PNN
New Delhi [India], November 25: On 21st November 2025, Kunzum Bookstore in Delhi hosted an insight-rich evening, featuring a compelling founder-to-founder conversation with Pramod Maloo, an entrepreneur, educator, and one of India's most prominent voices in digital marketing. Known for mentoring over 25,000 students and working with 800+ brands, author of The Start-up Founder's Guide to Digital Marketing, and Bharat Sethi, Founder of Rage Coffee, one of India's most popular premium consumer brands, endorsed by Virat Kohli, who stepped into the role of interviewer and conversational partner for the evening.
The session brought together two of India's sharpest entrepreneurial minds, deeply rooted in the digital and D2C ecosystem. Their exchange offered a rare operator-level view into India's evolving digital ecosystem and the behavioural foundations of brand building.
The event opened with a warm meet-and-greet, where young entrepreneurs, creators, and readers met Pramod. The book-signing that followed reflected the deep resonance the book has generated, with many attendees sharing how it has influenced their early-stage journeys, feeling less like a formal queue and more like a community gathering where people shared their own experiences of building, experimenting, and trying to create something meaningful in the digital world. Many spoke about Pramod's relatable approach of "no hacks, only human psychology", which the book "The Start-up Founder's Guide to Digital Marketing" breaks down into actionable frameworks for anyone starting up.
The centrepiece of the evening was the free-flowing, podcast-style dialogue between Pramod and Bharat. Their candid back-and-forth provided a real-time masterclass in founder-led marketing. Together, they unpacked how India's digital consumers think, behave, and make decisions in a hyper-fast, content-driven world. Their on-stage exchange captured the packed room's attention. The conversation brought out some brilliant insights.
Bharat Sethi took the discussion deeper when he explained how the D2C business is not the same as selling on marketplaces.
Pramod Maloo took the room on a ride back to memory lane when asked how digital marketing has evolved over the years. He explained the chronological evolution of digital marketing, especially over the last 5 years, and how brands have transitioned from performance marketing to growth marketing.
Bharat Sethi, when asked if he can build another FMCG brand from scratch based on his experience of building Rage Coffee, said, "Though I have the exact blueprint in my mind, whether I can make another one like Rage is not certain. There are a lot of things that I don't have control over, and while building Rage, those things somehow played in my favour. It's like magic, I'm not sure if it can be repeated.
On a lighter note, Pramod Maloo pulled out a witty one-liner for Rage Coffee: "Turn every page with a cup of Rage."
Their conversation explored founders' biggest challenges, such as attention scarcity, trust deficits, brand storytelling, and the psychology driving India's next generation of digital buyers.
The session concluded with an engaged audience Q&A on D2C growth, brand identity, evolving consumer behaviour, and the shift from performance marketing to narrative-driven strategy. Hands rose instantly as aspiring founders asked about career paths, content strategy, scaling D2C brands, and the future of digital marketing in India. The atmosphere remained thoughtful, energetic, and filled with entrepreneurial optimism. It reinforced why the book resonates and offers clarity in a noisy, cluttered marketing world.
Commenting on the session, a spokesperson from HarperCollins India shared, "We are proud to support authors like Pramod Maloo who bring practical, actionable frameworks to India's entrepreneurial community. The response to the book and this event shows how hungry young founders are for real guidance."
Speaking about the interaction, Bharat Sethi added, "Pramod's frameworks bring clarity at a time when founders are overwhelmed by information. This book is going to be a go-to guide for early-stage entrepreneurs."
With growing demand among first-time founders, marketers, and creators, The Start-up Founder's Guide to Digital Marketing is now available at Kunzum Bookstore, on major online platforms, and at leading bookstores across India. Readers can continue learning from Pramod Maloo through his official page and social channels, where he shares ongoing insights, tools, and founder-friendly content.
Link to the bio: https://pramodmaloo.com/
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