From Fashion to Efficiency: Harsh’s Journey with Kingpin.ai

Harsh is the driving force behind Kingpin.ai—a groundbreaking platform that helps global brands and distributors supercharge their sales. With a history in fashion distribution that grew to over $10M in sales, he transformed endless spreadsheets and manual work into a mission to save 200+ hours monthly and boost sales pipelines by 20%. His journey shows how innovation can turn frustration into efficiency and lasting growth.

Can you share a brief note about yourself?

Hey, I’m Harsh, Founder & CEO of Kingpin.ai. We help global brands and distributors grow their sales profitably across emerging markets by helping them save 200 hours a month of manual work and grow their sales pipeline by 20% each month.

Before Kingpin, I ran a fashion distribution business. We grew it from scratch to over $10 million in sales, managing 35 brands across 22 countries—self-financed and with zero inventory. Sounds cool, but honestly, my life was buried in spreadsheets and endless email threads preventing me from growing the business. That’s what sparked the idea for Kingpin: I wanted to free up time for meaningful work and make it drastically easier for them to find new customers and grow their business.

Now Kingpin isn't just software; it’s a powerful ecosystem connecting over 200 brands with 4,000 buyers across 75 countries. And when I’m not heads down on Kingpin, I’m either training for a triathlon or travelling to experience a new city for the first time.

Why did you choose to start a business?

It was simple: I wanted to solve a problem I personally struggled with. In my first business, we had great sales growth, but the operations side was a mess. Endless emails, manual processes, and wasted time. I kept thinking, 'There’s got to be a better way.' That frustration turned into Kingpin.

Plus, I've always been someone who enjoys solving complex problems. Entrepreneurship lets me do just that - because as a founder you’re either solving the most complex problems or unblocking/unlocking your teams ability to do the same.

How did you start your business? (Describe the early days of Kingpin—how did you navigate?)

It was chaotic but exciting. In the early days, I wore multiple hats—sales, customer support, product development, you name it. We spoke to brands and distributors to understand their pain points, and the answer was always the same: they didn’t just need better workflows; they needed a better way to find customers. There’s no straight forward way to find customers in the B2B space and companies have ridiculous customer acquisition costs.

We contemplated for a bit but eventually we said, 'Let’s unlock this treasure chest and build a platform that changes the game.' We focused on connecting people and creating growth opportunities rather than just building another software tool. That mindset was a game-changer.

What do you wish you’d known before you started Kingpin?

That everything starts with you as a founder—your health, your mindset, your focus. I learned this the hard way. I used to work 14-hour days with no exercise, thinking I was giving my all to the business. But I hit a glass ceiling.

Training for the Ironman taught me that when you push your limits physically, every other part of your life levels up, including your startup.

Did you have any support in your journey?

Absolutely. Mentors were invaluable—they didn’t just give advice; they challenged me to think differently. My coach pushed me into Ironman training, which transformed how I approached leadership. And last but not least by any means, my team at Kingpin, who believed in the vision, helped turn it into reality and gave a 100% each day on the journey.

What is your greatest challenge as a business owner?

Building a winning culture that people are drawn to is one of those challenges that never ends. A players attract A players but B players attract C players and C players attract D players.

Being a company that attracts and retains top talent means you as the founders need to be on top of your game and lead by example. To achieve this we need to create an environment where others can be authentic, collaborate, thrive and grow. Doing all this whilst simultaneously paying well and holding people accountable to perform is one of the most unique balancing acts I’m personally enjoying cracking down on.

What advice would you give to your past self before opening your own business?

Invest in yourself before investing in your business. If you’re not at your best, neither is your company. Oh, and give to others - some of the best relationships I’ve cultivated over the years started with me giving - always think about others needs and give it to them without expecting anything in return and watch the magic unfold.

Reflecting on your path to entrepreneurship, what key piece of advice would you offer to aspiring founders?

If you’re an aspiring founder - I’d urge you to think more about why being a “founder” is something you’d aspire to in the first place - as the glamour behind it gets old really fast.

What truly matters is how resilient you are during the darkest moments, how hard can you push your limits when you really don’t want to, and the ability to sacrifice your time and comfort for the betterment of the business.