Building Iconic D2C Brands & Steering Barista’s Legacy

Puneet Gulati, Founder Promoter at Go-5 Incorporations, from turning around one of India’s earliest café chains to now launching lifestyle-first tech brands like TecSox, TecMarx, Deal99.in, and most recently, BLUNT—a rebellious audio brand for Gen Z Puneet’s journey is a story of reinvention, cultural relevance, and consumer insight.

How did your experience with Barista help you in your new venture?

My time at Barista was foundational not just as a CEO, but as someone deeply curious about how brands connect with people. Coffee isn’t just a drink; it’s an experience. That lesson taught me the power of storytelling, emotional resonance, and community all of which I’ve carried forward into my current venture.

But at heart, my passion for technology lured me toward something more agile and innovation-driven. I was fascinated by how tech was reshaping consumer habits and wanted to be at the forefront of that shift. That’s how Go5 Incorporation was born as a house of bold, consumer-first brands like TecSox and BLUNT.

Barista sharpened my understanding of aspirational consumption and customer-centricity. It taught me how to build brands that people feel proud to associate with a learning I’ve applied in our D2C journey by blending great design, utility, and affordability.

More importantly, my exposure to India’s rapidly evolving youth culture during my time at Barista helped shape our current product roadmap geared for the always-on, expressive, and tech-hungry generation.

What are the key factors that made you change your line of work?

Honestly, it wasn’t a sudden decision, it was an evolution. After years of leading legacy brands like Barista, I realized the consumer landscape in India was undergoing a massive shift. The new-age customer is digital-first, experience-driven, and unapologetically demanding. I was drawn to that energy. I didn’t just want to sell coffee anymore; I wanted to build brands that lived in people’s hands, homes, and habits.

The real turning point was understanding how tech and lifestyle were merging. Consumer electronics weren’t just about function they were becoming fashion statements, reflections of identity. That insight inspired me to pivot towards D2C tech. I wanted to create something agile, rooted in design thinking, and powered by real consumer insight.

With Go5 Incorporation, the idea was simple: build a house of brands that don’t just meet demand, but shape it. That’s how TecSox, BLUNT, Deal99.in & TECMARX and others were born. It’s riskier, yes but a lot more personal. And at this stage in my journey, building from scratch, with speed, creativity, and purpose, is what keeps me driven.

How would you best describe India’s changing landscape?

India today is experiencing a massive transformation economically, digitally, and culturally. We’re seeing a leap from aspiration to action. Consumers are no longer just dreaming big; they’re demanding better, faster, and more personal experiences across every category, especially in tech and lifestyle.

What’s most exciting is the shift in power to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. These regions are driving growth with unmatched enthusiasm, embracing digital commerce, premium design, and smart gadgets just as much as metros. At the same time, Gen Z and young millennials are shaping trends not passively consuming them, but actively co-creating them through content, commerce, and community.

Another major shift is the rise of homegrown D2C brands. There’s a clear sense of pride in “Made in India,” and consumers now want brands that understand their lives, values, and context. That’s what we’ve tapped into at Go5 Incorporation bridging performance, affordability, and a sense of individuality.

India’s landscape is no longer evolving linearly. It’s dynamic, disruptive, and deeply human. For entrepreneurs, it’s the most exciting playground in the world.

What is the kind of target you are seeking for your new venture?

At Go5, we’re not just targeting a demographic we’re speaking to a mindset. With our new venture, especially brands like BLUNT, TecSox, Deal99.in & TECMARX our focus is on India’s new-age consumers Gen Zs, hustlers, creators, gamers, and everyday rebels who want more than just functionality. They want identity. We’re targeting the young, mobile-first India that lives online, discovers trends through creators, and craves products that are stylish, affordable, and rooted in culture.

Our aim is to build products that don’t just sit on a shelf but travel in backpacks, feature in Reels, and fuel daily hustle whether that’s a late-night study grind, a weekend getaway, or a rooftop jam session. We want to be the go-to D2C tech brand that delivers premium experience without the premium price.

The larger target? Disrupt the status quo in personal tech, redefine “value,” and build a community around it, not just customers. That’s the real ambition.

Who are your major partners or are you going solo?

We’ve built Go5 Incorporation with a strong spirit of independence, but that doesn’t mean we’re going solo. While the vision, product strategy, and brand DNA come from within, we believe in the power of smart collaborations. From tech design studios to cutting-edge manufacturing partners in India and abroad, we’re backed by a network that shares our obsession for quality, speed, and innovation.

We’re also closely aligned with top e-commerce platforms like Amazon, Flipkart, and Myntra for digital distribution, and we’re building strong retail partnerships to ensure our products are available in the physical spaces where consumers still love to explore and experience tech firsthand.

But perhaps our biggest partnership is with the Indian consumer, the creators, gamers, hustlers, students, and professionals who’ve shaped how we design and build every product. At the end of the day, we’re not just building gadgets, we’re building culture. Whether it’s TecSox’s mass appeal or BLUNT’s edgy, urban vibe, our ecosystem is powered by people, not just partnerships.

What is the size of the market for your market globally and in India?

The global consumer electronics market stands tall at over $1 trillion, with rapid growth fueled by evolving lifestyles, connected devices, and demand for personalization. In India alone, the market is projected to cross $150 billion by 2026, and what’s truly exciting is the rising prominence of tech accessories, a segment pegged at $6–7 billion.

These are not just add-ons anymore; accessories have become an extension of identity and utility. From portable speakers and smart chargers to wearables and earbuds, Indian consumers are actively looking for products that blend performance, style, and value.

At Go5 Incorporation, with brands like TecSox, BLUNT, TecMarx, and Deal99, we’re addressing this sweet spot. Our focus on affordable innovation resonates especially with the digital-first, mobile-savvy youth in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, who are setting new standards in how tech is consumed.

India is no longer just catching up with global trends, it's becoming the trendsetter, especially in the accessories space. And that’s the market we’re building for: aspirational, fast-moving, and future-ready.

What kind of competitors do you face?

In today’s hyperconnected D2C world, we’re not just competing with brands, we're competing with perceptions, experiences, and even social media hype. At Go5 Incorporation, whether it’s TecSox or BLUNT, our competitors span from legacy electronics giants to agile, Gen Z-focused startups that are riding the wave of influencer culture.

For TecSox, we face stiff competition from mid-market electronic accessory brands that operate on scale and aggressive pricing. But where we stand out is our focus on quality, packaging innovation, and customer-centric design even at entry-level price points.

With BLUNT, the game changes. We’re stepping into a lifestyle audio space where the competition isn’t just about specs but about cultural relevance. Brands like boAt and Noise are doing phenomenal work, but our edge lies in building an identity-first, attitude-driven audio label that speaks urban Gen Z’s unfiltered language.

At the end of the day, competition keeps us sharp. But we don’t obsess over what others are doing. We obsess over what the consumer wants next and how we can deliver it in a way that’s honest, bold, and unmistakably Go5.

What is your current turnover and what kind of growth are you looking at?

We’re currently charting a strong growth path with a projected turnover of ₹20 crore for this financial year. While we may still be in the early stages compared to legacy players, the trajectory we’re on is fast, focused, and incredibly exciting. Our growth over the past 18 months has been consistently upward, driven by product innovation, consumer-centric pricing, and a strong D2C strategy across our brands TecSox, BLUNT, TecMarx, and Deal99.in.

Our goal is to double this figure in the next fiscal through aggressive market penetration, both online and offline. We’re seeing particularly strong traction in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets, where the appetite for high-quality yet affordable tech products is booming. With viral launches like the ₹349 TecSox BEAT speaker and the design-forward Soundwave Series from BLUNT, we’re creating not just products but culture-driven experiences.

Growth for us isn’t limited to numbers. It’s about brand relevance, customer loyalty, and creating disruption in categories that have long been price-driven rather than value-driven. The next phase? More innovation, sharper retail strategies, and a louder voice in India’s consumer tech space.

Who is funding your growth plans?

At Go5 Incorporation, our growth has been organically fueled by customer trust, revenue reinvestment, and a razor-sharp focus on profitability from day one. While many chase valuations, we’ve built our brands like TecSox, BLUNT, and Deal99.in on real demand and community loyalty. That said, we’re now in active conversations with strategic investors who resonate with our vision of building a tech-first house of brands for young India. The goal isn’t just capital, it’s smart capital that brings more than just money to the table. As we scale across Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets and deepen our D2C and retail presence, we’re open to partners who believe in long-term value creation, not just rapid exits. So yes, funding is on the cards but it’s not the fuel, it’s the catalyst.