‪@Dezerv‬

"Why don't you have a look at my portfolio?"
It was mid-2020, and Sandeep Jethwani was getting an unusual number of calls from his friends. As he reviewed their portfolios, a startling realization dawned on him. These weren't just any portfolios - they belonged to accomplished professionals at the peak of their careers. Yet, they were shockingly mismanaged.
This 'aha moment' became the catalyst for Sandeep, Vaibhav, and Sahil to start Dezerv, which addresses a critical gap in the market for India’s affluent and emerging HNI investors. Today it is one of India’s fastest-growing wealth management platforms, with over ₹7,000 crore in client assets.
In this illuminating conversation with Vaas Bhaskar (Principal, Elevation Capital), Sandeep takes us through his journey of building a trusted financial services brand for India's affluent investors. Dezerv is leveraging specialized expertise, technology, and a superior client experience to solve a crucial problem: the underperformance of most high-net-worth portfolios.
From overcoming the wealth management industry’s ‘cold start’ problem to debunking the myth of 'dumbing down' finance for clients, Sandeep offers a masterclass in building a wealth management startup.
In this episode, you will gain insights on:
1. Evolution and whitespaces in India’s wealth management industry
2. Building trust in a digital-first environment
3. Dezerv’s early design choices and mistakes
4. Balancing multiple subcultures within the organization
5. The power of personal branding in business
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00:00 Coming Up
01:00 Introduction to Dezerv
02:10 Did Wealth Management Experience Help?
05:06 Understanding India’s Wealth Industry
08:04 Consumer Insights and Market Shifts
12:50 Building Trust in Digital Wealth Management
17:22 Defining Affluent Indians
21:00 Dezerv's Investment Solutions
24:32 Choosing the Right VC Partner
28:38 Decoding Dezerv’s Design Choices
33:35 Fundraising Experience
36:33 PMF Indicators
40:37 Tech and Product Evolution
45:09 Building a Strong Leadership Team
49:23 Managing Multiple Sub-cultures
56:43 Customer Acquisition Strategies
1:02:10 Reflecting on the Journey
1:09:34 Compliance and Governance
1:11:13 Building a Personal Brand
1:14:10 Future Vision for Dezerv
1:16:59 Day-to-Day Brand Building
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Our Socials
LinkedIn: / elevationcap
Instagram: / elevationcap
Twitter: x.com/ElevCap
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About Us
Early-stage venture capital firm. Proud partners of visionary founders. Never too early to get in touch with us.
Above. Beyond. Together.

[@souravnandi1923]

Very insightful conversation & love the focus on Customer first approach, supported by Technology!