Anindya Chakraborty 🇮🇳

No one teaches you how to be a founder. You learn as you go. When I started Sama Health, I thought building the product would be the hardest part. Turns out, the real work is figuring out who you need to become as a founder. Here’s what I’ve learned: 1/ Customer discovery is everything. 2/ Sales isn’t a dirty word. 3/ Your personal brand opens doors hustle can’t. Paul Graham said, “Startups don’t die from competition. They die from not having customers.” But in 2025, there’s more to it: They also die from founders not standing out. Look at leaders like: Naval Ravikant – “Your reputation is your moat.” Alex Hormozi – Built trust before he scaled. Sahil Bloom – Leveraged storytelling to grow. What I’ve realized? 💡 People trust people more than products. 💡 Thought leadership isn’t optional — it’s essential. So if you’re a first-time founder, focus on: 1. Talking to customers. 2. Selling your vision. 3. Building your brand. Because the best product doesn’t always win. The most trusted person does. What’s your biggest founder lesson? Let’s share and learn together. ♻️ Share with a fellow founder. 🔔 Follow for more startup + mental health insights. __ 👋🏽 I’m Misha Akbar, Founder of Sama Health, making mental health support in the UAE as relatable as karak chai and heartfelt conversations.

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New feature alert 🚨 This is actually quite the doozy, as I haven’t posted our last couple of feature updates. Such is the life of a startup co-founder! Since I last posted about feature updates, we have several more: -Mass Marketing: use GrooMore to send email marketing blasts to your clients -Opportunity List: we’ve built a tool that will connect with your online booking. Any client (or potential client) who did not complete the booking would be saved to a list, and you and your staff can then track and contact to save those potential bookings. We’ll also track how much revenue was recovered! -Durations by Staff: not all groomers move at the same clip (pun intended). Use our customization tool to automatically adjust appointment durations based on staff. -Concurrent booking: allows multiple pets from the same family to begin their appointment at the same time! -Report Cards: build customized report cards that can then be sent to your clients that detail the activities of the appointment and the pets behavior *exhales* A lot, I know! And, we have even more updates that are coming very soon. Once again, super proud of my engineering team for making GrooMore the #1 enterprise solution for grooming salons and mobile groomers! #features #groomingsoftware

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Business success is about action, not waiting for perfection. Just look at companies like Amazon—they didn’t wait to build the perfect platform before launching. They started with what they had and kept improving. Or take Zomato—from restaurant directory to food delivery giant, they didn’t let early obstacles stop them. They executed with speed, learned from mistakes, and kept moving forward. Excuses don’t build billion-dollar businesses—Execution does! So, don’t wait for the ‘perfect’ time. Act now, improve along the way, and watch your business grow! #DrVivekBindra #ProgressOverPerfection #ExecutionOverExcuses #Amazon #Zomato #BadaBusiness

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This year 2024, I learned the art of differentiation from noise,  I love my people but I was lost, here is why ( 4 min read ) In 2023 I was mainly on freelance platforms. But deep down I was looking for something more. I wanted to build relationships and grow with founders. So, I started showing up on LinkedIn, with no clue about it. At first, I felt lost. The platform seemed noisy everyone sharing surface-level advice. It made me wonder: Is this the right place for me? But I stayed consistent, and by 2024, I learned something powerful: 👉 Differentiation doesn’t come from shouting louder. It comes from listening better. Here’s how I shifted my strategy on Linkedin → I started approaching content differently: → I stopped creating for algorithms. → I shared solutions to problems for D2C founders. This mindset shift changed how I ・Run my business ・Show up on LinkedIn ・Engage with my audience ・Solve problems for my clients This mindset shift has a negative side too. The negative side is EGO, the real enemy. So to beat my EGO, I stopped asking ⋙ How can I get more engagement? & started asking, ⋙ How can I help someone move forward today? As a founder, you know beating your EGO is not easy. Let me be honest: - Some posts got zero engagement. - Some weeks felt like shouting into the void. - Some days, I doubted if this effort was worth it. But through that process, I realized that real growth comes when you’re willing to show up, even when no one’s clapping. So, here’s my challenge to you, as we step into 2025: ➡️ Are you ready to create for your people, not for likes? ➡️ Are you okay with no engagement to the value you post? ➡️ Are you willing to play the long game, even if it feels slow? 📝 When you stop chasing attention and start giving value, you’ll attract the right people who truly resonate with your work.

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My passion for coaching led me to become an entrepreneur. It's been 15 years since xMonks - An Ecosystem took shape. Looking back, it’s safe to say it’s been nothing short of a roller coaster ride. Fellow founders will surely relate to the highs, the lows, and everything in between! But today a thought crossed my mind, What is the mantra for a successful entrepreneurial journey? Or is there one at all? As a coach, I often talk about how the purpose of life is to live fully in the present, to take action where necessary, and to discern what can be left behind. This mindset, I realize, applies equally to entrepreneurship. As an entrepreneur, the most important thing is to embrace the journey itself. Yes, there are goals we are chasing, milestones we aim to hit, and visions we hope to fulfill. But remember, being fully engaged in the experience, in the present moment, is just as crucial as achieving the next big thing. So, if there’s any mantra at all, it’s this, Stay present, stay curious, and above all, admit where you are lacking and where you have a need. #Leadership #Entrepreneurship

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Low-Budget Marketing Hacks Every Business Should Know Some of the most successful brands started scrappy and scaled smart. 💪 I’ve compiled my favorite high-ROI marketing hacks for businesses looking to grow without breaking the bank: 1️⃣ Turn Customers Into Ambassadors Your happiest customers are your best marketers. Dropbox: “Refer a friend, get 500MB free.” Result? 3900% growth in 15 months. 2️⃣ Create Viral Moments (for Free) Dollar Shave Club’s $5k launch video drove 12,000 orders in 48 hours. Production value isn’t everything. Great ideas > Big budgets. 3️⃣ Leverage Partnerships Find businesses serving the same audience. Combine forces. GoPro + Red Bull = viral synergy with minimal spend. 4️⃣ Use Social Proof Reviews, testimonials, badges—people trust people. Airbnb built trust and scaled with customer stories before ads. 5️⃣ Repurpose Content One good blog can become 10 tweets, 5 LinkedIn posts, 2 videos, and 1 infographic. Stretch your efforts. 6️⃣ Build an Email List Email marketing delivers 40x ROI on average. Start small but stay consistent. Gymshark leveraged email before ads. 7️⃣ Tap Into Communities Engage on Reddit, Discord, and niche groups. Be authentic, offer value, and build trust. 8️⃣ Unconventional PR Stunts Creativity > Budget. Remember when Tesla sent a car to space? You don’t need Elon’s wallet—just a unique idea. 9️⃣ SEO: The Gift That Keeps Giving Target what your audience is already searching for. Neil Patel scaled his blog into a traffic powerhouse with this one strategy. 🔟 Engage on Social Media Posting isn’t enough. Comment, respond, DM—show up authentically. Wendy’s Twitter engagement proves this works. Takeaway: You don’t need deep pockets—just a sharp mind, creativity, and a relentless focus on your audience. The right hacks can drive massive ROI with minimal spend. What’s your favourite low-budget marketing hack? Drop it in the comments 👇 #MarketingTips #SmallBusinessGrowth #ROI #Creativity

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Had a great chat with the COO of a leading SaaS company, and one thing stood out. No matter the size of the company and even the market share. Sales remains one of the toughest challenges. From long sales cycles to keeping the pipeline full, even the best teams face constant pressure. In an ever-evolving market, finding the right strategy and talent will always be the only sustainable way to staying ahead. #SaaS #SalesChallenges #Leadership #recruitment #hiring

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▶️The Startup Dilemma Raj, an ambitious entrepreneur, founded a tech startup offering AI-driven marketing solutions. His vision was clear: disrupt the market and become a leader. However, in his pursuit of rapid growth, Raj began cutting corners. He prioritized scaling over quality, hired inexperienced staff to save costs, and promised clients results he couldn't deliver. Initially, the profits soared, and Raj believed his strategy was working. But soon, clients began noticing the gaps. Complaints about buggy software and missed deadlines piled up. Negative reviews spread, tarnishing the company's reputation. Loyal customers started leaving, and potential investors backed out. Raj realized he had to act fast. He paused all new projects, focused on improving the product, and invested in employee training. He reached out to disgruntled clients, apologized, and offered free upgrades to regain their trust. It was a tough road, but Raj rebuilt his startup on a foundation of quality and integrity. Moral Short-term gains achieved through compromise can lead to long-term losses. Success in business is built on trust, quality, and ethical practices. #story #startup #founder #entrepreneur #morning #journey #motivation #inspirational

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Top 10 online communities for solopreneurs to stay ahead 1. Indie Hackers – for candid conversations and advice from other bootstrapped entrepreneurs. 2. Foundr Club – where founders share growth tips, resources, and strategies. 3. Freelance Founders – a supportive network for freelancers navigating business challenges. 4. Growth Hackers – ideal for learning and sharing growth strategies across industries. 5. Y Combinator Startup School – free courses and community support for startups. 6. Women Who Startup – a place for female founders to connect and get inspired. 7. NoCode Founders – a community focused on building startups without coding. 8. The Copywriter Club – for those honing their skills in writing and content marketing. 9. Podcasters’ Paradise – where solopreneurs can learn the ins and outs of podcasting. 10. Product Hunt Makers – a community to build, launch, and get feedback on new products. Each one offers resources, networking, and advice to keep you on top of your game. #startup #ai #business

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Alignment! It’s not just about crossing the “T’s” and dotting the “i’s”. Definitely more than fonts and colors on the Investor/ Business deck being consistent. Office Filter coffee has the perfect blend of beans+milk+sugar?!! Getting alignment right is easier said than done : Founding team of a venture First 5-8 employees hired Customer use cases & product built Market need vs initial MVP Incentives for “FFF” to sink their hard earned savings Term sheet between company and first set of investors Senior leaders hired at Pre- Series A or Series A Partners for Growth ( in 1 or several markets) Additional investors brought into the journey Adviors, Board & Management team … … … List goes on and on! Find the blocks out of place and try and fix it without too many delays. Might be difference! #alignment #Startups

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Why Evergreen Products are the Key to Long-Term E-Commerce Success Trendy products might give you a quick boost in sales, but if you’re in it for the long haul, evergreen products are where the real success lies. What’s an evergreen product? It’s a product that solves a consistent problem or fulfills a lasting need—the kind of product customers need year-round, no matter the season. Here’s why evergreen products are a game-changer: [1] Stable Demand Over Time While fads fade, evergreen products maintain steady demand. Think of items like yoga mats, reusable water bottles, or baby essentials—they’re always in need. [2] Scalability with Less Risk With a proven product, you can scale confidently. Products like office organizers or pet supplies (e.g., dog bowls) don’t go out of style. [3] Repetitive Revenue Streams Evergreen products create opportunities for repeat customers. Consumables like cleaning supplies, health supplements, or printer ink keep people coming back. [4] Focused Marketing Efforts You can refine and perfect your ads, messaging, and content strategy over time, instead of starting from scratch with every new trend. [5] A Stronger Brand Presence Evergreen products allow you to build a brand that customers trust and recognize. You’re not just selling—you’re becoming a go-to solution in your niche. While trendy products can provide short-term wins, they’re often unpredictable. Evergreen products, on the other hand, give you the stability to grow your e-commerce business with confidence and control. What’s one evergreen product you’ve come across that works year-round? Drop your thoughts in the comments—I’d love to hear your insights! #Ecommerce #EvergreenProducts #AmazonSelling #Entrepreneurship

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Building a startup feels like riding a roller coaster—especially when you're bootstrapping and pioneering a research lab in an unorganized, fragmented industry. I can tell you firsthand that the journey is full of challenges—but that's where the growth happens. Here’s a peek into the unique hurdles We’ve faced, and how we’ve tackled them: 1) Building a Research Lab from Scratch Establishing a research facility in an underserved sector means starting with limited infrastructure, resources, and—let’s face it—chaos. But chaos breeds creativity. We focused on optimizing what we had, leaned into a collaborative mindset, and made do with scrappy solutions that brought out the best from our team. 2)Navigating Industry Gaps Pharma and ceramics are two completely different worlds. So, when it comes to product development, integrating insights from both industries feels like walking a tightrope. But our approach? Embrace the cross-industry potential. We discovered that certain mineral formulations in ceramics could directly impact market needs and demand , creating innovative synergies we hadn’t initially considered. Scaling Without External Funding Being bootstrapped means you wear a lot of hats—investor, researcher, marketer, product developer, and HR specialist. But the upside is total control over your direction. We’ve been able to carefully scale, focusing on incremental growth, solidifying product-market fit, and maintaining an agile mindset. Here’s how we’ve navigated this rollercoaster: ✅ Start Small, Dream Big We began with a single product concept, testing it relentlessly and refining it based on real-time feedback. Every small success has been a stepping stone to bigger milestones. Even with limited resources, focusing on iterative improvements has allowed us to stay ahead of the curve. ✅ Leverage Cross-Industry Innovation The power of combining knowledge from seemingly unrelated fields cannot be overstated. Insights from ceramics have helped improve the durability and functionality of our formulation products, while pharma expertise has sharpened our approach to material science. ✅ Stay Resilient and Adaptable The startup journey is never linear. There are days of exhilarating growth followed by setbacks that test your patience. But every failure is a lesson, and every win is a reminder that persistence pays off. To anyone out there building something from the ground up—embrace the roller coaster. The ups and downs are part of the process, and they’re shaping you into the founder you’re meant to be. What’s been the biggest challenge for you in your startup journey? #StartupJourney #ResearchLab #Bootstrapped #Innovation #CrossIndustry #Entrepreneurship #ScalingUp #whereinnovationleads Saket Mathur Minechem Ceramic Technology Center®️

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From Side Hustle to Main Gig, Taking the Leap as an Entrepreneur 🪜 Thinking about quitting your day job to pursue your startup dream? Here are some things to consider: Validate your idea: Make sure there's a real need for your product or service. Secure some funding: Bootstrap, seek investors or explore grants. Build a support system: Surround yourself with positive and encouraging people. Have any questions about leaping? Share them in the comments! #entrepreneurlife #sidehustle #startupjourney #nevergiveup

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14 founders have completed 1 month with Next Big Thing and our retention is 🤯 71% 10 of them have renewed their membership and 100% of them said they would recommend NBT to another founder 🙂 What founders like the most is the 1:1 personalized mentorship they get from me which is not available in any other community or accelerator. We've had a great start and are adding more experts in the community. If you're an expert of marketing, product, growth, content and would like to join our accelerator to help founders, DM me. Also if you are a founder, check out NBT here : https://lnkd.in/dWUTzp66

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🚀 Dreaming of launching your own business but not sure where to start? Here's your chance! Create and sell custom products with ZERO upfront costs. 🌍 With over 1000+ products available for global delivery, you can start your entrepreneurial journey today without spending a dime. Simply select your product, add your unique design, and start selling. 🔑 Key Highlights: - 100% free to use - No initial investment required - Wide selection of products - Global shipping options Everything you need is at your fingertips. Don't wait any longer—turn that idea into reality and get started today! 💡👕 #Entrepreneurship #Ecommerce #Startup机会 #NoInvestment #GlobalReach Click for details : https://lnkd.in/de2TpMPP

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3 Skills Every Entrepreneur Needs Every entrepreneur, in addition to developing their product/ service, should focus on developing 3 skills 1. Listening: As an entrepreneur you should be able to listen to the changing customer requirements and their problems that you can solve. The better you are at listening the more suited is your product/ service to your customer. 2. Adaptability: Markets are dynamic, so should you be too. As an entrepreneur you need to be able to adapt to the changing market demands. 3. Story Telling: Every entrepreneur has a powerful story. It's how good that you are at telling this story that your customer/ investor chooses to work with you. Remember, Entrepreneurship can be easy, provided you develop the relevant skills. #BusinessGrowth #CoCreateWithManju #LinkedInForCreators

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Sales can be back breaking. So can entrepreneurship. Which is why sales is a perfect breeding ground for entrepreneurs. Even the best sales people, Are being rejected or ‘failing’ 60-70% of the time. Which makes it a perfect spring board for entrepreneurship. Being an entrepreneur seems cool, Many people make it look cool, But it’s brutal at its core. Entrepreneurship is about losing constantly, And having an occasional win. And in between, Still always finding a way keep yourself and everyone around you excited and optimistic every day. The skills developed in sales— Resilience, Problem solving, Understanding customer needs, And forging partnerships/closing deals— Are all crucial for entrepreneurial success. Plus, Salespeople constantly face rejection, have to refine their pitch, and adapt to different audiences, Which mirrors the iterative nature of building a business. Those who excel in sales often develop a very thick skin and a mindset that embraces failure as a stepping stone, which is essential for navigating the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. I think one of the smartest things someone who has entrepreneurial aspirations can do, Is spend 5-10 years in sales and sales leadership in their early career years… Learning Earning/saving money Constantly iterating/growing If an idea brews inside you, you’ll be 100 percent more ready than you were prior to that experience.

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