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For many founders, the most meaningful businesses begin with a deeply personal problem. For Mrinal and Manisha, co-founders of HappyLyfe, that problem started at home with their dog. While trying to improve their pet’s health, they began questioning the products they used every day. It was not just about food, but also cleaning products, detergents, and household items that quietly affect both people and animals. That curiosity turned into research, which quickly revealed a l

In Episode 20 of The Exponential Show , host Mayank Singh sits down with Sirintra Jittrawong , Managing Director at MicroFiber Industries , for a deeply practical conversation on B2B marketing. Drawing from a career that spans global B2C brands and highly technical B2B industries, Sirintra shares lessons that challenge many assumptions about how B2B marketing really works today. From insulation and construction materials to chemicals and industrial solutions, this episode off

What does it really take to build in a mature, highly fragmented industry—while the core product (cars!) is being disrupted for the first time in decades? In this episode, Pradeep Pandey opens up about leaving a 19-year corporate career, why “used” beats “new” in Southeast Asia, and the hard-won mindset that keeps founders in the fight: stay in the game . From Nissan & Kaidee to founder: two paths that crossed Pradeep’s journey is a blend of deep auto experience (RMA Group,

When your work is helping others through their hardest moments, what sustains you ? That question sits at the heart of Jenn Weidman’s journey. A peacebuilder by training (with roots in cultural and applied anthropology), Jenn is the CEO of Space Bangkok , where she and her team design facilitation, leadership, and trauma-informed programs that help people get “unstuck”—as individuals, teams, and entire organizations. From peacebuilding to Space Bangkok Jenn’s pivot wasn’t a

If you’ve split a bill via QR at places like Bartel’s and thought, “Wow, that was painless,” you’ve met Papaya —even if you didn’t know it. In this conversation, Papaya’s co-founder Kush Sodhia  unpacks how a “conventional” career turned into founder grit, why aligning incentives beats selling hardware, and what it really takes to raise money and expand across Southeast Asia. From banker/consultant to builder with purpose Kush’s path reads classic on paper—finance in Boston

From librarian to global strategist (and back to stories) Dave McCaughan didn’t plot a career in advertising—he wandered into it. An Aussie from Sydney’s western suburbs, he spent a decade in public libraries, earned degrees in library and political science, backpacked the world, and then—by accident—joined McCann in Sydney. What began as desk research became qualitative/quantitative research, then strategic planning just as the discipline was spreading from the UK. McCaugha

Paul Meyer s’ journey is anything but linear. He trained as a documentary filmmaker in the U.S., but quickly pivoted into corporate films, working with major Bay Area tech companies like Apple and IBM. His assignments brought him to Asia, where he fell in love with the region. Over three decades, Paul started and scaled multiple ventures across Southeast Asia—from building an internet company that grew to 650 people and a NASDAQ listing, to running one of the largest mobile g

Dr. Tobias Endress wears two complementary hats in Thailand’s innovation scene: faculty at the School of Management at the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) and Chapter Director of Startup Grind Bangkok. In this conversation, he shares how education, community, and global connectivity can work together to level-up Thailand’s startup ecosystem—while reminding aspiring founders that momentum beats mystique. Key takeaways Education should cultivate a startup mindset, not jus

Abhinandan Sekhri has worn many hats across Indian media—reporter, producer, documentary filmmaker, and now co-founder of Newslaundry , an ad-free, subscriber-funded news platform. In this conversation, he unpacks the temperament it takes to build anything in media, why Newslaundry chose subscriptions long before it was fashionable, what AI can (and can’t) do to journalism, and how the news business must reinvent itself to escape today’s stress-fuelled doom-scroll. “Entrepre

Two school friends with a shared dream, Sushant and Soneshwar set out to “build something big” long before they knew what that something would be. In this conversation, they trace the road from tinkering teenagers to co-founders of The Wasserstoff , a tech company that incubates founders by shipping high-quality software at breakneck speed—and only when it solves a real problem. From classmates to co-founders The pair’s entrepreneurial spark lit up in grade nine. A formativ

India’s sports story is often told through stadium lights and superstar highlights. Suhail Narain , co-founder & CEO of Hudle , argues the real revolution starts closer to home: making it simple for a 30–40-year-old in Delhi (or Jaipur, or Mumbai) to find a court, find players, and just play. In our conversation, he walked through Hudle’s origin, what the platform solves for both players and facilities, and why consistent execution—not flashy launches—is the company’s edge. F

If there’s one Indian street snack that unites wildly different palates, it’s pani puri—aka golgappa, puchka, you name it. But for all its love, the category has long wrestled with two stubborn problems: hygiene and consistency. Indore-born brand What The Flavors (WTF)  is tackling both head-on with a blend of automation, simple but smart supply design, and social-first storytelling. The core idea: sensor-dispensed pani puri WTF’s flagship innovation looks deceptively simple:

In today’s crowded wellness market, many products make bold claims without offering transparency or tangible impact. Kevin Law-Smith , founder of Asia Beverages  and the wellness drink brand Aya , is taking a different path. Drawing on personal experiences, corporate background, and a deep commitment to health and mindfulness, Kevin is building a beverage company that’s as much about integrity and community as it is about taste. From Corporate Innovation to Entrepreneurship K

If you’ve ever wondered why Thailand—with its 40M pre-covid visitors, island chains, and glittering coastlines—doesn’t have a thriving seaplane network, Dennis Keller asked the same question…and then set out to fix it. In Ep. 8 of The Exponential Show , the CEO and co-founder of Seaplane Asia  walked us through his founder journey, the promise of amphibious aviation in Southeast Asia, and why a “sensible level of insanity” is a prerequisite for entrepreneurship. From kidpren

What makes someone leave a cushy corporate gig to build a category-defining startup? In Episode 7 of The Exponential Show , host Mayank Singh sat down with Michael Cluzel — former CEO and co-founder of Eatigo  — to unpack the insight, team chemistry, and regional savvy that took a simple idea global: treat empty restaurant tables like airline seats— perishable inventory  that can be priced and filled dynamically. The spark: frustration → focus Cluzel traces his founder origi

When you ask Syd Sanchez  what Swish  is, he won’t say a court, an academy, or an event brand. He calls it an experience —and that framing explains both the growth of Swish and the momentum behind Thai basketball today. From corporate trainer to court builder Syd’s path wasn’t a straight line into sports. After moving to Thailand from the Philippines, he worked in education and corporate training across organizations like Wall Street English, Chris English, and Wine Connectio

How do you turn a personal health scare and a late-night convenience store run into a purpose-driven snack brand? In Episode 5 of The Exponential Show , Thanyathorn “Pear” Chatlaong  shares how Chew Green grew from a kitchen experiment into a company guided by integrity—from sourcing to storytelling. A health wake-up call → a zero-to-one product Pear’s founder journey began with burnout and back pain from long corporate hours. The turning point came at home: her mother’s sun

What does it really take to build in Thailand—and why hasn’t the country produced a breakout startup hero yet? In Episode 4 of The Exponential Show , veteran founder and angel investor Tiwa York  traces his journey from late-’90s Portland startup life to two decades of building and backing companies in Bangkok, including leading the evolution of Kaidee.com . Along the way, he offers unvarnished truths about entrepreneurship, practical advice for marketers, and a detailed look

How do you innovate like a startup while stewarding a multigenerational family business? In Episode 3 of The Exponential Show , Vijay Saraff  walks through a career spent experimenting—launching new ventures, professionalizing real estate operations, investing in startups, and building tech from scratch—without losing the strengths that make family enterprises resilient. From family enterprise to founder mindset Vijay’s entry point was classic family-business pragmatism: spot

What does it really take to nurture the next generation of Thai entrepreneurs? In Episode 2 of The Exponential Show , educator and researcher Pietro Borsano  breaks down how academia, industry, and international networks can work together to accelerate Thailand’s startup future—while staying grounded in the country’s unique economic fabric. Bridging Academia and Entrepreneurship Entrepreneurship education has matured globally, and Thailand is catching up fast. Pietro’s work a