# Sumit Kasardekar > Sumit Kasardekar, founder of The Harsmit Ventures in Ahmedabad, connects businesses with the right partners for payments, loans, insurance, ERP and AI. Website: https://sumitkasardekar.com Location: Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India Index: https://sumitkasardekar.com/llms.txt Views on this site are personal and are not investment, legal or tax advice. ## About Sumit Kasardekar URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/about ### I've spent my career in sales. My interest goes well beyond the sale. I'm Sumit Kasardekar, founder of The Harsmit Ventures in Ahmedabad. I help growing businesses find the right partners for payments, finance and technology. Over 15 years, I've worked across telecom, FinTech, payments and business technology. My roles have involved business development, sales teams, banking alliances and conversations with businesses trying to find the right solution. Moving between these industries has kept me learning. The products change, the customers change and the way decisions are made changes too. Understanding those differences has been an important part of my work. Over time, my interest has grown beyond the immediate sales conversation. I'm curious about how businesses make money, how partnerships come together and why some ideas find customers while others struggle. For the last three years, I've also been actively involved in the startup and business community. Conferences, exhibitions, founder meetups and business networks have become a regular part of my life. I enjoy being around people with different experiences and hearing what they're seeing on the ground. Alongside this, I'm building The Harsmit Ventures, bringing together my interests in financial solutions, business technology and practical applications of AI. I created this website to bring these parts of my journey together. You'll find my thoughts on sales, partnerships, technology and business, along with experiences from the communities and events I'm part of. I'm sharing what I know, what I'm learning and the questions I'm still thinking about. ### Where my experience sits - **Sales & business development**: Building pipelines, leading sales conversations and understanding how customers decide. - **Partnerships & banking alliances**: Bringing organisations together around a shared commercial reason to work with each other. - **FinTech & payments**: Payments and financial products from the perspective of the businesses that use them. - **Business technology & SaaS**: Business software, enterprise solutions and, increasingly, practical uses of AI. ### Beyond the job title I like getting to know the person behind the designation. What are they building? What has their experience taught them? What are they trying to figure out next? Those are the conversations I enjoy. I follow developments in Indian business, technology and the wider economy, especially when I can connect them to what businesses are experiencing in practice. I also enjoy bringing people together when there's a useful reason for them to meet. ### Speaker bio URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/speaking Sumit Kasardekar is the founder of The Harsmit Ventures (THV), which he started in Ahmedabad on 1 September 2025. THV helps businesses find the right partners for payments, insurance, lending, business software and practical AI, and works with 70+ partners. Before THV, Sumit spent 15 years in sales, business development and partnerships at companies including Vodafone, BharatPe, SabPaisa and PhiCommerce. He led a team that activated 12,000+ merchants in 7 months at BharatPe and closed ₹4.5 Cr+ in ERP software deals over two years at Pushpam. Sumit is City Lead & Host for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad, a member of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, a Prime member of Local Vocal Business and part of the VIBES network. Away from work, he plays golf at Kalhaar Blues & Greens. ## The Harsmit Ventures story URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/the-harsmit-ventures THV website: https://www.theharsmitventures.com/ ### It started with a few phone calls. After 15 years in corporate sales, partnerships and FinTech, I founded The Harsmit Ventures on 1 September 2025. It didn't begin with a business plan. It began with people calling me for help, and me realising I could build something around it. - 2025: Founded on 1 September - 70+: Partners, as of November 2026 - 15+: Years in sales and FinTech before THV - #1: Google result for "Harsmit" ### September 2025: The calls started Within a week of setting out, I had several calls from businesses asking about payment gateways. People knew me as an ex-FinTech person, so they came to me. I passed every one of those leads to former colleagues and CEOs at the companies I had worked with. ### September 2025: The click Then it struck me. I was already creating value for others and taking nothing back. If businesses were coming to me anyway, I could help them properly and build something of my own. That's when consulting clicked. ### Late 2025: First partners: Cashfree and Razorpay I started with the two payment gateway companies I knew best, Cashfree and Razorpay. It was a pure affiliate model: I brought merchants to them and earned a commission. Small and simple, but a real start. ### Late 2025: Beyond payments I have always loved FinTech, payments from around the world and getting hands-on with the products. Insurance and loans were close to me personally, so they came next. From there, each new service was added because businesses kept asking for it. ### Jan to Feb 2026: Going full-fledged THV started operating full-time in early 2026, and revenue has come in since then. We aren't where we want to be yet, but we are growing slowly and steadily, month after month. ### November 2026: 70+ partners and counting Today THV works with 70+ partners and has collaborated with a number of companies. We have hosted events across Ahmedabad, THV is recognised in the city's startup ecosystem, and it is the top Google result for "Harsmit". The work is starting to become measurable. > I was already passing the leads on for free. I thought, I should build something out of this. > > Sumit, on how THV began ### What THV works on - **Financial solutions**: Payments, payouts, lending and insurance options that fit the business. - **Business software**: ERP, CRM, HRMS and SAP that match how a company actually works. - **Practical AI**: Voice agents, WhatsApp assistants and automation where they save real time. THV is still early. What hasn't changed since that first week is why it exists: helping businesses find the right partner and the right solution, and being genuinely useful to the people who reach out. ## Insights ### UPI now has a merchant fee. What the October 2026 change means for your business URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/upi-mdr-october-2026-what-merchants-need-to-know Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Partnerships & payments *From 15 October 2026, larger UPI payments to merchants carry a 0.4% fee. Here is who pays, who is exempt, and what to check with your bank or payment partner.* Since January 2020, accepting UPI cost Indian merchants nothing. That changed on 15 October 2026, when a merchant discount rate (MDR) framework for UPI came into force. With UPI now handling more than 25 billion transactions a month (25.47 billion in October 2026, worth about ₹31.5 lakh crore, as per NPCI data), this is one of the biggest pricing changes in Indian payments in years. I've spent most of my career selling payments to merchants, from QR codes on shop counters at BharatPe to payment gateways and banking partnerships at SabPaisa and PhiCommerce. Here is the plain-language version of what changed. ### What changed on 15 October 2026 - **Person-to-merchant (P2M) UPI payments above ₹2,000** now carry an MDR of **0.4%**, paid by the merchant. - **Payments of ₹2,000 or less** remain free. - The fee is **capped at ₹300** per transaction, which applies from ₹75,000 upwards. - **Essential categories** such as railways, telecom, insurance, fuel and utility bills pay a **flat ₹5** on payments above ₹2,000. - **Capital markets** (mutual funds, brokers) pay **0.02%**, capped at ₹300. - **Person-to-person transfers stay free.** A quick example: a ₹3,000 bill costs the merchant ₹12, a ₹50,000 invoice costs ₹200, and anything from ₹75,000 upwards costs ₹300. ### Who is exempt Small merchants and street vendors whose inward UPI receipts are **up to ₹1 lakh a month** stay at zero MDR. This is a receipts test, not a turnover test. If a merchant receives more than ₹1 lakh a month for three months in a row, they move into the regular P2M category. ### Can you pass it on to customers? No. The framework says merchants should not add the MDR to the customer's bill. Price your products knowing this is now a cost of doing business, the same way you already treat card charges. ### Where the money goes The 0.4% is split across the system: most of it goes to the customer's bank, a small share to the UPI app and the acquiring bank. A share of collections is also set aside to support UPI adoption among small merchants. The thinking is simple: running UPI costs banks thousands of crores a year, and a self-sustaining model pays for better uptime and security. ### What I would do this month as a business owner 1. **Ask your bank or payment partner for your new rate card in writing.** Confirm which category you fall in. 2. **Check your average ticket size.** If most of your UPI payments are under ₹2,000, very little changes for you. 3. **Compare UPI with your other modes** for large tickets. For B2B invoices, net banking or NEFT may now be cheaper than UPI. 4. **Review your settlement and reconciliation.** Make sure the MDR shows up clearly in your statements so your accounts team can match it. 5. **Don't panic and switch customers back to cash.** At 0.4% with a ₹300 cap, UPI is still cheaper than most card payments and far cheaper than the hidden cost of handling cash. > UPI is still one of the cheapest ways in the world to get paid. The change asks larger merchants to pay a small share of what it costs to run. If you're not sure how this affects your business, or you want to compare payment partners, I'm happy to help you think it through. *Sources: NPCI monthly UPI statistics; public reporting on the UPI MDR framework announced in September 2026. Rates can differ by category, so confirm your exact pricing with your acquiring bank or payment aggregator.* **Related reading:** [RBI's payment aggregator rules, explained for merchants](/insights/rbi-payment-aggregator-rules-explained-for-merchants), [How to choose a payment gateway: a 12-point checklist for Indian businesses](/insights/how-to-choose-a-payment-gateway-checklist) and [Why online payments fail, and what it quietly costs your business](/insights/why-online-payments-fail-and-what-it-costs). ### RBI's payment aggregator rules, explained for merchants URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/rbi-payment-aggregator-rules-explained-for-merchants Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Partnerships & payments *In September 2025 the RBI brought all its payment aggregator rules into one Master Direction. Here is what it means for the businesses that use them.* If you collect payments online or at a counter through a company like Razorpay, Cashfree, PayU or SabPaisa, you are using a **payment aggregator (PA)**. In September 2025 the Reserve Bank of India issued the **Regulation of Payment Aggregators Directions, 2025**, which brought together every PA rule issued since 2020 into one framework. Most merchants never read these rules. They should know what they mean, because they decide how quickly you get your money, what documents you are asked for, and how safe your funds are while in transit. ### 1. Your payment partner must be authorised by RBI Non-bank payment aggregators need explicit authorisation from the RBI. Before you sign up, **check that your provider is on the RBI's list of authorised payment aggregators** (or is in the approval process). This is the single most important question to ask. ### 2. KYC is not a formality any more PAs must do proper KYC and due diligence on every merchant, in line with RBI's KYC directions. Expect to share business registration, PAN, bank account proof, website or store details and beneficial owner information. Existing merchants have also been asked to complete updated KYC. If your PA asks for documents, respond quickly: incomplete KYC is now one of the most common reasons for held settlements. ### 3. Your money sits in an escrow account Customer payments collected by a non-bank PA go into an **escrow account with a bank**, not into the PA's own account. Money can leave escrow only for permitted purposes such as settling merchants and processing refunds. This protects you if the PA runs into trouble. ### 4. Settlement has to be time-bound The rules require PAs to settle funds to merchants within defined time limits. When you compare providers, look at the actual settlement cycle they offer you (T+1, T+2 or instant) and what it costs. ### 5. Card data stays protected PAs and merchants cannot store full card numbers. That is why cards are tokenised today and you see saved cards as tokens. If any vendor asks you to store raw card details, walk away. ### What this means for you > A regulated payment partner is slower to onboard you and safer to stay with. That trade-off is worth it. - **Choose authorised partners only**, and keep a copy of your agreement and rate card. - **Keep your KYC current.** Update the PA when your bank account, directors or business address change. - **Ask about settlement, refunds and chargebacks** before you sign, not after a dispute. - **Read your monthly statement.** Reconcile settlements against orders every week. I spent years building banking and enterprise partnerships for payment companies. If you'd like a second opinion on a payment partner or contract, send me a note. *Source: Reserve Bank of India, Regulation of Payment Aggregators Directions, 2025 (15 September 2025). This article is a simplified summary, not legal advice. Check the RBI's website for the full text and the latest list of authorised payment aggregators.* **Related reading:** [UPI now has a merchant fee. What the October 2026 change means for your business](/insights/upi-mdr-october-2026-what-merchants-need-to-know), [How to choose a payment gateway: a 12-point checklist for Indian businesses](/insights/how-to-choose-a-payment-gateway-checklist) and [Getting a yes from banks: what I learned building banking alliances](/insights/how-to-build-partnerships-with-banks). ### How to choose a payment gateway: a 12-point checklist for Indian businesses URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/how-to-choose-a-payment-gateway-checklist Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Partnerships & payments *Pricing is only one line on the list. After years of selling payment gateways, these are the 12 questions I would ask before signing with any provider.* Most businesses choose a payment gateway the way they choose a mobile plan: whoever offers the lowest headline rate. Having sold payment solutions at BharatPe, SabPaisa and PhiCommerce, I can tell you the headline rate is rarely what decides whether a gateway works for you. Here is the checklist I would use. ### Cost 1. **What is the full rate card?** Ask for UPI, debit cards, credit cards (domestic and international), net banking, wallets, EMI and Pay Later separately. Ask about setup fees, annual fees and minimum commitments. 2. **What do refunds and chargebacks cost?** Some providers charge for refunds or keep the original fee. 3. **Are there hidden charges?** GST on fees, settlement charges, instant settlement fees and currency conversion margins add up. ### Money flow 4. **What is the settlement cycle?** T+1, T+2 or instant. Faster settlement can matter more than a 0.2% rate difference for a business with tight working capital. 5. **How are failed and pending payments handled?** Ask about auto-reversal timelines and how customers are informed. ### Performance 6. **What are the success rates by payment method?** Ask for UPI and card success rates for businesses like yours. A 3% difference in success rate can cost more than any fee. 7. **Is there smart routing or retry?** Good gateways route a payment through a backup bank when one is down. ### Compliance and safety 8. **Is the provider RBI-authorised as a payment aggregator?** Non-negotiable. 9. **How do they handle KYC and documentation?** A clear, fast onboarding process saves weeks. ### Fit for your business 10. **Does it integrate with what you use?** Your website platform, billing software, ERP or accounting tool. Ask for ready plug-ins. 11. **Do they support the features you need?** Subscriptions and auto-debit (e-mandates), payment links, QR codes, payouts to vendors, split settlements for marketplaces. 12. **Who do you call when it breaks?** A named account manager, a phone number and a response time in writing. In payments, support quality is everything. > The cheapest gateway is the one that collects the most money with the fewest problems, not the one with the lowest rate. ### One more tip Don't put all your volume on one provider if you're growing fast. Many larger merchants use two gateways: one primary and one backup. It costs a little more effort and saves you when an outage hits on your busiest day. If you want help comparing gateways for your business, I'm happy to look at your requirements with you. **Related reading:** [Why online payments fail, and what it quietly costs your business](/insights/why-online-payments-fail-and-what-it-costs), [UPI now has a merchant fee. What the October 2026 change means for your business](/insights/upi-mdr-october-2026-what-merchants-need-to-know) and [RBI's payment aggregator rules, explained for merchants](/insights/rbi-payment-aggregator-rules-explained-for-merchants). ### A week of phone calls that turned into a venture URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/a-week-of-phone-calls-that-started-thv Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Building THV *Within a week of setting out on my own, businesses started calling me about payment gateways. How passing on leads for free became The Harsmit Ventures.* I founded The Harsmit Ventures on 1 September 2025. I didn't start with a pitch deck or a five-year plan. I started with my phone ringing. Within a week, I had several calls from businesses asking about payment gateways. People knew me as an ex-FinTech person, so they came to me with their questions. I did what felt natural: I passed every one of those leads to former colleagues and CEOs at the companies I had worked with. ### The moment it clicked After a few of these, I stopped and thought about it. I was already creating value for other people, and taking nothing back. If businesses were coming to me anyway, I could help them properly, and build something of my own at the same time. > I was already passing the leads on for free. I thought, I should build something out of this. ### Starting small, with what I knew I began with the two payment gateway companies I knew best, Cashfree and Razorpay. It was a pure affiliate model: I brought merchants to them and earned a commission. Small and simple, but real. Insurance and loans came next, because they were close to me personally. After that, each new service was added for one reason: businesses kept asking for it. ### Where THV is today THV started operating full-time in early 2026, and revenue has come in since then. As of November 2026 we work with 70+ partners, we've hosted events in Ahmedabad, and we're recognised in the city's startup ecosystem. We aren't where we want to be yet, but we're growing steadily. If there's one thing I'd tell anyone thinking about starting something: look at what people already ask you for. That's often the business. **Related reading:** [From a Vodafone store to FinTech: 10 sales lessons from 15 years](/insights/from-vodafone-store-to-fintech-sales-lessons), [Why I spend so many evenings in rooms full of founders](/insights/why-i-spend-my-evenings-in-rooms-full-of-founders) and [How to choose a payment gateway: a 12-point checklist for Indian businesses](/insights/how-to-choose-a-payment-gateway-checklist). ### Why online payments fail, and what it quietly costs your business URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/why-online-payments-fail-and-what-it-costs Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Partnerships & payments *Every failed payment is a customer who wanted to pay you. Here is why payments fail in India and the simple fixes that recover lost revenue.* When businesses compare payment providers, they argue about a few basis points of fees. Very few look at the number that often matters more: **how many payments fail**. A customer who reaches your payment page has already decided to buy. If the payment fails, a good share of them never come back. If even 5 in 100 payments fail, you are losing revenue that no discount can recover. ### Why payments fail - **Bank downtime.** The customer's bank or the issuing bank's systems are slow or down, especially at peak hours and month ends. - **Wrong details or authentication drop-offs.** Wrong UPI PIN, OTP not received, or the customer closes the app halfway. - **Limits.** Daily UPI limits, card limits or insufficient balance. - **Timeouts.** The payment is debited but the confirmation doesn't reach you in time, so it shows as failed or pending. - **Risk checks.** Fraud rules block genuine payments that look unusual, such as a large first order. ### What it costs The visible cost is the lost sale. The hidden costs are support calls, refunds for debited-but-failed payments, and customers who lose trust in your checkout. > A 1% improvement in payment success rate is often worth more than a 0.1% reduction in fees. ### Simple fixes 1. **Measure it.** Ask your payment partner for success rates by method (UPI, cards, net banking) every month. 2. **Offer the right methods.** UPI for small tickets, cards and EMI for larger ones, net banking for B2B. 3. **Use routing and retries.** Gateways with smart routing send payments through a healthy bank when one is down. 4. **Make retry easy.** Show a clear "try another method" option instead of a dead end. 5. **Handle pending payments properly.** Don't cancel orders that are pending; wait for the final status or auto-reversal. 6. **Keep a backup gateway** if your volumes are high. 7. **Talk to your provider.** Many success-rate problems are configuration issues they can fix in a day. In my years selling payments, the merchants who grew fastest were rarely the ones who negotiated the lowest rate. They were the ones who watched their success rates every week. **Related reading:** [How to choose a payment gateway: a 12-point checklist for Indian businesses](/insights/how-to-choose-a-payment-gateway-checklist), [UPI now has a merchant fee. What the October 2026 change means for your business](/insights/upi-mdr-october-2026-what-merchants-need-to-know) and [What 12,000+ merchants taught me about selling FinTech](/insights/what-12000-merchants-taught-me-about-selling-fintech). ### Business insurance for MSMEs: 7 questions owners forget to ask URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/business-insurance-questions-msme-owners-forget Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Startups & SMEs *Most small businesses are under-insured until something goes wrong. These are the questions I ask business owners before they buy or renew a policy.* Insurance is one of the areas I care about most at The Harsmit Ventures, partly because it is one of the most misunderstood. Most MSME owners buy a policy because a bank asked for it, renew it without reading it, and discover the gaps only when they make a claim. Before you buy or renew, ask these seven questions. ### 1. Is my stock and property insured for what it would cost to replace today? Under-insurance is common. If your factory, machinery or stock is insured for less than its real value, a claim can be reduced proportionately. Review the sum insured every year, especially after you add machines or stock. ### 2. What happens if my business stops for three months? A fire or flood doesn't only damage property; it stops income while fixed costs continue. **Business interruption** (loss of profit) cover pays for that gap. Very few small businesses have it. ### 3. Am I covered if someone gets hurt or a product causes damage? **Public liability** and **product liability** cover claims from customers and third parties. If you manufacture, export or run a space where visitors come in, ask about these. ### 4. Are my employees covered? **Group health insurance** is now one of the strongest tools for hiring and keeping good people. **Employee compensation** cover protects you if a worker is injured on the job. ### 5. Is my goods in transit covered? If you ship goods to customers or receive raw material, **marine or transit insurance** covers damage and theft on the way. ### 6. What about cyber risk? If you collect payments online or store customer data, a **cyber policy** can cover fraud, data breaches and the cost of recovery. It is affordable and increasingly relevant. ### 7. What exactly is excluded, and how do I claim? Read the exclusions. Ask your advisor how a claim works, which documents you will need and how long it usually takes. > The right time to understand your policy is when you buy it, not when you need it. ### A simple habit Once a year, sit down for an hour with your advisor and review every policy against what your business looks like today. If you'd like a neutral second look at your coverage, THV can help you compare options from different insurers. *This article is general information, not advice for a specific policy. Coverage, terms and exclusions vary by insurer.* **Related reading:** [Working capital without the stress: how small businesses should think about loans](/insights/working-capital-loans-for-small-businesses), [Before you sign an ERP contract: lessons from ₹4.5 Cr+ of ERP deals](/insights/before-you-sign-an-erp-contract) and [Practical AI for small businesses: five places it saves real time today](/insights/practical-ai-for-small-businesses). ### Working capital without the stress: how small businesses should think about loans URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/working-capital-loans-for-small-businesses Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Startups & SMEs *The right loan at the right time can grow a business. The wrong one can choke it. A practical guide to working capital options for Indian MSMEs.* Almost every growing business runs into the same problem: sales are growing, but cash isn't keeping up. Customers pay in 60 days, suppliers want payment in 30, and payroll comes every month. Loans and credit lines are one of the services businesses ask THV about most. Here is how I suggest owners think about them. ### Start with the purpose Match the loan to the need: - **Short-term gaps** (inventory, payroll, seasonal demand): an **overdraft or cash credit** limit, or a short working capital loan. - **Waiting for customer payments:** **invoice discounting**, including platforms under the RBI's TReDS system for MSMEs selling to larger buyers. - **Buying machines or equipment:** an **equipment or term loan**, repaid over the asset's useful life. - **Expansion:** a term loan, ideally backed by a clear plan of how the new capacity will earn back the money. Using a long-term loan for a short-term gap, or the other way round, is one of the most common mistakes I see. ### Look beyond the interest rate Compare: 1. **Processing fees and charges.** 2. **Prepayment and foreclosure terms.** 3. **Collateral and personal guarantees required.** 4. **How quickly funds are disbursed.** 5. **Flexibility:** can you draw and repay as needed? ### Keep your house in order Lenders look at a few things again and again: GST returns filed on time, bank statements with healthy inflows, a clean credit score for the business and the promoters, and financial statements that match each other. A business that keeps this ready gets better offers and faster approvals. ### Explore government-backed options Schemes such as the credit guarantee programmes for micro and small enterprises can help businesses borrow without heavy collateral. Ask your bank which schemes you qualify for. > Borrow to grow, not to survive. If a loan only postpones a problem, fix the problem first. ### Before you sign Read the sanction letter fully, ask about every charge, and make sure the repayment schedule fits your cash cycle. If you want an independent view, THV helps businesses compare options from banks and NBFCs. *General information only. Loan terms depend on the lender and your business profile.* **Related reading:** [Business insurance for MSMEs: 7 questions owners forget to ask](/insights/business-insurance-questions-msme-owners-forget), [Getting a yes from banks: what I learned building banking alliances](/insights/how-to-build-partnerships-with-banks) and [Why online payments fail, and what it quietly costs your business](/insights/why-online-payments-fail-and-what-it-costs). ### Practical AI for small businesses: five places it saves real time today URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/practical-ai-for-small-businesses Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Technology, SaaS & AI *Forget the hype. These are five simple, affordable ways Indian businesses are already using AI to save hours every week.* Every event I attend now has at least one session on AI. Most of them are about the future. Business owners I meet want to know something simpler: **what can it do for me this month?** At The Harsmit Ventures, practical AI is one of our three focus areas, alongside financial solutions and business software. Here are five uses that work today for small and mid-sized businesses. ### 1. WhatsApp assistants for customer questions Most Indian customers would rather message than call. An AI assistant on WhatsApp can answer common questions (prices, timings, order status, documents needed) in English, Hindi or Gujarati, and hand over to a person when needed. ### 2. Voice agents for follow-ups and reminders Payment reminders, appointment confirmations and lead follow-ups take hours of calling. AI voice agents can make these calls, log the outcome and flag the ones that need a human. ### 3. Documents and data entry Reading invoices, purchase orders and bank statements and entering them into your accounting or ERP system is slow and error-prone. AI tools can extract the data and leave your team to check exceptions. ### 4. Sales and marketing drafts First drafts of proposals, product descriptions, social posts and email follow-ups. Your team edits; the blank page disappears. ### 5. Reports and summaries Daily sales summaries, collections status, or a summary of yesterday's customer complaints, generated automatically from your existing data. ### How to start without wasting money 1. **Pick one painful, repetitive task.** Not "AI strategy". 2. **Measure the time it takes today.** 3. **Run a small pilot for 30 days** with a clear success measure. 4. **Keep a human in the loop** for anything customer-facing or financial. 5. **Check data privacy:** where is your customer data stored, and who can see it? > The best AI project for a small business is boring, specific and pays back in weeks. If you have a task in mind and want to know whether AI can handle it, send me a note. Sometimes the honest answer is that a simple automation or a better process works better than AI. **Related reading:** [Before you sign an ERP contract: lessons from ₹4.5 Cr+ of ERP deals](/insights/before-you-sign-an-erp-contract), [Business insurance for MSMEs: 7 questions owners forget to ask](/insights/business-insurance-questions-msme-owners-forget) and [A week of phone calls that turned into a venture](/insights/a-week-of-phone-calls-that-started-thv). ### Before you sign an ERP contract: lessons from ₹4.5 Cr+ of ERP deals URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/before-you-sign-an-erp-contract Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Technology, SaaS & AI *I sold and implemented ERP for distributors across Gujarat and now work with SAP. These are the questions that decide whether an ERP project succeeds.* At Pushpam Computers & Software I sold and implemented ERP and mobile platforms for gas distributors, helped digitally enable 500+ distributors across rural and urban Gujarat, and closed ₹4.5 Cr+ in ERP deals over two years. Today I work with SAP Cloud and migration projects. Across all of it, I've seen ERP projects transform businesses, and I've seen them become expensive software nobody uses. The difference is usually decided before the contract is signed. ### 1. Start with your process, not the software Write down how orders, inventory, billing and collections actually flow in your business today. Then look for software that fits. Buying first and adjusting later is how projects run over budget. ### 2. Who will use it, and on what device? If your field team or distributors work on phones, mobile access isn't a nice-to-have. In my distributor projects, the mobile app was often what made adoption work. ### 3. What is the total cost over five years? Licences or subscriptions, implementation, customisation, training, support, upgrades and hardware. The first-year price is rarely the real price. ### 4. Who implements it, and have they done it for a business like yours? Ask for two references in your industry and call them. ### 5. How will your existing data move? Customer lists, item masters, opening balances and pending invoices. Data migration is often the most underestimated part of the project. ### 6. Does it handle Indian compliance? GST, e-invoicing, e-way bills and TDS should be built in and kept up to date. ### 7. What does support look like after go-live? The first three months after go-live decide adoption. Make sure support is available, local where possible, and fast. > An ERP is not an IT project. It's a business change project that happens to involve software. ### The one thing I'd insist on Name a strong internal owner for the project, someone who understands the business and has the authority to make decisions. Every successful ERP rollout I was part of had one. If you're evaluating an ERP or SAP, I'm happy to share what to watch for. **Related reading:** [Practical AI for small businesses: five places it saves real time today](/insights/practical-ai-for-small-businesses), [Working capital without the stress: how small businesses should think about loans](/insights/working-capital-loans-for-small-businesses) and [From a Vodafone store to FinTech: 10 sales lessons from 15 years](/insights/from-vodafone-store-to-fintech-sales-lessons). ### Getting a yes from banks: what I learned building banking alliances URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/how-to-build-partnerships-with-banks Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Partnerships & payments *At SabPaisa and PhiCommerce I built partnerships with PSU banks, private banks and government entities. Here is what actually moves a bank partnership forward.* For several years, a big part of my job was getting banks to say yes. At SabPaisa I led business development and banking alliances, and at PhiCommerce I built relationships with PSU and private banks and government entities for payment solutions. Bank partnerships can change the trajectory of a FinTech or a services company. They are also slow, layered and easy to get wrong. Here is what I learned. ### 1. Understand what the bank actually needs Banks don't partner because your product is exciting. They partner because it helps them **grow deposits, earn fee income, serve a customer segment better or meet a regulatory or government priority**. Lead with their goal, not your features. ### 2. Map the decision, not just the contact A bank decision usually involves the business head, product, IT, risk, compliance and legal. A great meeting with one senior person is a start, not a deal. Find out who signs off at each step. ### 3. Compliance is part of the product Information security audits, data localisation, RBI guidelines and the bank's own policies. Have your documentation ready before they ask. The partners who make compliance easy move faster. ### 4. Start small and prove it A pilot with one branch, one region or one product is far easier to approve than a nationwide rollout. Deliver on the pilot and the next phase sells itself. ### 5. Be patient and consistent Bank cycles are long. Regular, useful follow-ups (a case study, a regulatory update, a result from another partner) keep you in the conversation without being a nuisance. > In banking partnerships, trust is built in small promises kept over a long time. ### 6. Make both sides look good The best partnerships I worked on were ones where the bank team could take a clear win to their management. If your partner looks good internally, they will fight for you. These lessons now shape how THV works with its 70+ partners. If you're trying to build a bank or enterprise partnership, I'm always open to a conversation. **Related reading:** [RBI's payment aggregator rules, explained for merchants](/insights/rbi-payment-aggregator-rules-explained-for-merchants), [What 12,000+ merchants taught me about selling FinTech](/insights/what-12000-merchants-taught-me-about-selling-fintech) and [Working capital without the stress: how small businesses should think about loans](/insights/working-capital-loans-for-small-businesses). ### From a Vodafone store to FinTech: 10 sales lessons from 15 years URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/from-vodafone-store-to-fintech-sales-lessons Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Sales & customers *I started in 2011 setting up in-store displays for Vodafone. Fifteen years later, these are the sales lessons that held true across telecom, retail, ERP and FinTech.* My sales career started in March 2011 as a Sales Executive in modern trade retail at Vodafone in Ahmedabad, setting up in-store displays and helping customers choose prepaid and postpaid plans. Since then I've sold through channels at Kochar Tech, ERP at Pushpam, merchant payments at BharatPe, payment solutions and banking alliances at SabPaisa and PhiCommerce, and SAP at Zieta Technologies. The products changed completely. These ten lessons didn't. ### 1. Listen more than you pitch The customer at a Vodafone counter and the CXO in an SAP meeting both want the same thing: to be understood first. ### 2. Sell the outcome, not the product Nobody wants a payment gateway. They want to get paid faster with fewer problems. ### 3. Channels multiply you At Vodafone, opening 10+ new MBO and large-format retail partnerships in Gujarat did more for postpaid activations than any individual effort. Find the partners who already reach your customers. ### 4. Your team is the strategy At BharatPe I led a 90+ member field team that activated 12,000+ merchants in seven months. That happened because the team was trained, motivated and clear on what good looked like. ### 5. The second sale is easier than the first Cross-selling to happy customers grew monthly revenue by 18% in one of my roles. Look after existing customers before chasing new ones. ### 6. Make it simple to say yes Clear pricing, short forms, fast onboarding. Every extra step loses customers. ### 7. Know the product better than the customer expects In ERP and payments, credibility comes from answering the third, more technical question confidently. ### 8. Follow up, then follow up again Most deals are won in the follow-ups, not the first meeting. ### 9. Relationships outlast jobs Former customers, colleagues and partners became the first callers when I started The Harsmit Ventures. ### 10. Be honest when you're not the right fit Saying "this isn't right for you" builds more trust than any closing technique. > Good business development isn't just about selling. It's about understanding the problem, asking the right questions, building trust and finding the right fit for both sides. If you're early in your sales career and want to talk, reach out. Someone did the same for me. **Related reading:** [What 12,000+ merchants taught me about selling FinTech](/insights/what-12000-merchants-taught-me-about-selling-fintech), [Getting a yes from banks: what I learned building banking alliances](/insights/how-to-build-partnerships-with-banks) and [A week of phone calls that turned into a venture](/insights/a-week-of-phone-calls-that-started-thv). ### What 12,000+ merchants taught me about selling FinTech URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/what-12000-merchants-taught-me-about-selling-fintech Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Partnerships & payments *Leading a team that activated 12,000+ merchants in 7 months at BharatPe, and 15 years of selling payments, insurance and software, taught me a few things about how businesses really decide.* At BharatPe, I led a team that activated 12,000+ merchants in 7 months. Before and after that, I spent years selling telecom, payments, insurance and ERP software across Gujarat. A few lessons have stayed with me. ### 1. Merchants buy trust before they buy features A shop owner rarely compares feature lists. They want to know who to call when something goes wrong, and whether that person will pick up. ### 2. Speak in their numbers Settlement time, charges per transaction, what it costs when a payment fails. When the conversation is about their money rather than our product, decisions get faster. ### 3. Partnerships scale what one person can't Some of my best growth came from partners: OEMs, service centres, banks and channel partners. The partnerships that lasted were the ones where both sides clearly gained. These are the same principles I use at The Harsmit Ventures today, when helping businesses choose payments, insurance, lending and software partners. **Related reading:** [From a Vodafone store to FinTech: 10 sales lessons from 15 years](/insights/from-vodafone-store-to-fintech-sales-lessons), [Why online payments fail, and what it quietly costs your business](/insights/why-online-payments-fail-and-what-it-costs) and [Getting a yes from banks: what I learned building banking alliances](/insights/how-to-build-partnerships-with-banks). ### Why I spend so many evenings in rooms full of founders URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/insights/why-i-spend-my-evenings-in-rooms-full-of-founders Published: 2026-11-11 Category: Events & community *Summits, expos, chambers of commerce and founder meetups. Why I keep showing up, and what I listen for when I do.* Over the last few years I've spent a lot of time at startup meetups, business gatherings, conferences and exhibitions. In 2026 alone that has meant IIMA Ventures Summit, TiECon Ahmedabad, Global Fintech Fest, Investopia, chamber events and many smaller founder evenings. People sometimes ask why. The honest answer is that I enjoy meeting people who are building something. ### What I listen for Hearing what people are working on, where they're stuck and how they see the market often gives me a perspective I wouldn't find on my own. A founder's offhand comment about a payments problem, or a factory owner's frustration with their software, tells me more about the market than any report. ### Rooms become relationships Many of THV's partnerships started as a conversation at an event. That's also why I host: as City Lead & Host for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad, and as a host for eChai Ventures' Open House. Bringing the right people into one room is one of the most useful things you can do for a city's business community. If you're organising something in Ahmedabad or Gujarat and think I'd be useful in the room, I'd love to hear about it. **Related reading:** [A week of phone calls that turned into a venture](/insights/a-week-of-phone-calls-that-started-thv), [What 12,000+ merchants taught me about selling FinTech](/insights/what-12000-merchants-taught-me-about-selling-fintech) and [Practical AI for small businesses: five places it saves real time today](/insights/practical-ai-for-small-businesses). ## Frequently asked questions ### Home page URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com **Q: Who is Sumit Kasardekar?** Sumit Kasardekar is an Ahmedabad-based business development and partnerships professional and the founder of The Harsmit Ventures. He has spent 15 years in sales, FinTech and partnerships across telecom, payments and business technology, at companies including Vodafone, BharatPe, SabPaisa and PhiCommerce. Today he helps growing businesses find the right partners for payments, insurance, loans, business software and practical AI. **Q: What does The Harsmit Ventures do?** The Harsmit Ventures (THV) helps businesses understand their options and find solutions that fit. It works across three areas: financial solutions such as payments, payouts, lending and insurance; business software such as ERP, CRM, HRMS and SAP; and practical AI such as voice agents, WhatsApp assistants and automation. Sumit Kasardekar founded THV in Ahmedabad on 1 September 2025. **Q: Who does Sumit work with?** Sumit works with three kinds of people. Business owners and MSMEs looking for payments, insurance, loans, software or AI that fit how they work. Founders and startups who want to set up payments right and meet the right people in Gujarat's ecosystem. And banks, FinTechs and enterprises looking for distribution, merchant reach and partnerships across Gujarat. **Q: How can I get in touch with Sumit?** The simplest way is the form on the Let's talk page. Choose what your note is about, such as a partnership, an event invitation, an interview or a business introduction, and add a little context about you and what you have in mind. Sumit reads every message himself and replies when he can. **Q: Is the content on this site investment advice?** No. The insights, guides and regulation summaries on this site are Sumit's personal views and plain-English explanations. They are not investment, legal, tax or other professional advice. For decisions that affect your money or compliance, read the official sources and speak to a qualified adviser such as your CA, CS or lawyer. ### About URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/about **Q: What is Sumit Kasardekar's background?** Sumit has 15 years of experience in sales, business development and partnerships across telecom, FinTech, payments and business technology. He has worked at companies including Vodafone, BharatPe, SabPaisa, PhiCommerce and Pushpam. At BharatPe he led a team that activated 12,000+ merchants in 7 months, and at Pushpam he closed ₹4.5 Cr+ in ERP software deals over two years. **Q: Where is Sumit Kasardekar based?** Sumit is based in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India. He is closely involved in the city's startup and business community and regularly attends summits, expos, chambers of commerce and founder meetups across Gujarat. He is City Lead and Host for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad and a member of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry. **Q: What are Sumit's areas of expertise?** Sumit's experience sits in four areas: sales and business development, partnerships and banking alliances, FinTech and payments, and business technology and SaaS. He looks at payments and financial products from the side of the businesses that use them, and is increasingly focused on practical uses of AI for growing companies. **Q: Which business communities is Sumit part of?** Sumit is City Lead and Host for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad, a member of the Gujarat Chamber of Commerce & Industry, a Prime member of Local Vocal Business and part of the VIBES network. Over the last three years, conferences, exhibitions, founder meetups and business networks have become a regular part of his life. **Q: What does Sumit do outside work?** Outside work, Sumit plays golf and is often on the range early in the morning at Kalhaar Blues & Greens. He finds that golf rewards what business does: patience, honest feedback and playing the long game. It is also where some of his most relaxed and candid business conversations happen. ### THV story URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/the-harsmit-ventures **Q: What does The Harsmit Ventures do?** The Harsmit Ventures (THV) helps businesses understand their options and find solutions that fit. It works across three areas: financial solutions such as payments, payouts, lending and insurance; business software such as ERP, CRM, HRMS and SAP; and practical AI such as voice agents, WhatsApp assistants and automation. Sumit Kasardekar founded THV in Ahmedabad on 1 September 2025. **Q: When was The Harsmit Ventures founded?** Sumit Kasardekar founded The Harsmit Ventures in Ahmedabad on 1 September 2025, after 15 years in corporate sales, partnerships and FinTech. THV started operating full-time in early 2026, and revenue has come in since then. It is still early, and it has been growing slowly and steadily, month after month. **Q: How did The Harsmit Ventures start?** THV started with a few phone calls. Within a week of setting out, Sumit had several calls from businesses asking about payment gateways, and he passed every lead to former colleagues. He then realised he was already creating value for others and could build something of his own. His first partners were Cashfree and Razorpay. **Q: How many partners does THV work with?** As of November 2026, The Harsmit Ventures works with 70+ partners. It began with two payment gateway partners, Cashfree and Razorpay, on a simple affiliate model. Insurance and loans came next, and each new service after that was added because businesses kept asking for it. **Q: Where can I find THV's services?** You can explore The Harsmit Ventures' services on its own website, theharsmitventures.com. This site is Sumit's personal website, where he shares his own perspectives on sales, partnerships, payments and technology. If you would like to talk to Sumit directly about a business need, use the Let's talk page. ### Let's talk (collaborate) URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/collaborate **Q: How can I contact Sumit Kasardekar?** Use the form on this page. Add your name and email, choose what your note is about and write a short message with a little context about you and what you have in mind. Sumit reads every message himself. Where WhatsApp or call booking is available, you will also see those options on this page. **Q: What can I contact Sumit about?** You can write to Sumit about a partnership idea, an event, speaking or hosting invitation, an interview or podcast, a business introduction, a suggestion for the ecosystem directory, or anything else. Choosing the closest topic in the form helps him understand the conversation before he replies. **Q: What are Founder Office Hours?** Founder Office Hours are free 20-minute slots that Sumit keeps every month for founders and business owners. You bring one question about payments, partnerships, finance or growth, and he gives you his honest view. To ask for a slot, choose Founder Office Hours in the form on this page. **Q: When will Sumit reply?** Sumit reads every message himself and replies when he can, so there is no fixed response time. Including a little context about who you are, what you are working on and what a good outcome looks like makes it much easier for him to give you a useful reply. **Q: Will sending a message add me to a mailing list?** No. Your message is stored securely so Sumit can reply to it, and sending the form does not subscribe you to any newsletter or mailing list. Sumit uses it to read and answer your note. You can read how your information is handled in the privacy notice linked under the form. ### Founder introductions URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/introductions **Q: How can I request a founder introduction?** Fill in the form on this page. Tell Sumit a little about yourself, describe the person or organisation you would like to meet, and explain why the introduction matters now and what you can offer them. The clearer the reason, the better the introduction. Sumit reads every request himself. **Q: How does an introduction work?** Every introduction is double opt-in. First, you tell Sumit who you would like to meet and why. Then he checks with that person before sharing anything. If they agree, he introduces you both in one short email with context and then steps back, so the conversation is yours to take forward. **Q: Do introductions cost anything?** No, introductions are free. Sumit makes them when he believes both sides will benefit. Good introductions work both ways, which is why the form also asks what you can offer the person you would like to meet. If he can't help with a particular request, he will tell you honestly. **Q: Can Sumit introduce me to investors?** Sumit can't promise every request, especially introductions to investors, but he will tell you honestly whether he can help. If you are looking for incubators, accelerators, chambers of commerce or founder communities rather than a specific person, the India startup ecosystem directory on this site is a good place to start. **Q: What will be shared with the person I want to meet?** With your consent, Sumit may share your name, your company and your request with the person he introduces you to. He checks with them first, so nobody gets a cold email. Submitting a request does not subscribe you to anything. ### Speaking & media kit URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/speaking **Q: How do I invite Sumit to speak?** Send an invitation through the Let's talk page and choose Event, speaking or hosting invitation. Include the event name, date, city, audience and the topic or format you have in mind. Sumit's short and long bios and his talk topics are on this page, so you can prepare your event listing straight away. **Q: What topics does Sumit speak on?** Sumit speaks on selling FinTech to Indian businesses, building partnerships both sides want, the story of turning a few phone calls into The Harsmit Ventures, and getting real value from events. Each topic draws on 15 years of sales, payments and partnerships experience across telecom, FinTech and SaaS. **Q: What session formats does Sumit do?** Sumit takes part in talks and keynotes, panel discussions, fireside chats, meetup hosting and roundtable moderation. His audiences are usually founders, MSME owners, sales and partnership teams, and students and early-career professionals, and he shapes each session around the room. **Q: Where has Sumit spoken or hosted?** Sumit hosts founder meetups as City Lead for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad, has hosted eChai Ventures' Open House, and spoke at the Aarambh Founder Talk. Other events where he has spoken, hosted or moderated are listed on this page and on the Events page, each with its own details. **Q: Can I use Sumit's bio and photos for my event?** Yes. This page has a short bio and a long bio that you can copy with one click, and any photos shown here can be downloaded for event listings and promotion. If you need something else for your event, ask through the Let's talk page. ### Events URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/events **Q: What kind of events does Sumit attend?** Sumit attends conferences, summits, expos, business network meetings, roundtables and founder meetups, mostly in Ahmedabad and across Gujarat. He goes to listen: what businesses are building, where they are stuck and what is changing in the market. Each event on this page has its own page with details and, where available, photos. **Q: Does Sumit host or speak at events?** Yes. Alongside attending, Sumit hosts founder meetups as City Lead for Entrepreneurs Arch in Ahmedabad and has spoken, hosted or moderated at other business events. Each event page shows his role, such as attended, host, speaker, panelist or moderator, so you can see how he took part. **Q: Where can I find upcoming business events in Ahmedabad?** Sumit keeps an Ahmedabad business calendar of upcoming summits, expos, meetups and roundtables in Ahmedabad and Gujarat that he thinks are worth your time. When upcoming events are listed, a link to the calendar appears at the top of this page. Always check final details with each organiser before you go. **Q: Can I invite Sumit to my event?** Yes. Use the Let's talk page and choose Event, speaking or hosting invitation. Share the event name, date, city, audience and what you would like him to do, whether that is attending, speaking, joining a panel or hosting. The Speaking page has his topics, formats and bios. ### Regulation tracker URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/regulations **Q: What is the regulation tracker?** The regulation tracker is one timeline of rule changes from RBI, SEBI, NPCI, GST, Income Tax, MCA, TRAI, data protection, labour and more. Each change comes with a plain-English line on what it means for MSMEs, founders, merchants and FinTechs, and a link to the official circular or notification. **Q: Is the regulation tracker legal advice?** No. The tracker is a plain-English summary to help you spot what matters. It is not legal, tax or financial advice. Always read the official circular, and check with your CA, CS or lawyer before acting on any change. Each entry links to its official source wherever one is available. **Q: How often is the regulation tracker updated?** The tracker is reviewed by hand, and the date of the last review is shown at the top of the page. New circulars and notifications are added as they come out. Changes marked as coming up switch to in force automatically on their effective date, so their status stays current between reviews. **Q: Who is the regulation tracker for?** The tracker is written for business owners, MSMEs, founders, merchants and FinTech teams in India. You can filter changes by regulator, topic and who they affect, see what is coming up next, and focus on the items marked as must know. **Q: What if I spot a change that is missing?** Tell Sumit through the Let's talk page. If you have seen a circular or notification that belongs in the tracker, or an entry that looks out of date, send a short note with a link to the official source. Suggestions like this help keep the tracker useful for everyone who relies on it. ### India startup ecosystem URL: https://sumitkasardekar.com/ecosystem **Q: What is the India startup ecosystem directory?** It is an independent, curated directory of incubators, accelerators, startup missions, chambers of commerce, founder communities and major summits across Gujarat and the rest of India. You can pick a state on the map, filter by city or type, and go straight to each organisation's official website. **Q: Does the directory list investors?** No, investors are not listed. The directory focuses on incubators, accelerators, government programmes, chambers, associations, networks, communities, events and universities that help founders find the right rooms. If you are hoping to meet a specific person, you can request a founder introduction instead. **Q: Does a listing mean the organisation endorses Sumit?** No. Listings link to each organisation's official website and don't imply a partnership or endorsement in either direction. The directory exists to help founders find relevant organisations quickly. Check details such as eligibility and programmes directly with each organisation before you apply or attend. **Q: How can I suggest an organisation for the directory?** Use the Let's talk page and choose Suggest an ecosystem listing. Share the organisation's name, city and official website, with a line on what it does. You can use the same route to flag a listing that is missing details or looks out of date.