Khul Ke Scale launches as The Barbershop with Shantanu shifts focus to practical support for entrepreneurs

New Delhi: The Barbershop with Shantanu is returning for its fifth season, shifting focus from conversation to practical support for entrepreneurs. The new season introduces Khul Ke Scale, a platform where founder Shantanu Deshpande and a panel of industry experts work with entrepreneurs to address real business challenges. The season also launches Dhande Ki Baat, highlighting companies quietly transforming their sectors in India.

The initiative has already received over 500 applications, spanning emerging brands, traditional businesses exploring online expansion, and ventures backed by well-known names. Episodes of Khul Ke Scale will be released twice monthly, serving as a resource for students, aspiring entrepreneurs, and operators navigating similar growth journeys. The first episode features GOATLife, led by founder Yash Kalra, setting the tone for a season focused on clarity, scale and real business building.

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Shantanu Deshpande, Founder and CEO of Bombay Shaving Company and creator-host of TBWS, said, “For the last four seasons, TBWS has been about honest conversations, about wins, failures, and everything in between. But this year, we wanted to go deeper. With Khul Ke Scale, we are opening the floor to real entrepreneurs who are building real businesses and helping them solve real growth challenges. 

“The idea is simple, if we can enable even a handful of founders meaningfully, the learning multiplies for thousands watching. This is our most real and most value-driven season yet. Grateful to all the companies, founders, experts and mentors who have given their valuable time to help realize TBWS's vision of truly enriching Entrepreneurship in India,” Deshpande added.

The season’s expert panel includes Shiv Shivakumar, Operating Partner at Advent International and former CEO of Pepsi India Region; Toshan Tamhane, Global COO at UPL and former Senior Partner at McKinsey; and Adi Sehgal, former President at Reckitt and now founder at Asgard.world. Collectively, they bring extensive experience in FMCG, technology, strategy, and large-scale business operations, offering structured guidance to founders.

Diksha Dwivedi, CEO of YOSO Media, content partners for TBWS, commented, “The Barbershop has evolved into one of India's most influential entrepreneurial platforms, and we're proud to be part of that journey. With Khul Ke Scale, we've moved beyond inspiration to activation: creating real pathways for founders to scale. The mandate from Shantanu was clear from day one: enable, don't advise. When over 500 founders apply to a single initiative, it signals more than interest, it signals a gap in the ecosystem we're now positioned to fill.”

The fifth season will stream across YouTube, Instagram, Spotify and LinkedIn starting 20 February 2026.