'“I believe in imbalance': Shark Tank India’s Aman Gupta talks about working 16-hour days, missing his daughter’s childhood, rejects work...

Known for speaking his mind and being brutally honest, Shark Tank India judge and co-founder of boAt, Aman Gupta, recently appeared on a YouTube podcast hosted by Prakhar Gupta, where he spoke openly about his life, family, and thoughts on work culture. During the candid conversation, Aman shared memories from his childhood, how he deals with parenting, and even touched upon facing bullying in his early days. But what really stood out was his strong and honest opinion on the popular idea of work-life balance. He didn’t hold back, calling himself an extremist when it comes to work. According to Aman, the idea of balancing work and personal life doesn’t work for everyone. “Earlier, I didn’t even know what work-life balance meant,” he said. Aman confessed to working 16 to 18 hours a day in the past and said he was completely fine with it.

Reflecting on how things are changing with time, Aman praised today’s younger generation. He said, “Gen Z doesn’t just work, they enjoy life too. They take more risks, which we never used to do. I’ve actually learnt a lot from them.”

He also spoke about how his focus shifted over time. “As you get rich, you realise it was never about the money. Entrepreneurs like us are obsessed with growing and facing challenges. I used to love holidays once, but after some time, I got bored and started missing work,” he shared.

Aman admitted that there was a time when he was completely consumed by work. “I used to work 16 hours a day. But now I’ve realised that one should know when to switch off.” Yet, he still believes that life is about imbalance, suggesting that intense dedication is often part of the journey to success.

In an emotional moment, he also spoke about the role his wife played in his early days. “Till I was 40, our house ran on my wife’s salary,” he admitted. “I’m very hardworking, but I’ve faced a lot of ups and downs. I’ve worked late nights to reach where I am today. I don’t even remember much of my daughter’s early years because I was always working.”

Aman’s honesty about sacrifice, ambition, and imbalance offers a raw and real look into what it takes to build something big, reminding us that success often comes at a personal cost.