Own it, launch it, talk to them: A practical playbook from Hostinger's CEO for Indian MSMEs

MSME founders often find themselves at a crossroads when it comes to going online. They have a ready idea and a market that exists, but the perceived need for a team and budget can be daunting. At the conclusion of MSME Sparks 2026 in Bengaluru, Giedrius Zakaitis, CEO and CTO of Hostinger, addressed this issue in a fireside chat moderated by Shivani Muthanna.

Zakaitis identified three barriers that have held small business founders back: capital, capability, and confidence. However, he argued that the capability barrier has been removed with AI, and capital is no longer necessary to start, only to scale. The most significant remaining barrier is confidence, which he believes is the most important factor.

Once the decision to go online is made, Zakaitis advises against building a business within a closed ecosystem that cannot be controlled. Social platforms that host presence can change the rules and limit reach without charging extra. Instead, he recommends owning your domain, your platform, and the relationship with customers using tools that seamlessly integrate data across functions.

Hostinger's AI-first marketing platform, Reach, embodies this approach by enabling businesses to create tailored email and WhatsApp campaigns based on actual customer behavior with minimal effort.

Zakaitis's second piece of advice is to launch before you are ready. He has observed many founders delaying their launch due to the habit of perfecting their website for months. This tendency can cost them ground, as some lesser-known competitors may seize the opportunity. Zakaitis suggests that if one is not slightly uncomfortable with what they are putting out, they have likely waited too long.

The third step in his playbook is to stay close to customers after launch. At Hostinger, this practice has been integral from the beginning, with the company constantly receiving feedback that leads to improvements for thousands of users. This approach has contributed to Hostinger's revenue tripling over the last four years while maintaining flat headcount.

During the Q&A session at the event, attendees asked about managing a presence across multiple platforms, the competitiveness of AI-native businesses against large AI labs, and the implications of agentic e-commerce for small businesses just getting online. Zakaitis's response to the last question was particularly noteworthy: founders who start building for agent-driven transactions now will have a structural advantage over those using legacy infrastructure.

In summary, Zakaitis's practical playbook for Indian MSMEs consists of three key steps: owning your platform, launching before you are ready, and staying close to your customers after launch. These steps emphasize the importance of taking decisive action rather than being hindered by tools or technology.