The BarberShop with Shantanu

by The BarberShop with Shantanu

Season 5

The Education Truth 90% of Indian Parents Don't Know | Ft. The Curious Parent

Not every child needs to grow up to be Elon Musk. And maybe that’s okay. In this episode, Shantanu Deshpande and Harpreet Singh Grover (Founder of The Curious Parent) discuss the myth of pushing kids to become high achievers like billionaires and the overwhelming pressure children face in today's education system. Harpreet shares his views on the competitive culture in India, and how it often leads children to pursue careers they aren’t passionate about. They together explore how today's digital age affects children’s mental health and why parents need to rethink their approach to screens and emotional regulation. The conversation takes a deep dive into the psychological effects of modern parenting, where devices often become a tool for pacification rather than genuine connection. What you’ll discover: 1. The hidden dangers of using screens as a parenting tool 2. Why students don’t need perfect grades to succeed in life 3. How the education system has shifted since the Industrial Revolution 4. The growing role of values in choosing the right school for your child 5. The truth behind Kota’s appeal and the role of parental pressure Tune in and navigate the intricacies of parenting and schooling, offering real-world advice on making better educational choices for your child in today’s world. Navigate your way through these chapters: 00:00 Coming Up 01:16 Introduction 03:17 Why Rote Learning Still Works 05:37 How ‘The Curious Parents’ Can Help Choose Schools Based on Family Values 10:21 How New Boards & Exams Are Shaping Learning Today 15:20 The Truth About Kota & Parental Pressure 24:30 Is Education Pressure Stealing Kids’ Childhood? 28:58 Why Playtime is Crucial for Child Development 37:01 How Digital Distractions are Affecting Kids’ Emotions 40:22 The Hidden Dangers of Using Screens as Parenting Tools 44:53 Closing Thoughts

S5 · E6

Mar 22, 2026

44:57

₹15Cr Indian Toy Brand vs Chinese Toys: Solving Zero Repeat Rates Post-Shark Tank|Ft. Aditya Sehgal

₹15 Cr in revenue.A crowded toy market. And a big ambition to build a brand that can go global. In this episode, Yash Thombare and Vedang Nalawade, Co-Founders of Clapstore Toys, join Shantanu Deshpande (Founder & CEO, Bombay Shaving Company) along with Aditya Sehgal (Founder, Asgard. world | Ex-President & COO, Reckitt) for a sharp conversation on building a fast-growing toy brand focused on affordable, mass-market products for Indian families. From vendor dependence and manufacturing choices to distribution and category expansion, the panel breaks down the real decisions founders face while growing a D2C brand. They also tackle a tough reality in categories like toys, where repeat purchases are limited, and competition is often generic. Also, for Clapstore, the path to competing globally lies in continuous product innovation. Problems we solve in this episode: 1. What should founders prioritise to scale from ₹15 Cr to ₹50 Cr? 2. In low-repeat categories, should founders focus on repeat purchases or customer acquisition? 3. As a brand scales, should founders own manufacturing or outsource it? 4. How to Design Products When Buyer and User Are Different? If you're building a D2C brand, consumer startup, or manufacturing-led business, this episode offers a practical look at the real decisions founders face while scaling! Navigate your way through these chapters 00:00 Coming Up 01:00 Introduction 01:48 The Vision Behind Clapstore 04:36 Scaling from ₹15Cr to ₹50Cr 13:17 Repeat Purchases or Customer Acquisition? 18:51 How Unique Design Language and Partnerships Drive Growth 31:30 Own Manufacturing or Outsource? 39:06 Innovation or Manufacturing: Clapstore’s Moat 44:20 Designing Products When Buyers Aren’t Users 48:55 Closing Thoughts

S5 · E5

Mar 12, 2026

49:22

Scaling a Fashion Brand Profitably: Finding PMF & Making Data-Driven Decisions

This episode explores the realities of building a modern apparel brand from zero. Sanya and Adit, founders of Cove & Lane, are building a modern, quiet luxury clothing brand for ambitious professionals. Timeless pieces designed for people moving from boardrooms to social evenings. They join experts, Shantanu Deshpande (Founder & CEO, Bombay Shaving Company), along with industry leaders Shiv Shivakumar (Operating Partner, Advent | Ex-SVP, Nokia | Ex-CEO (India), PepsiCo) and Toshan Tamhane (Ex-McKinsey Senior Partner | Global Chief Operating Officer, UPL) for a sharp conversation on what it really takes to build a consumer brand. From repeat purchases and referrals to customer psychology and status signalling, the panel breaks down how founders can identify what is actually working. They also unpack a critical founder dilemma: Should early startups prioritise growth or profitability? Problems we solve in this episode: • How do you measure product-market fit in a D2C fashion brand? • How should founders use data when the sample size is small? • When scaling a startup, how do you balance growth and profitability? If you're building a D2C brand, consumer startup, or fashion business, this conversation will sharpen how you think about scaling. Navigate through the chapters and watch till the end

S5 · E4

Mar 5, 2026

45:13

How can bootstrapped Solara scale from ₹100 Cr to ₹1,000 Cr?

This episode goes inside the real shift from founder hustle to founder design. Gopal built SOLARA by staying close to operations in the early years. Today, his role has shifted. He focuses on growth, while others run execution. But that transition is not automatic. As a founder, you are constantly switching between operator, shareholder, and long-term architect. The hard part is knowing when to step back and let specialists take over. He joins Shantanu Deshpande, along with Shiv Shivakumar, Operating Partner at Advent International, and Toshan Tamhane, COO at UPL Group, for a candid conversation on scaling in a changing consumer market. From bootstrapping decisions to the ₹500 crore acquisition question, from hiring senior leaders to building culture without bureaucracy, the discussion goes deep into how consumer brands must evolve. They also unpack a powerful external trend: the rise of the open kitchen. Appliances are no longer hidden utilities. They are visible, aesthetic, and part of lifestyle identity. Water purifiers, drinkware, and kitchen equipment have shifted from commodities to fashion. When the kitchen becomes open, the product must earn pride of place. Problems we solve in this episode: 1. Should you bootstrap to ₹500 crores or raise capital to hit ₹1,000+ crores faster? 2. Will a celebrity endorsement build trust, or are regional micro-influencers the smarter bet? 3. When should you hire senior talent from outside without breaking your startup culture? 4. Do experience stores make sense for a digital-first brand going offline? If you are building a consumer brand navigating scale, capital, and positioning in a more design-conscious India, this episode will sharpen your thinking.

S5 · E3

Feb 26, 2026

52:45

Shark Tank’s GOAT Life Gets a Reality Check on Its ₹1 Cr to ₹10 Cr Scale-Up Strategy Ft. Yash Kalra

This episode goes inside the realities of scaling a D2C brand. Yash Kalra, Founder of Goat Life, started his journey in Kota. Before crores in monthly revenue and national visibility, there were 80 plus offline events and constant product iteration. He joins Shantanu Deshpande and Aditya Sehgal, Founder, Asgard.world and Ex-President & COO, Reckitt, for a direct conversation on what it really takes to scale. They challenge assumptions, question positioning, and examine the shift from founder hustle to structured growth. Problems that we solve in this episode: - How should founders prioritise operations and capacity when demand spikes overnight? - As a content led brand scales, what must stay founder led to keep the voice authentic? - When does a niche brand know it has gone deep enough to expand wider into new categories? - If you are building a consumer brand and navigating growth decisions, this episode will sharpen your thinking. Navigate through the chapters and watch till the end 00:00 Coming Up 01:43 Introduction 04:07 From GO OAT to Goat Life 06:40 Products, Flavours & Packaging 08:31 Sales Split Across Channels & AOV 10:50 The “Ompi” Story × Shantanu 12:14 Is GOAT LIFE Truly Just a Breakfast Company? 13:42 SKU Mix: Assorted Packs vs. Singles 14:57 Limited Drops Strategy 19:16 How to Expand Your Product Range? 22:01 Breakfast or Oats? 23:39 The Growth Formula 27:37 Go Wide or Go Deep? 39:47 Why the Current Team Setup Is Breaking 40:07 How to Build a Good Team and Culture? 50:33 The 3-Bucket Org Structure (Brand, Sales, Product) 01:01:19 Working Capital and Demand Shocks

S5 · E2

Feb 19, 2026

1:10:21

How a McKinsey Partner Lost 90% of His Savings & Turned Early Failures Into an IPO Dream | CleanMax

This episode is a personal one. Kuldeep Jain, Founder and MD at CleanMax | Former Partner at McKinsey & Company, was Shantanu Deshpande’s senior at McKinsey. They share a close bond, and Kuldeep has also invested in Bombay Shaving Company. That trust makes this conversation unusually honest. Kuldeep talks about leaving the safe path, early mistakes, and the phase where he lost 80–90% of his savings. He explains how CleanMax found its direction, how he thinks about hiring and culture, and what the IPO journey really looks like, including roadshows and pricing. What you’ll get from this episode: - Early failure, fear, and staying in the game - Hiring principles and culture built on trust - IPO reality, roadshows, and how pricing works They break down the IPO process for what it is: rigorous, compliance heavy, and all about trust. Even pricing is part art. If you want to build something that lasts, this episode is a blueprint. Link to DRHP: https://www.sebi.gov.in/filings/public-issues/aug-2025/clean-max-enviro-energy-solutions-limited_96203.html 00:00 Trailer 01:30 Early days at McKinsey 07:10 Why CleanMax was needed 11:13 CleanMax turning point 14:20 How to build a strong company culture 19:58 What is Ashirvad Day? 27:53 From McKinsey colleagues to founders 32:47 How to take your company to an IPO 36:30 When to decide your company is ready to go public 43:34 Going public and who plans to buy the shares 51:52 Closing thoughts

S5 · E1

Feb 15, 2026

55:31

How Vijay Sales Built a ₹13,000 Cr Retail Empire? | Offline vs Online, EMI Psychology Explained

Everyone said electronics retail would die. Yet, Vijay Sales built a ₹13,000 Cr empire offline…anyway. So what did they understand that everyone else missed? Not by moving faster… but by thinking differently when everyone else followed the same playbook. In this episode, Shantanu Deshpande (Founder & CEO, Bombay Shaving Company) sits down with Nilesh Gupta (MD, Vijay Sales) to unpack how a 57-year-old business stayed relevant through every wave, from colour TV booms to Amazon, Flipkart, and now quick commerce. At the centre of it all is Nanu Gupta (Founder, Vijay Sales), who came to Mumbai with ₹50 in his pocket and built the business without a blueprint, and made decisions most founders wouldn’t dare to take, including walking away from top brands and putting consumer trust above everything else. This episode breaks down how those choices quietly compounded into scale. If you’re building a consumer brand, retail business, or D2C startup, this episode gives you a clear look at what it actually takes to build something that lasts.

Apr 24, 2026

1:13:05

Season 4

How to Generate ₹120 Cr in Revenue Without Owning Villas | Ft. Deven Parulekar

What happens when two people realise India isn’t lacking luxury, but starving for togetherness? They walked away from stable careers and built a ₹120 CR hospitality brand that proves ‘luxury’ isn’t always required to succeed! In this episode of The Barbershop, Shantanu sits down with Deven Parulekar (Founder of SaffronStays), who built his brand on one simple belief: where families bond. From a honeymoon dream many years ago to a reality in 2015, this vision has expanded into a network of 425 villas, each designed to bring people closer. But here’s the part that sets this story apart: SaffronStays refuses the ‘luxury’ tag. Its heart lies in homes that feel welcoming, with villas kept ready for every moment without anyone stepping in uninvited. An unexpected call about a 130-year-old heritage home changed everything, opening the door to a vision that would one day aim to become the Taj of homestays in India. And through the years, the brand has quietly reshaped how India thinks about travel, belonging, and human connection. What you’ll discover: - Why the brand refuses to be ‘the largest’, but strives to be ‘the finest’, with a mission to combat loneliness. - How human bonds spark real business growth - How hardships during COVID-19 opened the door to unexpected success - How one historic villa changed the company’s direction - The three values that build lasting brands. If you’ve ever experienced the joy of bonding with your people, watch how a villa brand reimagined Indian hospitality by focusing on bonds, over luxury. Navigate your way through the chapters 00:00 Coming Up 01:44 Introduction 03:28 How Deven Built SaffronStays 05:42 How Hospitality Has Changed 08:27 What Makes Villa Stays Special 12:27 Growing and Understanding Guests 16:00 How SaffronStays Stands Out 19:05 How Travel Trends Affect Hotels 26:14 What SaffronStays Promises Guests 31:18 Villas Today and Why “Luxury” Feels Overused 35:26 The First Home and Brand Journey 39:44 Where Most Bookings Come From 41:48 Meeting Post-COVID Guest Needs 47:57 The Philosophy Behind Caretaking 50:25 Using Instagram to Connect 53:11 “Where Families Bond” in Action 55:19 Favourite Villas and Top Picks 59:22 Do Guests Come Back? 1:03:25 Making Marketing Meaningful 1:08:27 Advice from Shantanu 1:14:02 Why They Chose the Blue Ocean 1:20:40 Understanding Valuation 1:24:53 How Travel Is Changing 1:26:45 Closing Thoughts

S4 · E40

Dec 5, 2025

1:28:10

Modern-Day Masculinity: The Dark Truth of Being a Man in a Confusing World

Men are breaking silently, and most people do not notice until it is too late. This Men’s Day conversation brings Shantanu together with Chirag Taneja and the GoKwik team to talk about the quiet struggles that shape a man’s life. Men live shorter, visit doctors less, hide pain behind work, and carry pressure they never learned to talk about. Many grow up without strong male role models. Many lose friendships after marriage. Many feel responsible for everyone but themselves. Most of this remains unspoken because men are taught to stay strong even when strength is slipping away. In this episode, they finally say the things men usually swallow. They talk about exhaustion that has no outlet, about feeling misunderstood in rooms full of people, about why therapy often misses what men cannot put into words. Watch this if you want to understand the men in your life. Or if you are a man who has been waiting for someone to understand you. Navigate your way through these chapters: 00:00 Coming Up 01:00 Introduction & Opening Discussion 05:05 Male Health & Mental Wellness Statistics 10:14 Society's Expectations on Men 14:13 Legal Frameworks & Therapy Challenges 19:02 Q&A: Stereotypes About Masculinity 25:15 Balancing Ambition, Career & Self-Care 31:03 Financial Responsibilities & Partner Expectations 37:00 Leadership & Modern Men in the Workplace 41:45 Shared Values & Relationship Manifestos 44:08 Men's Starter Kit for the New Generation 50:00 Closing Thoughts

S4 · E39

Nov 26, 2025

50:19

How to Crack Interviews: Lessons from McKinsey, Questions and Framework and Common Mistakes to Avoid

Scared of interviews? Maybe you're following the wrong rulebook. In this episode, Shantanu sits with a group of students to break down what interviews actually are. Not tests. Not interrogations. But human conversations where trust, honesty and connection matter far more than memorised answers. Shantanu pulls apart the fear, the overthinking, the nervousness that students walk in with, and reveals the real strategy: show up as someone your interviewer will genuinely enjoy working with. From decoding the classic McKinsey-style interview model to understanding why fun, clarity and natural communication create the strongest impression, this conversation opens up the side of interviews no one teaches in college. What you’ll discover: • Why interviews are built on connection, not perfection • How trust, honesty and humility shape your first impression • The three-part structure interviewers use to evaluate candidates • How fun, flow and real conversation shift decisions • The difference between trying to impress someone and working with someone • What interviewers actually remember after you leave the room Can staying relaxed, real and human be the biggest interview advantage? Tune in to see Shantanu decode the mindset that helps students walk into any interview with confidence, clarity and heart. Navigate your way through these chapters 00:00 Coming Up 00:40 Introduction 01:31 How Consulting Interviews Really Work 03:06 What Interviewers Actually Look For 11:40 Students Rank Top Interview Qualities 16:31 The Real Interview Filter 19:10 Strategy to Crack Your Dream Interview 23:07 What You Think Matters vs What Actually Matters 25:41 Stop Impressing, Start Showing You Can Work With Them 29:41 How Shantanu Interviews & What He Notices First 32:06 Lessons From Anuj Paul 33:47 Closing Thoughts

S4 · E38

Nov 14, 2025

33:53

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