I remember the raised eyebrows and surprised looks when I announced my career shift from law to venture capital. It was a stark reminder of the unconventional path I had chosen. But looking back, it was a decision that led me to incredible opportunities and experiences beyond my wildest dreams.
During my final year of law school I was interning at prestigious law firms. However, a seed of doubt began to sprout. The legal field, while intellectually stimulating, lacked the broader impact I craved. I yearned to be part of something bigger, something that championed innovation and engaged with the dynamic world of emerging businesses. This realization propelled me to explore uncharted territories.
An Unexpected Turn
My journey took an unexpected turn when I joined Gartner. I was immersed in the world of product development, diving deep into data analysis, pattern recognition, and automating complex processes like SaaS contract negotiations. This experience ignited a passion for solving real-world problems and a desire to be at the forefront of innovation.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit
It was during my time at Gartner that I stumbled upon a glaring gap in India’s financial landscape – a broken joint account infrastructure despite the significant strides made in digital payments. This realization became the driving force behind starting my entrepreneurial journey where I co-founded Fibbl, a neobank challenging the way joint accounts work and solving for 2 card, 2 UPI per joint account. Transitioning from the corporate world to the operator side was no walk in the park. Growth, I firmly believe, often necessitates bold choices, and this was one such instance. However, fate had other plans in store. The ever-evolving regulatory landscape within Fintech, coupled with scalability concerns, prompted me to re-evaluate my role at Fibbl. This led me to a crossroads: remain on the operator side or explore the other side of the table being an investor, a field that had captivated me ever since my initial interactions with VCs during the building of Fibbl.
An Exciting Chapter
Enter the Kalaari Fellowship Program, a program designed to nurture the next generation of investors. Kalaari fosters a diverse and vibrant culture, where learning is an everyday occurrence fuelled by your peers. With hands-on exposure, real-world deal-making experiences, and mentorship from seasoned professionals, the program has been instrumental in facilitating my transition. The selection process was highly rigorous with a focus on the thesis development, financial statements analysis to cultural fit. The highlight of the process for me was interacting with Vani whom I had always been inspired by being a female founder and more importantly to demonstrate my interest in the startup ecosystem and why VC after law?
Joining Kalaari Fellowship marked a new chapter in my career, ushering me into the world of investment. The experience has been an enriching blend of challenges and rewards. Shifting from a Fintech background to tracking SaaS presented a steep learning curve in the initial stages. I had to delve into understanding what makes a strong founding team, track SaaS metrics, conduct benchmarking exercises, and immerse myself in learning about tech stacks and pricing models. Through dedicated time spent tracking the sector and the opportunity to collaborate closely with partners, my knowledge base steadily expanded, fuelled by the program’s emphasis on hands-on experiences. This journey has constantly pushed me outside my comfort zone, fostering continuous growth and learning.
Building Memories for Life
One of my most cherished memories at Kalaari is celebrating Onam with the team, where I embarked on my first experience with Sadhya, a traditional feast. The team’s encouragement to embrace and share diverse cultural celebrations embodies the spirit of inclusivity and openness that permeates Kalaari. It truly feels like a family.
Kalaari extends beyond fostering professional development; it unearths hidden skills you never knew you possessed. A prime example is the annual Kalaari Sports League. As someone who wouldn’t call themselves particularly athletic, the thought of trying new sports was daunting. Yet, in a spirit of camaraderie, I decided to give rifle shooting a shot. Initially apprehensive, the unwavering support from my team during practice sessions not only helped me excel but also allowed me to discover a newfound enjoyment in the sport.
Transitioning from law and operations to venture capital has highlighted the crucial role of combining data-driven analysis with intuition. It’s this ability that allows us to identify the breakout companies of tomorrow, and it’s a skill I’m actively honing through the program.
This journey at Kalaari has been a continuous learning experience, fostering both personal and professional growth. I’m eager to see what the future holds and excited to share my learnings as I navigate this exciting new chapter. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions about my experience or the Kalaari Fellowship Program – I’d be happy to connect! aditi@kalaari.com.
