Startup Seekho: Building Founders. Building Dreams.

How do you build a premium sneaker brand in India when consumers often associate premium footwear with global names like Nike, Adidas, On, and Golden Goose?In this episode of Startup Seekho, Rishabh Bindal sits down with Animesh Mishra, Co-Founder of Gully Labs, to unpack the real story behind building a homegrown sneaker brand rooted in Indian culture, design, and storytelling.Animesh shares how the idea for Gully Labs came about, how they found their first customers, designed their first shoes, found manufacturers and designers, raised ₹1.6 crore from friends and family, and used social media to build demand before launch.The conversation goes beyond sneakers and explores the fundamentals of building a premium consumer brand in India.We discuss:• Why Indian consumers often value international brands more than Indian brands• How the idea for Gully Labs was discovered and validated• Getting the first customers and building early demand• Finding designers and manufacturers for a sneaker brand• How much capital it takes to start a footwear brand• Raising ₹1.6 crore from friends and family• Using social media and storytelling to build a brand• Using WGSN for product and trend research• The growth levers behind Gully Labs• Why Gully Labs is investing heavily in offline stores• How to build a premium Indian consumer brand• Expanding an Indian brand into international markets• Using Indian culture as a competitive advantage• How AI is being used inside the company• Lessons on hiring, leadership, and entrepreneurshipWhether you're interested in sneakers, D2C, fashion, consumer brands, manufacturing, branding, or startups, this episode offers a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a premium brand from India.Listen to the full conversation with Animesh Mishra and discover how Gully Labs is building a new generation of Indian footwear.#GullyLabs #AnimeshMishra #StartupSeekho #SneakerBrand #IndianBrands #D2C #ConsumerBrands #Entrepreneurship #BrandBuilding #Footwear #StartupIndia

How do rich people think about money differently? How can a salaried person build wealth? And what does it really take to become financially free?In this episode of Startup Seekho, Rishabh Bindal sits down with Girish Lakhotiya, first-generation entrepreneur, Chartered Accountant, and founder of Prachay Group, for a deep conversation about money, wealth creation, taxes, business finance, investing, and entrepreneurship.With over two decades of experience across finance and entrepreneurship, Girish shares how his early experiences shaped his money mindset and explains the financial principles that can change how you earn, save, invest, and build wealth.From tax planning and passive income to EMI culture, saving early, side hustles, starting a business, and hiring the right team, this episode offers practical lessons for anyone who wants to become financially smarter.In this episode, we explore:• Rich vs poor mindset about money• How wealthy people approach tax planning• Why most people struggle to save money• How salaried professionals can build wealth• Creating passive income and side hustles• Understanding EMI, loans, and debt• The power of saving and investing early• How to start a business with limited capital• The complete financial breakdown of starting a chai stall• Essential financial terms every entrepreneur should know• How to hire and build the right team• The mindset and traits of successful entrepreneursWhether you're a student, salaried professional, aspiring entrepreneur, or business owner, this conversation will help you understand money beyond simply earning it.Listen to the full episode and learn how financial literacy, the right mindset, and smarter decisions can change your path to wealth.#StartupSeekho #GirishLakhotiya #MoneyMindset #WealthCreation #FinancialFreedom #Entrepreneurship #FinancialLiteracy #PersonalFinance #BusinessFinance #TaxPlanning #PassiveIncome #Investing

India’s Next Decade of Warfare 🇮🇳What does modern warfare look like in a world shaped by drones, cyber warfare, AI, geopolitics, and rapidly evolving defence technology?In this episode of Startup Seekho, Rishabh Bindal sits down with Major General Vikram Dev Dogra, AVSM (Retd), to discuss India’s defence capabilities, Operation Sindoor, Pakistan, China, Iran, Russia-Ukraine, and the future of warfare.From his experience commanding armoured and infantry formations to serving in Jammu & Kashmir and UN peacekeeping missions, Major General Dogra offers a rare perspective on the wars shaping the world and what India needs to prepare for next.The conversation covers:• The future of drone warfare• India vs China: Defence & technology• Operation Sindoor & India-Pakistan tensions• China’s role in supporting Pakistan• Iran, America & modern conflicts• Russia-Ukraine war lessons• India’s defence priorities for the next 10 years• Silent warfare along India’s borders• Stories from the Indian Army & Arun Khetarpal• Leadership, military life & national securityA deep conversation on warfare, strategy, technology, leadership, and India’s strategic future.🎙️ Featuring: Major General Vikram Dev Dogra, AVSM (Retd)🎧 Startup Seekho Podcast#StartupSeekho #IndianArmy #VikramDevDogra #OperationSindoor #IndianDefence #ModernWarfare #Geopolitics #Drones #Military #DefenceTechnology #IndiaPakistan #China #RishabhBindal

Why are more young adults getting cancer? Can stress actually age your body faster? Are NAD+ supplements and Ozempic worth the hype? And what does science say about living a longer, healthier life?In this episode of Startup Seekho, host Rishabh Bindal sits down with Dr. Prarthana Venkatesh—London-trained surgeon, longevity specialist, award-winning medical researcher, and founder of Longevita—to explore the science behind aging, disease prevention, and evidence-based longevity.After years of working as a trauma surgeon across India, the UK, and Myanmar, Dr. Prarthana shifted her focus from treating illness to preventing it. In this conversation, she explains why bowel cancer is rising among younger adults, how chronic stress impacts biological age, the importance of muscle mass, and what research says about sleep, nutrition, alcohol, supplements, and preventive healthcare.The episode also explores NAD+, Ozempic, wearable health trackers, biological age testing, blood tests, processed foods, gut health, Brian Johnson’s longevity approach, and practical habits that can improve your healthspan.Whether you're interested in longevity, fitness, nutrition, preventive medicine, or simply want to live a healthier life, this episode is packed with actionable, science-backed insights.

🎧 Stream Startup Seekho episodes on Spotify:https://startupseekho.com/In this episode of Startup Seekho, we sit down with Dishant Mehta and Priyam Mukesh Lalwani, founders of WNTR Travel, a premium luggage and travel gear brand on a mission to build world-class products for Indian travelers.Starting in 2024, the founders entered one of India's most competitive consumer categories with a simple belief: Indian customers deserve premium luggage that rivals global brands without compromising on quality or design.From identifying the opportunity through financial reports to designing their first products, finding manufacturers, acquiring customers, raising capital, and building a premium D2C brand, they share the complete playbook behind WNTR's journey.Whether you're building a consumer brand, launching a D2C startup, or interested in branding, manufacturing, and performance marketing, this episode is packed with practical insights.WNTR Travel is an Indian premium luggage and travel accessories brand focused on creating high-quality travel products through thoughtful design, durable materials, and a customer-first approach.Building WNTRHow Dishant and Priyam discovered the opportunity, validated the market, designed their first luggage collection, and launched a premium travel brand.Product & ManufacturingHow they found manufacturers, sourced materials, maintained product quality, and built a premium customer experience.Growth & Customer AcquisitionHow they got their first customers, landed Prateik Babbar for an early campaign, built their website-first strategy, and scaled using performance marketing.Founder LearningsCo-founder dynamics, raising capital, startup vs job, customer behavior, and lessons from building in a highly competitive market.0:00 – Intro1:32 – Why They Started WNTR Travel6:08 – Finding the Opportunity in the Luggage Market11:20 – Designing Premium Luggage16:45 – Finding the Right Manufacturers23:18 – How Much Capital They Started With29:40 – Landing Prateik Babbar for Their Campaign35:12 – Getting the First 100 Customers41:08 – Performance Marketing Masterclass49:37 – Why Customers Buy Directly from Their Website55:22 – Understanding Customer Persona1:01:40 – Building a Brand in a Competitive Market1:08:16 – Startup vs Job1:13:45 – Founder Lessons & Advice1:17:52 – Outro🚀 ABOUT WNTR TRAVEL🧠 IN THIS PODCAST, WE COVER⏱️ TIMESTAMPS