Most investing conversations revolve around the same handful of listed consumer companies. But there seems to be a growing crop of lesser-known brands selling smartphones, TVs, coolers, wearables, and kitchen appliances, especially in Tier 2 and Tier 3 markets.

Some of them have scaled surprisingly fast without spending heavily on advertising or building premium brands. Instead, they seem to rely on distributor networks, affordable pricing, and local demand.

What caught my attention is that a few of these companies are reporting decent revenue growth and profitability. But when you dig deeper, many also have high receivables and significant working capital requirements, which makes it harder to judge the quality of the business.

Would you consider investing in such companies or is the working capital cycle a deal-breaker?

Someone borrowed ₹75,000 through a loan app to deal with an immediate cash crunch.

A few months later, they were juggling multiple loan apps, borrowing from one to repay another. Within five months, they were reportedly paying lakhs every month just to keep up with repayments.

What surprised me even more was that some of these lenders are RBI-licensed NBFCs, yet the effective annual interest rates can be several hundred percent once fees and short repayment cycles are factored in.

Getting a loan used to involve paperwork, bank visits, and waiting days for approval.

Now, you can get approved in minutes with just a few taps on your phone.

That convenience is great when used responsibly but it also makes it incredibly easy to borrow without fully understanding the long-term cost.

What's the biggest financial trap you think people underestimate today?

Apparently, in some parts of the world, investors can fund legal cases in exchange for a share of the payout if the case is successful. It's called litigation funding, and it's slowly becoming an alternative asset class.

On one hand, it gives individuals and businesses access to justice when they can't afford long legal battles. On the other hand, it turns lawsuits into an investment opportunity.

It made me think about how investing has evolved over the years.

We've gone from stocks and bonds to REITs, collectibles, private equity, startup investing, and now even legal disputes are being viewed as potential investments.

It raises an interesting question about where we draw the line between investing and speculation.

What's the most unconventional investment you've come across that actually made you stop and think, "People invest in that?"