On Strategy, Decisions and Realities of Building Businesses
by Vijay Jain — Operator, Advisor & Investor
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Vijay Jain is a seasoned consumer and retail expert with over 25 years’ experience in building and scaling businesses. As Founder-Director of ORRA and former CEO of ORRA and Ritu Kumar, he has led both founder-driven and professionally managed companies, delivering growth, cultural transformation, and customer-centricity.
He brings a rare blend of financial acumen from investment banking and operating expertise as CEO. Today, as an Operating Partner, Advisory Board Member, and Board Mentor, he works across industries — from consumer and retail to wellness, food, and emerging tech — with a focus on governance, strategy, and sustainable growth. Deeply engaged with AI and digital transformation, Vijay helps businesses leverage technology, strategy, and people to scale faster and build future-ready organisations. As an active angel investor, he has invested in companies including Medi Assist and Slice Bank.
He is also a recognized speaker, having shared insights on leadership, scaling brands, and digital transformation at platforms including CII, Harvard Business School, and Google.
Category: Vijay Jain
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I was recently engaged with the founder of a consumer lifestyle business that had over 300 days of unsold inventory sitting across its stores and warehouses. The management team was under pressure. The board wanted answers. And the instinct — as it almost always is in these situations — was to discount, liquidate, and move…
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By Vijay Jain Founders are often asked a familiar question:If you focus on profitability early, are you leaving growth on the table? It’s a logical question—especially from an investor’s lens. Growth represents optionality, scale, and market capture. Profitability can look like restraint. It sounds like a fair question. But I’ve come to see it as…
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Reading Dr. Ram Charan’s recent article on The Mindset Behind Trillion-Dollar Companies reminded me of a post I wrote two years back, in April 2023 — about how a company’s mindset and starting point shape its organizational DNA. He speaks of building data systems that learn and compound — a theme that closely aligns with…
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A Personal Encounter As I stepped into the lobby and looked up from my phone, I sensed it immediately—this wasn’t just luxury; it was something more beautiful, more deeply rooted. The staff stood poised, draped in what looked like the palace’s memory, woven into Banarasi silk. I was captivated by those sarees—the gold and maroon…
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Consistency, Delight in Luxury, and Delight Beyond Luxury The Service Translation Framework explains how brands translate values into action by balancing Consistency, Delight in Luxury, and Delight Beyond Luxury. I. The Core Thesis: Service as a Mindful Pause World-class customer experience (CX) and enduring brand loyalty are achieved only when service and execution consistently go outside the script to deliver…
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This session of Startup Buzz, hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Western Region Startup featured Vijay Jain in conversation with entrepreneurs and leaders about the true dynamics of mentorship in the startup ecosystem. Moderated by Pritam Onsker (Founder & CEO, Tailorsmart) with opening remarks by Ravikant Sabnavis (CII) in the presence of Ninad…
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Having lived each of these roles — and worked with founders, teams and boards — I’ve come to realise: It’s not just the work that’s different — it’s the mindset. And the misalignment between these mindsets often creates friction — but also opens the door to real breakthroughs. 🔵 POSSIBILITYFounderDriven by conviction. Sometimes even if…
On Strategy, Decisions and Realities of Building Businesses 