06/04/2026
Before building Fixderma into a Rs 1,500 crore skincare empire, founder Shaily Mehrotra had to navigate the tough reality of starting from scratch in Southeast Asia.
Speaking on a Startup Pedia podcast, she shared a humorous yet insightful story from her early days working for a French swimming pool company, a job she took purely out of necessity, even though it came with a massive 40% pay cut. Comparing her mindset back then to today’s workforce, she pointed out a clear shift.
“Generally, I see nowadays people come and ask for a 30% to 40% hike, but what value they are going to add to the company, there is no certainty about that. However, at that time, I took the job even though it came with a 40% salary cut,” she told Jameel Akhter, co-founder and host of Startup Pedia Podcast.
Source: Startupedia
