Behind every confident pitch, every bold risk, and every long night building a business from scratch, there’s often a quiet figure standing just behind the scenes, a father. As India’s startup ecosystem becomes younger, bolder, and more dynamic, a growing number of next-gen entrepreneurs are looking back at their earliest source of guidance: home.
This Father’s Day, we spoke to young founders and leaders across sectors who say that long before they found investors, it was their fathers who gave them their first belief, their first blueprint, and sometimes, their first loan. Here’s how those stories shaped the brands and visionaries we see today.
“Every day, I get to learn from my father not just as one of the founders of Jaypee, but as someone who built something lasting with integrity and vision. At Jaypee Plus, I carry that forward in my way, finding new opportunities, adapting to changing markets, but always staying true to the values he lives by. He reminds me that growth means little without trust, and that success isn’t just about what you build, but how you build it. This Father’s Day, I feel grateful not just for the business legacy, but for the man and family behind it.” Quote By Anurag Jain, Director, Jaypee Plus
Some of the most powerful lessons my father has taught me were never spoken aloud. They were in the way he carried himself, steady, dependable, and never making a fuss, yet always showing up. Over time, I realized how rare that truly is. As a founder, you are often pulled in many directions, chasing scale and speed. But what holds everything together is quiet consistency. That is the principle I strive to uphold every day while building Showroom B2B. My father has taught me that you don’t need to dominate the room to make an impact. You simply need to stay committed and follow through. That lesson has shaped my journey more than any business book ever could. Quote by Abhishek Dua, Co-founder, Showroom B2B
“Growing up, I watched my father build brands from the ground up, store by store, relationship by relationship. He never talked about “strategy,” but his actions taught me everything: how trust is built, how consistency wins, and how no job is too small when you’re building something big. His ability to lead with both discipline and empathy shaped my approach as I stepped into Brandman Retail and later launched Sneakrz. This Father’s Day, I celebrate the quiet strength, retail wisdom, and unshakable belief that continues to fuel my journey.” Quote by: Kashika Malhotra, CMO of Brandman Retail
“Behind every risk I’ve taken, there’s been one constant voice telling me to go for it, my father’s. While I co-founded Mediagraphics PR to do things differently, it’s his quiet resilience and unwavering support that gave me the courage to dream big. He never handed me a blueprint but taught me something more valuable: how to stay calm under pressure, how to stay honest in chaos, and how to keep moving when things get tough. One lesson that’s stayed with me is that every day must count. He always said we should do something meaningful each day, something we can be proud of. A day should never go to waste. His values shaped the culture we’re building at Mediagraphics. Even now, on the hardest days, one call to him helps me reset. This Father’s Day, I’m reminded that true mentorship doesn’t always come with big words. Sometimes, it’s just quiet strength and consistent presence.” Quote by Vvihan Gulati, Co-founder and Director, Mediagraphics PR
While pitch decks and product strategies may evolve, the emotional architecture of a business often begins far earlier in the values passed down at the dinner table, the lessons absorbed during casual drives, or the resilience witnessed in quiet moments of struggle. As these young entrepreneurs carve their paths, many are doing so with the silent strength and everyday wisdom of their fathers etched into their choices. On a day that celebrates them, these founders aren’t just saying thank you, they’re building businesses that reflect the very values their fathers raised them with.
