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Akshit Kumar Gupta
Fintech Product Manager | Ex- Niyo, Paytm | IMI - New Delhi
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March 21, 2025
𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐅𝐢𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐮𝐞𝐝 𝐌𝐲 𝐅𝐢𝐭𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐌𝐲 𝐆𝐲𝐦 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 This happened a few years back. I had joined a local gym subscription near my home. I was not too comfortable in devising my plan and schedule. With the gym membership, I expected guidance on which exercises to perform and in what sequence, not just access to equipment. An instructor started pitching personalised services and began helping me with the drill for 1 week. I did not want to pay extra. After 10 days when I did not pay for his personalised service, he stopped guiding me. At that time, I was on a CultFit diet plan which switched to the gym smart workout plan. You indicate your level: beginner, intermediate, or advanced and your goal. You can enter your weight, and which days you want to exercise, and it even adjusts if you miss a day. It also had videos showing how to use the gym machines. I used this feature effortlessly to implement my warm-up, execute my workout routine, and even complete my cool-down. Tech can help in unexpected ways at pressing times. CultFit should promote this feature more. Many more people would benefit from it. #CultFit #WorkoutApps #tech
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March 21, 2025
7 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐦𝐲 𝐍𝐢𝐲𝐨 𝐄𝐱𝐢𝐭:(𝐒𝐨 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐲) During my Niyo exit, HR head of Niyo 𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐁 promised full notice period payment for early relieving. Reality? They paid only till last working day and then ghosted. As the head of HR, his role was to provide transparency and ensure ethical treatment of employees. Here's what I learned: 1. 𝐄𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐑𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲 Know the notice period rules: Companies can cut it short when you resign, but must honor it fully when they terminate. The initiator of the exit matters. But making false promises about payment? That crosses an ethical line. Prepare your finances for early exit and get ALL payment commitments in writing. 2. 𝐄𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐬 𝐍𝐨 𝐇𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐲 When I specifically asked HR employee 𝐒𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐡𝐚 𝐒𝐚𝐱𝐞𝐧𝐚 about the payment, she confirmed they would settle the full notice period amount. She was present in the meeting with HR Head Jagadish B and backed his promises. Later, when confronted, she hid behind the excuse of being 'just a junior employee without authority. If you help mislead others, you're equally responsible. 3. 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐬 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐠𝐞 Instead of admitting they wouldn't pay, they chose deception. True leaders face tough conversations. 4. 𝐊𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐚 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐀𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 When I tried to call 𝐉𝐚𝐠𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐁 he said he is in meeting and would call after the meeting. When the HR head lacks courage to even take calls (3 months of "in meetings" now), it shows character. Stand up against fraud - it matters. 5. 𝐃𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐭𝐲 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐬 Despite founders 𝐕𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐠𝐫𝐢 and 𝐕𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐢𝐬𝐡𝐭 constant reminders of their employee-to-entrepreneur journey (to highlight empathy towards employees) and claims of '5 years of runway' in every townhall, their actions spoke louder: they couldn't even honor simple promises. 6. 𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 Creating jobs isn't enough if they're toxic. Many Indian startup founders prioritize business goals over ethics. Choose role models wisely. 7. 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐔𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐥 𝐘𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐍𝐨𝐭 Top ratings for 2 years meant nothing when their "values" were tested. Companies can flip overnight. This isn't about settlement anymore. It's about calling out a culture where leaders make false promises. Where ethics are preached but not practiced. Remember: If you can't face someone after making a promise, don't make that promise at all. Sharing my story so others don't have to learn these lessons the hard way. #StartupCulture #IndianStartups #WorkplaceEthics #LeadershipLessons #TechStartups Niyo Solutions Inc.
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January 7, 2025