Aman Gupta Reveals What Most Founders Get Wrong — And How to Fix It

There were no corner offices, no investor calls, and definitely no Shark Tank fame. Just a young guy, a dream, and a pair of earphones that refused to give up — much like him. Aman Gupta’s journey didn’t begin with brand buzz or billion-dollar valuations. It began in the chaos of cables and clutter, where every rupee counted and every customer mattered. At Startup Mahakumbh 2025, the BoAt co-founder didn’t just speak — he dropped a playbook, straight from the trenches, for every founder who’s ever dared to dream beyond their means.

“When you start small, you have to do everything — CEO, manager, assistant. You have to leave your ego and then start your business,”
Gupta shared, addressing a packed room of starry-eyed founders and future entrepreneurs at Startup Mahakumbh 2025.

Today, as the Co-founder and CMO of boAt Lifestyle, a household name in Indian consumer electronics, Aman Gupta is no longer just a startup guy. He’s a brand in himself. His journey is emblematic of the D2C (direct-to-consumer) revolution — one that’s redefining Indian consumer behavior and entrepreneurial culture.

From Performance to Purpose: The D2C Shift

In his trademark candid style, Gupta broke down one of the biggest strategic calls for D2C founders — knowing when to switch gears from performance marketing to brand building.

“I think performance marketing comes first,” he asserted. “If you start building a brand, you don’t know whether... you know, that’s more on awareness levels.”

BoAt’s early wins came from sharp, performance-driven campaigns — like the punchy and relatable,
“Tired of buying charging cables? Switch to BoAt indestructible cable.”

The brand came after the performance.

“Start with performance a bit, see some traction, see what the consumers are saying, then double down on brand... Till today, brand and performance go together. You cannot ignore either.”

In a world obsessed with scaling fast, Gupta’s approach feels refreshingly methodical. For him, performance and brand aren’t separate stages — they’re co-pilots on the same journey.

The Power of Subcultures and the Rise of the ‘BoAthead’

Long before “influencer marketing” became a boardroom buzzword, BoAt was riding the waves of subcultures — from folk and pop music to micro-communities of aspirational young Indians.

“To reach the mass in India, you have to follow subcultures, and that’s what we did,” Gupta explained. “We are trying to create a culture of BoAtheads.”

The result? BoAt isn’t just a product — it’s a movement, living in the playlists and Instagram reels of Gen Z across India.

Scaling Smart: From Frugality to a 500+ Team

BoAt’s transformation from a lean, frugal startup to a 500-member organization required a mindset shift — especially in leadership.

“You have to get your team,” Gupta said. “It’s like a cricket team... the top batsman now comes at number nine. All the new guys give way to the old, the current guys also give way to the new guys.”

And it wasn’t always easy.

“Founders have a problem... they think they are indispensable. I think that’s the worst thing a founder thinks.”

Gupta’s philosophy is clear: Upgrade or be outgrown.

“You have to help people train. If they don’t upgrade, you have to upgrade your team.”

The Rise of the Founder-Brand

Today, Aman Gupta is not just the marketing brain behind BoAt — he’s also one of its most recognizable faces, thanks to Shark Tank India. But he places his public profile in a broader context.

“India is at the right time where founder branding is now suddenly becoming hot,” he reflected.
“We come from an era where entrepreneurship wasn’t celebrated. Now, people are running after Nikhil Kamath, Paytm photos, Shark Tank founders.”

His advice? Don’t shy away from the spotlight.

“It’s the best time in India to be an entrepreneur, and I’m so happy that now entrepreneurship also is being celebrated in the country.”

Aman Gupta’s Playbook for Founders

• Start Small, Stay Humble – Be the “Chief Everything Officer.”
• Test Before You Brand – Let performance marketing lead the way.
• Upgrade to Scale – Train, replace, or evolve — but don’t stagnate.
• Tap Subcultures, Not Just Celebrities – Build communities, not just customers.
• Embrace Your Voice – The founder is the face, the ethos, the storyteller.

In a world chasing unicorns and quarterly headlines, Aman Gupta’s BoAt reminds us that great brands aren’t built in boardrooms — they’re built in dusty rooms, with sharp execution, authentic storytelling, and relentless belief.

“Give a round of applause to you guys,” Gupta beamed, pointing at the crowd of budding founders.
“Lovely to see a room full of so many eyes looking aspirational, wanting to do something. It’s beautiful.”

Indeed, the future of Indian entrepreneurship doesn’t just look bright.
It sounds like music to our ears.