At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Rhythm Jain for an exclusive interview with us. Rhythm is an Investor, Director of Nanda Fincap, a financing arm of Nanda group of companies, Partner at Nanda Capital Holding, which is a family office of Nanda group of companies, where they have funded more than 12 startups in different domains with an investment of 50 crores. They are present in different sectors, which include food, Pharma, textile, real estate, Agri, finance, etc. Rhythm is also a Partner at PP Minerals and Co., a leading mining company in MP. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Rhythm:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
Coming from a Marwadi business family, my investing instincts were shaped early on, grounded in practicality, cash flow, and real business fundamentals over flashy stories. While I’ve learned from many incredible people along the way, my foundation in investing began at home. Those early lessons still guide how I evaluate ventures today: with clarity, caution, and conviction.
Across all three companies, I wear different hats — but my core focus remains identifying businesses with high future potential and the ability to maximise investment returns.
We actively look for startups that are either solving real, current problems or making people’s lives easier in meaningful ways. That’s the kind of value that lasts — and that’s what we believe will stand the test of time.
What essential elements do you consider prior to investing in a startup?
For me, it’s always about the founder first. I look past the pitch deck, focusing on the individual behind the concept. I consider:
1) Is the founder strong enough to endure challenges?
2) Do they understand their customers intimately?
3) Can they listen, adapt, and lead with a sense of humility?
Certainly, business fundamentals like market size, scalability, and unit economics are important. However, my belief is ultimately based on a clear vision and genuine intent.
I’ve witnessed exceptional ideas falter due to inadequate leadership, while mediocre ideas flourish under determined, down-to-earth founders.
We have experienced this firsthand — building steadily, executing with determination, and allowing our results to speak louder than our words.
That’s why we are attracted to founders who prioritise execution over chatter, substance over flashiness, and lasting influence over fleeting trends.
What is a single approach that you think has contributed to your development as both an individual and an investor?
Listening without judgment.
I’ve learnt from so many people in the ecosystem since we entered the investing space. One key lesson: listen to every story with a plain slate—no pre-decided notions, no carryover from the past.
This simple shift has always given me fresh perspectives and a 360-degree view of the field or startup we’re evaluating. It helps us ask better questions, understand deeper, and ultimately take better decisions.
I paid attention to my mentors, accomplished entrepreneurs, stakeholders, and various voices within the ecosystem. Each dialogue turned into a lesson, from tales of companies failing to the determination of those who bounced back.
As an investor, I never presume to have all the answers. I approach with understanding and curiosity, truly listening to grasp the underlying issues before suggesting any guidance or action.
Only after that do I provide the right assistance — whether it’s funding, strategic insight, opportunities for growth, valuable connections, or just clarity. Because at times, the most impactful thing you can give a founder isn’t a solution — it’s an opportunity to be listened to.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
1. Always invest in something you, even as a layman, can understand — or explain simply to someone else.
2. Kindness is underrated in business. People remember how you have behaved with them more than anything else
3. Have firm faith in what you do. Prayers do work, and tables turn.
In your view, which is more essential: a strong idea or an effective team for a successful startup?
Always the Founder & Always the Team.
A good idea in the hands of the wrong team is a dead asset. But the right team? They’ll evolve the idea, refine it, pivot when needed, or even have the courage to kill it and build something better.
Markets shift. Technology changes. Challenges will come. Only a strong, humble, and sharp team can navigate the storm and come out stronger.
That’s why I back humans, not hype. The best founders I’ve worked with didn’t just build companies — they built cultures. They surrounded themselves with people better than themselves, stayed grounded, and led with vision and values. That’s what endures.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
