Making business ‘funda’ simple, one Kannada reel at a time

Bengaluru

Swathi Kulkarni, popularly known on Instagram as funda_hudugi, is a Bengaluru-based content creator and the 21-year-old voice simplifying business news for young audiences. Through her platform, funda_hudugi, she breaks down the nuts and bolts of brands and companies, making complex business ideas accessible and engaging.

Her mission is clear: to explain the business funda — from strategy and finance to market positioning — in Kannada. By turning dense corporate narratives into bite-sized lessons, Swathi gives her audience a competitive edge, helping them understand why certain businesses succeed.
She has emerged as a go-to guide for decoding the funda behind fortunes.

Early influence
“I have been interested in business journalism since the sixth grade,” recalled Swathi, tracing her fascination with the subject to her upbringing.
Her curiosity was nurtured at home — by a father who is an MBA professor with a keen interest in the stock market, a mother who is also a professor, and grandparents who were educators. Growing up in an academic environment, she found inspiration in Shereen Bhan, senior journalist at CNBC-TV18, whom she admired from a young age.

“I began reading business articles and learning the fundamentals of business, which I later decided to share on my online platform,” she said.
Her initial content was largely in English, and she also experimented with comedic videos in Hindi, English and Kannada, attempting to blend humour with business education. However, the experiment did not yield the results she had hoped for.

 Finding her niche
Over time, Swathi carved out a distinct niche — informative business content in Kannada — making her one of the earliest creators in this space.
“I chose to speak in Kannada because it is my mother tongue,” she said with pride. In the early days, her primary focus was ensuring the accuracy of the information she shared. “We come across thousands of brands every day, and I try to tell the story behind them,” she explained.

The hurdles
Speaking about the challenges of her niche, Swathi said that while she initially focused on well-known brands, she now consciously chooses lesser-known topics. “Only information that isn’t easily available captures the audience’s attention,” she observed, adding that the rise of AI-driven content creators has also made the space more competitive. Instagram’s algorithm poses another hurdle, as business content often struggles to compete with lighter entertainment formats. “It’s a heavy niche and very hard to crack,” she said with a laugh.

 A long way to go
Reflecting on her journey, Swathi said she is grateful that her audience has grown alongside her. She recalled feeling overwhelmed at just 19, when a sudden surge in popularity led to invitations to speak at conferences. “I was even invited to speak at my mother’s college, addressing an audience older than me,” she said. Her milestones include being among the first Kannada-English informative creators on Josh Talks, receiving the ET Money Rising Star Award, and interning at Fever 104 FM.

 Looking ahead
Swathi plans to explore long-format content on YouTube, launch her own podcast, and eventually start a venture of her own. “I’ve always dreamt of having ‘founder’ in front of my name,” she said with a smile. To young creators, she offered a simple piece of advice: start somewhere. “Your niche may not be defined yet. Begin the work and see where it takes you,” she concluded, wrapping up the exclusive interview with News Trail.