Zepto CEO Aadit Palicha has responded to the backlash he faced in December 2024 for his contentious remarks regarding work-life balance. During a recent podcast with Garry Tan, Palicha spoke about his now-famous post on X (the rebranded Twitter), in which he had typed out, “I have nothing against work-life balance. In fact, I recommend it to all our competitors.” The remark had drawn widespread criticism, with people accusing him of fueling a poor work culture.
Talking to Tan, Palicha admitted the post was an error, referring to it as a “stupid idea” and regretting having posted it. He explained that his aim was not to belittle the value of balance, but to emphasize Zepto’s high-performance work culture.
Palicha elaborated on the company’s culture, describing it as intensely focused on execution. “Join Zepto if you’re really looking to do the best work of your life,” he said. “It’s not for everyone. The pace and pressure are high, and you’re accountable for solving real problems every day.” He admitted that the environment is best suited for individuals who are highly ambitious and thrive in challenging settings.
He also mentioned the company’s problems during the 2022–2023 funding crisis. Palicha disclosed that bad hiring choices and Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse had almost caused Zepto to go bankrupt. “The largest errors I made were bad hires,” he admitted. “We came close to dying. Those errors were extremely expensive, particularly through that existential moment.
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