1/18/2025
Gaurav Taneja, known as Flying Beast, is a prominent YouTuber and influencer who has made a mark in both fitness and business. In this article, we’ll dive into his journey, the pitch for his product Beast Life on Shark Tank India, his other business venture with A2 Ghee, and the investment deal that followed.
Gaurav Taneja was born in Kanpur, India, and later went on to complete his engineering at IIT Kharagpur. His initial ambition was to pursue a master's in Civil Engineering, but Gaurav's passion for flying led him to the USA. There, he enrolled in the North Texas Flying Academy and earned his Commercial Pilot License.
Upon returning to India, he faced challenges in the aviation industry due to a recession. Gaurav then worked as a flying instructor before joining Indigo Airlines for ten years. His subsequent move to AirAsia lasted a year, where he gained further experience as a pilot.
While working as a pilot, Gaurav's love for fitness and bodybuilding grew. His passion led him to compete in bodybuilding contests, where he even won the Mr. Delhi award. This passion eventually turned into a business idea: launching a premium protein powder brand—Beast Life.
Along with his co-founder, Raj Vikram, Gaurav introduced Beast Life, a blend of high-quality protein isolate and concentrate. Their product aims to support fitness enthusiasts and athletes with clean, effective nutrition. The product is priced at ₹3100 and is manufactured in Gurgaon, with rigorous sampling through Eurofins to ensure the highest quality standards. Gaurav claims that the product is pure, with no compromises on quality.
The equity structure of Beast Life is divided among the key stakeholders as follows:
Gaurav himself has also invested ₹2 crore into the business. The entrepreneurs have seen impressive sales since launching, with ₹14 crore in sales from May 2020 to October 2024, and they project ₹35 crore in sales for FY 24-25.
The unit economics of Beast Life are structured as follows:
Their EBITDA stands at 10%, reflecting healthy profitability despite the high costs of production and marketing.
During Season 4 of Shark Tank India, Gaurav and Raj pitched their brand to the Sharks. The duo requested an investment of ₹1 crore for a 1% equity in their company. They highlighted their impressive sales numbers, having sold ₹1 crore worth of products within an hour during the product launch through a password-protected website.
While the pitch was compelling, the Sharks raised concerns over the equity structure and Gaurav's involvement in multiple businesses. Anupam Mittal remarked that Gaurav is a good influencer but a terrible entrepreneur due to his inability to dedicate time to scaling the business. Ultimately, despite strong interest, the deal fell apart, but the entrepreneurs did gain valuable insights.
The journey of Flying Beast from a pilot to a successful entrepreneur is nothing short of inspiring. His commitment to fitness and dedication to quality products helped him carve out a niche in the crowded health industry with Beast Life. Though the Shark Tank deal didn’t materialize, Gaurav and Raj continue to grow their business, and their story serves as a reminder of the challenges and triumphs of entrepreneurship. Their venture into A2 Ghee further demonstrates their diverse entrepreneurial skills, making them a force to be reckoned with in the business world.