Minus One

How Asking ‘Why?’ Changes What You Build | Kunal Shah

Most things Kunal Shah says, turn into quotes that are shared across a cross-section of worlds — whether that is the startup and tech ecosystem, or simply among people looking to better understand human behaviour. First with FreeCharge and now with CRED, he has truly traversed a journey of what it means to build for as diverse and complex a market, as India.On Minus One, he shares why technology works best when it flows with human insight, why the best builders need to relentlessly keep asking “why?”, and what makes people truly aspire for something.Connect with us here:1. Kunal Shah- https://www.linkedin.com/in/kunalshah1/ 2. Prateek Mehta- https://www.linkedin.com/in/prateek-mehta-a571972/ 3. South Park Commons- https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons/Timestamps: 00:00 Trailer01:17 Introduction03:47 Philosophy and Sales Shaping Perspectives06:48 Human Motivation and Product Success33:56 Key Traits for Startup Success41:46 Design and Aesthetics Matter47:26 Innovative Marketing55:48 Wealth, Health, and Business Success

From -1 to Meesho | Before the IPO | How Vidit Aatrey & Sanjeev Barnwal Built for Bharat

This is the story behind all the IPO headlines. In this episode of Minus One, Vidit Aatrey talks to Prateek Mehta about the high-conviction journey of building Meesho — from early uncertainty and brutal trade-offs to cracking scale in one of the hardest consumer markets in the world. We talk about why most startups fail to truly understand India, what Meesho got right (after getting a lot wrong), and the long game required to build something that actually lasts.This is the builder’s story — about patience, lifelong learning, and designing for realities…not fantasies.Connect with us here:1. Prateek Mehta: https://x.com/prateekmehta42.South Park Commons – https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons

How a $3 Trillion+ Company Thinks About AI | Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott

If there’s one person to listen to truly grasp the scale and intent of technology and where we’re headed, it’s Kevin Scott.The Microsoft CTO joins Aditya Agarwal to discuss navigating his Minus One days, the partnership with OpenAI, why the most valuable problems to solve are often the ones others ignore, and why building great things has never been easier, cheaper, or faster. Tune in now.Apply to SPC membership:https://airtable.com/appxDXHfPCZvb75qk/pagIZspLSFX7QrXcn/formConnect with us: 1. Kevin Scott: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jkevinscott/ 2. Aditya Agarwal: https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityaagarwal3/3. South Park Commons: https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons/ 00:00 Trailer01:34 Navigating Career Transitions and Impact07:35 Challenges and Insights for Entrepreneurs14:43 The Evolution and Future of AI28:42 The Grind of Startup Life34:11 Open Source vs. Closed Source Models46:49 Empowering the Next Generation with AI

Mission Before Startup: Gokul Rajaram’s Playbook for Founders

Having been a key part of building Google and Meta, and helping scale DoorDash and Block, Gokul Rajaram joins Aditya Agarwal to share his principles and patterns for deciding what’s truly worth building.Together, they draw on real stories from Silicon Valley and reflect on what it will take to unlock India’s deep tech potential. The investor gives crucial insight into the mindset, the team, and the personal qualities required to build meaningfully in the age of AI.Apply to SPC membership: https://airtable.com/appxDXHfPCZvb75qk/pagIZspLSFX7QrXcn/formConnect with us: 1. Gokul Rajaram - https://www.linkedin.com/in/gokulrajaram1/2. Aditya Agarwal - https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityaagarwal3/3. South Park Commons - https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons/00:00 Trailer01:00 Introduction03:42 The Importance of Passion in Startups08:27 The Role of Serendipity in Finding a Mission12:01 User Storytelling vs. User Research18:24 The Obsession of Great Founders28:44 The Evolution of AI and Its Impact on Startups38:23 The Future of AI in the Physical World

Nandan Nilekani | On Building Digital India, and the Next Population-Scale Opportunity

If you want to know what it’s like to be the architect of nations, not just platforms - you ask a man like Nandan Nilekani.In this episode of Minus One, Nandan breaks down the ideas, effort and intent behind building Aadhaar for 1.4 billion people, his next chapter in using AI to drive social impact across India, and what his vision of the future looks like. Connect with us here:​ Nandan Nilekani- https://x.com/NandanNilekani​ Aditya Agarwal- https://www.linkedin.com/in/adityaagarwal3/​ South Park Commons- https://www.linkedin.com/company/southparkcommons/00:00 Trailer01:36 Introduction02:12 Curiosity and Conviction: Keys to Success15:11 AI and India's Future25:46 The Startup Boom in India27:03 Challenges and Opportunities in Ease of Business31:38 AI and Digital Public Infrastructure40:26 Future of Energy and Final Thoughts