From Breakdown to Breakthrough: Sharmin Ali’s Bold Startup Journey

In this episode, Sharmin opens up about the real cost of ambition. She left a Google offer to join a startup, grew Mu Sigma from 3 people to $300M ARR, and built one of India’s most powerful content platforms before selling it to a Bollywood studio. She then raised $200M for her next AI company, partnered with Oxford, and worked with brands like P&G and Unilever.

But beneath the wins: therapy, depression, burnout, betrayal, and survival.

Tune in to hear how Sharmin Ali made risk her superpower, and what she’s building next.

Key Topics:

-Betting everything on vision—with no backup plan

-Outsmarting gatekeepers and closing million-dollar deals

-Creating content in 10 Indian languages before it was cool

-Selling at the right time before burnout wins

-And learning how to breathe again after everything crashes

Quote From The Episode:

"Confidence is everything. It trumps every other skill as an entrepreneur."

- Sharmin Ali

Timestamp:

[04:22]: She Turned Down Google on Day One. What Happened Next Will Blow Your Mind.

[11:49] She Closed a $1M Deal by Saying Nothing. Here’s How Listening Changed Everything.

[21:39] How $500 Interns and Free Booze Built a $300M Startup

[32:19] No Plan B. No Backup. Just Ruthless Belief and a Billion-Dollar Bet.

[43:02] The Shameless Strategy That Landed Her Millions and a Viral Media Empire

[54:37] The Ruthless Hiring Strategy Behind a Media Startup’s Viral Success

[1:01:59] How a Brutal Founder Sold Her Media Company and Launched an AI Startup with 70M Data Points

[1:22:45] The Brutally Honest Wake-Up Call That Changed Everything

[1:39:19] Outro

Connect with - Sharmin Ali:

LinkedIn - linkedin.com/in/sharmin-ali

Websites:sharminali.com

Connect to Entrepreneurial-Excellence Podcast:

LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/entrepreneurial-excellence-podcast

Youtube - http://www.youtube.com/@EntrepreneurialExcellencePod

TikTok - https://www.tiktok.com/@eepodcast24

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570329516959

Website - https://www.levy.company/entrepreneurial-excellence