An entrepreneur from Amritsar stepped onto the Shark Tank India stage, eager to present his vision for dental care. Dr. Singh, a dentist himself, introduced Singh Dental Care, a venture promising transparent services. He believed doctors hesitate to scale because they want to personally oversee every patient. Expansion never crosses their minds. But he had a different plan. He cited success stories like Clove and Medanta, aiming to build 100 clinics across North India. Seeking Rs 1 crore for 5% equity, he valued his company at Rs 20 crore.
The sharks admired his determination. Dr. Singh explained his cluster model of multiple clinics operating in one region. Currently, he had eight clinics in Amritsar and planned to expand into Mohali and Ludhiana before entering Delhi-NCR. His business strategy impressed the panel, but Vineeta Singh raised a crucial point. She questioned the financial sustainability of his plan, highlighting the risks of avoiding consultants. Dr. Singh firmly believed consultants bring challenges. They demand a share of profits and may not align with company values.
A conversation on pricing followed. Vineeta asked why dental care remains expensive in cities like Mumbai. Dr. Singh explained that pricing is dictated by demand. Patients insist on top specialists, forcing doctors to charge more. He aimed to break this pattern by offering affordable care. His biggest competitor, Clove, varied its pricing based on clientele. Sometimes, the same procedure cost Rs 10,000 for one patient and Rs 20,000 for another. Vineeta found this unsettling. “Do they decide based on the bag a client carries?” she asked. Dr. Singh nodded.
Her concerns about the business model remained. She chose not to invest, stating Dr. Singh still had much to prove. Kunal Bahl and Ritesh Agarwal felt similarly. Namita Thapar also declined. Anupam Mittal, however, provided guidance. He advised Dr. Singh to expand gradually. “Focus on opening two new clusters in two cities,” he suggested. He urged him to generate at least Rs 2 crore per cluster per year before thinking bigger.
Though he left without a deal, Dr. Singh remained optimistic. He asked to shake hands with the sharks, expressing gratitude for the inspiration. They all obliged. Anupam Mittal went a step further and embraced him.
Dr. Singh’s pitch ended without funding, but his journey had just begun. The experience pushed him to refine his strategy, proving that sometimes, rejection sparks the greatest motivation.