Not-So-Common Common Sense

Hosted by Exitfund

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261

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Oct 2026

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About the show

We welcome you to the Exitfund Podcast. Through this podcast series, we explore everything associated with building and growing companies. You will learn to avoid common investment pitfalls, uncommon strategies, and tips from the makers of the startup ecosystem. The podcast episodes belong to three clusters: startups stories, controversial topics of discussion, and conversations with guests. Every episode is a deep dive into gathering insights and gaining knowledge, giving you valuable takeaways for your startup journey. Tune in and learn something new every week!

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60 recent

October 20, 202627 min

Can Entrepreneurs Build Billion-Dollar Businesses Through Hydroponic Farming?

Hydroponic farming can use up to 90% less water than conventional farming while creating new opportunities to grow crops without soil. But can it become the next billion-dollar agribusiness opportunity? In this episode, Sagar Kashyap, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Urban Hydro Towertech, discusses his journey from software entrepreneurship to hydroponic tower manufacturing, the profitability of urban farming, and the growing demand for sustainable agriculture. He also explains how entrepreneurs can start commercial hydroponic farms, earn revenue by selling fresh produce to restaurants, and build a scalable farming business. With Urban Hydro Towertech shipping to 30 countries, the conversation explores global market opportunities, manufacturing challenges, and how hydroponics is changing the future of farming and agribusiness. Why hydroponic farming is emerging as a profitable agribusiness opportunity How entrepreneurs can start commercial hydroponic farms with limited space What determines the investment, earning potential, and profitability of hydroponic farming How farmers can generate revenue by selling fresh produce directly to restaurants How Urban Hydro Towertech expanded into 30 countries and overcame international market challenges How hydroponics can reduce water consumption by up to 90% and shape the future of sustainable farming Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on hydroponic farming, agribusiness, vertical farming, urban agriculture, agritech startups, sustainable farming, entrepreneurship, business opportunities, and innovation. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss:

October 15, 202636 min

Why Are Indian Startups Struggling To Compete Globally?

India has become one of the world’s largest startup ecosystems, but building globally competitive businesses remains a challenge. In this episode, Dhruv Rana, a startup incubator and growth consulting leader, discusses India’s evolving startup culture, why Indian investors remain cautious about early-stage funding, and what separates India’s entrepreneurial ecosystem from those of the US and China. He explains why India’s education system needs greater emphasis on research, innovation, and practical entrepreneurship. He also discusses the effectiveness of Startup India policies, the role of incubators and government grants, what makes a convincing investor pitch, and how aspiring founders can manage financial risks. The conversation explores what India needs to develop more successful startups and compete globally. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss: Why Indian startups struggle to compete with global businesses despite growing opportunities How India’s education system and investment culture influence entrepreneurship and innovation How government schemes, startup incubators, and grants support early-stage founders What makes a strong startup pitch and why communication matters when raising funding How aspiring entrepreneurs can manage financial risks and build sustainable businesses Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on Indian startups, entrepreneurship, startup funding, angel investing, business incubation, venture capital, government grants, startup pitching, innovation, business growth, and global startup ecosystems.

October 6, 202628 min

What Does It Take to Turn Passion Into a Profitable and Scalable Business?

A successful career does not always mean a fulfilling one. In this episode, life coach Jaagrat Aggarwal discusses his transition from software engineering to life coaching and why career alignment often begins with understanding who you are, what matters to you, and what kind of work genuinely reflects that. He explains why people can feel trapped or disconnected from corporate careers, what separates useful coaching from generic advice, and why quality, ethics, and client outcomes matter in the life coaching industry. He also discusses finding the first coaching client, building credibility, balancing purpose with financial sustainability, and creating clarity when someone does not yet know what they want to do next. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss: Why Jaagrat moved from software engineering to life coaching What career alignment really means and why it matters How life coaches can build credibility and attract paying clients How coaches can balance purpose, ethics, and financial sustainability What people can do when they feel stuck or disconnected from their careers Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, career transitions, life coaching, personal development, career alignment, business building, client acquisition, professional growth, and emerging opportunities. Intro Around 85% of employees worldwide feel disengaged or dissatisfied at work. This highlights a growing gap between having a career and building one with real purpose and impact. On this episode of the ExitFund Podcast, life coach Jaagrat Aggarwal shares how people can build careers that feel more meaningful, credible, and aligned with who they are.

September 29, 202628 min

Can AI Become the Emotional Support People Are Missing?

AI is increasingly moving beyond productivity and automation into products designed around everyday human experiences. In this episode, Debu Rajput from Soul in Motion discusses two AI-powered products: Eli, an emotional support companion, and an immersive reading platform designed to make books more interactive. He explains how Eli handles conversations, privacy, memory, harmful situations, and situations where professional therapy may be more appropriate. He also shares how AI agents can analyse books and create contextual sounds, backgrounds, narration, and interactive reading experiences. Why Soul in Motion is building AI products around everyday human problems How Eli works as an AI-powered emotional support companion How Eli remembers previous conversations and supports multilingual interactions Why AI companions should not simply validate everything users say How the platform handles self-harm, harmful behaviour, and other high-risk conversations How Eli determines when users may benefit from speaking with a human therapist Why privacy and encrypted conversations matter for emotional support platforms How paused sessions allow users to continue conversations later How Soul in Motion plans to explore B2B and college-focused use cases How AI agents can turn traditional books into immersive reading experiences How sounds, backgrounds, narration, and contextual effects respond to a reader’s progress Why immersive reading could help people who struggle to stay engaged with books How uploaded PDFs can be transformed into interactive reading experiences What challenges come with launching and marketing new AI products Why founders should sometimes focus less on constant work and remember to live a little Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, artificial intelligence, AI companions, agentic AI, entrepreneurship, consumer technology, startup innovation, product development, and emerging business opportunities. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss:

September 22, 202628 min

Can Legal Mistakes Kill Business Growth?

A strong idea may start a business, but systems determine how far it can scale. In this episode, Supratibh shares how founders can build legal, financial, and operational foundations that reduce dependency on individuals and create predictable outcomes. She discusses founder bottlenecks, business structures, compliance, AI adoption, service businesses, scalability, quality, financial management, and why founders should focus on vision instead of controlling every task themselves. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss: Why founders become bottlenecks when they try to manage everything themselves How systems help businesses scale beyond the founder Why founders should control the vision instead of every operational task How businesses can reduce dependency on individual employees Why service businesses can be easier to start with limited capital How AI services could create opportunities for Indian businesses Why architects, lawyers, CAs, and other service professionals may benefit from AI Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, business systems, artificial intelligence, finance, legal strategy, operations, and emerging business opportunities.

September 15, 202633 min

Can AI Fix India’s Broken Recruitment Infrastructure?

Recruitment often becomes chaotic when companies, agencies, hiring managers, and candidates operate through disconnected systems. In this episode, Abhishek Bartakke of Syncro Squad shares his journey from the BPO industry to entrepreneurship and recruitment consulting. He explains how Syncro One combines AI, automation, verified candidate data, vendor management, and human expertise. He also discusses employee retention, freelancing, recruitment accountability, faster hiring, and why the industry needs better infrastructure rather than more recruitment agencies. How Abhishek Bartakke moved from the BPO industry into entrepreneurship and recruitment Why traditional recruitment agencies may become obsolete How disconnected systems create chaos across the hiring process How Syncro One connects companies, talent partners, and candidates How AI evaluates candidates beyond basic keyword matching Why human expertise remains essential in recruitment automation What companies must improve to retain skilled employees How Syncro One aims to make permanent hiring faster and more accountable Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, recruitment, artificial intelligence, business growth, technology, and emerging industries. India’s staffing and recruitment market was valued at an estimated $25.9 billion in 2025, but broken hiring processes can still cost companies the right talent. On this episode of the ExitFund Podcast, Abhishek Bartakke co-founder of Syncro Squad explains how AI & human expertise can make recruitment faster, simpler, and more reliable. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss:Intro

September 8, 202625 min

Is Interior Design India’s Next Million-Dollar Business Opportunity?

Interior design in India has evolved from a niche service for premium homes into a growing industry shaped by personalisation, technology, and changing customer expectations. In this episode, Abhinav Katiyar of Decord Designs shares how the industry has changed during his career and why customers now seek experiences instead of basic furniture. He also discusses technical skills, client acquisition, referrals, AI tools, transparent quotations, B2B opportunities, and the importance of maintaining professional standards in interior design. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss: Why Abhinav Katiyar chose interior design as a career How interior design evolved from a niche service into a mass-market offering Why customers now want homes designed around their lifestyles and emotions How Instagram and Pinterest have made clients more design-aware Why standard interiors may not work for premium apartments and villas What aspiring interior designers need before starting their own studios How 3D renders and walkthroughs help clients visualize unfinished spaces Why detailed quotations and material specifications build customer trust How AI supports lead generation, expense tracking, visualization, and vendor discovery Why referral clients may be more valuable than online leads What differentiates a trained interior designer from a local service provider How Decord Designs is exploring end-to-end property and interior solutions Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, business growth, interior design, artificial intelligence, technology, and emerging industries.

September 1, 202626 min

Can PR Help Startups Attract Funding and Build Credibility?

Building a successful PR agency requires consistent pitching, strong media relationships, and a clear understanding of what makes a brand newsworthy. In this episode, PR entrepreneur Lakshika discusses her journey of working with more than 100 brands across multiple sectors. She explains how startups can build visibility, position their founders, attract funding, and develop lasting media credibility. She also discusses client acquisition, delayed payments, referrals, AI in PR, and the changing relationship between brands, agencies, and journalists. Why managing a career, family, and household should be a collective responsibility Why entrepreneurs must handle multiple responsibilities while building a business Whether Indian clients are more challenging for agencies to work with Why transparent expectations can prevent payment and delivery disputes How daily business development helps agencies maintain a steady client pipeline Why referrals and strong past work can improve client acquisition How founder-led communication can strengthen brand recognition Why startups often seek PR before or after raising funding How PR differs from advertising and bulk media-link packages Why meaningful media credibility takes time to build How technology, social media, and AI have transformed the PR industry Why personalized pitching remains essential despite increasing digitalization Why Lakshika prefers working with SMEs over large companies Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, business growth, public relations, marketing, technology, and emerging industries. The global public relations market is expected to grow from $110.35 billion in 2026 to $141.22 billion by 2030. In this episode of the ExitFund Podcast, PR entrepreneur Lakshika discusses what is driving this growth and how startups can benefit from it. She also explores founder-led branding, client acquisition, AI adoption, & the realities of building a successful PR agency. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss:Intro

August 25, 202625 min

Can B2B EdTech Bridge India’s Corporate Skill Gap?

Many Indian graduates enter the workforce with academic knowledge but lack the practical and soft skills required by employers. In this episode, Jagdish from CEDRO explains why the bootstrapped EdTech company chose a B2B model over the crowded B2C market. He discusses corporate learning challenges, low client conversion rates, job-readiness programmes, customer retention, business growth, and CEDRO’s plans to reach more learners. He also shares how mountain biking has shaped his entrepreneurial mindset. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss: Why CEDRO chose the B2B EdTech model over B2C Why bootstrapped startups may struggle to compete in the B2C market How CEDRO supports enterprises, PSUs, government organisations, and universities Why workplace learning remains limited to selected employees in some organisations What causes the gap between academic knowledge and industry requirements How learning programmes can make graduates job-ready Why B2B startups also face low client conversion rates How CEDRO adds value beyond providing learning content and platforms Why human interaction remains important in corporate learning How proactive customer support can improve long-term retention What success looks like after reaching 1.2 lakh learners and delivering over 10 lakh learning hours How mountain biking reflects the uncertainty and resilience of entrepreneurship How CEDRO plans to expand its learner base and maintain business growth Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, business growth, EdTech, corporate learning, technology, and emerging industries.

August 18, 202628 min

Can Specialized Micro-Hospitals Make Healthcare More Affordable & Accessible?

Pelvic health concerns are common. Yet many patients delay treatment because of embarrassment, misinformation, or uncertainty about which specialist to approach. In this episode, Dr. Sandip Banerjee explains why he founded Pelvinic Micro-Hospital and how its focused healthcare model brings colorectal surgery, urology, urogynecology, and gynecology together under one roof. He also discusses medical education, patient awareness, insurance challenges, day-care surgery, healthcare costs, and his plans to expand Pelvinic across India. In This Podcast, We Will Discuss: Why Dr. Sandip Banerjee chose medicine and specialized in colorectal surgery Why pelvic health remains surrounded by shame and social taboos How misinformation can delay proper diagnosis and treatment Why India needs dedicated and scientifically guided pelvic care How Pelvinic combines multiple pelvic health specialties under one roof Why most Pelvinic patients can return home after day-care procedures How insurance policies affect hospitals, doctors, and patients Why focused micro-hospitals may help reduce healthcare costs What Dr. Sandip learned while building Pelvinic from the ground up Why Pelvinic’s future may involve specialized centres across multiple cities Follow the ExitFund Podcast for insightful conversations on startups, entrepreneurship, business growth, healthcare, medical innovation, technology, and emerging industries. Intro Nearly one in four women experiences a pelvic floor disorder. Yet many patients delay seeking treatment because of social taboos & limited awareness. Dr. Sandip Banerjee, founder of Pelvinic Micro-Hospital, discusses these issues alongside medical entrance exam protests, HPV prevention, and the future of focused micro-hospitals in India.