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Ishan Rakshit

Cofounder, Shopflo - A checkout platform D2C brands deserve - Ex-VC at Elevation Capital - Ex-consultant at EY-Parthenon

Professional Background

Ishan Rakshit is a dynamic professional known for his dual expertise in aerospace engineering and finance. Until recently, he was immersed in the fintech landscape, working as an Investment Professional at Elevation Capital, commonly referred to as SAIF Partners. Here, Ishan honed his investment skills, focusing on identifying and nurturing innovative financial technology ventures that have the potential to transform the industry. His previous experience as a strategy consultant at EY-Parthenon allowed him to develop strategic insights and analytical skills, which are invaluable assets in his current endeavors. Additionally, he played a crucial role at MSCI, where he was part of the team responsible for the precise calculation of financial indexes, solidifying his foundations in finance and analytics.

Education and Achievements

Ishan's academic background showcases a strong technical foundation with a focus on aerospace engineering. He graduated from the prestigious Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay — one of the top engineering institutions in India — with both a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech.) and a Master of Technology (M.Tech.) in Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering. In addition to his technical studies, he pursued a minor degree in Computer Science & Engineering, equipping him with a well-rounded skill set that seamlessly merges engineering with technology.

His educational journey began at Delhi Public School, Ranchi, where he completed his high school education in science. This early foundation set the stage for his future studies in engineering and technology. Further enhancing his business acumen, Ishan completed a Product & Growth Program in Business Administration and Management at GrowthX, which has enabled him to understand the intricacies of business growth and product development.

Notable Contributions

Ishan has been a prolific contributor to various organizations. He co-founded Shopflo, a venture that reflects his passion for technology and innovation in the fintech sector. His entrepreneurial spirit is evident from his earlier co-founding roles at Project Awaaz and Kibo India, where he focused on social change and technological advancements, respectively. His collaborative skills are highlighted through his various roles at IIT Bombay, such as his position as the Concerts Head in the Core Group of Mood Indigo, one of India's largest college cultural festivals.

In addition to his professional roles, Ishan has also contributed to academic research during his tenure as a Research Intern at Cardiff University, allowing him to blend practical experience with academic inquiry. His involvement as a platform developer intern at Fynd, along with positions such as Editor at LightSaber and Mechanical Subsystem Member at Pratham, IIT Bombay's student satellite, underscore his versatility and commitment to interdisciplinary collaboration.

Ishan’s experiences extend beyond the realm of academics and into community engagement, showcasing his leadership and organizational skills across various projects and initiatives at IIT Bombay. His role as a panelist at Insight, IIT Bombay, further illustrates his commitment to sharing knowledge and fostering discussions in the fields of technology and engineering.

In his personal life, Ishan is a music enthusiast who enjoys attending gigs and festivals, and he encourages anyone wanting to connect to reach him via email at [email protected].

Highlights

Feb 12 · linkedin

🚀 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐟𝐥𝐨'𝐬 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐮𝐜𝐞: 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐬 '𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭'!

Picture this:

Your sales lead is going on a call with a customer but is unable to articulate how a feature works. At times, they might even miss a nuance that could become the deal-breaker for the customer (mind you, you don’t always get to know the customer’s internal software evaluation framework).

In our early days, we had our fair share of struggles with ensuring everyone on the team could speak the same language and had updated knowledge of our product. 

It was clear what we were missing: everyone on the team was not speaking “𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵”.

At shopflo, we've cracked part of the code – making sure everyone, and I mean 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘰𝘯𝘦, knows our product inside out. Why? Because when the sales gang can demo like pros and the support squad solves issues before you can say "Shopflo", magic happens.

The impact?

  • Sales demos? Extremely customized to your requirements.
  • Customer queries? There’s a doc for everything.
  • Product feedback? Like having a direct line to our devs.
  • HR outreach? Clear articulation of product vision and innovation to prospects.

How we got everyone on the Product Pro train: 👉

  1. 𝐎𝐩𝐞𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Our monthly team sessions (𝘚𝘩𝘰𝘱𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘳𝘴) allow us to reiterate the product vision to everyone in the larger team, allowing for product vision alignment at a high level. Daily stand-ups, feedback discussions, product grooming, and team-wide demos are all OPEN for everyone to attend. Context on the inner functioning of the product has come in handy in surprising places.

  2. 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:  This is something we are striving to achieve. Insights don’t need to be concentrated with product managers. Anyone in the team can drive product insight straight into PRDs and then into execution.

Short-circuiting feedback loops is incredibly helpful for rapid product development. In our product feedback discussions (courtesy roy 👋 & Arshad), everyone, from coders to marketers, gets cozy with customer feedback. It’s like speed-dating but with insights.

  1. 𝐂𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐬-𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬: Weekly sales team interactions allow for quick feedback based on sales performance and win rates.

All of us also put ourselves into support's shoes during our 1st week at Shopflo. Closely interfacing with the customer is truly the fastest way to empathize with the product.

Thanks to Ankit, we also have internal learning sessions where someone may choose to dive deeper into a specific technology or a product concept.

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So, did it work?

Our team’s never been tighter, and our customers can also feel the difference. Some pieces are still WIP, but I’m excited to see how they pan out in the long term.

Relatable? I would love to know other approaches.

#SaaS #teamculture #productmanagement

Related Questions

How did Ishan Rakshit transition from aerospace engineering to fintech investments?
What inspired Ishan Rakshit to co-found Shopflo and how does it align with his previous experiences?
What are the key learnings Ishan Rakshit gained during his time at EY-Parthenon as a strategy consultant?
How has Ishan's educational background at IIT Bombay influenced his career trajectory?
In what ways has Ishan Rakshit contributed to community engagement through his various roles and projects?
What unique perspectives does Ishan bring to the fintech industry based on his experience in aerospace engineering?
What motivates Ishan Rakshit to participate in music festivals and how does it reflect in his professional life?
How did Ishan Rakshit’s internship experiences shape his career in finance and technology?
Ishan Rakshit
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Location

Bengaluru East, Karnataka, India