Q: Sachin, what led you to start Flipkart back in 2007?
Sachin Bansal: Back then, online shopping in India was virtually nonexistent. My co-founder Binny Bansal and I saw a huge opportunity to bring the Amazon model to India – but localized. We wanted to solve a fundamental problem: people didn’t trust online shopping. We started with books because it was manageable and helped build trust through reliable delivery and customer service.
Q: The early days of Flipkart were challenging. What kept you going?
Sachin Bansal: We were obsessed with solving the customer’s problems. From personally packing books to handling customer calls, we did everything ourselves in the beginning. The belief that Indian consumers deserved a world-class experience and the feedback we got from our users – kept us going even when funding or scale looked uncertain.
Q: What was your biggest learning as Flipkart scaled up?
Sachin Bansal: Scaling isn’t just about hiring more people or spending more money. It’s about building systems, culture, and processes that can support growth. I learned that the biggest bottleneck is often not the market, but your own ability to adapt and delegate. Also, the importance of building a strong leadership team can’t be overstated.
Q: How did Flipkart survive against global giants like Amazon entering India?
Sachin Bansal: Focus and agility. We understood the Indian consumer better than anyone else – we innovated on cash-on-delivery, easy returns, and supply chain logistics before anyone else. Competing with Amazon forced us to raise our game and become more disciplined. It wasn’t easy, but it made Flipkart stronger.
Q: What role did culture play in Flipkart’s journey?
Sachin Bansal: Culture is the glue. We tried to build a company that was customer-first, data-driven, and fearless. We encouraged ownership and allowed people to challenge the status quo. Mistakes were okay – as long as we learned from them. That culture helped us stay innovative even under pressure.
Q: Looking back, what would you have done differently?
Sachin Bansal: There are always things you’d tweak in hindsight. I think we could’ve been more aggressive with mobile early on or managed burn more tightly in some phases. But overall, I’m proud of how we navigated uncharted waters. The goal was never perfection, but progress.
Q: After exiting Flipkart, how do you view entrepreneurship today?
Sachin Bansal: I believe India is just getting started. There’s huge potential in sectors beyond consumer tech – like fintech, agritech, and infrastructure. That’s what I’m focusing on now with my new ventures. The entrepreneurial ecosystem is more mature, but we still need to solve core Indian problems – not just replicate Western models.Q: What advice would you give to young founders?
Sachin Bansal: Start with the customer. Solve a real pain point. Don’t obsess over fundraising – that’s a by-product of value creation. Stay frugal, stay grounded, and be ready to pivot. Most importantly, be patient – great companies take time to build
