Munmun Desai

Munmun Desai

Co-Founder FOLO
45 points

Forums

How I spent ten years on 18 projects to understand the fundamental rule of startups

My journey in startups began 10 years ago, and I've launched 18 startups, most of which failed. Briefly on why they failed:
1. Contract Online my first startup in 2015, which was supposed to be an online service for remote signing of contracts for any transactions between individuals. A kind of analogue of a secure transaction. For this startup, I even managed to attract a business angel who invested $16,500.

Reason for failure: I had two lawyers on my team who discovered in the process that the legal framework at the time could not provide reliable grounds for protecting our users in remote transactions. The contracts would not have been considered legally signed.
2. Natural Products In 2015-2018, I became very passionate about healthy eating, but in the process, I discovered that products in all chain stores are full of chemicals, and stores with truly natural products are inaccessible to the majority. Hence, the idea emerged to create my own online platform where you could order natural products directly from farmers at affordable prices.

Reason for failure: For several years, I tried to launch this project, even trained as a baker of natural bread and tried to create my own farm, but in the process, I found that few people are willing to pay for truly natural products, even if these products were only 20-30% more expensive than market prices, and not 2-3 times more, as in premium stores. Hence, the market was so small that all my attempts were doomed.

Munmun Desai

2mo ago

hello everyone

I am Munmun Desai from India. New to Product Hunt and excited to learn from incredible founders, makers, and early adopters. Grateful to be part of a community that truly celebrates genuine, purpose-driven products.

We ll be launching on this amazing platform soon can t wait to share our journey with you all!

Nika

2mo ago

What apps/technology were the most effective in acquiring a new foreign language?

I have been using Duolingo for almost 3 years to learn a language, but I don't know anything at all.

Of course, I have some basic vocabulary from the vocabulary words, but it's not conversational level. I'm currently considering buying textbooks and workbooks.

Vishal Purohit

2mo ago

We built FOLO to help people see their money clearly!

Hey Hunters, I m Vishal, Co-founder of FOLO and this is a deeply personal build.

Every year, like most of us, I d sit down with an Excel sheet pulling data from my bank, demat account, mutual funds, loans, and real estate trying to figure out where I actually stand financially.

It was always the same: confusing, fragmented, and outdated the moment I finished it. We realized the problem wasn t the numbers.
The problem was disorganization.

Would you pay more for a product with great support?

Most people think users choose products based on features or price. In reality, support decides who stays.

A cheaper tool becomes expensive fast when every issue turns into a ticket nightmare. Meanwhile, teams keep paying more for products that solve problems and support them when it matters.

Support is not a cost. It is part of the product experience. Fast replies build trust. Clear answers reduce churn. Companies that treat support as a growth lever win.

I really wonder these questions

Nika

3mo ago

Founders: what is your favourite channel for growing your audience?

I m pretty sure most founders grow mainly on Twitter. Or LinkedIn.

But I ve realised it really depends on what kind of product you ve built.

If you re a fashion-focused founder, you probably grew up on Instagram or Pinterest.

Do TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube Shorts actually bring users to your app?

Everywhere you look, experts are saying:

Founders are getting hundreds of thousands of users from TikTok/IG Reels/Shorts.

Would you pay more for a product with great support?

Most people think users choose products based on features or price. In reality, support decides who stays.

A cheaper tool becomes expensive fast when every issue turns into a ticket nightmare. Meanwhile, teams keep paying more for products that solve problems and support them when it matters.

Support is not a cost. It is part of the product experience. Fast replies build trust. Clear answers reduce churn. Companies that treat support as a growth lever win.

I really wonder these questions

Nika

3mo ago

How much money would you be willing to spend from your own savings to start a business?

Are you the kind of person who believes in your dream enough to burn through most of your savings on it?

For millionaires, this might not be a big deal, but what about people with a typical 9 5 job? I see how much a solid marketing campaign costs on just one platform (often the monthly expense is equal to at least a full year s salary).

The day before yesterday, a friend told me he and his wife are closing their restaurant, which they opened just six months ago. They had taken a loan for it, which makes it even worse.