In this episode, we explore the art of scaling businesses effectively and sustainably, focusing on one of the critical pillars: recruiting and retaining top-notch talent. With guest speaker Sreejith Moolayil, Co-Founder and COO at True Elements, India's first and only certified clean-label packaged food brand - we discuss the importance of scaling with the right talent. Whether you're a startup founder with ambitious growth plans, an HR professional navigating talent challenges, or simply interested in business scaling dynamics, this episode explores the intricacies of talent strategies, demystifies scaling challenges, and unveils the essence of a winning talent strategy. 

Guest Bio: 

Sreejith Moolayil is the co-founder and COO at True Elements, India's first and only certified clean-label packaged food brand. Sreejith is a food enthusiast with close to a decade of experience in retailing, distribution, and brand building. In his past life, he was a Human Resources professional with extensive experience in India and China. 

Timestamp: 

(02:45 ) Introduction to guest and the platform

(3:38 ) How did you land up as an entrepreneur, and that too in a very unrelated industry? 

(6:28 ) What was your biggest learning when these startups failed and, how comeTrueElements is a success story today? What did you do differently?

(7:59 ) Tell us a little bit about TrueElements, the journey, and what did it start off as? What is it today?

(12:53 ) Part 2: Strategies for Attracting and Retaining Top Talent

(13:00 ) How important was the talent element? And what is your biggest learning here? And if you have to advise startups, how do they think about talent as a strategy, and how do they make the right kind of investments in talent? What would be your advice to them?

(17:09 ) Did you make the right investments in technology or in any other or any other investments that helped you scale your business?

(19:42 ) Part 3: Takeaways from Health Food E-commerce Business

(19:48 ) Scaling up these businesses, how important is your HR function? And what do you think an HR function could do? Do you see the importance of the HR function in such organizations, in such enterprises?  And What do you believe should be their core objective?

(21:39 ) Can you give us some useful tips when you look for talent? I'm sure you also are in the constant lookout for good talent. What are the core expectations or characteristics you look for in a candidate?

(24:59 ) Have you used AI to run your enterprise? Have you used AI to scale your business?

Have you used AI  in the talent strategy or talent ecosystem?

(25:55 ) Part 4: Rapid Fire Round

(26:09 ) What advice would you give a company that has limited resources?

(26:18 ) One thing you wish you had known while scaling the firm, which you later realized was an important lesson for you.

(26:29 ) What was the biggest challenge you faced while scaling True Elements?

(27:26 ) What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?

(27:49 ) Part 5: Closing thoughts

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