Loved by Sharks. These 5 Brands Are Now a Whale!

It’s not often that a television show becomes an instant hit in its very first season in a relatively new market. But Shark Tank India season 1 was not only an instant hit, it exceeded all expectations. An IMDb rating of an unbelievable 8.8/10 shows the love it received from viewers.

In a nation obsessed with government jobs, it's not less than a miracle that a show on entrepreneurship received such a staggering response from aspirants. It made startup and entrepreneurship a household name and a discussion topic.

Famous punchlines from the show, like 'ye sab doglapan hai' and 'hum bhi bana lenge' became viral and the internet loved the memes around them.

A new season is here and it is obvious to wonder about the fate of brands featured in Shark Tank India Season 1. Here are 5 brands that have grown phenomenally; one has increased its user base 8X while another's business grew by 400%. Loved by their users, these brands teach that if you are truly passionate about building products users love, there is no stopping.

klub interacted with their founders to understand their business growth after Shark Tank India Season 1 and their thoughts for fellow entrepreneurs.

1. ALPINO

Alpino focuses on creating products around peanuts and has gone on to become a leading player in the category. Alpino’s market reach and sales grew tremendously post their appearance on the show.

On growth, Chetan Kanani, CEO of Alpino says, ‘Since appearing on Season 1, our user base has risen by 40% while our monthly run rate has seen a 60% increase.’

Further, he goes on to share a piece of advice for fellow entrepreneurs:

2. HAMMER

Makers of electronic gadgets including wearables like audio devices and smartwatches, Hammer raised funding from Aman Gupta of boAt Lifestyle in season 1. Since then there has been no looking back for the brand, they've raised revenue based financing to further grow their business.

Rohit Nandwani, Founder, Hammer Lifestyle says, 'Shark Tank India helped us earn support from all over India. Our user base has increased from 1 lakh to 8 lahks and ARR has grown from ₹10 Cr. before appearing on Shark Tank India to ₹48 Cr. post that.'

On his Shark Tank India experience, Rohit adds:

3. TagZ Foods

Snacks your tastebuds will love! TagZ identifies itself as a GenZ snack brand and raised funds from Ashneer Grover in Season 1. Further on, TagZ raised revenue based financing to enable more shoppers to enjoy their delicious snacks.

Fast forward, the brand has expanded its product portfolio, grown its sale by 8X and is eying ₹1000+ crores in sales!

4. JhaJi

Entrepreneurship is no longer confined to India’s metro cities.

Brands like JhaJi are an example that with grit and determination, no challenge is insurmountable. In Shark Tank India season 1, the brand couldn’t secure a deal, however, that didn’t stop the power duo of Kalpana and Uma. They went on to raise revenue based financing and in just a year the brand has grown stronger.

The brand also made an announcement about setting up a new factory. Their delicious pickles have indeed reached a lot more households since they first appeared on Shark Tank India Season 1.

Update: Shark Tank India Season 2 started with JhaJi Store receiving funding from Namita Thapar, Vineeta Singh, and Jharkhand Angels.

5. Bummer

Youth-focused brand, known for its colourful and quirky designs, Bummer has grown rapidly since featuring in Season 1. It reported a 3X growth in its revenue and is aiming to increase its MRR to ₹5 crores.

Bummer went on to raise revenue based financing to fuel expansion and has gone on to expand its product range and market reach.

Shark Tank India is more than a TV show, it's a revolution that's igniting the sparks of entrepreneurship in India. Not just viewers, but even the startup community is readily supporting it.

Here's how a quick commerce company is showing its support:

There’s more to startup than just fundraising:

‘With a GDP growth rate of 6.9%, India is one of the fastest growing economies. This is a great opportunity for all those wanting to startup up and create a meaningful business.

Although equity funding has dropped by 38%, there is an emergence of other funding options like revenue based financing that is both seamless and founder-friendly.

Choose a problem that's real, faced by millions and you have a business idea. Getting a business idea is just a small part, the real game lies in execution, it is after all the most difficult part.

Plan well, hire a team that aligns with your mission, and even when scaling focus on creating quality products that your users love.’

There’s a lot founders can learn from the brands mentioned above, here’s a quick takeaway:

• You may get rejections in your journey but that’s not the end of the world.
• Spending countless hours on finding that perfect idea is overrated. What really matters is solving a problem that actually exists and your users are willing to pay for it.
• Execution is the real deal - Getting your startup from 0 to 1 and then from 1 to 10 and finally from 10 to 100 is the real deal. Startups that prioritise planning and continuous execution have a better chance of success.
• Equity financing is not the only way to fund your startup. Globally, only 0.05% of startups are able to raise equity funding - If your startup sells products users love and you have a recurring revenue stream, you can easily raise funding through other mediums like revenue based financing.

This article was first published on Startup News. Read coverage here.