E4. Dinesh Agarwal of IndiaMART on Starting a Business in India During the Internet Boom

In this podcast episode, Dinesh talks to Karthik B. Reddy of Blume Ventures about his journey starting a business in India around the time the internet was first introduced there. He was passionate about doing some business that would be centered around the internet and in India. He waited for the internet to be announced in India, and as soon as the announcement was made on August 15th, 1995, he asked his manager to transfer him back to India.

Dinesh also shared his thoughts on business growth and profit margins. The compounding can come to you when your margins are expanding. He encourages entrepreneurs to aspire to this kind of compounding. He also talks about the importance of having a mix of talent in a team, including those who are operationally strong and can focus on present problems, as well as those who are forward-thinking and consider future trends.

On India’s growth story, he emphasizes the importance of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in creating employment and income in India. He argues that ignoring SMEs could lead to disastrous consequences for the country. Dinesh's thoughts on SMEs and the importance of employment highlight his commitment to building a successful business in India that benefits all stakeholders.