Gaurav Taneja Breaks Silence On 'Shark Tank' India Backlash: "They Were Against Me..."

Entrepreneur and popular YouTuber Gaurav Taneja made headlines with his appearance on Shark Tank India Season 4, where he presented his protein brand, Beast Life. The pitch quickly turned intense as the Sharks Aman Gupta, Vineeta Singh, and Anupam Mittal challenged him over several aspects of his business dealings. From failing to disclose income from his YouTube channel to omitting the mention of his other food venture, Rosier, Gaurav faced a barrage of tough questions. The panel also raised concerns about his multitasking approach and dependence on delegation in managing multiple businesses.

Gaurav Taneja On Backlash At 'Shark Tank' India:

Following the episode, Gaurav reflected on the experience during a conversation on the Think School Hindi YouTube channel by Zero1. Speaking candidly, he shared his confusion over the panel's aggressive stance. “A lot of things happened at Shark Tank, and I was wondering why they are so much against me. When I receive a customer's complaint, I give my team the order number and ask for an update, I won't sit and wait in the system. I will delegate the task," he said.

"We Didn't Get Everything On A Plate"

He also touched on being criticized for juggling his social media brand, Flying Beast, alongside his other ventures. “They told me, ‘You aren't shutting down Flying Beast (his social media channel)?' and I was like What a foolish decision. They are asking me to shut down what distinguishes me and where I am selling everything. We got a kickstart and we had an advantage, but the rest of the journey was the same as theirs. We didn't get everything on a plate; I have also had sleepless nights and built this distribution. I would get up at 4 am and take flights."

Photo Credit: Instagram

"I Learnt How To Stay Humble..."

Despite the backlash and walking away from the Tank without a deal, Gaurav came away with more than just business insights. He shared a key takeaway from the experience and said, “More than business, I learnt how to stay humble and take rejections, and how to be quiet in some situations, come back and work harder, despite people not believing in you. We have to face rejections many times, but when we face it in front of the camera, it becomes a big thing."

On the show, Gaurav had sought Rs 1 crore in exchange for 1% equity in Beast Life, placing its valuation at Rs 100 crore. However, none of the Sharks opted to invest. Anupam Mittal, in particular, did not mince words in his feedback, calling Gaurav a “good influencer" but a “terrible entrepreneur." He told him on air, “You are a good influencer, but you can't outsource entrepreneurship," and added, “You cannot allot a set time in start-ups; you have to be available all the time."