In this insightful episode of the ELI Podcast, we sit down with Nitin Kochhar, the Chief Operating Officer & Chief Business Officer at Brick & Bolt. Nitin, a seasoned "Unicorn Builder" with a remarkable background in e-commerce (Flipkart, Shopclues), logistics (Rivigo), and EdTech (White Hat Jr., Embibe), shares his journey of venturing into the massive tech-enabled construction market.Discover how Brick & Bolt is transforming the residential and commercial construction landscape in India by addressing critical customer pain points:- Delays: Eliminating project delays with penalty-backed timelines.- Cost Overruns: Ensuring transparent pricing and no unexpected cost increases.- Money Security: Implementing an industry-changing EMD (Earnest Money Deposit) system for contractor accountability.- Transparency & Quality: Utilizing 16 proprietary apps and a "digital twin" concept for real-time monitoring and over 470 quality checks through QASCON, even for NRI customers abroad.Chapters[00:00] Introduction[00:46] Nitin Kochhar's Journey to Brick & Bolt (Flipkart, Shopclues, Rivigo, Hero Group, White Hat Jr., Embibe)[01:50] The "Unicorn" Success & Startup Mindset[02:29] Brick & Bolt: On Track to Become a Unicorn in India's $600 Billion Construction Market[03:35] The Core Problems Brick & Bolt is Solving in Construction (Delays, Cost Overruns, Money Security, Transparency)[05:59] Monitoring Experience: The 16 Apps & Digital Twin for Customers[09:03] Solving Financial Insecurity & Inconsistent Deliveries with EMD and Vetting Contractors[12:45] Penalty System for Delays & High On-Time Delivery Rates[13:52] Brick & Bolt's Pricing vs. Local Contractors: Transparent BOQ & Value Proposition[15:46] Nitin Kochhar's Day-to-Day Role as COO & CBO[17:30] Handling Volatilities in Construction (Material Costs, Weather) with Tech-Driven Scheduling[18:32] Customer Acquisition & Growth Strategy (Digital, Offline, Commercial)[20:58] Scaling to Different Cities: Addressing Regional Challenges & Bylaws[23:23] Future Expansion Plans for Brick & Bolt[24:14] Future Innovations: AI in Quality Control & 3D Printing in Construction[27:30] Entrepreneurial Learnings: Mental Strength, Learning Mindset & People Skills[29:15] Closing Remarks & Best Wishes

Pavan Kavad is the Managing Director of Prithvi Exchange, a publicly traded, RBI-authorized foreign exchange company in India. As a second-generation entrepreneur, he has scaled his family business from 15 to 31 branches, growing its turnover by over 4x to 4,100 crores.In this conversation, Priya and Pavan discuss the intricacies of the foreign exchange market, the challenges of navigating a regulated industry, and the digital transformation shaping the future of finance. Pavan shares his journey from making deliveries on day one to leading the company, offering profound insights on leadership, innovation, and the entrepreneurial mindset required to build a lasting legacy.Chapters:0:00 - Introduction0:48 - Pavan's Background & Prithvi Exchange's Growth2:58 - RBI's Foreign Exchange Categories Explained4:10 - Core Products: Currencies, Forex Cards, and Remittances6:05 - Pioneering Home Delivery in the Forex Industry8:15 - The Founder's Story: From CA to Forex Visionary12:45 - The Transition to a Digital-First Approach15:45 - How Fintech is Transforming Indian Finance19:15 - Adapting to a Rapidly Changing Global Market21:35 - Pavan’s 10-Year Training: Learning Every Facet of the Business25:08 - Challenges of a Second-Generation Entrepreneur27:30 - Vision for the Future: Tech, UPI, and Virtual Cards31:00 - Advice for Entrepreneurs: "Don't Take Baby Steps, Go Global"32:15 - The Golden Decade for India33:30 - A Walk Down Memory Lane

In this episode, we sit down with Vineet Agrawal, Co-founder of Jiraaf, to discuss his incredible journey from a small town in Orissa to the forefront of India's fintech revolution.Vineet shares his experiences working in corporate banking and private equity, the key insights that led him to identify a massive gap in the fixed-income market, and the story of how he built Jiraaf from the ground up during the COVID-19 pandemic.Tune in to learn about the structural barriers that kept retail investors out of the bond market, how Jiraaf is making high-yield, fixed-income opportunities accessible to everyone, and Vineet's hard-won lessons on resilience, building relationships, and long-term thinking in the world of entrepreneurship.Chapters(00:00) - Intro(00:27) - Vineet's Journey: From a Small Town to XIMB and Corporate Finance(03:43) - The "Aha!" Moment: Uncovering a Gap in the Investment Market(08:27) - The Leap of Faith: Starting Jiraaf During the Pandemic(11:10) - Why Were High-Yield Bonds Inaccessible to Regular Investors?(14:52) - Building a New Category: How Jiraaf Developed its Platform(18:53) - How Jiraaf Breaks Down Large Bonds for Retail Investors(21:34) - The Challenge of Educating a New Market(26:21) - Why Competition is a Good Thing for a New Industry(29:29) - Overcoming the Challenges of Building a Fintech Company(31:21) - The Story Behind the Name "Jiraaf"(34:15) - Key Lessons Learned on the Entrepreneurial Journey(36:48) - Outro