In the world of startups, no name shines brightly as Aman Gupta, the co-founder and former CMO of boAt Lifestyle. He is a symbol of how Indian brands can challenge global giants.
RECITE YOU believes that his journey from a chartered accountant to building one of India’s biggest consumer electronics brands is a true intriguing mix of reinvention, passion, resilience and sharp business mindset.
Early Life and Education
Aman Gupta was born on 4 March 1982 into a middle-class business family from Delhi.
The academic journey of Aman is an interesting blend of both conventional and unconventional choices.
He studied at Delhi Public School (DPS) R.K. Puram, which is one of the country’s most prestigious schools.
After getting influenced by family advice and societal expectations, Aman decided to pursue commerce in college and enrolled to become a Chartered Accountant (one of the toughest professional qualifications in India).
However, after clearing CA exams at a young age, he realized that the stable life of a CA is not what his personality belongs to.
He wanted something creative, people driven and dynamic.
To pursue his true wants, Aman decided to shift his career towards business management.
He did his MBA in Finance and Strategy from the Indian School of Business Hyderabad (one of the top B-schools in Asia).
The exposures there brought him a broadened perspective, sharpened strategic thinking and prepared him for entering the world of entrepreneurs.
Early Career
His professional journey started at Citibank as an Assistant Manager.
Though the job was secure and well paying, he often felt suffocated in a highly structured environment.
In search of more, he entered the startup world and co-founded a company involved in selling electronics and international brands such as Beats and Sennheiser in India named Advanced Telemedia Pvt. Ltd.
This venture didn’t result in a huge success but it gave Aman invaluable learning into distribution channels, consumer electronics and needs of the Indian market.
Aman also worked as a senior management consultant with KPMG, which exposed him to business restructuring and problem solving for bigger companies.
Founding of boAt Lifestyle
He realised, India’s youth wanted stylish but affordable audio products, something which was lacking in the Indian market.
Aman Gupta and Sameer Mehta, co-founded boAt Lifestyle in 2016 with a simple vision to deliver ‘durable, fashionable, youth-centric electronics that didn’t cost a fortune’.
At that time, expensive global brands dominated the Indian audio market.
Left with no alternatives, Indian consumers either had to buy overpriced products or low-quality roadside earphones.
Perceiving this gap, Aman and Sameer offered boAt Lifestyle as a solution: affordable, good looking and sturdy.
What made boAt Lifestyle stand out?
Aman and Sameer intentionally called boAt consumers as ‘boAtheads’, which resulted into a community and not just a consumer base.
Alongside traditional advertising, boAt collaborated with musicians, athletes, cricketers, actors, youth icons and fitness influencers which helped the company to connect emotionally with India’s young population.
Aman understood the pattern of Indian consumers that they use headphones while running, gyming, studying, working therefore boAt focused on building sweat-proof, tangle-free, durable products.
boAt brings the combination of good quality with affordable pricing which helped it become one of the top-selling audio brands during major sale events of Amazon, Flipkart and other e-commerce websites.
Market Growth and Brand Evolution
Under the marketing guidance of Aman, boAt instantly became one of India’s most recognizable brands.
It got ranked among the top 5 global wearable brands by shipment volume and captured nearly 40% market share in India’s audio and wearables category.
Currently, boAt isn’t just a brand it’s a lifestyle statement, especially among Gen Z and Millennials.
Soon boAt expanded its products range to wireless speakers, home audios, power banks, gaming headphones, smartwatches and travel accessories.
Aman Gupta & Shark Tank India
With straightforwardness, humor and emotional intelligence, Aman gained nationwide fame as one of the most loved ‘sharks’ on Shark Tank India.
He invested into dozens of startups across categories like tech, food, fashion, fitness, lifestyle, beauty, home decor and smart products.
In the show he encouraged young founders, offered branding and marketing wisdom to new entrepreneurs.
His iconic lines which are loved by the audience are “Hum bhi bana lenge” and “Tu tension mat le, main hoon na.”
Awards & Recognitions
Aman Gupta got featured in Economic Times 40 Under 40 in the year 2021.
He is one of India’s most influential startup figures, he encourages youth by regularly attending business events and universities.
Some of the most prestigious awards won by him are:
National Creator Award – Celebrity Entrepreneur of the Year (2024).
Entrepreneur of the Year (Consumer Durables).
Businessworld Young Entrepreneur Award.
Legacy and Inspiration
Bold and innovative is what new-age Indian entrepreneurs symbolize Aman Gupta as.
He stands as an inspiration for many teenagers who dream to create something world-class.
He is the one who revolutionized India’s audio and wearables market, proving that demand, design, and branding can beat even global giants.
