Tanmay Bhat is apparently co-founder of half of Bengaluru’s startups. [zhDpdZE9LTn]
That’s the running joke on this podcast. But behind the humour is a serious business lesson. The host points out that almost everyone they meet in Bengaluru says the same thing. “Tanmay is our co-founder.” “He writes our ads.” “He handles our marketing.” The man is everywhere. Someone even jokes that he’s “franchising the founder.” Five active projects with just one of the people on this podcast. Co-founder credits across dozens of companies. Ads and marketing for startups across the city. This isn’t just networking. This is what happens when one person becomes the go-to creative brain for an entire startup ecosystem. Why Tanmay’s model works: He doesn’t just take endorsement fees. He takes equity and co-founder roles. He adds genuine creative value, not just his name. Startups get world-class marketing without hiring a full agency. He gets upside in multiple companies simultaneously. One person. Multiple bets. Diversified founder risk. What founders can learn from this: Your skill can be your equity. You don’t always need money to become a co-founder. Being genuinely useful to enough people creates opportunities money can’t buy. The best deal isn’t always cash. Sometimes it’s a stake in something growing. Becoming “the person everyone calls” is the ultimate career moat. Tanmay didn’t franchise himself on purpose. He just became so useful that everyone wanted him on their team. Be so good that startups fight to make you their co-founder. #IndiaFounder #TanmayBhat #Bengaluru #CoFounder #CreatorEconomy