In this episode of the Startup Operator Podcast, Roshan talks to Nivas, a seasoned SaaS marketer, to discuss his journey and insights into SaaS marketing. Nivas shares his accidental entry into the SaaS world, joining Freshworks (then Freshdesk) post-acquisition of his startup in 2015. The conversation highlights the importance of building a world-class product, visionary leadership from Freshworks CEO Girish, and the challenges of educating the market about SaaS in its early days. Nivas also delves into his role at SpendFlo, emphasizing the value of investing in brand from the outset, developing an intimate event strategy for engagement, and managing expectations when expanding into the US market.

Topics:
00:00 Introduction
00:27 Joining FreshWorks: Early Days and Challenges
03:44 Working with Girish: Leadership and Vision
08:59 FreshWorks Marketing Strategies
14:57 The Shift to Mid-Market and Enterprise
17:26 The Zero to One Journey at SpendFlow
23:00 Navigating Founders' Ideas
24:36 Importance of Brand Investment
26:08 Building Trust Through Branding
29:18 Event Strategy and Execution
36:54 Expanding into the US Market
42:01 Advice for Startup Founders on Marketing

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In this episode of the Startup Operator Roundup, Roshan and Gunjan discuss the significant drop in placements and employment of IIT graduates in the country, financial troubles at ThirdWave Coffee and Reshamandi, and the launch of Safe Superintelligence Inc. by Ilya Sutskever. The hosts also touch on notable fundraising rounds for Zepto, Alyve Health, and Bira91, and conclude with an analysis of interesting tweets and market trends.

Topics:
00:00 Introduction
00:28 Topics of the week
01:40 Weekly Highlights: Events and Sports
02:29 IIT placements and Job Market Insights
06:12 Economic Trends: Middle Class Growth and Spending
08:07 ThirdWave Coffee's Financial Struggles
13:16 Ilya's Safe Superintelligence Inc. and AI Concerns
16:32 Reflecting on Tech Bubbles and AI Evolution
17:56 Generative AI: Fancy Wrappers or Core Innovation?
19:18 Reshamandi's Financial Crisis and Challenges
22:14 Fundraising Highlights: Zepto, AliveHealth, and More
28:21 Twitter Highlights: Sarcasm, Valuations, and Immigration
34:56 Conclusion and Upcoming Conversations

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Connect with Roshan :
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cariappack/

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MKBHD's Video: https://youtu.be/sDIi95CqTiM?si=rHWzzLKlOskR5l8m

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Connect with Us:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-operator
​Twitter: https://twitter.com/OperatorStartup​​

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In this episode of the Startup Operator Podcast, host Roshan welcomes Varun from Bounce. Varun shares insights into Bounce’s progression from its origins as Wicked Rides, a bike rental company, to becoming a prominent player in the electric mobility market. He discusses the significant milestones such as the launch of Bounce Infinity, the introduction of the E1 and E1 Plus models, and their burgeoning B2B operations, including a collaboration with Sun Mobility to supply 30,000 bikes. Varun delves into the innovative pivots that guided Bounce’s journey, highlighting the company's transitions driven by customer needs and market gaps. Additionally, he outlines the current state and future of the EV market in India, detailing the challenges and opportunities within the sector, including range anxiety, service concerns, and financing hurdles. Varun also speaks on the technological advancements and the strategic partnerships that are propelling Bounce forward. For aspiring EV entrepreneurs, he offers advice on navigating the complexities of building and scaling an EV product.

00:00 Introduction and Welcome
00:26 Bounce's Recent Developments
02:46 Innovative Pivots and Evolution
04:13 Challenges and Solutions in Fleet Management
07:55 Transition to Electric Vehicles
10:34 Impact of COVID-19 and Manufacturing Partnership
16:43 Current EV Market Landscape
26:50 The Impact of Mobility on Economic Growth
27:20 Public Transport vs. Personal Mobility
27:58 The Rise of Electric Vehicles
28:36 Battery Swapping and Charging Infrastructure
33:31 Government Initiatives and Challenges
35:10 Innovations in Battery Technology
40:59 Building and Manufacturing EV Bikes
46:19 Customer-Centric Product Development
48:49 Future of EV Technology
50:03 Conclusion and Farewell
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Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/startup-operator
​Twitter: https://twitter.com/OperatorStartup​​

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