Chicken and hot sauce are a match made in heaven! In this episode, II’m joined by Mikhel Rajani, co-founder of Naagin Sauce, India’s first and favourite hot sauce brand. Mikhel and his team spotted a gap in the market about five years ago and have since transformed Naagin Sauce into a household name, now partnering with KFC India and reaching both domestic and international customers.We dive deep into the story of building Naagin Sauce and what it takes to pioneer a brand in an untapped market. Here's what we cover:<ul><li>Why India didn’t have a hot sauce brand before Naagin and how they championed Indian Ghost Chillies.</li><li>The challenges of being first movers in the market—and how they overcame the heat, both figuratively and literally.</li><li>Creating and  testing recipes that balanced nostalgia and innovation.</li><li>Mikhel’s insights from 15 years in the F&B industry: branding, marketing, and growing a team from 3 to 50 employees.</li><li>His hiring philosophy: "Loyalty over certificates."</li><li>Overcoming the challenges of Covid, raising funding, and why every business idea should be stress-tested by smarter people who can punch holes in it.</li></ul>We also touch on fascinating behind-the-scenes stories:<ul><li>The quirky inspiration for the brand name, involving cricket and the iconic "Naagin dance."</li><li>Mikhel’s preference for low-key launches instead of flashy events.</li><li>His incredible marketing innovations, including the world’s first pizza delivery by drone in 2012, which was featured on BBC and CNBC.</li></ul>Mikhel also shares valuable advice for founders:<ul><li>Why India is not for beginners, and how to handle 100 rejections without taking them personally.</li><li>How his management style has evolved over the years and why documenting mistakes is crucial for growth.</li><li>Practical tips on working with co-founders and maintaining healthy partnerships.</li></ul>Finally, Mikhel’s closing advice for first-time founders:“Don’t accept defeat. There will always be someone willing to help you on your journey.”Links <a href="https://www.naaginsauce.com/">https://www.naaginsauce.com/</a>
Hosted And Produced by Neil Patel&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2">https://www.linkedin.com/today/author/neilpatel2</a>&nbsp;Enjoyed this episode? Don’t forget to subscribe and leave us a review! Share this episode with your friends.&nbsp;Listen and Subscribe to More Episodes<a href="https://www.indianstartupshow.com/">https://www.indianstartupshow.com/</a>&nbsp;Music by Punch Deck.<a href="https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV">https://open.spotify.com/artist/7kdduxAVaFnbHJyNxl7FWV</a>

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From Spicy Dreams to Market Domination: Mikhel Rajani co-founder of Naagin Sauce on building India’s No.1 hot sauce brand.

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