How I Built a Successful Start-Up from the Ground Up.

You’ve heard the story. Guy quits cushy job, starts a new venture, builds an empire, and rides off into the sunset. Easy, right? I wish it was.

I had a nice life before it all began. Worked in a fancy bank, came home to my wonderful fiancé. On paper, things were perfect, but it never quite felt that way. Which is why I quit my job a month before our wedding, and flew to Australia on what was supposed to be our honeymoon, but became a business trip instead. Did I mention my wife is an absolute star? My wife is an absolute star.

The first year was brutal. I worked out of tiny cabin in Delhi, reaching out to students who were struggling and relying on their word-of-mouth referrals to stay afloat. My co-founder (and friend!) Mayank chipped in from halfway across the world before finally joining me for good. Together, we built a simple listing page on WordPress, and with that, we were officially in business. How’d we pull it off with zero technical know-how? Your guess is as good as mine.

As the year rolled by, the tiny cabin started to get a little too full for comfort. We moved operations to an airy, co-working unit that let us spread our wings, both literally and otherwise. Soon after, we won the Economic Times’ Power of Ideas, and for the first time, the dream felt real. ET also introduced me to a thriving community of go-getters and dream-builders, including my current mentor who brought method to my madness. His support has been life-changing, and there’s been no looking back since.

2016 was a real game-changer for University Living. We became one of the 10 Best Start-Ups recognized by IIIT-Delhi, won the BigB Plan by Espark-Viridan Accelerator and Headstart Network Foundation, and were officially certified by StartUp India. If it sounds like I’m bragging, it’s because I am. I may not have kids yet, but I’m one proud dad.

That’s not all. This was also the year Mayank and I travelled to the UK together for the first time, met accommodation providers who’ve now become long-term associates, and welcomed interns fresh out of college, many of whom are now managers and senior associates at University Living. If I have one advice for anyone looking to build a business, it’s this – learn to invest in people and their dreams instead of fancy resumes and impressive skills. That’s when the magic happens!

2017 was the year of consolidation. We tested new features that are now synonymous with our services. This includes piloting the room-replacement feature that lets student swap accommodation, offering flexible tenancies, and introducing European cities to our kitty! But 2018 has been the best year yet. We launched a brand new platform with end-to-end solutions, doubled our workforce, hosted our first pre-departure event for UK-bound students, established a strong referral program with global universities, brought University Living to Korea, France, Ireland, and New Zealand, and even raised Pre-Series A funding! It’s been a hell of a ride, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

I’m going to leave you with something that may seem obvious, but it needs to be said anyway. Running a business isn’t easy – nothing worth doing is. So please don’t wait for the perfect moment, because it doesn’t exist. The only way forward is to start NOW, and while you don’t have to be a genius to pull it off, you DO need to be the hardest worker in the room. Whether you’re slumming it in a tiny cabin rules or enjoying the view from your swanky corner office, keep going. Take nothing for granted, practice gratitude every step of the way, and the difference will speak for itself. Good luck!