Have you ever noticed that the Micromax mobile, which was once seen in the hands of people on every street corner, has suddenly disappeared? There was a time when Micromax used to be India’s number 1 mobile brand , and today it has become just a forgotten story. But the story behind this decline is as interesting and shocking as its success once was.
In the podcast ‘ Figuring Out with Raj Shamani ‘, Rahul Sharma has shared his entire journey, which includes Startup Advice, Personal Growth Insights and Honest Talks. Let’s know some selected things from his journey.
1. Childhood Dream
Rahul Sharma was interested in sports and wanted to do something different since childhood. He told how he dreamt of doing business instead of a conventional job and his friends also had the same thinking, which changed his mindset.
2. The Beginning of Micromax: From SAP to Smartphones
Micromax started as a software training company. But they changed direction in time and made a strong entry with phones with indigenous innovations like Dual SIM and Long Battery. Doing so was a bold move at that time, and that became the first step towards success.
3. ₹12,000 Crore Earnings and Akshay Kumar’s Branding
Micromax earned ₹12,000 crores in its golden time through aggressive marketing. Brand ambassador like Akshay Kumar and ads targeting the Indian customers made Micromax Relatable Aspirational.
4. The Downfall Started as Soon as the Supply Chain Broke
When other companies started manufacturing in China, Micromax started facing problems in component supply.
This directly affected innovation – and Micromax was not able to evolve at the speed that the market was demanding.
5. Price War and Loss of Brand Loyalty
Chinese brands launched ultra-low price phones — and a price war began .
Consumers’ loyalty level also dropped, and Micromax lost its old hold in marketing.
Rahul explains that as the mood of the market changes, the brand also has to change itself, otherwise the game gets out of hand.
6. Rahul Sharma’s Learnings and New Ventures
Today Rahul Sharma is exploring new ventures in the Electronics and AI space.
His biggest learning?
” Only those who know how to change survive in business. Learning should never stop. “
EducateKaro Insights:
- Startup Advice : Right people and right vision are more important than the product
- Marketing Matters : Branding is not just glamour, it determines your visibility
- Be Adaptable : The market changes rapidly – the entrepreneur has to be as flexible as water
- Failure ≠ End : Falling is necessary, but learning from it and moving forward is even more important