Kolkata, 11th March 2025: JIS Group successfully organised IDEA-O-METER, with its latest edition – IDEAJAM – Simple Thinking, Big Solutions. The event brought together some of the most distinguished names in the business world, including Mr. Aman Gupta, Co-founder and CMO, boAt; Mr. Manish Pandey, Consultant, Content Companies; Mr. Rajarshi Nag, Co-founder & CEO, Drivers4Me; and Ms. Jaspreet Kaur, Director, JIS Group, along with Sardar Simarpreet Singh, Director, JIS Group. These accomplished entrepreneurs graciously shared their invaluable insights and experiences, providing budding entrepreneurs with a rare opportunity to gain practical knowledge and explore the real-world applications of entrepreneurship.
Attendees had a unique opportunity to engage in thought-provoking discussions, gaining practical insights and firsthand experiences from industry pioneers. Moving beyond theory, the event explored real-world challenges and strategies essential for entrepreneurial success, covering topics such as brand building, leveraging digital content for business growth, strategic decision-making, and the evolving role of leadership in today’s competitive landscape. Industry leaders generously shared their expertise, offering invaluable guidance on navigating business complexities and applying entrepreneurial principles in real-life scenarios. In addition to insightful sessions, attendees participated in networking opportunities, encouraging meaningful connections with like-minded peers and industry experts. Catalyzing innovation, the event ignited ideas with the potential to shape the future of business and entrepreneurship.
Students showcased innovative solutions in renewable energy, sustainability, healthcare, automation, and artificial intelligence, leveraging data-driven strategies. Inaugurated by Ms. Jaspreet Kaur, Director, JIS Group, the event emphasized structured innovation in fostering entrepreneurship. The Idea-O-Meter platform played a key role in refining these ideas, earning praise from guests and judges who stressed the importance of an entrepreneurial mindset in today’s tech-driven world. IDEAJAM 2025 reaffirmed the JIS Group’s commitment to research, innovation, and technology-driven problem-solving, paving the way for future entrepreneurial initiatives.
Speaking on the occasion, Ms. Jaspreet Kaur, Director, JIS Group, expressed her enthusiasm about the event’s impact, stating, “IDEAJAM was designed to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application. By bringing together accomplished entrepreneurs, we aimed to create a platform that not only educated but also inspired and empowered the next generation of business leaders. The insights shared today will undoubtedly guide aspiring entrepreneurs on their journey to success.”
Photo Caption (L-R): Aman Gupta, Co-Founder & CMO, boAt; Jaspreet Kaur, Director, JIS Group
First, I’d like to say something about content creation. If everybody tells 5 of your friends to drop out of college and do something else because it seems cool – please ignore this. The real world is 20 times more difficult than college. Don’t throw away your education.
Are Content Creators Making Money?
This industry has been around for about nine years in India, starting around 2016 when Jio made the internet more accessible and cheap, making uploading and downloading content easier. In these nine years, the industry has grown tremendously. The creator economy is reaching about 2,000% growth weekly. To give you some statistics: there are about 8.5 lakh creators who have more than 100 subscribers on YouTube, earning an average of around 50,000 rupees per month. Some creators make 1-2 crore a month, while others make around 50,000 a month. So yes, if you put in the effort – 10 hours a day like any job – you can make money. But just posting a couple of reels a day and checking how many likes you got won’t make you money. And if you’re getting into content creation to become famous or a brand influencer, you will fail. Fame is extremely difficult to achieve.
The Effort Behind Success
The amount we talk about – say 1 crore or 5 crore – this money isn’t that much today, and the potential is much higher. Let me break it down: After graduation, you need many years of hard work to become an IAS officer or achieve any career goal, right? Content creation is similar. You’ll need to put in 8-9 years of consistent effort. If you’re not ready to commit to that kind of work, the market won’t reward you. Evaluate it as a career option and understand it will be as tough as any other career. There’s no guarantee what will work and what won’t. Remember, hardworking people will always outpace talented people. So when you achieve success, then you can ask if creators are making money. The answer is yes, they are. The question is: do you want to make it, and are you ready to put in 8-10 years of hard work? If yes, welcome. If no, please do something else.
Influencing vs. Influence
When I work with clients or students, I often see this confusion between influencing and influence. If you consistently provide a certain type of knowledge through text or video – what we call content today – you can be successful in different ways. If you’re extremely entertaining, you’ll be successful. If you’re extremely informative, like all those teachers on YouTube, you’ll be successful. Then there are niche creators who successfully balance both axes – being entertaining while educating, or educating while entertaining. For example, wildlife conservation creators who call out issues in a sarcastic way while educating about climate, environment, and animals. If you can position yourself in this middle spectrum, you’ll make money and be relevant.
Standing Out in a Crowded Space
There are thousands of tech reviewers, but only the top 20% are making money. To crack into that top 20%, you need to do something different. For example, in the first two minutes of your content, say “If you’re looking to buy a tech device between X and Y price range, stay in this video; if not, leave.” Then rate different aspects of the device and tell a story about your experience. This differentiates you from others and keeps viewers engaged. The first few minutes of your video are very important for retention on YouTube. Instagram has just started showing this, too.
The Power of Empathy in Content
If I had to create content about a startup helping taxi drivers who lost their jobs when yellow cabs were banned in Kolkata, I would start with empathy. I’d say: “Yellow cab drivers of Kolkata, you are not alone. There are 30,000 like you, and we’ve started an initiative to help. The city is growing, people from other cities are coming in, and they need reliable drivers. You, with 20 years of driving experience, have made this city what it is. We take pride in the drivers of yellow cabs and offer you a chance to join us. You’ll be called on request and assigned a service with fair payment.” The key is to first empathize with them and then invite them to work with you.
Skills You Learn from Content Creation
Content creation teaches ownership and accountability. When you commit to posting three videos a week, you develop discipline. When you start, you’re a one-person army – camera operator, editor, everything – which teaches you to multitask. It also teaches you the value of hard work and competition. It shows you how to stay ahead of circumstances and difficulties. This applies to anything you believe in doing, whether it’s content creation, exams, job placements, or starting a business.
How Monetization Works
I’ll compare it with real-life scenarios. Brands engage with creators based on their views and engagement, not just follower count. They know what works and what doesn’t. Let me be very clear about something you might not want to hear: the number of followers on Instagram or subscribers on YouTube means nothing. Brands are changing how they select creators. They’ll pay 5-50 lakh rupees depending on demographics and age groups. Today, a single post with 5,000 followers has the potential to reach a million views if it’s interesting enough. So brands would rather identify five creators with 100,000 followers who can deliver quality engagement than one with 2 million followers. So please don’t waste time, effort, or money paying for fake followers. It doesn’t work anymore. Do quality work or do something else.
The Ethics of Content
We live in a society where thousands of things exist. Judging people for what they do behind the scenes shouldn’t be our job. Whether you engage with them or not is your responsibility. For example, if someone is creating objectionable content, there are an equal number of people engaging with it. The only reason that person is motivated to make such content is because there’s an audience. If we call it wrong, then people who engage should also be called out. We can’t sit on a high chair and dictate what should be allowed. The same people who criticize may be doing something else behind closed doors.
Dangerous Content and Longevity
There have always been people doing extreme things. Red Bull built its entire brand on extreme sports, but they do it with experts and safety measures. Every year we hear about accidents happening because people take unnecessary risks for content. This is why I say if you’re only a shock-value creator, you won’t have longevity. If you’re out there just to get views, your mind will be deformed. But if you create quality content, brands will engage with you and you’ll make good money.
Basic Requirements for Content Creation
This question is obsolete today because everyone knows you need a storyline, script, recording, editing, and a platform. All you need is your smartphone – the same one you use for WhatsApp and Instagram. However, the most important factor, which isn’t tangible, is intent and a habit of consistency. If you don’t have the mindset to put out one thousand videos, don’t start. Do something else.
Quality vs. Quantity
Both are important. Structured quantity is extremely important, and quality is 100% important. On YouTube, around 20,000 hours of content are uploaded every minute. To stand out, you need quality, consistent work. I met a creator at the airport who was inspired by another creator getting 150,000 views. But it took him 150 attempts to reach that one successful video. He kept looking for opportunities to create content. Now he makes 60,000 rupees without harming anyone. Plus, the skills he learned – graphic design, video editing – now allow him to sell those services to others. So it’s not just content creation that makes money.
Content Creation for Startup Founders
If founders choose to do it themselves, it’s amazing. For example, Aman Gupta of boAt or the sharks from Shark Tank – many DTC founders have become their own brand ambassadors. Nobody knows your story better than you. If you have the bandwidth, confidence on camera, and your investors allow it, 100% do it yourself. Otherwise, hire content creators to make UGC for you. Doing content is extremely important – it’s just like advertising in newspapers or radio in the past, but the medium has changed. Look at creators like Varun Mayya who use technology to create content. What matters is intent and understanding that this is important enough to invest time, money, and energy in.
Building a LinkedIn Presence for Technocrats
Focus on simplifying complicated technological concepts. One of the lowest-hanging fruits today is content about AI, space tech, and EVs. If you can make these topics simple – for example, comparing the costs of owning a petrol car versus an EV – people will engage with your content. If you consistently help people understand complex topics in simple language that a 10-year-old could understand, and build your brand around that, it works. There’s no other secret.
Managing Content Quality and Quantity
Become a fan of standard operating procedures (SOP). Open an Excel sheet on a weekend, write 30-40 topics you can create content around, and divide them into three parts: long-form written content, carousel posts (you can use tools like Canva), and video content. LinkedIn gives equal push to all three types of content. Schedule specific days and times for posting consistently. Don’t break this flow, and in about 900 days (three years), your brand will transform.
Original Content vs. AI Tools
Don’t just use ChatGPT and copy-paste. It has a certain way of giving information that lacks your style and flavor. Your touch will work better than what AI generates. You can use AI to structure your content, but don’t copy-paste – that won’t help and will be called out soon. I guarantee that 10% of you will take notes, 1% will implement what I’ve shared, and 0.1% will be consistent. If even 0.1% stays consistent and takes something valuable from this talk, my job is done.
I was doing my CA, and honestly, I didn’t enjoy finance and accounts much. I considered dropping out midway through the program. But I finished it, and afterward, I swore I’d never touch accounts again. Many of you might be wondering about your passions. Some know exactly what they want to do—that’s wonderful. But for people like me, it took time. After completing my CA, I moved through consulting, banking, and various other fields before finally discovering my true passion at age 36. When I found it, I committed fully, and thankfully, things have worked out well since then.
Finding your passion comes through experimentation. Try different courses, attend diverse seminars, explore what resonates with you. This is the perfect time in your lives to experiment because the corporate world later makes exploration more challenging. Research different fields, Google them, understand what a typical day looks like in various professions.
Educational credentials matter, but building connections is equally important. Everyone here should know each other. My co-founder and I complemented each other perfectly—I focused on sales and marketing while he handled logistics, admin, finance, infrastructure, product development, and R&D. This combination of different strengths created a powerful partnership. The connections you make now will benefit you throughout your career.
It’s remarkable to see how many of you aspire to be entrepreneurs. This represents a fundamental shift in our society. Previously, entrepreneurship wasn’t a common ambition, but today’s generation wants to create something significant, to generate employment rather than simply being employed. I applaud your ambition. There has never been a better time to launch a startup in India. Take action and begin your journey soon.
However, entrepreneurship shouldn’t be viewed as merely fashionable. What’s more crucial is developing an entrepreneurial mindset—taking charge, completing tasks, owning responsibilities, and adopting a founder’s mentality. Whether running your own company or working for someone else, thinking like an entrepreneur is what truly matters. The entrepreneurial path isn’t without challenges. You’ll face judgment from family members, friends, and customers. Sometimes you must tune out the noise, focus on what’s right, and concentrate on your objectives.
Hard work remains the best response to criticism. When people claimed our products were made in China, we persevered and now manufacture in India. While luck certainly plays a role—I never imagined becoming a Shark Tank judge or that our brand would become the world’s second-largest audio brand after Apple—I attribute much of this to something beyond mere luck, perhaps divine intervention. Shark Tank has transformed how entrepreneurs are perceived in our country. Previously, only cricket players and Bollywood stars were celebrated, but now entrepreneurs are receiving similar recognition. The show has initiated a cultural shift where entrepreneurship is valued. I’ve noticed even parents developing a better understanding of business concepts.
For those wondering about emerging sectors to explore, I strongly recommend artificial intelligence. AI is disrupting numerous fields—content creation and many other industries are being transformed. Research AI thoroughly, as it’s an emerging field with tremendous growth potential. From my personal experience with investors, rejection is common. But remember, you don’t need countless investors—just one good one. In our case, Fireside Ventures invested about six crores in our initial round and still maintains approximately 3% ownership of our company.
Being recognized alongside established industrialists when meeting with the Prime Minister demonstrated how our government is supporting startups. These moments inspire young Indian entrepreneurs. All of you should dream big. If I could achieve success, so can you. Work diligently, make ethical choices, and remain open to possibilities. For young aspiring entrepreneurs, I recommend gaining experience by working under someone for the first year or two. Earn some money, learn the fundamentals, and then launch your venture. Remember that failure isn’t the end—it’s often a necessary step toward success. Without experiencing failure, whether with products or entire companies, you can’t fully appreciate success. Embrace failures as learning opportunities and continue moving forward.
Mr. Rajarshi Nag, Co-founder & CEO, Drivers4Me; My startup provides car drivers on demand through our app. It works similar to ride-hailing apps, but instead of getting a cab, you get a driver. Initially, we focused on customers who owned cars, but now we’re expanding to become a one-stop solution for all car-related needs. The idea originated during college. One of my friends missed his examination because his driver didn’t show up on time. Despite constant assurances of “I’m coming,” the driver was delayed by about 45 minutes, and my friend couldn’t even sit for his final interviews. That’s when I realized there was a gap in the market. We have apps for getting food delivered quickly, sometimes in just 10 minutes, but nothing for reliable drivers.
We started as a final year project in college. My friend group was ambitious – we wanted to create something meaningful. When our college assigned us a business project, we decided on this driver-booking service. After submitting it, we received positive feedback from our Head of Department. We recognized the potential if executed properly. The journey from that project to our current state involved many ups and downs. Let me share one of our low points. At one stage, we had four employees handling operations. We were growing and customers were excited about our service, but we faced staffing challenges. One day around 7:30, I got a call from my co-founder saying three of our employees had resigned. When we checked their emails, we realized this was happening because of office politics. Just when we thought everything was settled, the system broke down again. I learned a lot from that incident. From that point forward, I changed how I handled employees and their onboarding. I studied HR practices and project management techniques to better manage the team.
Getting funding was challenging. I don’t come from a business background – I’m from a middle-class family where my father was a government servant who retired a few years ago, and my mother is a homemaker. When I first told my father about my plans, he was concerned but supportive. He felt I had already achieved something significant by graduating, but he stood by me. Our college helped tremendously in the beginning. The involvement of educational institutions is crucial for early-stage startups. My department head offered support, and we received about 1.5 lakhs from the college as initial funding. Our first real investor came through networking. A friend introduced me to an angel investor who believed in our idea. This taught me the importance of having mentors who can connect you to the next level of people. Our first significant round raised about 6 crores, led by an investor who had used our service and loved it. Later, we received investment from the owners of Century, a well-known company from my region.
For those wondering what investors look for – in our case, many investors came on board because they had used our service and were impressed. But generally, if you’re a first-time founder, investors focus primarily on the founding team. They evaluate your execution capability, the problem you’re solving, and your business model. If you’re a serial entrepreneur with previous successful exits, they might be more flexible. But for first-timers, the founding team and business viability are critical. My advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is fourfold. First, build something viable. Consider it from a customer’s perspective – if someone offers your product or service, would you buy it yourself? Second, think about monetization from day one. How will you make money? What’s your return on investment timeline? Third, don’t obsess over funding too early. I tried to get funding for almost a year and a half before succeeding. There were times when my co-founder and I sat outside our office debating whether to shut down or continue. We persisted, and eventually secured a commitment of 5.4 crores. Finally, seek mentorship from people in your specific field. If you’re in AI, find an AI mentor. If you’re in payments, find someone experienced in that domain. Mentors and investors have helped me at every step. I’m always eager to hear about new ideas and provide feedback on their viability. I’ve also started investing in startups myself, so I’m genuinely interested in what you’re building.
