He Chose the Hard Thing. Twice.

A Harvard Doctor, a Goat Farm, and the Most Unlikely Business Strategy is Kindness

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Dr Brent Ridge, co-founder of Beekman 1802, one of the world’s most recognised goat-milk skincare brands. No funding, no plan. Just an idea that kindness could be a business strategy. We talk about cold-walking into Henri Bendel with a bar of soap, why they bootstrapped for a decade, what happened on QVC, and what happens to a kindness brand when AI starts shopping for consumers. If you think kindness is soft, this one’s for you. Listen to Dr Brent Ridge on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com [https://chainet.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

What Needs to Happen for India to Build a ₹100 Cr Hemp Brand

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Sukrit Goel, founder of CannazoIndia, who took his brand to Shark Tank. We talk about why a ₹100 crore brand doesn’t exist yet, whether this is a demand or supply problem, what it takes to get a compliant product to market, how hemp brands acquire customers without paid ads, and whether AI can level the playing field. If you’re watching a category that should be bigger than it is, this one’s for you. Listen to Sukrit Goel on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com [https://chainet.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

The New Indian Perfume Story Smells Different

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ali Syed, founder of Ōkami Parfums, a made-in-India brand inspired by Japanese minimalism. Ali went from policy and development banking to building fragrance. We talk about why India supplies ingredients but not brands, whether young Indians treat perfume like sneakers, how you sell scent online, and where AI helped him build Ōkami. If you think Indian perfume is only attar and old-world luxury, this one’s for you. Listen to Ali Syed on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com [https://chainet.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

How AI Is Rewriting the Marketing Playbook in 2026

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Nishtha Khanduja, a growth marketing leader with eight years of experience across food, wellness, and fitness. Campaigns that took weeks now run in hours. Content that needed a studio now takes twenty minutes. But having the tools doesn’t mean you know what to do with them. We talk about when she felt the shift, where ChatGPT works and where it flops, whether AI can actually tell a brand story, and whether marketing jobs will exist in five years. If you’re a marketer trying to figure out what matters in 2026, this one’s for you. Listen to Nishtha Khanduja on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com [https://chainet.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]

Can Clean-Label Oral Care Beat Old-School Brands?

On this episode of ChaiNet, we sit down with Ankit Agarwal, co-founder of Fang Oral Care, backed by Mamaearth’s parent company. Ankit started with his own dental problems. Before Fang, he built and shut down MyNutraCart. That failure taught him what he needed. We talk about what “clean label” actually means in toothpaste, whether Indians care what’s inside their tube, why disrupting Colgate is hard, and where AI fits inside Fang. If you care about what goes into your food but never look at your toothpaste this one’s for you. Listen to Ankit Agarwal on ChaiNet now. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chainet.substack.com [https://chainet.substack.com?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_1]