The premiere episode of Shark Tank India Season 5 delivered high drama and an emotional revelation from one of its newest judges, Mohit Yadav. While evaluating a pitch for a children's apparel brand, Yadav shared his own harrowing entrepreneurial origin story, disclosing that he had to mortgage his family home to raise capital.
The Pitcher's Struggle: Guugly Wuugly's Uphill Battle
Entrepreneur Ravi Kumar Gupta from Lucknow entered the tank seeking Rs 50 lakh for a 5% equity stake in his kids' clothing brand, Guugly Wuugly. Founded in November 2022, the brand, with the tagline 'From a parent to a parent', targets children aged 1-12 and has served over 25,000 customers.
Ravi explained his motivation stemmed from the difficulty of finding affordable, quality clothing for his own daughter. With an average selling price of Rs 549 and an average order value of Rs 1100, the brand primarily sells through its own website, with minor sales on Myntra and FirstCry.
However, the sharks quickly identified critical issues. Ravi admitted to a high customer acquisition cost of Rs 550 and revealed the company was operating at a loss, with a concerning EBITDA of -28%. He had self-funded the venture to the tune of Rs 80-90 lakh, taking loans against his home and selling family gold jewellery.
Sharks Bow Out, Mohit Yadav Relives His Past
One by one, the sharks opted out of the deal. Namita Thapar could not identify a unique selling proposition and foresaw mounting losses. Kunal Bahl advised cost-cutting for a longer business runway before exiting. Aman Gupta, while expressing empathy, suggested Ravi consider quitting the business.
It was then that Mohit Yadav, the founder of skincare brand Minimalist, connected with the pitcher's plight. He revealed that his own first venture was also a children's apparel brand, which ultimately failed. "I wondered if I would look like a failure upon quitting," Yadav recalled, stating the fear was only in his head.
He then disclosed the extreme step he took for his next venture: "To start Minimalist, I actually took a loan of Rs 1 crore against my home. I feared that my family won’t even have a home." This personal anecdote highlighted the immense risks entrepreneurs often take.
From Mortgaged Home to Multi-Crore Valuation
Mohit Yadav's gamble paid off spectacularly. His brand, Minimalist, achieved a landmark valuation in January 2025 when Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) acquired a 90.5% stake in the company. The deal valued Minimalist at a staggering Rs 2955 crore, creating one of the most successful D2C brand stories in India.
Drawing from his experience, Yadav advised Ravi Gupta to think about exploring other business opportunities. While Anupam Mittal also appreciated the passion but declined to invest, the episode ended on a supportive note.
As Ravi left the tank, both Aman Gupta and Mohit Yadav asked him to connect with them outside the show for guidance on branding. They offered a glimmer of hope, suggesting that if the business showed a turnaround in a few months, they could reconsider an investment.
The episode underscored a classic Shark Tank India theme: the brutal reality of business metrics versus the inspiring, often painful, journeys of resilience that lead to monumental success.
