Anubhav Dubey

My most horrifying interview experience was with Sandeep Maheshwari, sir;

Like most of us, I have seen his videos growing up; meeting him was already a bit nervous moment for me;

To add to it;

I didn’t get any chance to meet him off-camera.

I met him for the first time in my life in front of the camera and live audience; when they called me onto the stage.

My heart was pumping fast!

When my interview got scheduled, I checked a few of his videos;

I doubted myself; what if people didn’t recognize me? What if no one made any noise when he invited me;

For a moment, I thought to bring my people for shouting 😂

But I was wrong;

Most of the crowd knew me, and they even recognized me when sir was giving my intro;

That was my moment! I was happy and nervous;

I controlled my nerves in the interview, and over time, I became comfortable;

But still, that memory horrifies me even today;

When you see someone you admire a lot; and meet him on camera, along with many people, it’s scary!

It was a very nervous moment even for me when I had faced the same camera thousands of times!

But that interview is a significant milestone, experience, and an excellent memory for my life.

Thank you, Sandeep sir, for having me.

Chai Sutta Bar turned 6 today!

The journey that started six years back has come a long way!

The three 20 something years old young boys are a little mature now.

A small Tea outlet started in a small city of Central India is global now.

The journey that started from 1 outlet has reached 300+ outlets.

- From an investment of 3 Lakhs to a 100+Cr revenue, CSB is growing.

- From a three-person team to a 1000+ people team, CSB is growing.

- From zero digital presence to a community of 250k+ people across the different platforms, CSB is growing.

- From selling 10 Kulhads a day to 5Lakh+ Kulhads a day, CSB is growing. 

Yes, we have come a long way.

But the purpose and mission are the same even today!

To serve the happiness, share the vibes, and create an Indian brand that rules the World.

This journey has been so emotional with full of ups and downs. It changed my life completely.

- From being an immature, irresponsible guy to becoming a responsible person, CSB has changed my life.

- From being a smoker to banning sutta in our outlets, CSB has changed my life.

- From being a three-times failure to being Anubhav Dubey, Founder, CSB has changed my life.

I still look back and remember the days of struggle at the start of CSB.

Millions of stories I have, Billions of lessons I learned, Trillions of Memories I created.

It is the moment I ever dreamt of being a child!

But what is above all are the smiling faces of the people I have seen at CSB outlets.

Those moments with your loved ones, friends, and family are something we are here for.

All those low days, sacrifices, people laughing at us, days without money, parents not talking,

It all seems worth it for those trillions of memories and moments people have shared at CSB.

I am so grateful to experience so much love and respect in my life at this young age.

I cannot ask for anything else.

I will be indebted to each one of you forever.

Thank you so much for being a part of the CSB family!

Love you all.

My parents wanted me to become:

- An IAS Officer
- CA
- Get a Good Paying Job

They were not happy with my decision to start CSB.

But today, they are more than happy with the work I am doing, the team I have built, and the love and respect I have earned in the market from the people.

See, our parents are just scared of our future. So they always want the best for us.

Instead of fighting and trying to correct them, prove your worth. Make them understand your secure future.

#linkedincreators #entrepreneurship #startup

For almost a year since its inception, No one wanted to join CSB,

Why?

Because we were a startup, new in the Industry, and our product was Chai. Of Course, selling Chai wasn't cool back then in 2016.

I am mainly talking about the office team. People have yet to hear about our brand, the founders were young, and the product wasn't technical, so it's hard for people to trust us;

And this feeling is so devastating.
I met a lot of young founders who went through the same problem.

Try to be in their shoes for a second; you know the candidate's career will take off, you are paying decently, and they will have immense learning, but still, you get no one.

That feeling is so hopeless; I know it well.

We visited colleges and used Linkedin, Instagram, and other Job listing platforms, referrals, and whatnot to get people, but it's hard.

No one wants to join a CSB in the making, but everyone wants to be a part of it when it becomes a brand.

So true with life, people only trust your ability once you prove yourself.

I receive hundreds of DMs, emails, and what everyday people want to join CSB; time has changed because the brand has evolved.

For Entrepreneurs: If you want the best people in your Team, build a brand people would love to join.

For People: Take a bet on the promising startups; either you will learn immensely, grow 10X every year, or both!

#startups #entrepreneurs #linkedincreators

It’s not important how you start but how you end up.🎯

Don’t take criticism personally. Take it seriously.💪

One day, your comfort zone will make your life uncomfortable.

When do you know that you are in your comfort zone?

We just love being in our own space, whether it is physically or mentally. We all have experienced this moment when we felt “Nahi ho raha yaar.”

That is nothing but your comfort zone.

But remember, the moment life gives you that tough challenge, the moment someone else achieves what you dream of, the moment when you feel behind in life.

These will be moments when you feel uncomfortable.

You will realise that there are a lot of things in life that you could have achieved if you had pushed your limits. You will realise that there is so much in life that you haven't adapted to yet. Pushing your limits is the most important thing you can do for yourself to grow in life.

Remember, you have to push yourself extra to achieve that extraordinary.

#comfortzone #pushyourlimits #entrepreneuer #linkedinforcreators

‘’Chal CSB chalte hai’’

How does it feel when you hear the market talking about your product?

When we started CSB, we did no-cost marketing: word of mouth with the help of our friends.

We didn’t even know whether it would work; we were just going with the flow and making the most of our idea.

As always, we were executing our plan, and after a few days, I heard a college students group saying ‘’ Chal Bhai CSB Chalte Hai’’.

That moment was the best, a light of hope in the darkness.

That day I learned that if you are consistent at something and your faith is strong,
Magic Happens.

So if you are in the early stage of your startup or worried about your sales, just be consistent, do not quit.

Because Magic is coming your way!
#startup #marketing #linkedincreators

People in our country are not ready to dedicate a year or two to their dreams.

- They go to jobs they don’t like.
- They will give 5-6 years of college courses they don’t want to make a career in.
- Coaching for the exams they don’t want to clear.

But taking a break, finding their true calling, and making efforts towards it is unacceptable to them. And if you have societal or parental pressure as an excuse, remember:

If you are not ready to do anything or fight for your dreams, how do you expect anyone else to understand and let you do your things?

No, it's not only the externals that affect you.



- The food that you eat.

It builds your body.

- The information or content you consume.

It gives birth to new perceptions.

- The thoughts you tell your mind.

It creates your beliefs.

It's the inputs that shape you and define your output. Always be mindful of them.


#entrepreneurship #bemindful #linkedinforcreators

One of the hardest things I have done is

Letting my parents down.

My father wanted me to become an IAS officer and go into the service field over choosing a business.

When we thought of starting CSB and dropping UPSC, the biggest burden on me was letting my parent's dream down.

We knew this road either took us to heights or crushed us down.

I was 22, clueless, jobless, and hopeless.

I didn’t make up for my father’s expectations and didn’t know what their reaction would be when they heard about CSB; this was the major reason we didn’t tell our parents.

I didn’t stand on the ideal son image.

But today, I think that burden was only to give my parents a better life.

I was fortunate to follow and succeed in my dream; this made me happy and my parents proud.

My decision to drop out of multiple career options is all worth it.

Today there are zero regrets, and my parents are more than happy like never before.

I choose myself before anyone else; when you are happy, you can make the world happy :)

#career #business #linkedincreators

How to make your startup rule the Internet?

My answer is content.

It costs you nothing, but it’s the most effective way of building.

- Audience
- Trust
- A Powerful Brand

On the Internet.

Look around the brands that you like the most; you will find that, eventually, all of them are ruling social media with their content.

You can stand out and win this internet war by creating valuable, exciting, and worthy content.

Creating content is the modern and most effective way of Marketing.

We did the same, and it helped us to create CSB, the brand it is today.

What are you waiting for? Shoot your first video today.

Thank me later!
Activate to view larger image,

#linkedincreators #content #socialmedia

“You don't sound relevant anymore.”

This makes me very anxious.

In today’s time, when every minute and every second things are changing around the world, it has become very important to be updated.

Especially when you are an entrepreneur, when people know you, look up to you, and have expectations of you, YOU NEED TO BE UPDATED.

You should know what is happening around you and around the globe.

Whether it is about the market, business, people, politics, technology, or almost everything else, I feel very anxious when this thought comes to my mind: “I wouldn’t be relevant anymore if I didn’t stay updated.”

For this, I consistently try to be aware of current events and trends, read books and newspapers, meet different people, and make contacts.

Just to make sure I am upgraded, improved, and always learning.

#Entrepreneurship #Entrepreneur #Linkedinforcreators

“DO NOT HUSTLE.“

“Hustle is scary.“

I would say that most people perceive hustle as negative or scary.

What is hustle?

When we hear this word, what we think is that it is constant hard work, no work-life balance, doing multiple things, and only work.

May be this is right, but what is wrong is you believing it as “STRUGGLE.“

What do we have to change?

We should understand that HUSTLE is not a STRUGGLE but our CHOICE.

It is our choice of life and work that will help us fulfil our dreams.

And is this hustle giving you burnout?

That is okay. It is your hustle, and it is in your hands to manage it. You can decide your work, you can decide your breaks, but apne dreams ke liye mehnat apko karni padegi.

So hustle is not struggle but ye aapki mehnat hai jise aap choose karte ho.

#Dreams #Hustle #Hustleculture #Linkedinforcreators

I was sitting with my father this morning, and he shared how Holi was celebrated when he was young.

We discussed the shift in the Holi celebration and how technology has made it easier to wish health and prosperity with just a message.

He shared that he used to wake up early in the morning, grease his body with oil, and knocking every friend's door to call them outside to play Holi.

Then his gang roams around in the colony, wishes everyone a happy Holi, and visits their neighbor to eat Holi sweets, Gujjiya, and Gulab Jamun.

I can see how emotional he was while narrating this to me.

What are your sweet memories related to Holi? Would love to hear them.

Wish you all a very Happy Holi!

#linkedincreators #happyholi #festiveseason

3 worst things you can do as an entrepreneur.
 
There are a few things that entrepreneurs are born with, but there are a lot of other things that they learn in their journeys when they actually do business. 
 
First. Not building a team and believing “I will conquer it all alone“ is the wrong attitude for an entrepreneur. I always feel that “Aap shuru akele kar sakte ho par aap chala akele nahi sakte.“
 
You do need a team that takes care of other aspects of your business so that you remain focused on your business's vision. 
 
Second, and one of the worst things, is burning cash without forecasting financial needs. Not investing your funds in the required places and unnecessarily spending on not-so-required things is one very common reason why some startups fail.
 
Be calculative, and always invest in a way that directly or indirectly grows your business. 
 
The last worst thing, in my opinion, is not studying your competitors. When you study your competitors, you sometimes get to know a lot about the market and the industry that you might have missed earlier.
 
Analysing your competitors will always help you with learning, innovation, and opportunities.

#worstthingsasanentrepreneur #founders #business #linkedinforcreators

Is it important to enjoy your weekends?

Or is it important to work on weekdays?

In the life of an entrepreneur, there are no fixed days that are set for work or relaxation. We can even be working very hard on Sundays, while some Monday mornings might be a little easier for us.

For entrepreneurs, the work is completely unpredictable, and for this reason, I always make sure that I have a balance between my work and my relaxed time.

You could be anything—an entrepreneur, a corporate employee, a professional, a creator, or maybe a freelancer and you could be working or enjoying any day of the week based on your priorities.

What is important here is that you have to find your own balance.  

It’s important to learn the art of evenly distributing your time to different important aspects of your life.

#entrepreneurs #founders #worklifebalance #linkedinforcreators

Take time to think before you act!

What’s success for me?

Success for me is:

- The smiling faces of my Parents, Family, Friends, and Customers.
- When I see my parents buying things without considering the price tag.
- When I attend family functions without any time constraints. 
- When I return home, my father says ‘’I am proud of you’’.
- When I can help my friends with their startups or whenever they need me.
- When people message me, they start implementing something they learned from me.
- When a happy and satisfied customer gives blessings.

Success has a different definition for every individual.

For me, it is always the happiness of my people, adding value to people’s lives, and leaving behind an inspirational legacy.

What is success for you?

#success #linkedincreators #startups

I love Mountains because they, too, try to touch the height.

At first, it seems the sky is miles away, but the spirit to reach heights is undying.

They inspire me. What about you?

#mountains #linkedincreators #inspiration

Building a startup is like nurturing a baby with values and good habits.

It happens slowly and gradually; you can’t teach a baby in just a few days. Likewise, startups are built slowly and sustainably.

Because if you hassle, then the chances of failures and disappointments increase.

Sustainable business always has a positive impact on the environment and customers.

#startups #entrepreneurship #startupculture #linkedincreators

It’s okay if your team feels demotivated.

We are all humans, and I feel that demotivation is just one of our emotions.
According to me, these three things can stop demotivation in the team:

→ Give them their time
When we feel low, the one thing we need is time alone so that we can analyse ourselves. Most of the problems are solved by this.

→ Delegate
If the overload of work is causing demotivation, then the very first thing authorities should do is delegate the workload. If you have a team with you, you should definitely learn to delegate. Delegation solves a lot of organisational issues.

→ Take time off
I believe taking time off is a necessity for everyone. Sometimes not thinking about your work helps a lot in your work. Planning team trips will not only help everyone relax but also help build better team bonding.

Demotivation within the team is okay when it can be managed. When both authorities and teammates work on it together, team demotivation can be decreased to a greater extent. Also, it comes with changing patterns and ideas that bring a fresh energy flow to the organisation.

#delegation #team #founders #entrepreneurs #linkedinforcreators

When your team is your strength🥹💪

Giant F&B models are ruling the market.

How?

- From a change in the colour of their hair cap to a simple change in the design of their logo
- From the aroma of a dish to their menu presentation
- From the theme of their ambience to the stories displayed on their walls

Each and every single element and its subtle details play a big role and create a huge impact on the brand. Branding is the art that helps businesses stand out in the market. It's like the personality of the brand, where customers experience, connect with, and remember the brand.

#branding #business #entrepreneurs #linkedinforcreators

Chai Sutta Bar is an example of a dream's appearance in real life.

How I see CSB is very different from how you see it.

How you look CSB:

- A brand that sells tea with a vibe.
- 450+ outlets, good revenue.
- A place where you can chill with your friends

Whereas, For me, CSB is:

- Home and its team is my family.
- A place where I am fully myself, comfortable and candid.
- It’s not just a brand; it’s a workspace of millions of dreams.
- CSB is a medium that connects me with you all.
- CSB is a place where I belong.

You will find dreamy eyes, determination, hard work, struggles, and thousand stories here, including mine.

Chai Sutta Bar is heart, soul, child, father, and everything to me.

Our startup is our Home!
Agree?

#startup #brand #linkedincreators

One simple hack to become a more customer-friendly brand:

Read customer reviews of top players in your industry, improvise, and act. You will surely have a better product.

Often, brands ignore customers’ feedback, which is a goldmine on the internet.

The low days in your startup journey are like the pain in the muscle you get while bodybuilding;

It’s a sweet pain that you crave after a certain point.

You know the pain is worth it; after some days, you will start loving it.

#startup #linkedincreators

Happy Republic Day to everyone.
जय हिन्द 🇮🇳

#RepublicDay2024

Values you get if you’re from a typical Indian house.

Growing up in a typical Indian middle-class household, most of us have experienced some or other unique traditions that have shaped us into who we are today.

I remember how:

- We used to maintain a “Gullak” in our childhood and used to wait to finally break it one day.

- We used to only shop for our clothes on special occasions and festivals.

- We used to get so happy celebrating our birthdays with Samosas and biscuit parties.

I think growing up in an Indian home is a very fun and unique experience. The values we get from our grandparents, the habits we learn to use our money and things to their best limits, and the lessons we learn by meeting our friends, teachers, and other people.

When I look back, I feel all this was so precious and necessary. With such upbringing, today we understand some of the highly valued skills and qualities and know how to:

- Communicate well

- Value resources, and

- Be empathetic and kind to everyone around us.

#India #Indianhousehold #values #linkedinforcreators

The difference between the two is important for accountability and improvement.

Starting a business is not the same as it was in 2016.

It's been almost 8 years now, and I believe doing or starting a business has different meanings today.

When we started Chai Sutta Bar, we literally did everything from scratch.

- From approaching customers in different ways to designing our first outlet.
- From painting our own CSB board to serving Chai day and night.
- From selecting vendors to maintaining records on paper

Within the period of these 8 years, a lot many things have changed. Today, we have different AI tools that make tasks easier, creative marketing techniques to attract customers, and various services to support the business.

Also, there are several creative ways in which a business can market itself. With the help of websites, photos, videos, and other social media tools, the businesses of today are amazingly representing themselves.

I am happy that I now have a wonderful team with me that takes care of every single thing about our brand.

And today, I feel all you really need is one fantastic idea to make your business successful. The tools, facilities, and other services are actually very accessible, and you do not have to spend most of your time on them.

#business #entrepreneurship #entrepreneurs #linkedinforcreators

A kid with a Dream .

I got confused about which sign to use when I was randomly asked for an autograph in my life for the first time.

In 2021, I was invited to an event in Bhopal;

A kid randomly approached me after the event, and asked for an autograph, handed over the pen and paper to me;

It was a nail-biting moment for me;

I didn’t know what to do!

I was thinking for a second, should I give the same sign I do in my Bank?

I couldn’t even come up with something new at that moment.

Then I told myself that these were kids, and they won’t do any harm with my signature, even if I couldn’t match it in the Bank every other time.

So I justified myself; and gave the autograph;!

That day when I got home, I google; “How to give Autograph.”

I saw a few videos and learned that you have to write something align with the signature as well,

It was a hilarious moment for me;

I wasn’t prepared for an autograph; that incident still gives me laughs; how stupid I was.

Why do you think “tea“ became the most popular beverage in India?

Its answer is the reason for CSB's existence and its success. Although there are multiple factors like:

- Affordability - as it was cheap.
- Availability - during the great depression, India mass-produced Tea, but exports were down, so the rulers pushed it for Indian consumers.
- It's health benefits.
- Of course -> The marketing

But the biggest reason was:
It became a catalyst of our culture: Gathering and Gossiping.

Tea is easy to make, fast, and affordable. As Indians, we love to gather, celebrate, and live together, making Tea the perfect product for such gatherings. Even today, when we have guests, Tea is the first thing served.

Thus, Tea's popularity is majorly credited to our culture -> people meeting, sitting, discussing, and gossiping together over a cup of Tea.

Now, if you see, before CSB, the majority of the Tea was sold by chaiwallahs, but they didn't serve the purpose of gathering because they didn't have much space to sit, nor the ambiance for sitting and gossiping over a cup of Tea,

And CSB solved that problem.

So, just diving into the reason for the emergence and existence of the “Chai,“ someone would have come up with the idea of “CSB.“ And that's why it became successful: Sitting and gossiping over a cup of Tea has always been a part of our culture.

Sometimes, the core purpose behind the products gives many ideas. What else can you think of using this analogy?

One of the most important elements for setting the vibe in a cafe🎶

#Music #Cafe #Vibe #Customers #Linkedinforcreators

I have met 1000+ Entrepreneurs and figured out we all face challenges being founders.
However, if I have to list down the top 5 challenges faced by Indian entrepreneurs, here are they:

1) Hiring the Right Talent: 

Finding the right talent is still the biggest problem. Ask any founder; they will give you any amount for the best talent. The major problem is:

- Enough good talent isn't available
- And for the one that exists, it's hard to find them.

✅ Possible Solutions:

To find the best talent, become a brand that attracts talent. Become a people's brand, showcase your culture, and become a cult. People should be proud of working with your brand, it should become a showoff.

The other thing is to spend a lot on training. The proper training and guidance can make them fit for your organization.

2) Finding the right Market fit & misreading the Market Demands

Many Entrepreneurs are solving problems that don't exist or solving for the wrong target audience. After raising funds and spending tons of resources, they figured out the problems weren't big enough, or people didn't want a solution.

✅ Possible Solutions:

Sometimes, founders make it too quick to launch themselves in the market without proper market research. There is a lack of appropriate research and resources to test the problem.

3) High Customer acquisition cost

Fierce competition has made it harder for startups and brands to acquire customers. The customer acquisition costs are going up. Maintaining low customer acquisition costs has become a huge challenge.

✅ Possible Solutions:

Building a customer-centric brand: People should love your brand; it helps bring down your customer's acquisition cost. The only way to do so is by being authentic and transparent.
Build a USP, provide quality customer service and product satisfaction to repeat customers, and use word of mouth to make it easier to acquire new customers.

4) Maintaining profitability

Aiming for faster growth and market capturing, startups spend like anything. Profitability has become a hot topic in the startup ecosystem during the funding winters. Even the startups aiming to scale have turned their direction toward profitability. 

✅ Possible Solutions:

Maintaining finance is the most generic but powerful piece of advice I have received from top founders over the years. You must cut down on expensive parties, office rents, and luxury meetings. Run your startup like you are bootstrapped.

Do not aim at the impossible; set real and sustainable expectations.
 
5) Building Brand loyalty:

It has been a problem prevailing for decades. With thousands of options on the internet, achieving brand loyalty has become even harder.

✅ Possible Solutions:

Building a community is an excellent way to build brand loyalty among customers. Listen to them, share common interests and values to feel closer to your brand.

#LinkedInNewsIndia #linkedincreators #entrepreneurship

“Life got busy, and we lost touch.”

This phrase has become too familiar in today's world. Isn’t it?

We have become so indulgent in life that we have no time to get in touch with old friends.

And We kept losing them,

But is it worth it?

We only get to choose our friends in life, and that's for a reason.

In my life, friends have played a crucial role in my success and building CSB.

I am blessed with great friends, who stood by me every time,

- Be it when we started CSB,

- Be it when Dad got angry,

- Be it when we had no finances to sustain the business.

They were always there,

Physically, Financially, and Emotionally.

“Mai humesha se hi manta hun ki mai apne doston se bahut dhani hun”

Today is Friendship day!

An incredible chance to break the silence between your old friend you haven't talked to for a long time.

Pick up the phone and call them,

I bet you will feel 100X better than now.

And no matter how busy life gets, try to be in touch with a few crazy folks for life.

They are the one who makes your life more joyful and easy.

How excited are you for the Women's Premier League (WPL)?

I am super excited to see our girls in the fields.

The first edition of WPL is going, and what an opportunity for all the young girls to play on a global platform.

This will surely boost the awareness of women’s cricket in India and the world.

I am thrilled to see women of color representing their teams.

I am supporting RCB; which team are you supporting?

#linkedincreators #womenIPL #womenempowerment

You often do not realize, but you forget to do this-

Give yourself time to unwind each day.

As an entrepreneur, I can relate to how we are always hustling, constantly thinking of new ideas, and solving problems.

We indulge ourselves so much in our business that no after-working hours exist for us.

When our time sign-off for the day, we are still working.

But the busiest people realize that the best way to boost productivity is to give yourself time to unwind each day.

When you unplug from work, you give yourself time to decompress, reconnect with loved ones, and reflect.

My ways of unwinding my day are:

- I go for a walk, and sometimes I play cricket.
- Unplug me from the internet for sometime
- If I am home, I make sure to spend more time with my parents and friends
- Read a few pages before going to bed.

And next morning, hitting the work with 2X energy

Do you take time for yourself?

What are your ways to unwind after a long day?

#entrepreneur #linkedincreators #selfcare