Vada Pav to Millions- Story of Never Giving Up

Today, as I celebrate my birthday, I find myself reflecting on a journey that took me from sitting a small room with last 50 rupees note in Pune, surviving on a single vada pav for days, to managing businesses —leading training centers, scaling businesses to $3.6 million a year, and addressing audiences of 500+ with confidence.

If someone had told me years ago, as I sat in that small room, that I’d one day achieve all this, I wouldn’t have believed them.

I owe this to a father who never stopped me from chasing my dreams and a mother who was nothing short of the epitome of motivation, always reminding me that I could achieve anything I set my heart to.

Every step—every lesson, challenge, and milestone—has shaped me into the person I am today

The Small-Town Beginning: From Akola to Pune

I grew up in Akola, where dreams often felt too big for the place I called home. But school was a chapter I rarely speak about (mostly ignore to talk)

I wasn’t a top-performing student; in fact, I was average, the kind of student who often got overlooked. My batchmates made it worse—I was neglected, dismissed, and sometimes made to feel like I didn’t belong. Those moments, though seemingly small to others, left a deep mark.

Even today, the trauma of being invisible in a crowd lingers subconsciously. But instead of letting it define me, I’ve worked to use it as fuel—to prove, first to myself, that I am so much more than what others assumed I could be.

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The Early Steps: A Job That Taught Resilience

During my second year of graduation, I took on a part-time job in Akola. It wasn’t much, but it taught me the value of work, discipline, and the confidence that comes with earning something for yourself.

That small experience gave me the courage to dream bigger, and soon I moved to Pune with little more than ambition and hope.

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Real Struggles Started: When Dreams Met Reality

Life in Pune wasn’t easy. Jobs were scarce, rejections frequent, and finances tight. I still remember surviving on a single vada pav a day, questioning if I had made the right decision.

But something inside me refused to give up. I reminded myself daily:

“Struggles are temporary, but the strength they build lasts forever.”

Those days of hunger—literal and figurative—taught me that persistence is sometimes your only choice when the odds are against you.

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The Breakthrough: Leadership at MIT

At MIT, I began as a sales executive, starting small but learning fast. Within six months, I was promoted to team lead. Three months later, I was leading a team of 230+ sales executives.

This was my first taste of leadership, where I learned to balance strategy, people, and growth. It was a moment of realization:

“If you step up and own the challenge, success will follow.”

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Building Excellence at Atos

When I joined Atos, I was tasked with setting up their SAP training center from scratch. It was a massive challenge with no blueprint to follow.

The doubts were there—“Can this be done?”—but I believed in the process. Within just one year, the center became operational and went on to win awards for excellence.

This experience cemented a belief that would stay with me forever:

“When you deliver results, the noise fades, and your work speaks louder than words.”

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Scaling $3.6M in the Middle of a Lockdown

I joined my next role when the world was grappling with a pandemic. Businesses were shutting down, uncertainty loomed everywhere, and growth seemed impossible.

The company’s annual revenue was less than $60,000 when I started. Through strategy, adaptability, and team collaboration, we scaled the business to $3.6 million annually—achieving millions month-on-month during the lockdown.

It wasn’t just about numbers; it was about resilience. It was about proving that opportunities exist even in the toughest times if you’re willing to adapt and push forward.

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Being a Woman in Leadership

In my journey, I’ve often found that being a woman in leadership comes with its own set of challenges.

• Strong Opinions? “Headstrong.”
• Clear Decisions? “Too bold.”
• High Standards? “Too tough.”

There were times I was questioned more, doubted quicker, and scrutinized harder simply for holding my ground. But I learned something important:

“If being strong makes you ‘headstrong,’ then wear that title proudly. Results will always silence assumptions.”

Every challenge I faced as a woman made me sharper, tougher, and more focused. I didn’t let the labels define me—I let my work do the talking.

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Today: Leading Strategy at Initium Learning

Now, as I manage business strategy, P&L, and growth for one of the fastest-growing IT training companies.

I’m proud to be part of an organization that empowers individuals, enterprises and academia to upskill in technologies like SAP, AI, and more. My focus has always been to create opportunities, deliver value, and help people build better futures.

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A Birthday Reflection

As I celebrate another year today, I look back with gratitude—grateful for the struggles that strengthened me, the people who believed in me, and the opportunities that shaped me.

To anyone standing at the beginning of their journey, feeling unsure or stuck, I say this:

“Your struggles are not your story’s end. They are the chapters that build your strength.”

If I could move from surviving on a vada pav for days to leading multi-million-dollar ventures, you can too.

Thank you to everyone who has been part of my journey. The challenges, the victories, and even the labels have all made this story worth sharing.

Here’s to dreaming big, staying resilient, and breaking barriers—one step at a time.

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