Latest news with #SharkTankIndia
Fashion Network
3 hours ago
- Business
- Fashion Network
‘Businesses living with old notions will have to change, demi fine jewellery here to stay': Shraddha Kapoor
Amol Patwari and Pallavi Mohadikar launched Palmonas as a modern style jewellery brand and onboarded Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor as a co-founder in 2023. With a strong customer base comprising of Gen Z & millennial Indians, it aims to make premium jewellery more affordable and sustainable. Palmonas recently secured a Rs 1.26 crore investment at a valuation of Rs 126 crore from entrepreneurs Namita Thapar and Ritesh Agarwal on the television show Shark Tank India to fuel its omni-channel expansion. spoke to the co-founders Shraddha Kapoor and Pallavi Mohadikar about the demi-fine jewellery segment, competitors, expansion plans and growth strategy. Why be a co-founder in Palmonas, a demi-fine jewellery brand? Shraddha Kapoor: It's the sweet spot. Palmonas is neither expensive like fine jewellery, nor flimsy like imitation. It happens to be a robust option close to the price of imitation but looks and feels just like fine jewellery. Personally, I never cared about the carats in my jewellery. For me it's not about possessing something, it's about how it makes me feel when I wear it, that's real value for me. Just like my outfits, my jewellery is an extension of me and my mood and personality. Unless you're a billionaire, there's only so many designs one can get in fine jewellery. With Palmonas, you're not forced to accessorise yourself with the same set every other day. You can have as many pieces as the outfits you own. FNW: The jewellery industry which includes some big players with deep pockets spend millions on advertising and lobbying mostly using celebrities to endorse their jewellery. As a celebrity and promoter of demi-fine jewellery brand which includes lab-grown diamond jewellery, what do you feel makes Palmonas stand out? SK: Our edge has got nothing to do with budget. We take constant feedback from our customers and what we've learnt is that our main pull is still our designs. And we like it that way, it keeps us on our toes to be fashion-forward, fresh and set trends. We think it's lazy to pin ourselves to a single differentiator. We appeal to a generation that wants both style and sense at the same time. No wonder our Lab Grown pieces are flying off the shelves and we haven't even started marketing them all out yet. In fact, we don't see other players as competition. More the merrier I say. The demi fine market is only growing and it's here to stay. There is so much innovation and literacy happening in finance, that GenZ doesn't seem to be looking at jewellery as an investment medium. Jewellery is an expression. Like footwear. FNW: As an actor, someone who comes from the make belief movie world, what do you feel brands like Palmonas need to do to change mindsets (to fashion first) and notion about jewellery purchase that has been existing for years in India? SK: Just like in the movies, all we need to do is listen to the audiences. The audience is smarter than ever before. They know what's valuable and what's not. They can define value for themselves now. As an actor as well as the co-founder of Palmonas, my fundamentals are the same, do not take the audience for granted. In fact, people are now watching movies not for stars but content, so it's on us to choose movies that give better content to the moviegoers. Same way, they're choosing demi fine and lab grown anyway, we don't need to change their minds, they're changing the markets. Those businesses that are living with old notions are going to have to change sooner or later. FNW: Do you think India has warmed up to the idea of purchasing branded demi-fine jewellery, if you could talk us through the evolution of the brand since its launch? Pallavi Mohadikar: Totally, and we've actually seen that shift happen in real-time. In the beginning, a lot of people didn't even know what 'demi-fine' meant. But over time, with content, conversations, and genuine product experiences, people started seeing the value, especially younger audiences who want affordable, stylish jewellery that's also durable. The response has honestly been very encouraging. FNW: Tell us about your domestic and international expansion plans, which markets are you looking to target for growth? PM: Right now, our main focus is honestly just educating people, helping them understand why demi-fine jewellery is such a smart and practical choice. We've been expanding steadily, from our very first store to now our tenth, and it's been super encouraging to see the response. We're growing, yes but our eyes are on India first. We're really focusing on building a strong presence here. FNW: Palmonas aims to be a Rs 1,000 crore brand in the next three years. Reports suggest that there is demand which is reflected in the company's sales which has witnessed a year-on-year growth. How to you plan to gain customer loyalty over years to keep up with the growth momentum to achieve your goals? PM: That goal is ambitious, but very real for us. We're not just chasing numbers, we're building a brand that people love, trust, and keep coming back to. We're focused on customer experience, consistent quality, and community building. And we're investing heavily in tech and logistics to make sure our backend grows just as smartly as the brand on the outside. Loyalty comes from trust and we're committed to earning it every single day.
NDTV
3 hours ago
- NDTV
"When Indians Weren't...": Shark Tank's Aman Gupta On 2000s Goa Parties
New Delhi: Aman Gupta, the co-founder of boAt Lifestyle, took listeners back to a very different Goa during a conversation on The Prakhar Gupta Xperience podcast. It was a time when Indian partygoers were rare and the underground rave culture was dominated almost entirely by foreign tourists. Mr Gupta, also a Shark Tank India judge, spoke about his early party escapades in Goa, long before it became a mainstream destination for domestic travellers. One of his most vivid memories is of the secret forest parties, where finding the venue was an adventure in itself. Recounting his early 2000s party adventures, Mr Gupta said he and his friends often found themselves to be the only Indians among crowds of international revellers. 'These parties, they were such parties that we didn't know the venue. We would take our scooter and ask our foreigner friends, ' Aaj party kahan hai (where's the party today)?'' he recalled. Watch the podcast here: One of the more iconic venues from that time, he said, was the Bamboo Forest, a hidden gem that hosted wild parties frequented by foreigners. 'That time, when we used to go to Goa, there were no Indians. We were the only Indians there (at forest parties),' Mr Gupta noted. He also reflected on the social dynamics of Goa's popular tourist areas like Anjuna Beach, known for its Israeli backpacker crowd. Indians, he said, were often given a cold shoulder by the local hospitality industry. 'I remember a time we used to go to this place called Anjuna Beach. Back then, only Israelis would get accommodation there. That's how it was. Indians hardly got space to stay because the place was full of Israelis. They were a tight-knit group, and honestly, they didn't make Indians feel very welcome,' he said. Looking at the present, Mr Gupta observed a shift in Goa's tourism dynamic. Once dominated by foreign visitors, Goa is now very much a destination for Indian travellers, who are not only more accepted but also economically influential. Despite the shifts in crowd and culture over the years, Mr Gupta's love for Goa has remained constant. "I've always loved Goa. Even now, when people say they don't enjoy it anymore, I still do. In fact, I feel like now that the crowd has thinned a bit, the real Goa vibe is back. There was a time when it got too crowded, but I've loved Goa since childhood," Mr Gupta said. We used to go there even before Dil Chahta Hai made it popular, he said. "I don't know how the Dil Chahta Hai folks picked up a story that was pretty much our own and put it into their film, it really felt like our story".
Mint
5 hours ago
- Mint
Shark Tank's Aman Gupta recalls time when ‘Indians weren't respected in Goa': ‘Only Israelis were…'
BoAt co-founder, and Shark Tank India judge Aman Gupta opened up about the changing party culture in Goa, recalling how the scene was very different in the early 2000s. Speaking on The Prakhar Gupta Xperience podcast, the 43-year-old entrepreneur shared his memories of partying in the forests of Goa with friends and foreign tourists. Gupta said that back then, Indian tourists were not as welcome in certain parts of the state. 'At Anjuna beach, only Israelis were given a place. I remember, this was a Goa where Indians did not get a place to stay as Israelis used to lead that place. All these Goan people actually did not respect Indians that much,' he recalled. The boAt co-founder also spoke about the exclusive nature of the forest parties at the time. 'These parties, they were such parties that we didn't know the venue. We would take our scooter and ask our foreigner friends, 'Aaj party kahan hai?'' he said, adding, 'In 2000, Bamboo Forest was very popular in Goa.' Gupta noted that during those times, he and his group were often the only Indians at such gatherings. 'This time, when we used to go to Goa, there were no Indians. We were the only Indians there at Bamboo forest parties],' he said.
News18
a day ago
- Business
- News18
Shark Tank India's Aman Gupta Prefers Life ‘Without' Work-Life Balance
Shark Tank India's Aman Gupta opens up about ditching work-life balance, disclosing his 16-18 hour workdays. Known for his unfiltered opinions and straight-shooting personality, Entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge Aman Gupta recently sat down for a candid conversation on a YouTube podcast with Prakhar Gupta. In a recent conversation, Aman Gupta delved into his personal life, sharing stories about his childhood, parenting experiences, and overcoming bullying. But what caught attention was his unapologetic take on 'work-life balance' – a concept he bluntly dismisses, labelling himself an extremist in his approach. In an interview with Prakhar Gupta, Aman Gupta shared his past experience of working 16-18 hours a day, stating he's perfectly fine with it. Reflecting on his journey, he said, 'Earlier, I didn't even know what work-life balance meant. However, Gen Z doesn't just work but also enjoys life. They take more risks, which we never used to, so there's a lot that I've learnt from people of this generation." He further elaborated on the driving force behind entrepreneurs like himself, sharing, 'As you get rich, you realise that it was never about money. As entrepreneurs, we are obsessed with growth and challenges. We want to grow and do something for mankind. There was a time when I used to go on holidays a lot, but then I got bored of it and started missing work, so it's always about growth." Furthermore, he candidly shared his intense work ethic, revealing, 'There was a time when I was extremely obsessed with work. I used to work 16 hours a day. However, one should know when to switch off from it. Moreover, I believe in imbalance." In a heartfelt tribute to his wife's support, he added, 'Till I was 40, meri wife ke paise se ghar chalta tha. I'm a very hardworking guy, but I've seen the ups and downs in life. I've burnt the midnight oil and everything to be where I am today. I don't remember much of when my daughter was growing up because I was busy working." First Published: June 19, 2025, 18:34 IST
Time of India
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Aman Gupta reveals many new sharks joined Shark Tank India to whitewash their image after seeing Anupam and him become heroes; says ' they kept chasing the makers...'
Aman Gupta , an entrepreneur and Shark Tank India judge, is not impressed with the new sharks who have joined the most recent seasons of the iconic business reality TV show. He asserted that, while the judges who have been on the show since season one have no hidden motivations, many businesspeople are now using the show to launder their reputations. During Prakhar's podcast, Aman shared how those entrepreneurs who earlier rejected the show joined him in later seasons, seeing Anupam and him turn heroes. He said, "I like those whose companies are performing well. They're original and aren't in the show to fix their character. My character has been clean right from the start. I don't want to take names, otherwise it'd lead to controversy. Some people had initially rejected Shark Tank, but once they saw Anupam (Mittal) and me become heroes, they had FOMO. So they kept chasing the makers, asking them to make them sharks. And now, they're sharks." Aman further added, "Aman Gupta's character may have changed from season one to season four, yet he remains consistent. We avoid engaging in any pointless activities. Whether you love or hate us, this is who we are. Namita (Thapar) has always been honest about her areas of expertise. I had a way of life; I would do it, and I am not terrified. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo That's why I occasionally dislike these new sharks; otherwise, it's okay." Aman then detailed how many of them begin to have a God complex, which leads to their downfall. He quipped, "A lot of people get a god complex once they start doing well, the media starts writing about them, and the family starts congratulating you via messages. That's where the downfall of everybody starts. We need to understand that. My mom says, 'Even Ravana couldn't keep his pride.' I also believe that. You don't need to have an ego that you can't do no wrong. There's always someone out there doing better than you. You can't think you're the best. You should be able to accept you suck."
