Shark Tank’s Anupam Mittal Gives Bold Reality Check to Influencer-Turned-Founder: ‘Better to Start a Street Cart’
Anupam Mittal, the founder of People Group and one of the Sharks on Shark Tank India, is known for his straight-talking approach, and he didn’t hold back when giving feedback to Vijay Nihalchandani, a business and finance influencer. Nihalchandani pitched his startup, Make My Payment, an app designed to send automated payment reminders to debtors, on the show. However, when questioned about the app’s performance, his wife revealed that out of 3,500 sign-ups, only 200 were paying customers.
This revelation led to Mittal’s sharp criticism, where he pointed out the weak revenue model and bluntly told him, “You're making Rs 30,000 per month—better to start a street cart than this.”
This incident follows closely behind a similar moment when popular YouTuber and fitness influencer Gaurav Taneja shared his experience on the show. Taneja revealed that some Sharks advised him to shut down his YouTube channel and focus all his energy on one business. With his usual confidence, Taneja stood by his decision to continue creating content.
Anupam Mittal’s frank advice highlights the harsh realities of business and the importance of a solid, profitable model, especially in the competitive startup world.