E187 - Everything You Know About Startups is WRONG: Dr Ritesh Malik - Investor in 100+ Companies

Indian Silicon Valley with Jivraj Singh Sachar

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Ritesh, a finance expert and entrepreneur who has carved out a unique path in the Indian financial landscape. Dr. Ritesh takes us through his journey to financial freedom, sharing his self-realization about the true priorities in life and how he maintains discipline to stay ahead of the curve. We delve deep into Dr. Ritesh’s disciplined approach to mastering problem-solving and his predictions for the future of Indian finance. He opens up about the often-overlooked negative impacts of over-glorifying certain aspects of entrepreneurship and the misunderstandings surrounding raising investment for companies. Throughout the conversation, Dr. Ritesh offers candid insights into whether investors should have the right to advise founders on key decisions and shares his thoughts on what systemic changes are needed in the Indian startup ecosystem. We also explore his experiences engaging with the youth in India, the guiding principles that shape his life, and the advice he would give to his younger self as a medical graduate. This episode provides a comprehensive look at Dr. Ritesh’s philosophy on entrepreneurship, finance, and life, offering valuable insights for anyone navigating the complexities of the Indian startup ecosystem. 0:00 - Introduction 2:28 - What matters to Dr. Ritesh and why 5:23 - Dr. Ritesh’s journey to financial freedom 11:18 - Dr. Ritesh’s self-realization about life's important aspects 26:41 - How Dr. Ritesh stays ahead of the curve with discipline 34:58 - How Dr. Ritesh approaches and masters problem-solving 45:14 - Dr. Ritesh’s prediction for the future of Indian finance 53:48 - Humanizing the entrepreneurship journey 1:02:48 - Negative impacts of over-glorifying certain aspects 1:07:58 - Misunderstandings about raising investment for companies 1:13:33 - Do investors have the right to advise founders on key decisions? 1:16:28 - Dr. Ritesh’s perspective on exits 1:20:48 - Dr. Ritesh’s experience engaging with youth in India 1:24:48 - Dr. Ritesh’s view on systemic change 1:29:33 - Dr. Ritesh’s guiding principles in life 1:33:48 - Dr. Ritesh’s advice to his younger self as a medical graduate 1:39:32 - Outro Instagram of Jivraj: instagram.com/jivrajsinghsachar #indiansiliconvalley #isv #indiansiliconvalleypodcast #isvpodcast #jivrajsinghsachar #entrepreneurship #startups #finance #leadership