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WTF is with Nikhil Kamath

WTF is with Nikhil Kamath

Written by: Nikhil Kamath
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About this listen

"WTF is" is a podcast series where Nikhil Kamath hosts friends and industry experts and holds casual yet intellectually stimulating conversations. The podcast covers a broad range of topics of particular current relevance, including technology, social media, renewable energy, electric vehicles, philosophy, gaming, psychology and more.

Copyright 2025 Nikhil Kamath
Economics Leadership Management & Leadership
Episodes
  • Tira, Bombay Shaving Co., Inde Wild | WTF is Fueling India's Beauty & Skincare Revolution? | Ep. 25
    Nov 5 2025

    Three founders leading India’s skincare wave – Bhakti Modi (Tira), Shantanu Deshpande (Bombay Shaving Company), and Diipa Khosla (Inde Wild) join me to share the highs and lows of building beauty and skincare brands and the trends shaping this booming industry.


    Timestamps:

    00:00 - Intro

    02:39 - Bhakti’s journey & love story

    05:14 - Diipa’s road to Inde Wild

    10:34 - Persona’s role in brand building

    15:07 - How Shantanu started

    20:48 - Valuations & industry secrets

    27:30 - Decoding the salon industry

    34:58 - How Inde Wild made Champi cool again

    38:01 - Market size & shifting narratives

    45:14 - Marketing quality & building a community

    52:41 - Why fragrance is exploding

    1:00:42 - Community’s role in branding

    1:08:04 - Cracking the BPC industry

    1:22:26 - Omnichannel: A must-have?

    1:27:15 - Tariffs, growth & social selling

    1:31:00 - Can Indian brands go global?

    1:34:51 - Cracking influencer marketing

    1:42:15 - Sampling, distribution & minis

    1:48:07 - Sustainability: Do founders still care?

    1:52:54 - What’s the next wave?

    2:04:39 - How the world perceives India

    2:09:48 - Tech’s role in customising

    2:16:10 - Nikhil’s & Diipa’s tattoos

    2:18:14 - Why founders need grit

    2:19:47 - Bhakti & Tira’s origin story

    2:34:10 - Inside Tira: From concept to customer

    2:38:34 - Do celebrity brands work?

    2:44:51 - Why Diipa started Inde Wild

    2:48:25 - Mass, premium, prestige: Which segment is winning?

    3:05:45 - Quick commerce & Tier 2 markets

    3:11:11 - Ayurveda: Still a novelty?

    3:14:43 - The making of Bombay Shaving Company

    3:21:39 - From idea to product: Manufacturing & patents

    3:30:14 - Advice to aspiring skincare founders


    #NikhilKamath - Investor & Entrepreneur

    Twitter: [https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio] (https://www.youtube.com/redirect?even...)


    Bhakti Modi - CEO, Tira

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhaktim679/...

    LinkedIn: / bhakti-modi-98a32293


    Diipa Khosla - Founder, Inde Wild

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diipakhosla...

    LinkedIn: https://in.linkedin.com/in/diipa-khos....

    Website: https://india.indewild.com/?utm_campa...


    Shantanu Deshpande - Founder, Bombay Shaving Company

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantanudes...

    LinkedIn: / shantanudeshpandebsc

    Show More Show Less
    3 hrs and 37 mins
  • Inside India's Booming Skincare Industry | Ep. 25 Teaser
    Nov 5 2025

    Bhakti Modi (Tira), Shantanu Deshpande (Bombay Shaving Company), and Diipa Khosla (Inde Wild) joined forces to answer one question:


    What should 25-year-old Dilip build next?


    Bhakti Modi

    CEO, Tira

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bhaktim679/...

    LinkedIn: / bhakti-modi-98a32293


    Diipa Khosla

    Founder, Inde Wild

    Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/diipakhosla...

    LinkedIn : https://in.linkedin.com/in/diipa-khos....


    Shantanu Deshpande

    Founder, Bombay Shaving Company

    Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/shantanudes...

    LinkedIn : / shantanudeshpandebsc

    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • Inside Silicon Valley's VC Playbook | WTF is Venture Capital? - 2025 Edition | Ep. 24
    Sep 1 2025
    In this unfiltered conversation, we discuss bad bets, overhyped markets, and where VCs should actually put their money. I sat down with Deedy Das (Principal, Menlo Ventures), Nikunj Kothari (Partner, FPV Ventures), and Niko Bonatsos (Early-Stage Venture Capitalist) to get their hot takes on industries.Timestamps:00:00 - Intro00:58 - Deedy’s journey & the Anthropic story05:10 - Nikunj’s background11:32 - Niko’s story13:31 - Sectors to avoid as an investor23:17 - Today’s hottest sectors27:31 - Emerging AI trends38:37 - Declining birth rates + AI’s role48:19 - Abundance & capitalism53:19 - Raising kids in an Instagram world55:39 - No tech: the next big business?1:00:55 - The future of dating apps1:06:52 - Key predictions for the next frontier1:10:14 - Will urbanisation continue?1:13:51 - Longevity & wellness industry1:16:01 - Which sector will boom by 2035?1:25:59 - Rethinking senior living1:32:52 - Content vs. product: what builds a brand?1:43:50 - Individual vs. legacy brands1:47:30 - EVs & mobility: the road ahead1:58:03 - Opportunities in beauty & luxury2:02:17 - Where live events are headed2:06:14 - Climate tech & its impact2:11:49 - Data centers: the best bet?2:15:13 - Vices as an industry2:24:18 - Wrapping it all together2:29:02 - Legal AI: opportunities & challenges2:32:29 - India in the global AI race#NikhilKamath - Investor & EntrepreneurTwitter: [https://x.com/nikhilkamathcio](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbm9WZVh3cHVTX3JEeGptVjlOZ1R3cW5rVkZJUXxBQ3Jtc0tuekFjWnRXME9XUUVLcDNCTk9YcHd5OU1MV1NMamE0cWE1T25meGJ4VWRMa21OY3VYLWM2T05iOUJtYTNWbWRSLW5YUXNzTTRHUUpjOGdZSGJzNEYxMkt2Y2hmWVNUeU51Nk5MRFVieVNtSTJwMkFXZw&q=https%3A%2F%2Fx.com%2Fnikhilkamathcio&v=wHQiewz8k9g)LinkedIN: [](https://www.youtube.com/redirect?event=video_description&redir_token=QUFFLUhqbGNsNjlxS2NyU3VxOUNIQU1VUmczaWNobmtJd3xBQ3Jtc0tsVmczaDdwdkpMZWlNaVdISk1mQUFfbmhZNVB2al9OU1hwbF9rYTFoMFJGN2FKRnFreXFEaXZhRGttd2xLRHBpQVhIS19XaW5wQTZ3UjB6bm5vazVmdUkwSEdsU0MxS1lXYmJvVnhlekVRczc0RmdTRQ&q=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fnikhilkamathcio&v=wHQiewz8k9g)https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilkamathcio/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nikhilkamathcio/Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nikhilkamathcio/#DeedyDas - Principal, Menlo VenturesTwitter: https://x.com/deedydasLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/debarghyadas/#NikunjKothari - Partner, FPV VenturesTwitter: https://x.com/nikunjLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikunjk/#NikoBonatsos - Early-Stage Venture CapitalistTwitter: https://x.com/bonatsosLinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bonatsos/
    Show More Show Less
    2 hrs and 52 mins
All stars
Most relevant
good sensible talks...enlightening. love to listen daily. love to hear more on varied topics. Its an info and knowledge podcast yet entertaining

Nikhil Kamath

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