About Guest:Anurag Goel is a seasoned entrepreneur and investor, currently leading Cactus Partners, a purpose-driven venture fund supporting early-stage startups with scale, strategy, and founder-first support. He previously built a global category-leading D2C tech business, B2B enterprise solutions, and AI/ML products across markets like Japan, Korea, the US, and India. A Wharton & UPenn graduate, Anurag also worked at McKinsey & Company and led CACTUS to become India’s #1 mid-sized workplace in 2017.In this podcast, Anurag Goel shares his journey from McKinsey to building Cactus Communications and later, Cactus Partners. He discusses the challenges of transitioning from founder to investor, building global businesses without external funding, and the importance of culture, branding, and trust. Anurag dives into product-market fit, leadership, and why profit is like oxygen—not the purpose. He emphasizes long-term thinking, team synergy, and the power of doing over planning.Timestamps:00:00 Introduction02:19 Current Ventures and Deals02:25 VC Business Dynamics02:43 Stress in Investing vs. Operating04:39 Investment Strategies and Levers05:13 Marketing, Branding, and Expansion06:00 Seed vs. Venture vs. Private Equity14:29 Team Dynamics and Strengths34:52 Launching the Business in Japan35:23 Early Struggles and Realizations35:56 Pivot to Research Focus36:34 Expansion Beyond Japan36:46 Venturing into Big Pharma and AI37:13 Developing Proprietary Software37:30 Introducing Paper Pal37:44 The Story Behind the Name 'Cactus'40:07 Cultural Insights from Japan40:29 Building Relationships in Japan41:19 Customer Centricity in Japan vs. US43:37 Challenges of Punctuality in Japan45:49 Global Expansion and Offices46:19 People Management Across Cultures48:00 Balancing Global and Local Strategies49:00 The Importance of Profit and Growth50:29 Shifting Towards M&A Strategy51:49 Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs56:04 The Role of Marketing and Branding58:34 Personal Reflections and Future TrendsCredits: Host: Shivank Joshi - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivankjoshi-2001/Cohost: Apratim Chandra Singh - https://www.linkedin.com/in/singhapratimchandra?Support: Zerodha ( https://zero1byzerodha.com/network )Disclaimer:The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by the speaker and host are their own and do not represent those of the Exploring Minds platform. The information provided in this podcast is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. All products and company names mentioned are the property of their respective owners, and their use does not imply any endorsement or opposition.#AnuragGoel #Cactus #McKinsey #Bootstrapped #Founder #Investor #Startups #Scaling #Culture #Branding #Leadership #Strategy #PMF #Profit #Impact #Growth #Mindset #Teamwork #Execution #Focus #Global #Innovation #Vision #Lessons #Mentorship #Business #Grit #Journey #Success #Wisdom

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