Religion, Tribe, Community, Pay-it-forward, Family—these are just a few of the words we used to describe SaaSBoomi when Pallav Nadhani (Presentations.ai), asked us at our recent Volunteer retreat. As each of us shared our adjectives, the entire room nodded in agreement. No one could have said it better and each term perfectly captured the spirit of our collective.
32 founders from every corner of the country, the SB staff team, and volunteers came together in Goa, for a three-day retreat that left us with memories for a lifetime. Despite the rain, our spirits remained high (literally and figuratively – iykwim!) as we bonded over shared experiences, discovered hidden talents, and deepened our commitment to building India as a product nation.
As one of the few non-founder volunteers—mostly involved with the Badminton League and Annual—I was a bit nervous heading to the retreat. Would I fit in with this seasoned “founder crowd” that seemed to know each other inside and out?
But my worries vanished within the first 15 minutes over a stunning Goan lunch and some scrumptious cocktails. The conversation was electric—brilliant minds discussing everything from epic product ideas to wild travel tales, personal victories, and hilarious fails. It felt like I’d stumbled into the coolest party where everyone was a pro at blending deep thoughts with quick laughs!
Isn’t it amazing how a group of Indian SaaS founders—irrespective of their equations with each other – mentors, mentees, and a few investors—could come together in such an authentic way? Regardless of who was there or what role they played, the community’s genuine spirit shone through. I kept asking myself, “How can a group feel so incredibly safe?”
Safe enough to share big dreams and deep insecurities, ask for help without fear of judgment, dance to a questionable song, and engage in friendly banter over a game. And then, the next day, they jump back into the enormous task of building India as a product nation—side by side with the same people. It’s a level of psychological safety that’s truly remarkable. Platforms like this that enable real and rare connections, friendships, and mentorships are few and far between.
I also quickly realized I wasn’t the only “outsider.” A few folks were new to the community or had only interacted with people online before meeting face-to-face for the first time. Seeing them, in just a day or less, build trust and connect so deeply, and ‘ask’ and ‘give’ was unreal!
Mrigank Tripathi (PeopleStrong), even sent us a message after we got home, saying, “I told my wife this has become a family away from family. A safe haven where you can truly be yourself—without hesitation.” Now that’s what I call a sense of belonging! It’s “come as you are” in its truest, finest form.
And how could you not feel at home when you see someone you usually know from pitching decks or building top-notch Indian SaaS products suddenly transform into a fabulous Bollywood singer, or bust out some intense dance moves, or become the AI bot versions of people in the room. And let’s not forget our cocktail experts serving ‘em up “Burnt, not shaken or stirred.”
Those couple of days were truly incredible; it was real. It was rare. By the end, we felt amazing being part of the community and the mission and even picked up some fancy English words like “orthogonal.”
As we reminisced about the memories, I especially loved what Pallav wrote once he got back to his weekly routine: “This community and collective is sacred, and we should do everything to protect it. I’ve seen enough organizations (including volunteer-driven ones) get obliterated by entropy or misaligned interests. We want this to be an eternal organization—something we can share stories about with our grandkids. The comfort level that we have around us is beautiful. But we also need to keep each other humble and on the right path—so keep giving your feedback, ask the hard questions, and point the finger when we stray away.”
With great experiences come great responsibilities, I guess!
