Anupam Mittal

Trump’s real problem?
He probably didn’t get into Harvard University 😅

Now international students — the ones who bring $44B to the U.S. economy, create 378K+ jobs, and lead 80% of unicorns — are the villains?

I studied in Boston College on a full scholarship.
I built companies because I was allowed to question, debate, belong.

If you want to make America great again, maybe stop pushing out the people who actually helped build it 💥

This isn’t policy.
It’s ego.
And it’s bad math

And trust me, we immigrants?
We know how to pivot just as I did & moved back to India✌🏼

I was too young in 1991, to understand the chaos India was in. But the headlines read -

'An economy on the brink of collapse'

'Foreign reserves barely enough for 2 weeks of imports.'

'Gold shipped off to the IMF—a national humiliation that stung every Indian’s pride.'

India was in crisis, and the world had written us off.
But, we survived because Dr.Singh was born an Indian 💪🏼

As Finance Minister, he tore up the socialistic rulebook, slashing tariffs, opening up the economy, and inviting foreign investments AGAINST strong opposition from the Bombay Club, the powerful elite that ‘ran’ India at the time.

Then as PM too, he wasn’t flashy, but he was everything a true leader should be > humble, factual, and accountable.

A leadership style mistaken for weakness but was, in reality, his greatest strength.

He was the politician politics didn’t know how to handle, especially his own party.

He laid the foundation for the $3.5 trillion economy we see today, giving India its shot at greatness 🇮🇳

But we, the people, FAILED him! Media & others called him a puppet and we either joked about it or laughed along😔

Dr. Singh’s words, “No power in the world can stop an idea whose time has come.“

My words, “No power in the world can deny Dr.Singh’s legacy as one of modern India’s greatest changemakers.“

Rest in peace sir 🙏🏻 
You were, and always will be, a class apart 👳🏼‍♂️👑

Many people I meet can’t spell entrepreneurship😇
But what if I told you it’s only a 4 letter word😅

Quick back story – When I started angel investing 15 years back, the founder of a current Unicorn asked me to invest in him for 2 reasons –
1) he would build something epic and
2) his gf’s parents would let him marry their daughter since he would get validation 😂

Such was the state. Families didn’t want their kids to marry entrepreneurs as it was seen as a dead-end life-long struggle.

Fast forward to the 2020s & Founders are perhaps the most desirable bachelors 😎 Even getting on Shark Tank has become the new “Rizz” that makes you an instant celebrity.

Entrepreneurship is now spelt S.E.X.Y.
But as always, true sexy always goes way deeper.

S - Solving Problems: Real Entrepreneurs are passionate about a cause, a need, a gap in the market. Their hustle is fueled by a fire to make a real difference. Not just glamour.

E - Execution Powerhouse: They're not all talk. They're relentless, resourceful, and turn ideas into reality with sweat, smarts, and an unyielding drive.

X - They're Extraordinary: They focus exclusively on 1 thing and get better than anybody else at it. There's a compass that continually directs them towards being the best.

Y – Y: This is the core of long-term value creation. At some point along their journey they discover their ‘Why’, that becomes their driving force & propels them forward 🚀

True entrepreneurship is not just about the glamor, raising capital and seeing your name in the papers, although that can be quite satisfying too 😀

It's about rejecting the status quo, not taking no for an answer and being delusional enough to commit yourself to a life of struggles to build something epic.

Welcome to the new SEXY 🤗

#entrepreneurship #business #entrepreneur #startup

Do the offsites at your company also turn into a wedding Sangeet or is it just Shaadi.com?

Problem - Not enough time to help or listen to every founder 🤔
Solution - DreamDeal.me 🥳 🚀

That’s right … now anybody can pitch to me. We bring you the 1st of its kind social media funding platform … DreamDeal.me & all you need to do is make a 30 sec reel.

We are starting small with micro grants to help people move one step ahead on their entrepreneurial journey 🦋 Let’s see where it goes from here 😅✊

Check out the rules & some of the amazing pitches so far instagram.com/dreamdeal.me … Wanna help? Make a pitch or just spread the word & we could help create something BIG together ❤️

Every few years, the clown across the street sets himself on fire - just to prove he’s still in the circus 🤡

In 1947, two nations were born from the same soil.

Today, one is launching satellites. The other is launching jihad.

Noise is not power!

India pulled ahead long ago - economically, culturally, and technologically.
And by 2030, we’ll be in a whole different orbit, again.

So let’s not get distracted by a neighbour with nothing to lose.

Yes, we need strong borders and stronger foreign policy.

India just demonstrated that she is not an aggressor but will neutralize when provoked & escalate if required.

This is the maturity of a nation on the brink of greatness.

So, let’s not waste time on war-mongering.
Let’s build the Indian Dream - where merit & hard-work decides our future.

The Armed Forces just reminded the world that India is sovereign, self-reliant, and decisive.

Now it’s our turn. Let’s get back to work 💪🏼

Jai Hind 🇮🇳

Everyone says get out there, like opportunity’s hiding at some conference with bad lighting and worse food 😅

But my experience suggests that -
If you’re not building something meaningful,
no amount of handshakes will make up.

And if you are?

The right people have a way of showing up —
like moths to a flame, or VCs to a trending deck 🤭

I have tried it all and found that small peer groups do help, especially if they are founder or professional forums. In fact, they have been the most valuable, personally.

Conferences & Networking events?  
Usually an absolute waste of time, unless you are in sales.

Sometimes the best networking move is to stop networking
and just… be part of something worth talking about 💪🏼

P.S. This gem came from a LinkedIn AMA. More truths, half-truths, and hot takes coming soon

Ab pura India, business ki hi nahin, sabzi wale or maali ki bhi sahi value samajhega 💪🇮🇳

Second creative of Shark Tank India dropped today. Check it out, tell me what u think and do watch from Jan 2 at 10 pm on Sony TV and Sony Liv.

#sharktankindia #sharktank

I always knew Shark Tank India would be a big show but never expected it to become a full-blown meme fest!

From “Tum kamaal ke bande ho yaar” and “Yeh baat main digest hi nahi kar paa raha hoon” to “Tiger abhi baak hai“ 🐯

Said it a few times on the show—next thing I know, these lines are all over the internet being used as memes 😅

And, it’s not just me… from Namita’s “Yeh meri expertise nahi hai” to Aman’s “Hum bhi bana lenge”

Memes are creating new stories.

And, why not?
Memes = New Storytelling,
And New Storytelling = New Brand-Building !

Primarily because it’s authentic → Interestingly, the lines that you think will go viral, never seem to. Hum jab bhi plan karte hain, it falls flat. But when we say something in the moment, from the heart, BANG 🚀

The trick, it seems, for people & brands is to just be yourself > coz in a social media driven & hyper connected world, sooner or later, aapka 7/12 dikh hi jaayega 🤷

So, yeah..I never set out to be meme-famous, but it’s fun and I learnt helluva lot about brand-building, which you can glean from the iconic work that Shaadi.com is doing on Social.

Also, if the result is more Indians talking about startups, business, and big ideas (while 🤣), I am all in 💪🏼

I used to think focus meant doing things well. Turns out, it does NOT mean >

Working harder
Spreading wider
Chasing multiple wins

But, early on, I didn’t know it. So we went all in.
Shaadi.com, Mauj Mobile, makaan.com… all launched one after another.

Different teams. Different strategies.
We were just too focused…on everything 😅

In our heads, focus meant doing whatever it takes.
Until it broke us.

Over time the real meaning of focus (and some painful lessons) emerged.

> Subtract until you’re down to the one thing that matters. Then go all in. Like your life depends on it. Because often… it does.

We were lucky with makaan.com. Exited to a News Corp company quite handsomely.

Mauj Mobile, not so much although we were one of the 1st mobile gaming co in the country. Perhaps too early or - you guessed it - lack of focus 🤷🏻‍♂️

Then we poured everything into Shaadi.com.

Not just growth. But clarity, momentum, compounding.
The kind that only comes when there’s no Plan B.
And, that’s what made all the difference.

Everyone wants optionality.
But in business, optionality is often just distraction in disguise.

If you’re early, try things.
If you’ve found your thing burn the boats 🚢🔥

That’s what focus really is.
NOT doing few things well BUT one thing - extraordinarily!

Commitment-phobic 🚩 or commitment-oriented ❤️?

For the ones looking for love, belongingness, and commitment, dating apps are basically the Bermuda Triangle of relationships :)

You know it, I know it, so why are we still swiping, Pookie?

If you haven’t found “THE ONE” for you yet, I have just one thing to say - you’re looking in all the wrong places 👀

Rajeev Chandrasekhar Sir, it’s changed to ‘#profitmaking startup founder’ these days 😉 at Shaadi.com

How do I stay motivated through setbacks?

Wish I had a killer answer. But honestly… I don’t 🤷🏻‍♂️

There’s no life hack. No 5 AM routine that magically keeps it all together.

Most days, I just figure it out (like everyone else) - Trial. Error. Repeat.

What’s helped me, though?
I move 🏃

Gym, walk, yoga, squats in the middle of a stressful call - whatever keeps my head from spiraling. And I meditate so that I do not lose it by 11 AM 😅

But I also think the everyday fighting spirit comes from more than just that physical movement...

It comes by remembering that the purpose is bigger than the pain 🎯

That the short-term dip is just that - short-term. And the long-term version of you deserves that extra rep, that small reset, that one more push.

For me, that reminder has carried me through the fog on more days than I can count.

PS - If you’ve figured out the formula, do share it. I’d love to know 💪

Clearly, lots of uncertainty in the air slowly tilting towards fear. A few more triggers and we could be in full panic mode. Already seeing digital ad rates fall considerably and other mediums also freeing up inventory. My personal take is that for strong brands and companies with positive cash flows, this is the time to double down. Your unit economics will probably look the best they have.

However, it's tough to go against the herd and stand your ground when everybody is fleeing for cover. This is where strength of conviction comes in and one's ability to see beyond the current landscape. Not only is it a test of leadership but of your company's resilience, character and ultimately destiny.

In fact most of the celebrated companies today have been founded or built during recessions ... Apple (through multiple ones 😉 ), Google, Meta, Amazon .. all are prime examples. I am looking forward to some really iconic cos emerge this time too .. and hopefully some will be Indian.

What do you think cos should do during this rough weather & which companies do you think will win big?

#economics #amazon #google #leadership #recession #recessionproof

The T10 Game 🏏

T20 toh aapne suna hai, now here's my T10 framework for investing. In order of importance (T1-T10) -

Early Stage - Team, TAM, Timing, (cap)Table

Later Stage - Traction, (economics) Take Rate, Tech IP/Moat, Threat of Competition, Threat of Substitutes and Tax & Regulation

IMuch of it is common-sense ... I've simply stitched it up in a framework so it becomes easy to remember & refer to. Remember VIBGYOR? 😅

Every day (ok ..at least most of the days 😉 .. when I get time from my day job Shaadi.com ), I will analyze the previous day's pitches & share a quick perspective based on the 1.5 hours that we sit through for every pitch.

Just to be clear, these are simply my views and I am often & abundantly wrong. That's the thing about startup investing ... you can framework it all you want but instinct and luck have a large role to play. In fact, some of my co-sharks have a better record than me, thus far, so treat this more as a fun exercise to share & learn rather than a lesson in investing 🙏

So, whatsay? Should we do this? Try to banta hai 🦈

Like & Repost ... and help spread the word 💜