Indian Business Podcast

Check out Oddo: https://www.odoo.com/app/ecommerce?utm_campaign=ecommerce9-thinkschool&utm_source=YouTube-description&utm_medium=influ-mkt 👉Think School’s flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions :https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communication-masterclass/👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast: https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29 👉Video Introduction In this episode, we sit down with Tarun Sharma, Co-Founder & CEO of PEP Brands, the company behind two of India's most recognised D2C beauty and personal care brands, mCaffeine and HYPHEN.Over a decade of building, Tarun has seen it all - the capital-efficient grind, the mistakes that cost hundreds of crores, the pressures of a hypergrowth market, and the discipline it takes to come out profitable on the other side.This is one of the most honest, detailed conversations about building a consumer brand in India that we've ever had on this podcast. Tarun has never gone this deep before, and it shows.What you'll learn in this episode:1. Why Capital Doesn't Build Great Consumer Brands and What Does2. The ₹300 crore worth of mistakes PEP Brands made so you don't have to3. How mCaffeine was built to ₹100 crore with just ₹15 crore in capital4. If Tarun had to start a brand from scratch today, what it would be and why5. How to think about brand building vs. marketing spend in BPC6. The unit economics framework every D2C founder needs to understand7. Why India's beauty and personal care market is heading toward ₹50,000 crore and which brands will win8. What Tarun looks for when building teams, culture, and the next generation of leaders at PEP BrandsWhether you're a founder, an operator, an investor, or just someone trying to understand how India's D2C economy really works, this one is for you.Know Our GuestTarun Sharma is the Co-Founder & CEO of PEP Brands, one of India's most consequential D2C founding stories.Under his leadership, PEP Brands built mCaffeine into an experiential and performance-driven personal care brand that started with India's first caffeinated skincare range and grew into one of the country's most loved D2C brands.He also co-founded HYPHEN, a science-backed, solution-oriented skincare brand addressing real skin concerns like pigmentation, acne, and barrier care, which has become one of the fastest-growing D2C skincare brands in the country.A decade into building, PEP Brands has grown over 100% year-on-year, is cash flow positive, and stands among the top D2C face care and body care companies in India.Tarun is widely regarded as one of the definitive voices on what it actually takes to build a consumer brand in India.Check out mCaffeine: https://www.mcaffeine.com Follow them on IG: https://www.instagram.com/mcaffeineofficial?igsh=czZ3b2wwbzAxc2hz Check out HYPHEN: https://letshyphen.com Follow them on IG: https://www.instagram.com/letshyphen?Follow Tarun: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tarunsharma88/?hl=en Chapters00:00 Intro03:04 My ₹300 Crore Mistake03:41 Biggest Misunderstanding of the Beauty & Personal Care Category15:01 How Numbers Lie About Growth and Bankrupt You26:14 The Best Method of Market Research33:41 How to Find a Gap in the Hyper-Competitive Beauty & Personal Care Market39:19 How to Validate Your Idea in Under ₹50,00044:48 The Secret to Epic Packaging49:01 The Perfect Pricing Framework58:18 Is Quick Commerce the Worst Channel?1:02:42 When to Kill Your Product1:11:00 The Hidden Trap of Repeat Rate1:13:03 Best Books & Resources for BPC1:16:10 My Honest Confession

What if India's biggest startup opportunity isn't AI, fintech, or quick commerce, but the country's fastest-growing elderly population?While most brands are busy building products for Gen Z and Millennials, millions of senior citizens with enormous disposable income remain one of the most underserved consumer segments in India.In this episode of the Indian Business Podcast, we sit down with Adarsh, MD and Founder of Primus Senior Living, to uncover India's rapidly growing Silver Economy and why it could become one of the biggest business opportunities of the next decade.We unpack some of the biggest lessons behind building for India's senior citizens, including:• Why the Silver Economy is India's biggest untapped market• The three biggest causes of early mortality among senior citizens• Why most children unknowingly care for their parents the wrong way• Massive startup opportunities in elder care, healthcare, housing, travel, and lifestyle• How to build products that seniors actually want to buy• The science behind Blue Zones and healthy agingWhether you're an entrepreneur, founder, marketer, or simply someone who wants to understand and care for their parents better, this conversation is packed with insights that will completely change the way you think about business, aging, and the future of India.Let's get started.

What does it really take to build a brand that can compete with global giants?Most people believe it's all about having deep pockets, celebrity endorsements, or a massive marketing budget. But Utkarsh, Founder of Comet, believes the biggest advantage isn't money. It's understanding your customers better than anyone else.In this episode, we unpack some of the biggest lessons behind building a modern consumer brand, including:• Why global sneaker brands struggle to win over Indian consumers• How Comet built a premium brand from scratch• The psychology behind pricing, branding, and customer loyalty• What founders get wrong while building consumer businesses• The future of Indian brands in a global marketWe also dive into Utkarsh's journey from Bain and Hotstar to Kellogg School of Management, and why he chose to leave a successful corporate career to build Comet.Along the way, he shares practical insights on product design, storytelling, distribution, hiring, and building a brand that customers genuinely love.Whether you're an entrepreneur, marketer, founder, or simply someone interested in business and branding, this conversation is packed with actionable lessons that will change the way you think about building products, brands, and businesses.

Check out Odoo: https://www.odoo.com/r/5bM

👉Think School’s flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions :https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communication-masterclass/

👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast: https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29Check out Comet: https://www.instagram.com/thecometuniverse/?hl=en

Imagine two graduates getting their first job on the same day.Both are equally smart.

Both work equally hard.Both earn roughly the same salary.Fast forward 15 years.One of them becomes financially independent, builds an incredible network, and is sought after by every company in the industry.

The other is stuck, worried about layoffs, struggling to get promoted, and wondering where things went wrong.What caused this difference?

According to Ashwin DameraHarvard Business School graduate and Founder of Emeritus the answer has very little to do with your first salary and everything to do with the career decisions you make in the years that follow.In fact, Ashwin argues that your first salary can become a ₹3.6 crore trap if it pushes you to optimize for short-term income instead of long-term career capital.In this episode, we break down:

• Why so many high-performing professionals feel stuck in their 30s
• How AI is changing the rules of career growth• Why networking matters far more than most people realize
• The career mistakes that could cost you crores• How to build Career Capital, Brand Capital, and Social Capital
• A framework for building a career that compounds for decades.
Whether you're a student, a young professional, a manager, or someone worried about staying relevant in the age of AI, this conversation could completely change the way you think about work, wealth, and long-term success.Let's get started.

Most people talk about passion.Very few people spend 30 years obsessively pursuing it.In this episode, we sit down with Vikas Khanna, Michelin-star chef, entrepreneur, author, filmmaker, and founder of Bungalow, one of New York's most sought-after Indian restaurants.From arriving in America with almost no money to building a globally celebrated restaurant, Vikas shares the story of how passion, purpose, and relentless dedication shaped his extraordinary journey.In this episode, we discuss:• How Vikas Khanna built one of New York's most talked-about restaurants• Why passion matters more than talent in the long run• The difference between serving food and creating unforgettable experiences• How rejection, setbacks, and personal struggles shaped his success• Why hospitality is one of the most underrated advantages in business• What young entrepreneurs can learn from a lifetime of pursuing excellenceIf you're a founder, creator, operator, or someone chasing an ambitious dream, this episode will change how you think about passion, perseverance, and building something that truly lasts.
Watch the full episode now!

👉Think School’s flagship Communication course with live doubt sessions :https://thethinkschool.com/sp/communication-masterclass/

👉 Who would you like to see next on The Indian Business Podcast: https://forms.gle/37daEPEy7mAzhvv29

👉 Follow Vikas Khanna Insta: https://www.instagram.com/vikaskhannagroup/