Bombay Shaving Company's COO & CEO on raising Series C & the path to IPO | ft. Aditya Sehgal

Bombay Shaving Company's COO & CEO on raising Series C & the path to IPO | ft. Aditya Sehgal

Author: The BarberShop with Shantanu July 17, 2026 Duration: 37:18

What if Bombay Shaving Company’s biggest opportunity is already in front of it, but the founders are not seeing it clearly? In this episode, Shantanu Deshpande (Founder & CEO, Bombay Shaving Company) sits down with Aditya Sehgal (Founder, Asgard. World and Ex-President & COO, Reckitt), along with Deepak Gupta (Co-Founder & COO, Bombay Shaving Company), to unpack what it really takes to build a large Indian consumer brand for the next decade. At the centre of this conversation is Bombay Shaving Company’s next big question: Can a grooming brand from India become a ₹4,000 Cr business, and eventually build products strong enough to compete globally? Aditya breaks down why India may still be behind China in innovation velocity, why local manufacturing is not just a financial decision but a strategic one, why AI will completely change how teams are built, and why money follows opportunity, not the other way around. What you’ll learn from this episode: - Why 10-year-old startups learn and adapt faster than 100-year-old FMCG giants - How the "XEMES" innovation formula works and why India's "jugaad" mentality might be holding it back - What the 2x2 AI Decision Matrix is (Repeatability vs. Sensitivity) and what tasks to automate - Why taking a lower margin to build local manufacturing is a massive strategic moat - How a non-tech executive built a fully functional app in 8 days just by using AI If you’re building a consumer brand, D2C business, retail company, or India-first startup, this episode gives you a sharp look at what it actually takes to build beyond the next quarter and create something that can compound for years. Navigate your way through these chapters: 00:00 Coming up 01:20 Introduction 02: 40 How They Built the Business 08:17 Breaking Down the XEMES Framework 16:15 Scaling Without Losing Quality 21:49 The Playbook for Building a ₹4,000 Cr Brand 27:42 How AI Will Transform Every Company 37:08 Closing Thoughts


Step into a space where business talk feels less like a lecture and more like a conversation happening in the back of a classic barbershop. The BarberShop with Shantanu is built on that exact feeling-a place for honest, meandering, and deeply insightful dialogues about the real journey of building something. Host Shantanu, who founded Bombay Shaving Company and Bombae, doesn't just interview guests; he engages in a form of mutual mentorship, drawing on his own experiences to unpack the stories, struggles, and small victories that define entrepreneurship. Each episode feels like a candid exchange, stripping away the polished veneer often found in business media to explore how ideas actually take root and flourish. You'll hear from a variety of voices navigating their own hustles, with conversations that naturally touch on strategy, personal growth, and the often-overlooked human elements behind the brands. This podcast thrives on the free flow of genuine perspective, offering listeners not just lessons, but a sense of camaraderie. It’s a platform dedicated to growth, framed through storytelling that’s as much about the missteps as the milestones. Tune in for a regular dose of reflection and practical wisdom, all shared with the ease of a good chat.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The BarberShop with Shantanu
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