India is emerging as a global superpower, and a big reason for it is its abundance of resourceful people. With many people pursuing entrepreneurship and thriving as businessmen, India is now the world’s third-largest start-up ecosystem. The Tatas, Birlas, and Ambanis lead a long line of Indians with incredible enterprise, vision and resilience to build successful businesses.
QNET entrepreneurs follow the tradition of these stellar business minds who never gave up on their entrepreneurial vision regardless of their humble roots and struggles before they tasted success. In India, there’s no shortage of inspirational entrepreneurs who come from humble beginnings.
Let’s look at 5 such entrepreneurs who made it to the top against all odds.
#1 – Sanjeev Bikhchandani
Sanjeev Bikhchandani stands tall with his contributions to India’s internet start-up landscape for over three decades, even bagging a Padmashri award (2020). He began modestly in a typical middle-class household, striving hard for a strong academic foundation before taking up a marketing job at an MNC.
His love for entrepreneurship and desire to be his own boss drove him to launch Naukri.com. Being strapped for funds initially, he denied himself a salary for years, relied on used computers, and set up office at the staff quarters in his parents’ house. It took over a decade for his business to flourish and eventually surpass the Rs.3000 crore mark.
Today, he is credited as the founder of the Info Edge Group, a major digital conglomerate comprising Naukri.com, Jeevansaathi.com and backing digital-first start-ups like Zomato and PolicyBazaar. Bikhchandani emphasises the need to focus on solving for a need gap and not become impatient as he believes “great companies take time to build.”
Key takeaway: Don’t be afraid to work hard. Success takes time, but the best entrepreneurs are resourceful and find a way to get the job done.
#2 – Kunal Shah
CRED is a new-age fin-tech brand that has not only entertained us with innovative advertising but also a go-to rewards-based platform for nearly 20% of credit bill payments in India today. CRED’s founder, Kunal Shah, started by picking up odd jobs as a delivery person or doing data entry to shore up his family’s finances. Although he dropped out of his MBA, he had launched multiple start-ups before CRED found success with its novel credit card management approach in 2018.
He believes that “If you fully accept the worst that can ever happen in one’s journey – fear won’t ever be an obstacle in starting up.”
Key takeaway: Embrace failure as a part of the process. You learn and grow from every setback. So don’t let fear stop you from starting a business.
Read More: The inspiring story of CRED founder Kunal Shah who once worked as a data entry operator
#3 – Deepinder Goyal
Food delivery in India has drastically changed thanks to success stories like Zomato. Its founder Deepinder Goyal’s story is equally inspiring – hailing from a small town, he rose from school underperformer with an occasional stutter to topper and survivor against the odds.
Despite Zomato’s success today, there have been multiple occasions when funds were hard to come by. Yet, the company has managed to revive itself, driven by his belief that “Failure is not an option.”
Having built a pioneering brand in the food tech space with an international reputation, Goyal believes that “The goal is not to be the best company in the world, but the best company for the world.”
Key takeaway: Don’t let your limitations define you. Believe in yourself and never stop believing in your vision.
#4 – Falguni Nayar
Entrepreneurship can begin at any age – Falguni Nayar exemplified this by setting up Nykaa at the age of 50 and building it into India’s first-ever unicorn to be helmed by a woman. Starting her entrepreneurial journey later in life was just the beginning. She also chose to step into relatively unchartered territory – a multi-brand beauty and wellness e-commerce platform; and idea with few takers at the time.
Today her vision has taken Nykaa to great heights including getting publicly listed on Mumbai’s NSE.
Her own business vision was sparked and shaped by observing her father’s modest bearings business – lessons for a lifetime that helped carve out space in a market that was traditionally brick and mortar.
Key takeaway: It’s never too late to start a business. Use your experience and carve a path for yourself.
Read More: Falguni Nayar, The First Woman To Lead a Unicorn in India
#5 – Aman Gupta
A CA-turned audio industry pioneer,Aman Gupta co-created boAt – a customer-centric, consumer electronics brand with a story as engaging as its mantra – “Plug into Nirvana”.
By his own admission, it took him 5 failed ventures to reach the point he is at today on his business journey. His story highlights the importance of resilience for an entrepreneur on a new path. In boAt’s case, D2C brands were too few or non-existent when it was launched. They learnt many foundational lessons on various aspects of business, including marketing their product and capturing consumer interest and trust.
Gupta is the quintessential influencer who backs other promising ventures by participating in platforms like Shark Tank India and the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem in the country.
Key takeaway: Trust in your ability to learn and adapt. Your persistence and willingness to explore new possibilities will lead you to success.
These entrepreneurs inspire every QNET entrepreneur. Their fighting spirit through tough times and unforeseen hardships embodies the attitude of, “Do it now,” and “Never give up.” Anyone can make it big, you just have to believe and put in the work.
