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Brick by Brick: Building Insurgent Brands

Brick by Brick: Building Insurgent Brands

Hosted by DSG Consumer Partners

Episodes

22

Latest episode

Apr 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

DSG Consumer Partners has partnered insurgent brand founders since 2012. Join us as we speak with the best minds across the world on building insurgent brands brick by brick in a sustainable manner. If you are passionate about brands and building businesses sustainably, this is for you. Explore all our episodes at https://bit.ly/3SCMRvH

Listen to episodes

22 recent
April 13, 202625 min

L'Oreal's Plan to Reach 450 million Indians | Fireside Chat with Jacques Lebel

Join us for an insightful fireside chat with Jacques Lebel, Country Manager of L'Oréal India, as he shares his perspective on building and scaling one of the world’s largest beauty companies in one of its most dynamic markets.From reaching the next 300M–450M consumers to understanding Gen Z, quick commerce, and the rise of Indian brands, this conversation dives deep into how global incumbents are thinking about India today.If you're a founder, or simply curious about consumer brands, this session offers a candid look at growth, strategy, and what it really takes to win in India.Visit DSGCP : https://www.dsgcp.comSubscribe now for more founder stories and fireside conversationsYou can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

April 9, 202625 min

How Minimalist Built India's Fastest Growing Skincare Brand | Fireside Chat with Mohit Yadav

Build Less. Earn More.Mohit Yadav built Minimalist into one of India's most talked-about skincare brands, not by spending more, scaling faster, or chasing every trend, but by doing the opposite. In this fireside chat, he breaks down the counterintuitive operating principles behind Minimalist's growth: why SKU restraint is a strategic weapon, why most CAC optimization is just theatre, and why the hardest founder skill at scale isn't spotting opportunity — it's ignoring it.Equal parts honest and provocative, this conversation is for founders who are tired of growth advice that doesn't compound.Visit DSGCP : https://www.dsgcp.comSubscribe now for more founder stories and fireside conversations.You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

February 20, 20261 hr 10 min

The Story of Go Zero | How Go Zero Became India's #1 Guilt Free Choice

In this episode of Brick by Brick, we sit down with Kiran Shah, founder of GoZero , India's leading guilt-free ice cream brand. Kiran comes from a legendary ice cream family (Apsara Ice Creams), scaled it to 100 stores, and then made the bold decision to leave it all behind and start from scratch.What followed was a masterclass in brand building, quick commerce strategy, and founder resilience.In this episode, we cover:Why Kiran left the Apsara family business after 8 yearsHow GoZero entered a market with 5 existing competitors and still wonGetting rejected by Swiggy/Instamart and pivoting to Zepto firstThe quick commerce playbook every D2C founder needs to hearBlinkit vs Zepto vs Instamart , what's actually differentShould new brands go exclusive on one platform? Kiran answersThe dark first 3 months of GoZero and how he pushed through self-doubtWhether you're a founder, a consumer brand builder, or just curious about how India's D2C ecosystem works this one is packed with gold.Visit DSGCP: https://www.dsgcp.comSubscribe for more deep dives into how great consumer brands get built.You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

August 4, 202559 min

The Dot & Key Story | Building a top skin care brand with 500Cr+ scale & 15%+ EBITDA

In this episode, we sat down with Suyash Saraf, CEO and Co-founder of Dot & Key, one of India's most profitable beauty and personal care brands. With revenues exceeding 500 crores and EBITDA margins of 15%+, Dot & Key has achieved what most D2C brands struggle with - massive scale with concentrated focus on just two categories: moisturizers and sunscreens.In this candid conversation, Suyash reveals:→ Why they chose to dominate categories instead of diversifying→ How they built multiple hero products in sunscreen while competitors failed→ The real reasons behind their stagnation period and comeback strategy→ Their contrarian approach to capital efficiency and profitability-first growth→ Why they rejected the typical VC playbook and raised only 50 crores→ The organizational changes needed when scaling from 0-100 to 100-500 crores→ How they attracted top talent to Kolkata without a startup ecosystemFrom near-failure in 2021 to becoming every BPC founder's benchmark, this is the untold story of building India's most focused beauty empire.Whether you're a founder or just someone curious about the consumer startup world, this is a masterclass you don't want to miss.Visit DSGCP : https://www.dsgcp.comYou can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

July 2, 202555 min

The Farmley Story - Building India's largest healthy snacking brand

You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

October 5, 2024Episode 1758 min

The Forest Essentials Story: Pioneering Luxury Ayurveda in India

In this episode, we sit down with Sam Bedi, the Executive Director of Forest Essentials, to explore the incredible journey of transforming a small passion project into a global luxury Ayurveda brand. Sam shares his insights on everything from navigating early challenges to building a distinctive brand identity and setting up their manufacturing facilities. He discusses the significance of maintaining uncompromised quality, the evolution of retail strategies, and the importance of thoughtful store expansion. With 175 stores and plans to expand further, Sam reveals how patience, focus, and hard work have been the cornerstones of their growth. Tune in to hear about the company’s journey from its first store launch at Khan Market to its global aspirations, and learn valuable lessons for anyone looking to build a legacy brand.Key topics covered: Building a Brand from Scratch: How a small project started in a garage without a business plan turned into an iconic luxury brand.Strategic Growth & Store Expansion: Why patience and strategic planning are essential in-store rollouts and how Forest Essentials scaled to 175 stores while maintaining quality and profitability.Challenges of a Luxury Ayurveda Brand: Overcoming price sensitivity through product and retail experience to establish a new category in the Indian beauty market.The Importance of Product Differentiation: Sticking to uncompromised quality and unique formulations is crucial in a crowded beauty space.Navigating Retail Trends: The evolution of retail strategies from high streets to malls and back, and insights into selecting the right locations for store openings.Global Vision & Long-term Goals: Sam’s vision of positioning Forest Essentials as a global brand, rivalling international names like L’Occitane and The Body Shop.Key Advice for Founders: Patience, focus, and the role of hard work in building a long-lasting, impactful brand.You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

June 5, 2024Episode 1538 min

The SATURDAYS Story: A Visionary Journey in Eyewear Retail

In this episode of Brick by Brick: Building Insurgent Brands, we're excited to host Andrew Kandolha, co-founder of SATURDAYS. Andrew shared his valuable experience and insights on the strategic importance of scaling retail stores for emerging brands like SATURDAYS.In a conversation with Sameer Mehta, Andrew delves into how SATURDAYS has evolved from a fledgling start-up to a tech-enabled omnichannel brand with an app, website, and 51 stores in 19 cities across Indonesia in a matter of 2 years. Tune in to learn how strategic location selection, operational excellence, and a customer-centric approach propelled SATURDAYS to revolutionize the eyewear retail landscape in Indonesia.You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

March 30, 2024Episode 1442 min

Millennial and Gen Z Beauty & Wellness

Welcome to the 15th episode of ‘BRICK by BRICK: Building Insurgent Brands'. Join us as we talk to the brightest minds across the world about building enduring consumer brands.In this episode, we will hear insights from Viksita Singh Menon about the ever-evolving landscape of Beauty for Millennials and Gen Z in Southeast Asia.Tune in as we discuss:The unique dynamics of young consumer needs and behaviors observed in Southeast Asia.Navigating the competitive landscape and strategies for beauty insurgent brands to thrive.Adapting to the post-COVID consumer, meeting demands for interactive online experiences and personalized shopping journeys.The power of online platforms, notably TikTok, for brand discovery and engagement, emphasizing the importance of a robust content strategy.Anticipated future trends in beauty, including the growing influence of AI and the increasing emphasis on sustainability in product offerings.You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

December 15, 2023Episode 1348 min

The Himalaya Way: Building Footprints in Uncharted Spaces

In this episode we're privileged to host Saket Gore, former CEO, APAC, Himalaya Wellness Company. In conversation with DSGCP's Sameer Mehta, Saket shares his experience of building Himalaya for over 15 years in and outside India, specifically Indonesia. Tune in to this insightful episode on category creation, consumer insights, NPD & innovation, general trade and much more! You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

September 26, 2023Episode 121 hr 8 min

The Go Colors Story– Building a Category Defining Women's Bottomwear Brand

We're excited to host Gautam Saraogi in episode 13 of Brick by Brick to discuss the incredible story of Go Colors - Go Fashion India Ltd. In the last 13 years, Go Colors has become synonymous with women’s bottomwear and had an excellent public listing in 2021. With >30% EBITDA margin and INR 760 crores ARR in Q1FY24, Go Colors is a fantastic story of a brand built with solid fundamentals and a razor-sharp focus on a single category. In this session with Hariharan Premkumar, we will cover: - Building a brand in a low-differentiation category- Right pace of growth, key input metrics and unit economics in EBOs, Kiosks and LFS (Large format stores) at different stages of growth- Maintaining low marketing spends (less than 5% of revenues) and discounted sales (less than 3% of revenues) while growing rapidly- Managing fashion risk and inventory challenges in apparel- What it takes to build a 30%+ EBITDA margin consumer brandYou can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

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