For founders who are actively building — and are willing to work through real decisions over time.
This is not advisory. It is a structured, long-term engagement designed to help you move with clarity through the stage you are in.
This is not coaching by the hour. It is not ad-hoc mentoring. And it is not a collection of templates dressed up as guidance.
1-on-1 Guidance is a long-term engagement designed to help founders work through real decisions with structure, continuity, and depth. Most founder challenges are not knowledge gaps — they are judgement problems. Priorities collide. Trade-offs feel heavy. Context keeps changing. This is where shallow advice fails — and where continuity begins to matter.
Every engagement is anchored in StartupBox and the Parallel Ventures Startup Framework as a shared thinking system. The framework keeps the work grounded and stage-aware, while your context determines the focus and pace.
This guidance is currently led by Ajaii Mahajan, the creator of StartupBox. The approach is simple: hold the structure steady while you work through your reality — calmly, deliberately, over time.
1-on-1 Guidance is offered only as a long-term engagement: 3, 6, or 12 months. If you are looking for a quick call, a one-time review, or generic advice, this will not be a fit. This is for founders who value depth over noise.
If you are looking for quick answers, this will feel slow. If you are looking for better judgement over time, this will feel right.
This work draws from the same framework that underpins Parallel Ventures, StartupBox, and Kinesis.
Not every founder needs the same support at the same time. The engagement is not a fixed programme — it is structured around your context, anchored to StartupBox and the PVSF.
You share where you are, what you are building, and what feels unclear or heavy right now. This helps us understand your context and assess fit.
Based on your current situation, we choose the most relevant starting point across the 7 tracks. The goal is not to label you — it is to ensure the work stays stage-aware and practical.
We agree on a steady cadence — weekly or fortnightly — along with the tools, reflections, and checkpoints we will use. This is where the engagement becomes structured, not rushed.
Each conversation focuses on your current decisions and trade-offs — prioritisation, monetisation, positioning, growth planning, pivots, team alignment, and founder sustainability.
As your startup evolves, the engagement evolves with it. You may move across tracks as new questions emerge. The continuity remains. The focus adapts.
These words are not about praise. They reflect what happens when founders slow down, work with structure, and return to their decisions with more clarity and judgement over time.
"Working with Ajaii helped me step back and evaluate my idea more honestly. The structure of the conversations helped me validate what I was building, refine my direction, and move forward with greater confidence."
Rahul Sharma · Founder, Logistics Hub"The sessions helped me slow down and think more clearly about decisions I was previously rushing through. The focus was never on advice, but on asking better questions and acting with intent."
Megha Iyer · Co-founder, Apparel Retail"The guidance helped me break down complex challenges into decisions I could actually work through. The process encouraged reflection first, and action after, which made my pivot more deliberate."
Kunal Bansal · CEO, CarsDecor"I entered the engagement with uncertainty and hesitation. Over time, I gained clarity on my direction, my first customer segment, and the questions I needed to focus on next."
Founder · Early-stage ventureThis application is intended for founders who are actively building and navigating specific decisions.
Please take a few minutes to respond thoughtfully. This helps determine whether and how this engagement will be useful.
Once you confirm, the application form will appear below.
Reach out with a brief description of where you are and what you are working through. We will respond where there is a clear fit and confirm the starting track before beginning.
