Building Brands That Last

Insights from Aman Gupta (boAt) and Vedang Patel (The Souled Store) at D2C Disrupt.

Aman Gupta: From Product to Brand

Aman Gupta opened with something that hit different:

"Choti si zindagi hai, enjoy karo na yaar." Life's short—enjoy building what you're building.

• Build Your Brand on Product

  Aman said to build your brand based on product. Experiment and find your hero product. What stood out to me was how he remembers all his product names verbatim. That's the kind of connection a founder needs to have with what they're creating.

• The Transformation: Product to Brand

  He made this powerful point:

"Jabb brand bann ja tha hai, toh sabb bikh tha hai" (When you become a brand, everything sells).

The journey from product to brand is critical, Aman said, because it reduces your Customer Acquisition Cost. When customers love the brand, they buy for brand value, not just the product features.

• Brand = Emotion

  Aman was clear: even though brand is intangible, it's non-negotiable. His definition? BRAND = EMOTION. He described brand as "that fictitious love that makes customers buy from you." And here's what's interesting—he said they don't want everyone to love them. They want the loyal few who vouch for their products.

• Build Visibility: Beg, Borrow, Steal

  Aman's advice on visibility was refreshingly direct: "Beg, borrow, steal. Do whatever it takes to build that customer love."He explained that visibility creates a network effect. Even without resources, visibility makes you click with your audience.

• Know Your Market Segment

  Aman said you need to know which market segment you're targeting—mass market, premium, or luxury—and strategize based on that segment. His approach? Identify actual market demand using first principle thinking. His golden rule: "ALWAYS do what is good for the customers."

• Be the Founder Who Sells

  Aman emphasized: be that founder that sells. His perspective on India? It's a huge market. Everything sells if you know how to sell.

Vedang Patel: Building The Souled Store with Obsession and Patience

• Obsession Will Take You There

  Vedang's first piece of advice was simple but powerful: be obsessed. This obsession, he said, will take you to the right place at the right time.

• Survive the Early Heartbreak

  Vedang was honest about the beginning: early days will be heartbreak for everyone. But those who stick around? They prosper.

  
  

• Storytelling = Customer Love

  Your storytelling translates to customer love, Vedang said. The narrative you build around your brand matters deeply.

  
  

• Brand is a Promise—Build the Funnel to Fulfill It

  Here's how Vedang thinks about brand: it's what the customer expects from you. So build a funnel or roadmap to fulfill that brand promise. Build a relationship with the customer.

  His key advice? Be patient. Don't force speed.

  
  

• Customer Retention is Everything

  Vedang emphasized that customer retention, which is proportional to customer satisfaction, is extremely important. Keep your customers happy, and they'll keep coming back.

  
  

• Evolve with Your Customer and Category

  The market changes. Customer preferences shift. Vedang said you need to evolve according to the customer and the category you're in.

  
  

• Product Obsession: Watch Your Returns

  Vedang advised founders to be obsessed with the product. If your return rate is above average, analyze it, fix it, and remeasure. This metric tells you something critical about product-market fit.

  
  

• Stay Humble

  Be extremely humble when you start and as you build. The market has a way of keeping you grounded.

  
  

• Look and Feel Matter

  The look and feel of the brand and the product is important, Vedang said. Aesthetics aren't superficial—they're part of the customer experience.

  
  

• Structure Around Your Promise

  Structure the company based on the promise you're making to customers. Everything—from operations to team hierarchy—should align with delivering on that promise.

  
  

• The Discount Dilemma

  Vedang shared an interesting perspective on sales: "One sale a year—how do you think about discounts?" He explained that discounts set a tone for your product. If you keep a sale every two months, people will remember the discount timing and only buy then. This harms more than it does good.

  
  

• Organizational Structure Matters

  Have a clear structure with respect to the organization. Define roles clearly—who is the CEO, who handles what. Clarity prevents chaos.

  
  

• Niche Wins in Clothing

  When asked about differentiation in the clothing market, Vedang said it's all about niche. People come to you for something specialized. It's not a winner-takes-all industry. No one person will buy everything you sell. Find your niche, own it, and serve it well.

  
  

The Common Thread

Both Aman and Vedang emphasized different aspects of building a D2C brand, but the common threads are clear:

• Obsession with product and customer. Whether it's Aman remembering every product name or Vedang monitoring return rates, both founders are deeply connected to what they build and who they serve.

• Brand as emotion and promise. Aman calls it emotion; Vedang calls it a promise. Both understand that brand transcends product—it's about how customers feel and what they expect.

• Patience in building relationships. You can't rush brand love. Visibility, storytelling, and consistent delivery build trust over time.

• Strategic thinking about discounts and positioning. Know your segment. Understand how pricing and promotions affect perception.

• Humility and evolution. Stay humble, stay close to customers, and evolve with them.

  
  

The Indian D2C market is massive and full of opportunity. But success isn't about shortcuts—it's about building something real, something customers genuinely love, and staying committed to that vision through the heartbreak and the wins.