Shruti Gupta's Linkedin Analytics

Most brands rush into branding like a wedding proposal on the day 1 of your date. And yes customers will freak out & ghost you! Branding is dating. First you listen, then talk, build trust, show up consistently and only then comes commitment. No one falls in love with just visual identity. They fall in love with how your brand makes them feel. Founders: if you're not getting traction, maybe it’s time to stop proposing but date your audience. P.s.: Happy to answer any doubts, feel free to drop in comments or DM me. #branding #visualidentity #brand

Influencers make poor founders But sometimes..they make brilliant marketers. Take Kusha Kapila, for instance. She didn’t launch a brand with "I made this, go buy it." No hard sell! She built a content funnel with smart strategy that touched pain points in fun yet relatable way. “What Are You Wearin’ Under?” - Just a consistent narrative around discomfort, body confidence, and innerwear problems most Indian women face. By the time she dropped her brand UnderNeat, her Instagram had 100k+ followers…without a single product shot. That’s not vanity metrics: that’s pre-launch demand done right. As a result? Sold out on the day of launch. UnderNeat was launched on the first day of Navratri (March 30, 2025). Brilliant timing → amplified attention. But real kicker 👇 UnderNeat isn’t successful because she’s an influencer. It’s successful because she’s treating content as distribution and partnering with operators who know how to build businesses. She’s got investors like Fireside Ventures and Ghazal Alagh backing her in category (mass-premium shapewear) that’s underserved in India. I am curious to see how long-term this plays out. What’s your take on creator-led brands? P.S. If this was helpful → consider resharing   ♻️ thank you!

Zara pretends to be a luxury brand and has made a 17.8 billion dollar brand out of it. Their logo, store style, minimal staff, and layout all scream a luxury store. But it’s fast fashion at its core. Same model as H&M. Still beats them in the market. ZARA cracked something most brands still ignore: People want the feel of luxury, even if they can’t afford it. So what did they do? → Copied luxury styles → Manufactured them in-house → Priced them at 1/4 the cost → Delivered the illusion of status They’re not selling clothes. They’re selling status with their classic, simple, and decent style. And the strategy? ↘ New drops every 2 weeks ↘ 30-day no-questions-asked return policy ↘ 2,000+ stores in 88 countries ↘ $13B in profit, zero losses ↘ No ad campaigns, no influencer budget Why spend on ads… When your store is the brand? No design is repeated that creates scarcity and curiosity. Minimalism triggers aspiration. Frequent rotation creates FOMO. Zara isn’t trying to be the most affordable. It’s trying to be the most aspirational at an affordable price. They sell you the fantasy. And deliver it… fast. That’s the magic trick. And we all keep falling for it. What’s your favourite fashion brand?

I walked into one of the stores of an Indian sweet house I frequently order from on Swiggy and Zomato. Their quality, taste, and packaging always top-notch and felt even better when experienced offline. But what really caught my eye was a small gesture: A bell with a simple note: “Ring the bell if you are happy.” It had nothing to do with selling but everything about creating an experience and connect with emotions that become part of lifestyles. P.s.: people remember you for memories not transactions & that my friend counts for building brand! #BrandExperience #CustomerFirst #BrandLove #BrandStrategy

Quick commerce hits 4 M+ daily orders in India. Blinkit, Instamart, and BigBasket are everywhere but Zepto? Just 15 cities and still 28% of the market. While others expand, Zepto dominates with focus and flawless execution. Let’s break down what they did differently 👇 1) 10-minute delivery was a revolution.  ↳ Zepto didn’t promise 10 minutes. They built around it. Speed became their positioning, culture, and differentiator. → Changed what Indians expect from delivery → 30 minutes, and even Amazon’s Prime Day delivery feels slow. → Turned convenience into obsession 2) They Built Their Distribution system ↳ No dependency on third-party stores. Zepto launched its dark stores, block by block. → 1,147+ dark stores across 10 major cities → 18,000+ delivery partners → Served 500K+ orders daily and growing 3) Operations that work on machine speed ↳They focus on data points to understand which products are most ordered to update the inventory, which reduces waste. → Auto-replenishment keeps items in stock → Tech backend optimised for repeatability, not just speed 4) They Made 10 Minutes Cool ↳ Zepto didn’t sell groceries. They sold the flex. → Social proof from customers, not influencers → Quick commerce turned into a lifestyle 5) They Raised Funds, But Spent Like Founders ↳ $ 1.95 B+ raised across 8 rounds. Backed by Nexus, YC, StepStone, Glade Brook → Didn’t burn on ads or discounts → Poured capital into infra, ops, & precision 6) Pure Focus on Retention, Not Vanity ↳ No distractions. No shiny features. → Delivery time → Product availability → Seamless reordering 7) They Built a Culture That’s Not for Everyone ↳ Zepto isn’t shy about its ambition. CEO Aadit Palicha said it bluntly: “India’s biggest threat is the mindset of ‘we’ve arrived’.” → The company only hires people ready to give it their all In just 3 years: ✅ $5B valuation ✅ $1B+ revenue ✅ 2,000+ team ✅ 500 K+ orders/day ✅ 18,000+ delivery partners They didn’t just build fast. They built first, and they built better. The others are still catching up. Which Indian startup do you think is playing the long game in 2025? 👇 Drop your bets. I’m watching the comments. #zepto #quickcommerce #startupstrategy #consumertech #founderstory #brandbuilding

Chai at ₹10 vs. ₹150: How Chaayos Made It Work at 5x Chaayos made chai... premium, profitable, and programmable → India drinks over 1 billion cups of chai a day → Most are ₹10 at your local tapri → Chaayos sells it for ₹150, and people come back Here’s what they did right (and how founders can steal a page): 1. They owned the category Chai wasn’t a café thing. It was a street thing. So they carved out a mass premium. Comfort + hygiene + choice. → Over 80,000 ways to customise your chai → Built nostalgia into every sip 2. They scaled but quietly → First café: 2012, Cyber City → First delivery: 2015 (yes, hot chai delivery in kettles) → Pandemic? Opened cloud kitchens → By 2022: 200 cafés 3. They went full-on retail tech lab → Launched Chai Monks (yes, actual robots) → Built facial recognition payments → Dynamic pricing menus based on time of day → Customised offers per customer per hour → AI-based POS and loyalty built in-house Cost? ₹1.5 crore Payoff? Under 2 years → This isn’t a tea company. It’s a data company with tea like Starbucks for tea. 4. AI wasn’t just a gimmick → The robot, self-billings, and community app helped the revenue ↑ 14% in the first month and repeat orders ↑ from 2.6% to 3.5% This isn’t just a Chaayos story. It’s a glimpse of what chai could become. The market? $11.5B and rising. Cafés are growing fast. Functional blends and ready-to-drink formats are gaining steam. And still… no one owns “chai” the way Starbucks owns coffee. From green tea, to boba, to now Matcha becoming mainstream with bamboo brushes. The organised chai café segment (Chai Point, Chaayos, etc.) is growing at 25.1% CAGR, now worth ₹873 crores. There is a lot of scope from RTD, to medicinal categories, to fun flavours. If someone cracked that code... Built a brand around that complexity... That’s the future of beverages. That would win. Happy Tea Day Nitin Saluja Raghav Verma ☕️ P.s.: Comment “Chai” if you want a more in-depth dissection of the beverage industry and what the business brand building opportunity looks like for tea. #chaayos #branding #brand

How Airbnb became an 85.66$ billion brand no one thought we needed. Here’s how they disrupted the trillion-dollar hospitality industry without ever owning a hotel. 1/ Airbnb sold "home away from home" not stay. They positioned themselves as the brand that helps you live like a local instead of visiting like a tourist. → That became their differentiation. → That’s why “Belong Anywhere” felt more than a tagline. 2/ They used Trust & Safety as their USP for product People weren’t booking a hotel. They were choosing to stay at a stranger’s house. So, how did they make people say yes? For Trust, they used: ✅ Real host photos ✅ Mutual reviews ✅ Transparent house rules ✅ Word of mouth As a strong selling point and that's how they gained trust. After funding, they added safety measures to fill in the gap- → $1M host insurance → 24/7 safety teams → ID verifications → Guest guarantees 3/ Pragmatic SEO and Direct channel growth 1 site, but they created millions of landing pages around what people were searching. Like: “Cool treehouse in Bali” “Budget-friendly family homes in Paris” “Pet-friendly cabins near Goa” They owned these Google results. → 18 M+ organic visitors/month → No middlemen → Higher margins → Stronger direct brand recall 4/ Strategically marketed themselves Instead of running after usual influencer collabs, → They pitched customer stories to the media → Highlighted quirky hosts & unique stays → Partnered with artists, athletes, & even Barbie They built a community by becoming part of people’s lifestyle obsessions. 5/ Created a multi-category experience to include premium users To compete with big players like Taj and Marriott and sell the luxury experience to premium customers in 2019, including villas, a historical castle, and modern penthouses in high demand and much asked for. → Luxe villas, designer lofts, and experiences for the aspirational crowd → Smart product expansion to suit lifestyle choices 6/ Airbnb = mini business from your spare room Thousands made $10K+ per year by just hosting. That’s how the users became the brand. 7/ They didn’t hide from controversies They adapted with new rules about banning parties, anti-discrimination policies, and support lines. They took feedback, took action, and moved on. 8/ IPO during a pandemic (and it worked) When travel tanked, they pivoted to long-term stays, cut costs, and still went public at $ 47 B. → Today, they’re at $ 84 B+. P.S. They just fired all traditional PMs. Know why they did this? #branding #startups #consumerbehaviour #airbnb #businessstrategy

Last night was one of the most anxious nights I’ve lived through. Not everything is content or chance for viral reel. While people on Instagram are posting content on such serious situation, some of us are living through fear, sleeplessness, and helplessness. I have close friends near border & texts from them felt heavier than any headline. They heard the sounds. They felt the uncertainty. This is a reminder. Please pause before you post. Please check the facts before you share. Please think of the ones living this, not watching from a safe distance. To everyone reading this: 🛑 Don’t spread panic. 🛑 Don’t turn trauma into trends. 🙏 Let’s be sensitive. Let’s be aware. And let’s stand together. Jai Hind. 🇮🇳

The ₹80,000 crore Indian beauty market is packed with global giants. So, how does a ₹66 crore indie brand stand out? To put it into perspective: They’re competing with players like L’Oréal (10 %+ market share), MAC (13%), SUGAR (6.5%), and 20+ other major names. Yet in just 6 years (since 2019), FAE BEAUTY: → Built a 117K+ social community → Grew revenue from ₹7.18 Cr (FY23) to a projected ₹22 Cr (FY24–25) → Turned profitable, with EBITDA improving significantly YoY Here’s how: 1. Inclusive Positioning Not just skin tone inclusivity. But body size, texture, gender, acne, stretch marks- you name it. → Their content features real people often their own team. → No Photoshop policy. Just relatability. People didn’t just buy the products. They saw themselves in the brand. 2. Branding that connects Their product names speak to the consumer: Like, → “Too Dark” Lipstick: Turning a taboo into a proud identity → “Soda Paap” Lip Gloss: A fun, nostalgic throwback wrapped in self-expression It’s not just clever naming. It’s emotional storytelling, and it clicks with consumers. 3. Shark Tank moment: Founder Karishma Kewalramani secured ₹1 Cr for 1.5% equity. But beyond funding, it unblocked distribution + visibility. 4. They cracked hero product in no time:  FAE’s Lip Whip wasn’t just another lipstick. → It filled a real gap: bold, brown-skin-friendly 30+ shades → High-quality TPE packaging, the first brand in India to bring it here. They didn’t try to be everything. They focused on one thing and nailed it. The Result? → Year-on-year revenue is more than 3X → Clear EBITDA growth → Went from a loss of 80 lakhs in the first year to a profitable company above 1 cr in just 4 years. In a space full of loud ads and louder claims, FAE BEAUTY didn’t outspend. They out-understood. Because today’s consumer wants more than a product. They want representation, purpose, and That’s the edge. P.S. Why do you think the brand name is FAE?

Influencers Usually Make Bad Founders But Kusha Kapila Did It Differently. Let's see "How" She could’ve launched directly saying- Hey, I made this. Go buy it as she has strong real fan base on same platform she launched Instead, she crafted a very strategic content funnel. But Why? 👉 To gain trust of women & built her credibility in niche among her potential customers/ followers that she understands the problem in depth and once she launches people trust her blindly, leading to conversions! And that's what happened also. Power of community building! By the time her brand, underneat.in, launched, she'd built a 100k+ strong Instagram community without posting a single product image. That’s brilliant pre-launch demand. And we know the result- Completely sold out on launch day. But here's the real secret sauce that she used 👇 - She smartly viewed content as distribution and collaborated with seasoned business operators who genuinely understand scaling. Backed by investors like Fireside Ventures and Ghazal Alagh. - She smartly targeted the underserved category of mass-premium shapewear in India. I'm genuinely curious to see how this creator-led brand fares long-term. What do you think? P.S.: Found this insightful? Consider resharing! ♻️ Thanks! #influencer #socialmedia #brandlaunch

You know what messes with most ambitious people? Taking a pause without guilt. For the longest time, I believed if I just worked hard enough, stayed disciplined enough, ticked every box I’d earn the life I wanted. So I did it all: - 16-18 hour workdays - Clean eating - Workout - Progress. Growth. Discipline. I was chasing progress. And every night I’d crash into bed, not fulfilled – just… drained. No time to reflect. No room to breathe. All because I kept telling myself: “Mujhe bhagna hai, udna hai… rukna nahi.” But maybe… rukhna bhi zaroori hota hai. This week, I did something different. I took a random mid-week leave, Went out alone- no plan, no productivity tracker. Just me. And for the first time in a while, I felt clear. Creative. Alive. Turns out, rest isn’t the opposite of growth. It’s where real growth happens. You don’t need to burn out to take a break. You don’t need to keep proving to keep progressing. Sometimes, the bravest thing you can do take a breath and not feel guilty about it. When was the last time you paused… without guilt?

Are You Ignoring These Red Flags as a Brand? 🚩 (Part 2) The branding game in 2025 is faster, louder, and way more consumer-led. Especially for D2C and service-based brands, even one red flag can send your audience running to competitors. Here’s what to watch out for: 1️⃣ Ignoring the Post-Purchase Experience Forgetting leads once they become your customers? Huge mistake. The real brand loyalty starts after they convert. Fix: Send timely updates, ask for feedback, offer support. Surprise them with value even post-purchase. 2️⃣ Too Many Offers, Too Little Value If your brand always screams “50% OFF,” people might start questioning your product quality & sales. Fix: Balance offers with clear value propositions. Customers should buy because they love your brand- not just your discounts. 3️⃣ Clunky Website or App Experience No matter how good your product is- if your site crashes, loads slow, or confuses users, and you are loosing trust. Fix: In 2025, UX is branding. Invest in clean design, fast checkout, and easy navigation. 4️⃣ One-Way Communication If your brand still just “posts” but doesn’t respond, engage, or co-create, your audience will tune out. Fix: Be in touch. Use comments, polls, AMAs- make your community feel heard and seen. 5️⃣ No Face to the Brand In an era of personal brands and storytelling, hiding behind a logo doesn’t cut it. Fix: Let people in. Founder stories, behind-the-scenes, your team’s voice- people connect with people. Branding isn’t about looking good. It’s about feeling real to the people who matter most- your customers. It’s 2025. If your D2C brand still doesn't respond to DMs... red flag. 🚩 P.s.: Sharing my last month wrap with you. #D2CMarketing #BrandRedFlags #CustomerExperience #UXMatters #BrandStrategy

If Shaadi.com had to answer Tinder’s latest campaign… Here’s how it would look. 🚚✨ 👉 Campaign Concept: • Real wedding mandap setup on a moving truck • Festive marigold decor and traditional wedding vibes • Slogan: "Forget Baggage. Board Your Baraat." • QR codes, selfie zones, and live manifestation walls for future partners While Tinder asked you to trash your past, Shaadi.com invites you to manifest your forever. After all, love isn't about letting go- it's about moving forward. 😉 👉 Type: • Moving vehicle targeting key cities (based on audience data) • BTL Experiential Marketing + Mobile Out-of-Home (MOOH) 👉 Expected Outcomes: • Increase in brand recall and emotional brand affinity for Shaadi.com • Drive app downloads via QR engagement at physical activation points • Create social media virality through on-ground selfies, wish walls, and reels • Strengthen Shaadi.com’s positioning as the "serious, forever love" alternative to casual dating apps Concept by Shruti Gupta. Visual design crafted in collaboration with ChatGPT. p.s.: Would love to hear what you think! #BrandStrategy #MandapOnWheels #BTLCampaign #BrandBuilding #campaigns Shaadi.com Anupam Mittal

You don’t have to monetize every passion. We live in a time where every hobby is turned into a side hustle. Every interest is asked to “scale.” Every art is expected to have a business plan. But what if, Some passions are meant to be just yours? Not to perform or optimize. Just to enjoy & breathe. Time “wasted” on what you love, with no end goal, is never really wasted. Not everything needs an ROI. Not every hobby needs to be displayed to audience. Some things are sacred simply because they make you feel alive. So if you like painting, reading, dancing, gardening, photographing skies… You don’t owe anyone a portfolio, a shop, or a ‘launch soon’ because you are asked so! You are allowed to do things just because they make your soul lighter. I’m still that person who loves to draw, click thousands of pictures of nature, and write random pieces of poetry… No plan. No audience. Just my way of saying thank you to life. What’s yours? P.S. Can you guess the place? 👀