Housing.com CEO Rahul Yadav’s clever answers on Reddit’s ‘Ask Me Anything’ reveal his less blatant side

Rahul Yadav has been the cynosure of all eyes for some good reasons and many bad ones. The Housing.com CEO’s AMA on Reddit is an interesting add-on to these. Though the interview does not equal in brazenness to many of his previous interviews, Rahul comes out with quick-witted, to the point replies to the most talked after questions on his life and work.

Rahul, since 2012, when he co-founded Housing.com, a Mumbai-based real estate search portal, has been in the popular eye for his comments on competing businesses and other bigwigs like Zomato and Ola. His financial advice on ‘team work’ and wise equity sharing has not gone down well with the others.

He has also been in speculation for his failed investment deal with Sequoia Capital, a venture capital firm for start-ups and growing companies, but his most recent act is what caught everybody’s attention, the resignation letter. Rahul’s resignation letter to the Housing.com board was leaked on Twitter before he withdrew the same causing a chaos on social media about his intentions.

The budding brash entrepreneur answers all of these and many more questions in the AMA on Reddit. Here are a few interesting excerpts.

Question: Do you think investors your back your next startup after all the controversies?

Rahul: I think they will but it really doesn’t matter.

Question: What are the 3 most important things that contribute towards a startups’ success in the Indian startup ecosystem?

Rahul: I think currently it is:

1. Validated and copied idea from another market
2. Capital
3. Marketing

What I think it should actually be:

1. Solving Indian people’s problem
2. Great product and innovation.
3. Great teams and culture.

Question: Your opinion on Myntra going app only and shutting down their website. Do you think its a wise decision and why? Would you recommend new startups to focus more on their site or app?

Rahul: Key people’s focus in the company is very important, so its great that they have decided to go app only. Thumbs up for their bold decision.

 Question:  Is the zomato ceo really a d-bag

Rahul: I really don’t know him much but his sense of humour sucks.

Question: Do you think its required to be mean to make a startup successful? If yes Please share an instance you got mean for your startup?

Rahul: There are no rules! I play by the situation.

Question: How do you define success and how do you measure up to your own definition?

Rahul: Life’s purpose is to be happy! So if you are happy, you are successful in life.

Question: What are some startups you are personally following and love what they are doing ?

Rahul: Uber and Twitter, slick products solving big problems

Question: What was the deal with Sequoia Capital? For science, Can you tell us what ‘other bad things’ were you referring to in your email to the VC?

Rahul: We decided a slided deal between 10-15% (depending on performance)for 1mn$. After 2 months of due diligence, when they realised we were running out money, they said they want to do a flat equity deal. I said ‘Okay. Let’s do it at 12.5%. They said 14.75%. When I requested more, they said “Let’s not waste each others’ time.” We were left with no option. I came to know they have done it with lots of other ventures (TFS, Ola, Dexetra, LetsBuy..)

So to cut it short, I think they’re culturally a very cutthroat VC and sometimes I think that’s why they’re more successful than others. But I still condemn their practises because I feel they’re inhuman and for me, people are the ‘why’ for everything I do.

Question: What made you ask Bhavish of Ola and Deepinder of Zomato to ask them to allot half of their shares to employees?

Rahul: Success of a venture is a team work. Although all startups give ESOPs to their employees but the problem is it’s not PROPORTIONAL to the value creation. Value is being created at x rate and is being given to the employees at y rate. x not being equal/proportional to y is the real issue. So these two names came up in my mind and I just nominated them.

Question: Why ‘Look Up’ ?

Rahul: Because when you Look Up you only see people who are ahead of you in terms of greatness and achievements. No matter how much you have achieved in your life, the moment you Look Up, everything gets reset and you find yourself again at level 0.

Are his actions distracting employees? 

Rahul: Yes, it is distracting. But it’s actually fun if it’s there only for a few weeks. Beyond that, it’s really distracting and does not help.

Well even if VCs are looking the other way, Rahul’s guts has got his back at least for a while. You can access the full interview at

http://www.reddit.com/r/india/comments/36hezf/hi_im_rahul_yadav_ceo_of_housingcom_ama/

 

P.S: Rahul does NOT own a Porsche!

 

 

 

 

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