Ideabaaz Podcast returns with an episode that feels destined — a story of two co-founders whose paths crossed as children, only to reunite decades later to build something that could reshape how an entire generation enters the workforce.
In a deeply engaging conversation with host Pooja Nerurkar, Mythri Kumar and Apoorv Sharma Prasad — the co-founders of Timbuckdo, a student-first gig platform — trace a journey that began with personal frustration and evolved into a mission to legitimize part-time work for India’s 18-to-22-year-olds. What started as Mythri hiring her younger brother’s friends during lockdown to help with her D2C venture has grown into a platform connecting students with meaningful, paid work — from event management and social media to dog walking and campus brand ambassadorship.
Watch episode four of the Ideabaaz Podcast here:
The episode opens with a revelation that gives the entire partnership an almost cinematic quality: Mythri and Apoorv first met when they were six or seven years old. Apoorv’s mother, an IAS officer posted in Hassan, Karnataka, was the very bureaucrat Mythri’s mother would take her to see every Sunday, inspiring young Mythri to dream of becoming a district collector herself. Decades later, when an investor introduced them as potential co-founders, the pieces fell into place.
As Mythri recalls, “After our meeting, I called my dad. I asked who was that IAS officer. Was she Vandita Sharma? He said, ‘Yes, that’s what Amma used to talk that I mean she was referring to Vandita ma’am.’ Basically, I was like, ‘Oh my god, what are the odds?’ Unknowingly, she’s been my inspiration at the age of six or seven.”
What makes their partnership work is the complementary dynamic they’ve built. Apoorv brings structure, numbers, and a deep respect for women shaped by a mother who served in the IAS and a wife who consistently outperformed him in MBA. Mythri brings relentless energy, instinct, and the lived experience of navigating India’s informal gig economy as a young woman in Bangalore. “My idea of a perfect date,” she jokes, “is talking numbers and Excel sheets.”
But Timbuckdo isn’t just about creating jobs — it’s about changing mindsets. The founders challenge the deeply ingrained belief that certain work is beneath students from prestigious colleges, and that internships offering only certificates are a fair exchange for time and skill. “There are no freebies,” Mythri insists. “Nobody’s going to work with you for a certificate.” The platform operates on a simple principle: students deserve to be paid, and that money gives them confidence, validation, and a head start in understanding real-world work culture.
The conversation also explores the formative pressures facing today’s students — FOMO, lifestyle aspirations, financial independence, and the need to be seen as equals in a rapidly evolving job market. Timbuckdo addresses this by creating hyper-local, flexible gigs that fit into college schedules while teaching inventory management, customer behavior, and professional accountability — skills no classroom can replicate.
Their Ideabaaz experience proved transformative. With an all-titan deal, Pratik Gandhi as brand ambassador, and ₹2.5 crore in funding, the duo became season openers for the show. But beyond the investment, it was the validation that mattered most. “In a world where your family is stressed, society is judging, and friends are buying cars and holidaying,” Apoorv reflects, “when somebody appreciates your non-conventional path, it feels like a dream.”
Episode four of the Ideabaaz Podcast is a celebration of audacity, ecosystem, and the belief that India’s youth don’t need freebies — they need opportunities. As Mythri puts it: “You only need to be right once.”
