Brick by Brick: Building Insurgent Brands

Hosted by DSG Consumer Partners

Business EntrepreneurshipInterviews guests

Website RSS feed LinkedIn Instagram

Episodes

Latest episode

Aug 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

24 recent

August 17, 202629 min

The CaratLane Story | The capital efficient journey of India's largest consumer exit

In this fireside conversation, Hariharan sits down with Mithun Sacheti, founder of CaratLane, for a complete breakdown of how the brand was actually built. CaratLane crossed Rs. 3,000 crore in revenue on the back of less than Rs. 400 crore of capital raised, and went on to become one of the largest consumer exits in India at a valuation above 2 billion dollars. In this conversation he walks through exactly where that money went, what each failure taught him, and the operating rules that made CaratLane one of the most capital efficient consumer brands in the country. 00:00 - Introduction The CaratLane Story: 3000 Crores on 400 Crores of Capital 00:50 - What Was the Unaddressed Customer Pain Point? 01:35 - What Made the Blue Nile Model So Inspiring? 02:18 - Which Customer Problem Were Incumbents Not Solving? 03:40 - Top 3 Strategic Calls Behind the Capital Efficiency? 11:45 - How Should Founders Allocate a Marketing Budget? 13:07 - Which Metrics Matter Most in Offline Retail? 14:01 - How to Solve Frequency in a Low Frequency Category? 19:26 - How Can Founders Get Better at Customer Insight? 20:32 - How Does a Founder Evolve From 0 to 1 to 100? 24:20 - Why Remove Titles and Designations From the Team? 25:51 - Financial Investors or Strategic: How to Decide? 27:30 - How Does He Assess Founders Before Investing? 28:42 - Which Categories Is He Most Excited About? Visit DSGCP : dsgcp.com You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

July 20, 202640 min

-30% to + 20% EBITDA | The Epigamia Comeback Story

Learn how to execute a business turnaround from negative EBITDA to profitability. This discussion focuses on the critical shift in business leadership that occurred between 2020 and 2021. For founders and executives struggling with low revenue and unstable cash flow, this conversation outlines the exact mindset needed to prioritize sustainable growth over vanity metrics. You will learn why ignoring profitability is a fatal error and how to correct course when your company is underperforming. 01:06 - The Comeback Story of Epigamia 02:23 - Top 3 Strategic Decisions Behind the Comeback? 04:52 - How to Get the Whole Team to Own the Bottom Line? 06:35 - Why Should Distribution Follow Demand? 08:37 - How Big Can Greek Yogurt Actually Get? 11:46 - Early Signs a New Market Can Become Big? 13:45 - Adding Categories Without Diluting the Brand? 15:10 - Beating Competitors Who Undercut on Price? 18:01 - Why Epigamia Leads Share on Quick Commerce? 20:31 - The Milkshake Missteps & Lessons? 22:10 - What Role Does Offline Play Going Forward? 24:25 - When Should a New Brand Start? 26:27 - Managing Inventory on a 24-Day Shelf Life? 29:20 - Why Ankur Said Yes to the Journey? 30:36 - How His Influence Shapes Decisions Today? 31:48 - What Made Rohan's Leadership Last? 33:19 - How Rohan Institutionalized Company Values? 35:16 - What Ankur Would Do Differently? 37:07 - Protecting the Bottom Line from Day One? 38:46 - How to Build the Loyalty Epigamia Enjoys? Visit DSGCP : https://www.dsgcp.com Subscribe now for more founder stories and fireside conversations. You can also watch the full episode on the DSGCP website.

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.com Subscribe now for more founder stories and fireside conversations You 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.com Subscribe 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 years How GoZero entered a market with 5 existing competitors and still won Getting rejected by Swiggy/Instamart and pivoting to Zepto first The quick commerce playbook every D2C founder needs to hear Blinkit vs Zepto vs Instamart , what's actually different Should new brands go exclusive on one platform? Kiran answers The dark first 3 months of GoZero and how he pushed through self-doubt Whether 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.com Subscribe 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 ecosystem From 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.com You 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.