Starting a business in India as an ordinary person with a modest background was never going to be easy. But it was the decision that changed my life — not just professionally, but personally too. Here's my journey: raw, real, how I started my business in India, and hopefully useful to someone who's thinking about taking the same leap.
Like many Indians from a middle-class family, I grew up with the standard expectations — study well, get a stable job, and build a secure life. I did all of that. I earned my degree, landed a decent job, and followed the script.
But something always felt off. I had ideas, I saw gaps in the market, and I often thought, “Why doesn’t someone build this?” One day, I realized — maybe I should be that someone.
My idea wasn’t revolutionary. It was based on a simple problem: people in my area struggled to find reliable home service professionals — plumbers, electricians, cleaners. I decided to build a local platform that connected verified professionals with customers in my city.
I didn’t have venture capital, a fancy MBA, or connections in the startup world. But I did have:
₹50,000 in savings
A laptop
A deep understanding of the problem
The will to figure it out
I started by building a basic website using free tools. I listed a few local service providers I personally vetted, added a simple booking form, and promoted it through WhatsApp groups, Facebook, and word-of-mouth.
For the first few weeks, I got barely 3–4 bookings a week. But the real win? Every one of those customers came back.
Starting a business in India isn’t glamorous — it’s gritty. Here are some real challenges I faced:
Convincing my family: Leaving a stable job for a “website” didn’t go down well.
Trust: Convincing both customers and service providers that I wasn’t a scam.
Licensing & Compliance: Figuring out GST, MSME registration, and legal basics was confusing.
Hiring: My first hire quit after a month. I had no HR process — just hope.
Mental pressure: No weekends, no guaranteed salary, and lots of self-doubt.
But every time I wanted to quit, I remembered why I started. That gave me just enough energy to try again the next day.
After 4–5 months, we started getting traction. Local news covered our story. Word-of-mouth grew. I partnered with a small digital agency that offered me SEO help in exchange for free services.
Here’s what changed the game:
I reinvested all revenue into marketing and automation tools.
I added WhatsApp booking and launched a referral program.
We built trust by offering “No questions asked refunds.”
I started documenting customer testimonials and using them in every ad.
We hit 1,000 bookings in our 8th month. It wasn’t viral growth, but it was real.
Start before you’re ready: You’ll never feel 100% prepared. Just begin.
Solve a problem, not just chase trends: Real businesses are built on real needs.
Keep costs low and learn to say no: Especially in the early stage.
Don’t chase funding too early: Focus on solving, serving, and sustaining.
Talk to customers constantly: They’ll tell you what to build next.
Today, my startup serves over 8,000 households in 3 cities. We’ve expanded our services, built a mobile app, and even received a small angel investment. I now have a team of 12 and a clear path ahead.
Am I rich? Not yet.
Am I happy? Definitely more than I was at my desk job.
Was it worth it? A thousand times yes.
If you’re from a middle-class background and wondering if you can start something of your own in India — you can. You won’t have all the answers, but you’ll figure it out as you go.
Start small. Stay humble. Build something that helps others. That’s where the magic happens.
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