I started my career in sell-side equity research after clearing CFA Level-1 in 2020, but quickly realized analyzing public markets was something I preferred doing for my personal portfolio, not a long-term career. Now on the CFA journey, a young 21-year old driven to understand how corporate powerhouses operate, I cleared Level-2 and joined Deloitte’s Valuations team in Mumbai. Over three years - and earning my CFA Charter - I learned how world-class MNCs structure, value, and acquire assets. 3-years down, it felt like the right time to take the next step. By then, I was a proud CFA Charterholder, with a good amount of knowledge on how the well-established, large MNCs of the world function and value their assets and/or acquisition targets. What now piqued my interest, was the wildly curious 0-to-1 world of early-stage startups in India. Venture capital is a world where it's not all excels and spreadsheets, but more about asking yourself; what makes people and businesses tick? What does it truly mean to create a great company from scratch? Why would one deserve to win in a market where 90% of those who try, fail, and how do you mould yourself into someone that eventually becomes part of that 10% - someone who raises capital, partners with the right people and builds something to scale?! This curiosity led to take a leap of faith; I found my reason to push myself out of a comfortable, stable job at one of the world's greatest companies, take 2-months of transition time, before landing a job at an early-stage investments firm based in Mumbai, Equanimity Investments; where I am responsible for identifying companies where we see tremendous business opportunity and great clarity in what the founding team wish to achieve. Being on this side of the table, where investment decisions are being made, has taught me how investors actually evaluate founders, risk, and valuation in this era of the Indian VC ecosystem, which has only begun to truly 'mature'. On an average, I read 10 early-stage pitch decks daily. I know what makes an investor pause at slide 3, what raises immediate red flags, and what makes a founder stand out in a crowded deal pipeline. Let’s clean up your narrative. Reach out if you believe I could help you in your journey in any way. Rooting for you either ways, Cheers!