Archana Jahagirdar isn’t mincing words. The Rukam Capital founder is calling out a common trap Indian startup founders fall into — chasing validation over inevitability. “They build for validation but not for inevitability,” she wrote in a post that’s fast gaining traction on LinkedIn.
In a sharply worded note, Jahagirdar challenged the foundational belief many founders carry. “Every founder says this line: I’ve built a great product. But here’s the truth no one wants to hear: Great products don’t build great companies. Distribution does. Systems do. Obsession does.”
She pointed to a home care brand pulling in over ₹100 crore with a basic product. “But they dominate marketplaces,” she noted, highlighting how the brand used urgency tactics, influencer loops, and platform algorithm mastery to win.
By contrast, she cited a wearables startup that, despite strong IP and three years of product work, is capped at ₹30 lakh in monthly revenue. “Why? Because most people don’t discover based on quality. They discover based on noise, trust, availability, and memory,” she argued, underlining that “memory is built through repetition, not excellence.”
That’s where many Indian startups falter, she warned. “They think the job is done once the product is ready. They’ll even say ‘We’re building a global company’ before hitting 1,000 users. But global doesn’t come from ambition. It comes from muscle.”
Jahagirdar drove the point home with a reality check: “Look at the real winners around you: They weren’t the most innovative. They were the most visible. Most relentless. Most surgically scaled.”
Her advice for founders seeking capital was direct: “Don’t just come with a good product. Come with: • A GTM plan that locks users in • A creator stack that doesn’t rely on luck • A roadmap for LTV, not just first sales • And proof that you can surround the customer before your competitor does.”
“Because investors aren’t looking for genius. They’re looking for inevitability,” she concluded.
The post struck a chord with netizens, who shared their thoughts on the issue.
“So much truth here,” one user wrote. “Product gets you in the game — but distribution decides if you stay.”
Another agreed: “Founders who win aren’t always the ones with the best product, but the ones who deeply understand distribution, consumer triggers, and timing.”
A third called the post “a masterclass,” summing up what many felt: “Investors don’t bet on genius, they bet on inevitability.”
