Building a Global Tech Brand: The Salpido Story

About this episode

Brothers Ijas Musthafa and Nazim Backer, co-founders of consumer technology accessories brand Salpido, join Shan A Salam on The eCom Show to discuss their entrepreneurial journey from Kozhikode to Southeast Asia and India. They reflect on their family background, early business initiatives during school and college, and gaining foundational corporate experience in Dubai and Malaysia. Mentorship played a pivotal role in their development, guiding their initial steps into electronics distribution and international trade. They describe how ecommerce marketplaces helped accelerate their distribution model across Malaysia and Indonesia. Returning to India, they established distribution networks for leading tech brands before launching Salpido domestically. The conversation explores retail distribution strategies, managing inventory risk, positioning products with in-store promoters, and executing high-impact branding campaigns, including partnerships with cricketer Sanju Samson and Kerala Blasters. They also touch upon supporting emerging regional startups and their long-term vision for 2030 across India and global markets.

Key takeaways

1. 1Higher education serves a greater purpose in providing real-world exposure, networking, and leadership opportunities rather than merely securing job employment.
2. 2Sustained business success relies on long-term vision and data-driven decision-making rather than chasing short-term speculative hype.
3. 3Instead of merely pushing inventory onto retailers, brands should focus on sell-out strategies that ensure products actively move off store shelves into consumer hands.
4. 4Deploying dedicated in-store promoters can convert passive product displays into active sales by educating customers directly at the point of purchase.
5. 5Conducting thorough market research and ensuring complete regulatory compliance are essential before expanding physical distribution into new territories.
6. 6High-impact visibility through outdoor advertising and celebrity endorsements builds critical brand credibility that eases market entry for retail distribution.

Chapters

1. 00:00Episode Preview
2. 02:32Introduction
3. 03:10Growing Up in Kozhikode - Family Background
4. 07:47The Basketball Brothers - Sports & School Life
5. 08:20Ijas First Business at Age 13 - The Computer Center
6. 11:42Elder Brother Imran's Gulf Sacrifice
7. 15:18Education is for Exposure, Not Employment
8. 19:54College Days at GRD Coimbatore
9. 23:50Landing in Dubai First Job as Accountant
10. 28:21Malaysia Chapter Begins - Riyas Sir's Mentorship
11. 37:23The Chinese Malaysian Partner & Starting Own Business
12. 39:42How Ecommerce Changed Everything
13. 58:30Long Term vs Short Term
14. 01:00:25The Promoter Model & Sell-Out Strategy
15. 01:21:31MyG Shaji as Mentor
16. 01:28:28First Promoter in Kerala
17. 01:33:55Entering boAt Distribution
18. 01:49:13Sanju Samson as Brand Ambassador
19. 01:51:30Kerala Blasters Partnership
20. 01:58:04Vision 2030 ; India & Global Expansion
21. 01:59:06Investment of Kerala Startups
22. 02:04:38India is the World's Biggest Opportunity Right Now
23. 02:11:17Conclusion