First Principles

Alok Mittal, experienced founder and VC, discusses the importance of mid-management in org building. He shares insights on failures, risk assessment as VC & founder, and lending to SMEs. Alok's journey from VC to entrepreneur, strategic decision-making, and fostering company culture are also explored.

Jaydeep Barman, Co-founder and CEO of Rebel Foods, discusses the challenges of scaling a food business, transitioning from physical stores to cloud kitchens, and the importance of controlling food production. He also shares insights on strategic market analysis, recruiting passionate talent, and leadership evolution at Rebel Foods.

When Chetan Maini – co-founder and chairman of SUN Mobility – stepped down as Mahindra Reva CEO in 2015, he wasn’t thinking what was the next venture to start. In fact even though he stepped down he was still involved in the space.His time was still spent in understanding the possibilities electric mobility could unlock for the world and how these possibilities were being explored around the world. He was still involved in setting up and innovating the Formula E division at Mahindra, he still helped Anand Mahindra every now and then on strategic matters in Mahindra’s electric division, he was working with the government, he also helped the BMTC take a part of its fleet electric and the list goes on.One could say he stepped down to get a better view of the possibilities in electric mobility. He was not looking for opportunities actively during this period, he was merely synthesising what possibilities were feasible.He did travel across the world during this break but even during that time he was looking at the electric mobility solutions and innovations that were present in the places he visited.He realised the possibilities in battery swapping as an alternative to charging and filed patents long before he became part of what is SUN Mobility today.In the first part of our conversation with Chetan we discussed broadly how the sector has evolved, what SUN Mobility has set out to achieve, how their BaaS or Battery as a Service model is an alternative to charging your vehicle and a whole lot more.In this episode we discuss how Chetan figured out what was next for him, the mental models he applies at SUN Mobility, how he’s built a team that speaks its mind and a lot more.Welcome to First Principles – The weekly leadership podcast from The Ken.Let’s get started. If you are a student who wants to participate in The Ken's case build competition, or if you simply want to read the case, you can do that here: https://the-ken.com/case-competition-2025/ 

Radhika Gupta from Edelweiss and other founders share insights on succeeding in competitive markets and prioritizing customer delight. Topics include company missions, target consumers, evolution of financial services, customer journey in tier two cities, challenges in the hospitality industry, supply chain efficiency in food tech, and forecasting demand in supply chain management.

Harsh Mariwala, at 72, shares his diverse weekly routine involving Pilates, strength training, aqua therapy, meditation, intermittent fasting, and golfing. He emphasizes continuous learning, personal growth, and the importance of fitness for stress relief. The podcast also delves into Marico's acquisition triumph, enhancing meeting effectiveness, seeking innovation feedback, and integrating industry insights into business education.

Chetan Maini, the co-founder and Chairman of Sun Mobility has done a whole lot in his life. He’s been forever a tinkerer as you’re bound to find out if you read his father Dr.S.K.Maini’s book REVA: India’s Green Gift to the World.Chetan’s raced solar cars, built his own car company REVA and is now building a pay-as-you-go energy infrastructure for a greener future with Sun Mobility. You’ll see in this a proper evolution of owning the chain of control as well.Well, it has to be said this is not fully intentional. Because in a world where REVAs are speeding down the road left and right you’re not gonna see Chetan going out and building a BaaS, battery as a service business. But it was 2001, and India, and most of the world, was not ready for electric cars.Chetan, however, persevered even under the shadow of the Mahindra Group and made strides in their electric mobility aspirations before leaving in 2015.He took a break of two years, observed the EV market across the globe and when he saw the opportunity back home, came back with his expertise and took charge to create what we know today as Sun Mobility. The vision is bigger this time around and time is on his side as well. The only thing left to see out: Execution.And they are not pulling any punches on that front either.Additional reading: this edition of Green Margins published way back in late 2022 to understand how, here.Welcome to Season 2, episode 44 of First Principles - A weekly leadership podcast from The Ken. If you are a student who wants to participate in The Ken's case build competition, or if you simply want to read the case, you can do that here: https://the-ken.com/case-competition-2025/ 

Girish Mathrubootham, CEO of Freshworks, shares insights on decision-making from his childhood, openness in sharing growth strategies, and his involvement in SaaSBoomi. He emphasizes the importance of reflecting on actions, giving back to the community, and the evolution of software products in organizations.

Sometime in the early 1970s a young Harsh Mariwala joined Bombay Oil Industries, a company set up by his grandfather in 1948, just a year after India’s independence. The company would trade in spices, oils and chemicals.Over the next two decades Harsh learnt the ropes of the family business. Till in 1991 - two decades after he had joined Bombay Oil - he left it to start his own company, Marico.He had already seen the power of quality and brand in a category that was still almost entirely commoditized and unbranded. For instance, the huge 15 liter tin cans of Parachute coconut oil Bombay Oil sold to shopkeepers were resold in smaller quantities at much higher prices. Harsh rightly wondered, why should someone else capture the margin and premium for my product? The company that Harsh founded - Marico - had two powerful brands at its core - Parachute Coconut Oil and Saffola cooking oil. That is true even today, 33 years later. Nearly 1 in 3 Indians use Parachute oil, our research tells us. Of course, a lot else has changed since then. Marico, which went public just 5 years after being founded in 1991, today boasts a turnover of over 1.2 billion dollars. And Harsh is 72, but still learning, exploring, experimenting and unable to take it easy.Earlier this week, I had the chance to speak to Harsh about his entire (and might I add still evolving) professional journey!It’s a long time, but Harsh talks about the day Marico was separated from Bombay Oil just like it was yesterday. He talked about how in 1991 they attracted talent by positioning themselves as the disruptive outsiders. Sample one of the headlines from Marico’s ads: 200 employees walk out of Bombay Oil. Harsh had a lot of stories for me – from creating differentiation in consumer products even when the market is crowded, to how he fought back and won against the much larger Hindustan Unilever when it wanted to acquire Marico. And then he switched back to the present – and how he’s focussing all his learnings, experience, attention into cultivating innovation in India. This is an episode packed with anecdotes and lessons – you’ll hear Harsh talking about a ‘right to win’ in the market, strategizing acquisitions, and making ‘a difference without expectations’ to the shareholders. All in the context of Harsh’s years at Marico, the Mariwala Health Initiative, Ascent foundation and Marico Innovation Foundation! Let’s go!This is episode 42 of First Principles–a weekly leadership podcast from The Ken. If you are a student who wants to participate in The Ken's case build competition, or if you simply want to read the case, you can do that here: https://the-ken.com/case-competition-2025/ 

Join Girish Mathrubootham, CEO and Co-Founder of Freshworks, as he dives into the art of heart-led leadership and its profound impact on workplace culture. He shares his unique journey from a product manager to a visionary CEO, emphasizing that success isn't just about numbers. Discover his insights on navigating change, the evolving landscape of VC-backed startups, and how Freshworks cultivates a nurturing environment for its employees. Plus, Girish reflects on his deep connection to Chennai, blending heritage with innovative business practices.

Vaibhav Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of Udaan, navigates the thrilling yet chaotic waters of hyper-growth startups. He discusses the delicate dance of making high-stakes decisions without relying on patterns. Listeners will hear about Udaan's warehouse innovations, maintaining intellectual honesty in valuations, and the need for transparent leadership. Gupta also shares insights on adapting to an evolving B2B landscape while balancing professional ambitions with personal life, emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and feedback.