E136: Swati Bhargava (Co-founder, CashKaro.com)

The Desi VC with Akash Bhat

Swati Bhargava is the Co-Founder of CashKaro.com, India’s largest Cashback & Coupons site, backed by Kalaari Capital, Korea investment partners and Affle. Swati first started Pouring Pounds with her husband Rohan Bhargava in the UK in 2011. Seeing the huge opportunity in India they launched CashKaro.com in April 2013. Swati is an alumnus of the London School of Economics and has worked at Goldman Sachs in London for 5 years before embarking on the path of entreprneurship. In this episode we’ll cover her decade long journey building a consumer business and all things she’s learned about being a founder and growing as leader.

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Episode Notes:

1. Swati's journey into entrepreneurship (2:54)
2. Influence of parents on career decisions (7:30)
3. Essential advice for aspiring and first-time entrepreneurs (10:40)
4. Embracing uncertainty in entrepreneurship (15:25)
5. Founder’s evolution as the company grows (18:35)
6. Cultivating company culture (23:55)
7. Pros and cons of having your life partner as a co-founder (31:40)
8. Early days of CashKaro: Customer acquisition, attracting investors, and brand building (34:50)
9. How capital empowers founders (39:04)
10. Taking a step back to move forward (42:42)
11. Investor sentiment in 2024 (45:28)
12. Transformations in the Indian startup ecosystem over the past decade (47:45)
13. CashKaro’s larger vision and future outlook (52:54)
14. Spirituality and mental resilience as a founder (59:36)
15. The importance of vulnerability in leadership (1:02:52)
16. Advice to a younger Swati (1:09:02)

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Social links

1. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Swati on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
2. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Swati on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
3. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Desi VC on LinkedIn⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
4. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on Twitter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
5. Follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Akash Bhat on LinkedIn