Fireside Ventures

"SmartGrid is our core technology, and we are bringing this to every category of comfort tech. We have patents granted in India and Japan and have filed for the same in China and many EU countries,” says Harshil Salot, co-founder, The Sleep Company. Via Inc42 Media and Meha Agarwal https://lnkd.in/gBMJcr7j

The Case of the Right Quadrant There isn’t a single business I know that doesn’t position themselves in the top right quadrant while pitching to investors. Nothing wrong with that - everyone wants to show their business as a stand out. But I think what a lot of founders do get wrong is what you place on the x and y axis to sell your best narrative. A competitive map should ideally unlock some deeper insight about your unique proposition. Some quick thoughts as you’re thinking through this important slide in your pitch deck: ◆ Compare on product features, but avoid price as an axis: I find price to be a weak differentiating factor. For example, if you are a premium brand, dig into some underlying product feature that justifies charging a higher price, eg: Better quality ◆ Compare yourself on industry alphas: Study the standard industry drivers, and where you have a potentially unique moat to your business alone. Do you have a strong IP on your product that others don’t or access to a GTM channel that competition doesn’t - bring that out as a core differentiator.  ◆ Compare across brand key elements: Study consumer needs or gaps, and check what emotional or functional benefits your brand provides. If there is a clear match between need/gap and your brand proposition, place those on an axis. For example, an appliance company could be compared on durability vs need for customer service ◆ Once you’ve thought deeply about how YOU are different, position competition in a way that is accurate and backed by data or consumer feedback, not just to support your narrative. Keep it as factual as possible. Comparing yourself to competition to sell a narrative is critical, but the parameters you chose to differentiate on are particularly telling of your depth of knowledge of the industry and your business/consumer. Fireside Ventures

Hey business owners! It’s been a fantastic year, and your employees and customers deserve more than just another box of soan papdi or dry fruits. This Diwali, why not surprise them with something they’ll actually use and treasure?We’ve got unique, lasting home products that say you care—and at amazing bulk prices, too! Simply call and leave the rest to us. No matter the budget - we have a combo for you. It's not too late. Let’s make this Diwali one to remember. Explore our handpicked gifts here. (https://lnkd.in/gnCZH5a9) Reach out to us: +91 9611202531 or drop a comment.

🎇🎉Diwali wishes from all of us at Fireside Ventures! ✨🎆

For the Friday before Diwali, we take a look at a subject that's rather close to our hearts - Innovation. 🧪 Dipanjan Basu talks about Iluvia (Renaura Wellness (P) Ltd)’s innovation mindset, and why we invested in this disruptive brand built by atypical founders – they’re chemical engineers! – to PrivateCircle’s Yatti Soni: https://lnkd.in/gyEJTAQm ✨ Vinay Singh spoke to The Economic Times’ Charu Lamba about the different ways brands based out of metro and Tier I cities are innovating – offering personalization, customization, and elevated brand experiences: https://lnkd.in/gsiXVXjt  🧴VS Kannan Sitaram talks about how existing big brands have been “averaging” people's requirements, and Gen Z and millennial consumers are demanding more in Asmita Dey’s Times of India piece: https://lnkd.in/gfie6FXG ⚙️Kannan also calls out the fact that smaller companies were always better at innovation, even pre-Covid, in a Hindustan Times article by shuchi bansal: https://lnkd.in/gnw7i_3y  🔭 Kanwaljit Singh answers the question of how we look at innovation – and how intelligently founders identify spaces no one is catering to – in his conversation with Forbes India’s Neha Bothra: https://lnkd.in/gd_MewAc 🏭 And here's a bonus piece about an Indian company that was built on innovation - this is Harsh Mariwala, writing in Harvard Business Review about building Marico Limited, and using innovation across every part of the business, whether product, packaging, or distribution. He described it at our very first Annual Conference, and it's still excellent advice on doing things differently to serve your consumers better: https://lnkd.in/d2dvFWh9 #innovation #d2c #consumerbrands #FiresideIgnite #5onFriday

Celebrating the Launch of Our #MicroExperienceOutlet (MBO)   Diwali came early for us this year, and we couldn’t be more excited to share this journey with you.   Since 2015, with Sweet Karam Coffee, we’ve had the privilege of traveling across South India, immersing ourselves in its culinary depths and unique flavors. We’ve learned that success in this space comes from understanding both depth and width. The depth comes from our hero SKUs—core products that resonate across India, helping us scale to a national level. The width comes from our carefully curated assortment, which helps us earn consumer trust by catering to their region-specific needs. This breadth didn’t happen overnight; it’s the result of years of hard work and dedication, and it underscores the choices that food lovers crave.   To further showcase this incredible diversity, we’ve just launched a mini Experience Store, right next to our office! As a digital-first brand, we’ve often been asked, “‘Is there any physical store/establishment where we can taste & experience your entire assortment?” Well, now we have the perfect answer. This store is more than just a place to purchase snacks—it’s an opportunity for us to engage with our customers in a whole new way.   One of the most exciting parts of this store is that it’s not just about selling products, but offer the true south indian experience over a sip of hot Filter Coffee. We’re introducing '#KaapiConversations—a concept where we’ll host our customers for engaging tasting sessions. Imagine learning the art of Murukku making brewing an authentic filter coffee or joining workshops where kids can create their own traditional treats. There’s so much to look forward to!   We opened this store with our #JanakiPaati, and we were super excited to have Kanwaljit Singh visiting the store. It was both humbling & exciting to see his love for our products, the brand & the larger purpose :)   This store also represents a milestone in our journey— Setting up this MBO within our premises could seem to be a small pilot, but it signals the massive things to come!!!   Always grateful to our guardian angels & mentors in this journey who are constantly shaping us. Here’s to new beginnings and exciting times ahead! VS Kannan Sitaram Ankita Balotia Raj Raghavan Fireside Ventures The #GoodFoodRevolution is truly ON!

"The business model has changed, the way you build the entire story with the consumer has changed, the channels and the media have changed. But the fundamental truth is you always start with the insight or understanding of where that opportunity lies. That's where digital-first becomes a very interesting opportunity to engage consumers. The most interesting thing is that there are thousands and thousands of these opportunities. What you didn't even believe was possible, say a few years ago, is now an interesting new exciting business that has already been launched and is successful," says Kanwaljit Singh, founder and managing partner, Fireside Ventures. Via Forbes India and Neha Bothra. https://lnkd.in/dkwGySh5

When you're building a new-age F&B brand, it helps to see how the premiumisation trend can help shape it. In food, too, consumers are willing to pay a premium. But how much, and for what kind of value? Here's a snapshot of how much "stretch" consumers say they'll accept across food categories. Read more about other F&B trends in our report with Thinking Forks : https://lnkd.in/gGmrpAft #fnb #fnbtrends #foodstartups #foodbrands #FiresideIgnite

In conversation with Forbes India, Kanwaljit Singh, founder and managing partner at Fireside Ventures, shares why #D2C is an interesting opportunity for investors and how Indian entrepreneurs can leverage this medium to build iconic global brands in the coming decade https://lnkd.in/dG5bKCRb By Neha Bothra