, in a market everyone called boring, and 10x’d it. Boring is…
I grew up watching my father farm ..
I grew up watching my father farm .. one field his whole life. I have planted in five countries. Same…
The company that survives the downturn is the one built on receipts, not on a story.
The company that survives the downturn is the one built on receipts, not on a story. Originally posted on X
A 100-person call center becomes a 10-person team of problem solvers.
A 100-person call center becomes a 10-person team of problem solvers. AI did not end the jobs. It ended the…
AI will not take your job. It will expose whether your job was ever real work.
AI will not take your job. It will expose whether your job was ever real work. Originally posted on X
Most business plans die in the planning.
Most business plans die in the planning. Not because the idea was wrong. Because the planning never ends. One more…
Less for 22 year old
A 22-year-old was ready to turn down two job offers to start a company. I told him he was making…
The other day my son and I were talking about the difference between VC and PE.
The other day my son and I were talking about the difference between VC and PE. He is majoring in…
“Hire slow, fire fast” almost killed my startup.
“Hire slow, fire fast” almost killed my startup. I had 3 weeks of runway left to launch. Traditional wisdom said…
80% of job applications get auto-rejected before a human even sees them.
80% of job applications get auto-rejected before a human even sees them. The ATS filters killed your resume in 12…
Everyone chases the unicorn.
Everyone chases the unicorn. Less than 1% of startups ever raise venture capital. Of those, fewer than 1 in 40…
The AI hiring wave is creating an unexpected problem.
The AI hiring wave is creating an unexpected problem. Companies are drowning in applications. One startup I know got 15,000…
Everyone thinks raising money validates your startup.
Everyone thinks raising money validates your startup. It doesn’t. It validates your pitch deck. In 20+ years as entrepreneur and…
I genuinely don’t enjoy LinkedIn anymore. And that makes me sad.
I genuinely don’t enjoy LinkedIn anymore. And that makes me sad. Because I remember when this place felt real. Real…
Leadership books are written by people who never built anything that mattered.
Leadership books are written by people who never built anything that mattered. Originally posted on X
The companies that survive in Ai Era
Anthropic just burned through $2.7 billion in 18 months. Google spent $13 billion on AI infrastructure last quarter alone. OpenAI…
Your startup will fail. Your relationships don’t have to.
Your startup will fail. Your relationships don’t have to. Originally posted on X
The loneliest job in the world has the best office views
The loneliest job in the world has the best office views Originally posted on X
Hiring fast and firing slow will kill your startup faster than bad product.
Hiring fast and firing slow will kill your startup faster than bad product. Originally posted on X
2022: 50 cold emails daily, 2% response rate
2022: 50 cold emails daily, 2% response rate 2024: 3 warm intros weekly, 90% close rate Networks beat numbers Originally…
AI will kill 40% of SaaS startups by 2027.
AI will kill 40% of SaaS startups by 2027. The other 60% will become AI-first and dominate. Originally posted on…
The AI hiring wave is over.
The AI hiring wave is over. Companies hired AI teams in 2024-2025 like they were collecting Pokemon cards. Head of…
Well designed deck does not run the business or attract Investors
The founder’s pitch deck had 47 slides. I hung up after 7 minutes. That was March 2026. Another Tuesday, another…
Before: 80 hour weeks, no revenue.
Before: 80 hour weeks, no revenue. After: 40 hour weeks, $2M ARR. Focus beats hustle. Originally posted on X
Your first 10 hires will determine if you scale to $100M or die at $10M.
Your first 10 hires will determine if you scale to $100M or die at $10M. Most founders hire for skills….
Most founders think the best hires come from their network.
Most founders think the best hires come from their network. I used to believe this too. Until I hired 2…
4 months ago Y Combinator graduates raised $40M in Series A rounds.
4 months ago Y Combinator graduates raised $40M in Series A rounds. Today they’re shutting down. I’ve watched 17 companies…
Everyone says work life balance matters for retention.
Everyone says work life balance matters for retention. Wrong. Top performers quit boring jobs, not hard jobs. Give them impossible…
My friend’s 8-year-old son asked me last week why I stare at screens all day.
My friend’s 8-year-old son asked me last week why I stare at screens all day. “Uncle, don’t you get bored…
If ChatGPT can replace what you built in 3 weeks .
If ChatGPT can replace what you built in 3 weeks . you didn’t build a business. You built a feature….
Two founders. Same AI pitch.
Two founders. Same AI pitch. One is wrapping AI on top of a broken process. One built the process for…
$1.8B Rev company with 2 employees
Same market. Same product. Same customers.One company: 2,442 employees. $2.4B revenue. 5.5% margin.Other company: 2 employee. $1.8B projected. 16.2% margin….
I’ve watched people get the promotion, the house, the relationship they wanted.
I’ve watched people get the promotion, the house, the relationship they wanted. Then within months they’re restless again. The happiest…
Reading people. Really reading them.
Reading people. Really reading them. I’ve done hundreds of funding meetings. The best deals came from watching micro-expressions, hearing what…
If your entire business depends on one platform, one client, or one revenue stream – you…
If your entire business depends on one platform, one client, or one revenue stream – you don’t have a business….
Been there both ways across 6 exits.
Been there both ways across 6 exits. Solo gives you speed and control, but co-founder brings complementary skills you lack….
Been there couple of times. Launch is just day zero.
Been there couple of times. Launch is just day zero. The real work starts when the notifications stop and you…
The market doesn’t care about your feelings, your effort, or your intentions.
The market doesn’t care about your feelings, your effort, or your intentions. It rewards results. That’s not harsh. Those are…
It’s been a while since I wrote an article.
It’s been a while since I wrote an article.
I spent years in financial services. Acquired and scaled a 40-year-old NBFC – 10x in 8 years.
So when AI started showing up inside real business workflows,
Hot take: Most thought leaders on X just learned to format opinions better than everyone…
Hot take: Most thought leaders on X just learned to format opinions better than everyone else. The real thinkers are…
The 5% Rule – Why Entrepreneurs Will Win the AI Era
The 5% Rule – Why Entrepreneurs Will Win the AI Era
Last weeked I was listening to Dario Amodei (CEO of Anthropic) said something on Nikhil Kamath’s podcast that hit hard.
“Even if AI does 95% of the
The two biggest clients we ever landed almost took the whole company down.
The two biggest clients we ever landed almost took the whole company down.
This was 2008. Infovision was growing fast.
Our team had started IT consulting assignments with Lehman Brothers and Circuit C
AI washing is the new way to get funded.
AI washing is the new way to get funded.
A similar thing happened during the dot.com bubble in 2000.
Companies added ‘.com’ to their name and the valuation doubled.
Today you connect a GPT API, put ‘A
Oracle sent 30,000 termination emails on March 31.
This was my iPay Dukanline team. Every one of them. When we started in 2013.Oracle sent 30,000 termination emails on…
A few years ago, if someone said, “I am building a company alone,” most people would think it was…
A few years ago, if someone said, “I am building a company alone,” most people would think it was just a freelance side hustle.
Not anymore.
Look at Midjourney.
Nearly $500 million in annual revenue.
Everyone’s preparing for AI to steal their job.
Everyone’s preparing for AI to steal their job. Nobody is preparing for what AI is actually doing. McKinsey today runs…
$500M AI rounds. $0 revenue models. We’ve seen this movie before – it ended in 2001.
$500M AI rounds. $0 revenue models. We’ve seen this movie before – it ended in 2001. Pets.com raised $82M in…
They sold AI that didn’t exist. Then built a $1 billion company.
They sold AI that didn’t exist. Then built a $1 billion company. In 2017, Sam and Krish had $0. Six…
Most founders I meet are solving the wrong problem.
Most founders I meet are solving the wrong problem. They spend months perfecting the product. Zero time figuring out who…
Startups don’t break because of bad numbers.
Startups don’t break because of bad numbers. They break when founders feel alone. Around a decade ago , The board…
$12,000 per year in AI tools replaced a $300,000 team. One person. $80M exit. Six months…..
$12,000 per year in AI tools replaced a $300,000 team. One person. $80M exit. Six months….. Maor Shlomo opened his…
One year after landing in the US, I started my first business making $0.50 per sale.
One year after landing in the US, I started my first business making $0.50 per sale. My friends laughed. “Fifty…
The new business plan is no plan.
The new business plan is no plan. In 2020, you needed 6 months to validate an idea. A business plan….
While I’m excited about what AI can do to software…
While I’m excited about what AI can do to software…
I’m concerned about what it can do to software jobs.
Last Sunday morning, I walked into my home office with a simple business idea.
By lunch, Indian
I have books in almost every corner of my home.
I have books in almost every corner of my home.
Coffee tables. Stair corners. Random stacks near the TVs.
If you walk into any room, you’ll find a book waiting for you.
So people keep asking me:
“What
There’s a difference between running a startup and building a business.
There’s a difference between running a startup and building a business.
When you operate with a startup mindset, you focus on valuation. Every decision, from the tech stack to the branding, is designe
You are unable to scale your business because you keep optimizing your workflows.
You are unable to scale your business because you keep optimizing your workflows.
I see many founders obsessed with the idea of efficiency and improving ROI that they keep experimenting with systems a
If you’re bootstrapping and feel small next to funding headlines, read this…
If you’re bootstrapping and feel small next to funding headlines, read this…
Some days it feels like everyone is raising money except you.
Your feed starts to look like a funding scoreboard.
LinkedIn
Build a $1M business in 90 days. No money. Start from zero… Sounds insane, right?
Build a $1M business in 90 days. No money. Start from zero… Sounds insane, right?
That was the challenge on a reality show I watched ..
During the 2021 lockdown in Hyderabad ,Undercover Billionaire, w
If your team doesn’t lose sleep like you, nothing is broken.
If your team doesn’t lose sleep like you, nothing is broken.
It just means they’re employees. You’re the founder.
You chose to start a business.
You signed up for financial risk, reputational risk, an
I once spent thousands of dollars on a business coach who had never built anything real.
I once spent thousands of dollars on a business coach who had never built anything real.
A founder friend once asked me:
“Should I hire a business coach or find a mentor?”
I didn’t give him theory. I
When I was 27, I sold my first company in New York.
When I was 27, I sold my first company in New York.
Right after signing docs in Jackson Heights. I called my father from the car. My wife beside me, driving home to Long Island.
She snapped a photo.I
From Keyboard to Dashboard:
From Keyboard to Dashboard:
BlackBerry’s Comeback story……
What I Learned from it…
Late ’90s, I was on a pager.
Then came my first BlackBerry…
“A small phone, tiny physical keyboard, little tra
India’s Next Digital Highway Is Here… It’s Called Bima Sugam
India’s Next Digital Highway Is Here… It’s Called Bima Sugam
Every few years, India quietly builds another digital highway …..
each one changing how an entire industry works.
✳️ RuPay
India’s own
Forget Investors. The Smart Founders Are Raising AI Leverage.
Forget Investors. The Smart Founders Are Raising AI Leverage.
The next wave of entrepreneurs won’t chase investors.
They won’t start with a business plan.
Every great founder used to build a team that
Oracle’s Trillion-Dollar Turnaround Larry Ellison Surpasses Elon Musk
Oracle’s Trillion-Dollar Turnaround Larry Ellison Surpasses Elon Musk
Here’s how it happened and why Oracle still cut jobs the same week:
Oracle stock soared 40% in one day (+$300B market cap).
With h
Align your interview prep with your career goals – A simple guide
Align your interview prep with your career goals – A simple guide
1) Start with your dream
Write your 1–2 year goal and the kind of work you want. List 3 target companies that fit that goal.
2) Learn
Great leaders don’t copy AI. They challenge it.
Great leaders don’t copy AI. They challenge it.
Use AI to:
· Stress-test your ideas
· Ask it to find holes: “What could go wrong? What breaks first?”
· Clean up your thinking
· Turn me
Real Estate Meets Culture: The Untapped Indian American Senior Market.
Real Estate Meets Culture: The Untapped Indian American Senior Market.
The first wave of Indian immigrants to the U.S. came here to build careers and raise families. Today, many of them are entering r
Most people sell shovels. A few dig the mine.
Most people sell shovels. A few dig the mine.
Founders keep building “AI tools” for old workflows because it feels safe.
That’s yesterday’s playbook.
Don’t sell GPS to taxi companies—build Uber.
Don’t
Starting a business can be a tough ride that requires a lot of hard work and dedication.
Starting a business can be a tough ride that requires a lot of hard work and dedication.
We often believe that success comes from pushing ourselves harder and harder,
but it’s important to realise tha
Sometimes, misunderstandings arise, and we feel the need to explain ourselves or defend our actions.
Sometimes, misunderstandings arise, and we feel the need to explain ourselves or defend our actions.
However, not every situation requires our defense. It’s essential to trust the process and let time
Life is more than just reaching our goals. It’s about the journey that gets us there.
Life is more than just reaching our goals. It’s about the journey that gets us there.
Every step we take, every twist and turn we encounter, contributes to our story.
So, take a moment to pause and ap
It’s easy to fall into the trap of depending on others and blaming them when things go wrong. But…
It’s easy to fall into the trap of depending on others and blaming them when things go wrong. But this approach will never lead to success. True achievement requires self-reliance, not dependency.
Thi
Direction is more important than speed when it comes to achieving success.
Direction is more important than speed when it comes to achieving success.
Rushing into things without a proper plan could lead you off course, far from where you intended to be.
It’s better to move s
Focusing too much on the future can distract us from the present’s focus and opportunities.
Focusing too much on the future can distract us from the present’s focus and opportunities.
It’s natural to worry about what’s to come or to dwell on past mistakes, but doing so can prevent us from fu
When our intentions are pure, we always win.
When our intentions are pure, we always win.
Acting with sincerity is the key to unlocking our potential.
It may not be in the way we expect, but good things come to those who approach every situation
Until it’s our turn, let’s keep clapping for each other!
Until it’s our turn, let’s keep clapping for each other!
In a world where competition and comparison are often encouraged, it’s easy to see others’ successes as a threat. But what if we changed our mi