Ever wondered how a young entrepreneur from a small town in India scaled up his startup to onboard 4.6 million employees in just two years? Tune in as QED's Head of Early Stage Investing Bill Cilluffo sits down with Chitresh Sharma, the charismatic CEO of Refyne, India's largest online access platform and hear his inspiring journey from the heartland of Chattisgarh to the bustling streets of the Indian startup ecosystem.

Chitresh gets candid about launching his first business venture at 19, his motivations behind creating Refyne, a game-changing platform that grants employees access to their salary round the clock, and how his first $300 check and the unwavering support of early investors propelled him on his path.

The conversation takes an insightful turn as Chitresh shares hard-earned lessons from his past business encounters, shedding light on the three stages of sales and the critical role of people factor. As we navigate deeper into the discussion, Chitresh offers an intriguing perspective on his decision to adopt the earned wage access (EWA) model, the roadblocks he confronted in tailoring this model to fit the Indian market, and the significance of understanding local needs when transplanting global business operations. Listen in and discover how Refyne built an integrated and scalable sales function, assembled an eclectic team from diverse industries, and their innovative use of AI and ML to safeguard their EWA product from potential misuse.

As they wrap up our conversation, Chitresh and Bill delve into the significance of value-based leadership, with a special focus on Refine's core principles of 'Call of Duty' and 'Celebrate'. Chitresh emphasizes the importance of connecting with employees on a deeper level, beyond monetary motivations, and how Refyne has fostered a culture of recognition and appreciation.