#34 — Sales Is Like Dating: Rejection, 38x Returns & Private Markets In Asia | Jahnavi Bhagwati: "Learn To Walk Away." "Find Ways To De-Risk."

Sales is like dating. You read the signals. You invest the time. And sometimes, you get ghosted.

In this episode of the You Never Know Podcast, host Nicole Lee sits down with Jahnavi Bhagwati, founder of Koka Capital, as she shares candid insights on sales and private markets in Asia from over a decade in finance and deal-making at Goldman Sachs, Nomura, and Bank of Singapore.

From learning how to set boundaries as a young saleswoman, to why investors in Asia are increasingly drawn to private equity despite illiquidity and risk, this conversation unpacks the realities behind headline-grabbing returns, why AI continues to dominate attention in private markets, how investors can better discern quality investment opportunities, and what it really takes to build a business when income is uncertain and rejection is constant.

If you’re interested in sales, finance, private markets, or entrepreneurship, this one’s for you.

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

02:35 From modelling & acting to banking

03:55 What being a woman in finance really means

05:50 Sales, boundaries & self-respect

11:35 Femininity, power & how to show up at work

13:30 Leaving banking & building Koka Capital

16:55 Entrepreneurship, runway & surviving the early years

20:55 Trust, relationships & how deals really work in Asia

23:30 Why checks move faster in Asia

25:40 Why investors in Asia are drawn to private markets

27:15 Illiquidity, exits & managing private equity risk

29:20 Do brand names matter more than fund performance?

31:20 How investors decide where to allocate

34:35 US vs Asia: where capital is flowing

36:30 AI investing: hype, momentum & discernment

39:40 Advice for entrepreneurs starting out

44:30 Rejection, ghosting & why sales is like dating

46:35 What modelling taught her about rejection

47:30 Motherhood, ambition & balance

🌐 Jahnavi Bhagwati is currently Founder of Koka Capital — a capital introducer and M&A advisor for private and listed investment opportunities.

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🔗 Connect with Jahnavi Bhagwati

🌐 LinkedIn: https://sg.linkedin.com/in/jahnavi-bhagwati-a06112118 

🔗 Connect with Nicole Lee

🌐 Website: www.youneverknow.co

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