Varun Gupta, co-founder of Indian audio brand BOULT, has made serious allegations against rival companies. Without naming any one in particular, Gupta claimed that they used threats, sabotage, and dirty tricks to block the brand’s growth.
In a fiery LinkedIn post, Gupta shared what he called the “ugly side” of the business, saying the team at BOULT faced pressure and intimidation simply for building a product that was doing well.
“We thought building a better product would be enough. Turns out… it made us a threat,” Gupta wrote.
According to him, it started with whispers, conversations they weren’t supposed to hear. Then came calls to retailers, warning them to stop stocking BOULT products or risk losing access to other brands.
“Shelves changed overnight… not because we couldn’t deliver, but because we were delivering too well,” he said.
Gupta called it “anti-competitive behavior” and claimed this went beyond business rivalry. He alleged that competitors tried to poach key team members by offering fake roles and inflated salaries. When that didn’t work, he says the attacks got worse.
He listed a string of tactics: threats to employees, fake 1-star reviews pushed during product launches, negative PR stories, and even whisper campaigns in media circles and social media DMs.
“All this… because we refused to play the game their way,” Gupta added.
He also pointed out that BOULT was built without deep funding or industry backing, and that their rapid growth made some people “very uncomfortable.”
“I used to think this was just business, but now I know it’s a system designed to keep control,” he wrote.
Gupta ended his post by promising more revelations soon: “Part 3 drops soon. And we’re not just talking anymore, we’re naming what others won’t.”
His post has drawn attention across the startup ecosystem, with many praising him for speaking out. If the upcoming post names names, the story could shake up the Indian tech and consumer electronics space.
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