The BarberShop with Shantanu

“Sell like your life depends upon it.” We can’t agree more with Kiran Shah! In the second episode of Razorpreneur 3.0, Shantanu teams up with Kiran Shah, Razorpreneur and founder of Go Zero. From his early days at Apsara Ice Creams to building Go Zero, Kiran shows how every big idea begins with the art of selling. At Vidyalankar Institute of Technology, the challenge heats up. Shantanu announces a...

Some journeys begin at home. For the first episode of Razorpreneur 3.0, mine does too. This time, I don’t bring a founder, VC, or CEO. I bring my mom – the best salesperson I know! In this episode shot in Pune, Aai visits her everyday kirana shops and steps into the world of sales for the first time. From friendly local stores to the chaos of FC Road, she convinces complete strangers to try the Om...

Some journeys begin at home. For the first episode of Razorpreneur 3.0, mine does too. This time, I don’t bring a founder, VC, or CEO. I bring my mom – the best salesperson I know! In this episode shot in Pune, Aai visits her everyday kirana shops and steps into the world of sales for the first time. From friendly local stores to the chaos of FC Road, she convinces complete strangers to try the Om...

Can you scale fast without falling into legal traps? In this episode of The BarberShop with Shantanu, we are joined by Archana Rajaram (Managing Partner, River Law) and Anup Agarwal (Co-Founder & CEO, Mintifi) to decode a side of entrepreneurship that’s often left behind and what really happens when capital, compliance, and chaos collide. From helping founders steer clear of costly mistakes to...

Some episodes are personal. This one is family. I had the privilege of sitting down with two people who’ve shaped the way I think, live, and lead: Dr. Pravin Bhagwat (Founder of 14 Trees Foundation) and my father, Kiran Deshpande (Former CEO, Tech Mahindra. Founder, Mojo Networks. Board Member, 14Trees Foundation) two entrepreneurial men I've had the privilege of learning from since I was a child....

Is the healthcare system in India broken, or just evolving? In the latest episode of Barbershop, Shantanu is joined by Viren Shetty, Vice Chairperson of Narayana Health (NH), to explore how the pandemic reshaped global healthcare and how, despite the changes, NH is committed to staying true to its values while introducing its new inpatient care services. Viren proudly reflects on the incredible le...

Is mental health just a buzzword for Gen Z or is it a genuine crisis? In this episode of The Bridge, Shantanu leads a candid, cross-generational debate on one of the most misunderstood workplace questions today: Is mental health struggle real for Gen Z? One side, the seasoned professionals, Revant Bhate (Co-Founder & CEO at Mosaic Wellness) and Kaushik Mukherjee (Co-founder & COO at SUGAR...

Are phones killing brains or just replacing boredom with a dopamine hit? In this episode of The Bridge, Shantanu dives into a no-filter conversation with guests from different tech eras to explore the real impact of smartphones on human brains, behaviours, and boundaries. Joining him are Aseem Dhru (MD & CEO, SBFC Finance Ltd) and Damodar Mall [CEO(Grocery Retail ), Reliance Retail] who are am...

Is owning a home still the ultimate goal, or are there smarter, more flexible alternatives in today’s fast-changing world? This week on The Bridge , the guests debate about one of the most talked-about life decisions in a GenZ’s life today: to buy a home or rent, with perspectives from seasoned business leaders and the next generation of entrepreneurs. On one side, we have industry veterans Aseem...

Is going to college still the best way to succeed, or is it time to rethink the traditional career routes? In this week’s episode of The Bridge, Shantanu sits down with a diverse group of leaders to explore one of today’s most debated topics: The true value of college education in a fast-evolving world. On one side, we have seasoned entrepreneurs who have led the way in shaping businesses and bran...

Is consumerism in India really making our lives better? Or is it a trend everyone is chasing because of FOMO? From the latest gadgets to fashion trends, the young generation is bombarded by ads, influencers and social media. But at what cost? Are they even thinking about the consequences of overconsumption? This week, the roundtable isn’t here to judge, it only unpacks how Gen Z deals with the pre...

Is Startup a real problem-solver or just a way out of toxic jobs? For next-gen, it’s the real escape from 9-to-5s and societal expectations. But as startup culture grows louder, are the deeper motivations being overlooked? In this episode of The Bridge, Shantanu hosts a multi-generational roundtable with industry veterans, Abhijeet Dabas (Nykaafashion Executive VP & Business Head - Fashion) an...

Is organisational loyalty outdated, or are we asking the wrong questions? This week, on the latest episode of ‘The Bridge’, Shantanu engages in a thought-provoking discussion with leaders from both sides of the generational spectrum. On the one hand, Aseem Dhru (MD & CEO at SBFC Finance Ltd.) and Luis Miranda (Former Bank Treasurer at HDFC and Ex-CEO at IDFC) share valuable insights on why int...

Thank you for the overwhelming response to Episode 1 of The Bridge! We absolutely loved reading your comments, your thoughts, reflections, and even disagreements made it clear: We need more conversations like these. So, here we are back with Episode 2. This time, we’re asking: IS PERSONAL BRANDING NECESSARY? Why is everyone suddenly obsessed with “being seen”? Why does every Gen Z feel the need to...

Is hustle culture quietly killing India’s next generation? Is Gen Z actually giving up at their jobs for reasons evident but often unsaid? Where really is this gap and why is it important to fill it? Next season of the Barbershop is not a season, it’s a completely different story. A whole new setup, a mix of old and new voices, unfiltered views, and debates that often make it out of these leaders’...

What if playing it safe is the real courage in entrepreneurship? In Barbershop’s latest episode, Shantanu sits down with Alok Sama (Writer & Investor) to explore what truly makes a CEO great. It’s not just about flashy risks, but staying humble and adapting as things change. How Alok brought his first book ‘The Money Trap’ to life, and how getting a degree in Master of Fine Arts, from NYU at 5...

What if you could build your epic career without the fear of failing? In a world chasing speed, Warikoo advises people to try everything, experience it all, until the path becomes clear. In Barbershop’s latest episode, Shantanu chats with Ankur Warikoo (Entrepreneur and Bestselling Author), who deeply talks about personal growth and mindset shifts on career development. He shares his journey about...

To build a business, you should always have your feet on the ground and eyes on the stars. A mindset Manish Taneja has carried from the narrow lanes of Faridabad to build a ₹10,000 Cr beauty giant. In this episode, Shantanu sits down with Manish Taneja (CEO & MD of Purplle.com ) for a raw conversation about the unseen side of entrepreneurship. Growing up in Tier 2 India, Manish never had the b...

If there’s no existential doubt, it’s not an early-stage business. Because you're just figuring it out, one bold risk at a time. In this episode Shantanu is joined by Vedang Patel (Co-Founder of The Souled Store) and Yogesh Kabra, (Founder of XYXX Apparels) for a raw and honest conversation on what it really takes to start up. As a bootstrapped company, Vedang started with just ₹5 lakhs and a big...

Some companies almost don’t make it, until they do. MakeMyTrip could’ve been one of them. In this episode, Shantanu Deshpande is joined by Deep Kalra (Founder and Chairman of MakeMyTrip Limited) and Sanjeev Aggarwal (Co-Founder, Fundamentum, Helion and Daksh), one of MMT’s early investors. Kalra and Aggarwal uncover the real behind-the-scenes of building one of India’s most iconic travel companies...

Some companies almost don’t make it, until they do. MakeMyTrip could’ve been one of them. In this episode, Shantanu Deshpande is joined by Deep Kalra (Founder and Chairman of MakeMyTrip Limited) and Sanjeev Aggarwal (Co-Founder, Fundamentum, Helion and Daksh), one of MMT’s early investors. Kalra and Aggarwal uncover the real behind-the-scenes of building one of India’s most iconic travel companies...

Some Founders wait for the “Right time.” Others just CREATE IT! Based in Bangalore, this company has been developing an app since March 2021, and it has already been installed by 105 million users. We’re super excited to have Saurabh Pandey (Founder and CEO, Eloelo) on the pod this time. From leaving Flipkart just before the pandemic to building Eloelo after, one of India’s largest Live Social Ent...

Not every founder finds the right investor. Not every investor bets on the right founder. In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome a BarberShop veteran, Kapil Chopra (Founder - EazyDiner and The Postcard Hotel). But this time, he is not alone. Joining him is his first ever investor and his very good friend, Deepak Shahdadpuri (Managing Director, DSG Consumer Partners). Why did Kapil and Deepak...

Not every founder finds the right investor. Not every investor bets on the right founder. In this episode, we are thrilled to welcome a BarberShop veteran, Kapil Chopra (Founder - EazyDiner and The Postcard Hotel). But this time, he is not alone. Joining him is his first ever investor and his very good friend, Deepak Shahdadpuri (Managing Director, DSG Consumer Partners). Why did Kapil and Deepak...

Mokobara was rejected 33 times. And now they’ll beat legacy brands in their own game within 6 years. Something the biggest brands took 44 years to do! That’s the thing about great entrepreneurs. They don’t give up. In this episode, we are joined by three of Shantanu’s closest friends. Sangeet Agrawal, Founder at Mokobara, Navin Parwal, Co-Founder & CMO at Mokobara, and Manu Chandra, Founder an...