Bill Gates of Small Town


Not very often I meet people who challenge themselves. In my town, it's a norm for a son to join his family business. Why not? No rent, no boring office routine and a secure source of income, close to your family and friends. But when I heard about Nitin's business, I thought he could play around for a few years, he is young and his family is one of the richest in town. All the means to chase his dream and he is not under any pressure to bring back the paycheck. Even if he failed, he had a backup plan. 

He was designing a website and he had big plans for it. 'Is he a Software Engineer?' I asked one of his close family friends Priya. 'Nah, he is a commerce graduate but his library is all stacked with programming and computer books. He studies really hard,' she replied.

Building a website is pretty easy but maintaing it is a not a cake walk. I know this from experience, I have a failed e-commerce venture credited to my resume. Whenever I used to meet Priya, I always asked her about Nitin's website. 'It's going fine. He is working very hard'…her lukewarm reply made me skeptical. 'Has he hired a professional?' I enquired. 'No, he is doing all the work by himself.' He must be either crazy or extremely driven to venture into an unknown territory, I thought.

In February 2008 when I faced some technical problem on the project I was working on, Priya insisted that I call Nitin for help. 'He knows a lot. He can solve your problem,' she asserted. Since I was in a desperate need for help, I called him. He asked me some questions and comprehended the problem over phone. 'You need to fix the stack error,' he explained.

Mighty impressed by his knowledge, I started visiting his website almost everyday. Slowly he became the talk of the town. Dhiman's elder son is doing something with computers - was all they understood. He became a geek who worked in a room with computer and books. Only a handful appreciated his vision. Some even questioned his wisdom, like I did initially. By the end of 2008, Nitin started marketing his website. Every friday morning I opened The Tribune to check his website's advertisement. I knew he was growing and he left no stone unturned to give shape to his dream. He was self taught and he combined the business acumen he inherited from his father to market the website.

In less than two years, someone with no professional degree built a website with a great Alexa rank. Now, more people started recognizing the whiz kid. They started speculating the ways in which website earns money. Amidst many apprehensions, he continued to grow. He hired a staff of two to assist him. 'Nitin is doing great. Even his younger brother has joined his business,' Priya once told me. She had sensed my interest and appreciation for his business and she never missed to share the little insights. We knew he was destined for a bigger success and we knick named him, 'Bill Gates of Ambala.'

By the end of 2010, Nitin's entire family joined him. They started working full time on the website leaving their well established family business. With its exponential growth, he needed more manpower and support. Even after tasting success he never stopped reading and learning. 'You need to know all the tiny details of your business.' he emphasized. 'Why don't you hire a professional with experience? He can surely lessen your work load.' I quizzed. 'How can you get things done from someone when you don't know how to do it yourself.'  His answer to my question was so simple and clear that it taught me a valuable entrepreneurial lesson. The territory was no longer unknown to him. By then, he had tried and tested the waters.

In 2011 his family left the town. They closed their family business, rented out their properties and moved to Chandigarh where the business had better prospects to grow. Now, www.maxabout.com has become one of the most prominent portals in India.

I surf his website every now and then. And at times I smile, when searching for something on Google, his website shows up on top of search engine results. His hard work, determination and belief paved way to his unbelievable success. His success resonates the importance of learning every aspect of your business. Pitfalls are bound to happen but when you know all the intricacies of your own business, you know which crease to out iron out first. 

The journey which started with a few computer books and a zeal is flourishing. In 2012 a team from Google India visited Nitin's office. It seems his big plans are pretty big. I texted him on his success, 'Heard a lot of awesome things about your site, Congrats.' 

'Yup, going great!' our small town Bill Gates replied.

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*I wish to get my story published in Chicken Soup for the Indian Entrepreneurs Soul in association with BlogAdda.com

Comments

  1. A story of an entreprenuer well narrated, Saru!! Best of luck for the contest!

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  2. I will stop appreciating you Saru, tired of it. Still can't :). very nicely narrated.

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    1. Thank you so much for a motivating comment Ranjana. It means a lot to be appreciated by fellow bloggers :)

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  3. Exellent post, Saru. Hard work plus determination is the way to success.Nitin proved it .Your encouraged him.Your writeup is fabulous.

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    1. Nitin is an inspiration to many of us. I always thought his story deserves a bigger audience. Thanks for reading and for your comment. :)

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  4. nicely narrated story of an entrepreneur with strong will and passion.

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  5. really, nice story looking forward to read more

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  6. Lovely... But I am somewhere seriously more interested to read about or own e commerce venture. I think it would also be quite a story :)

    www.subzeroricha.blogspot.in

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    1. Richa, that story can be summed in two lines. Never make partners with family friends and never hire family friends as your web designers.

      Thanks for reading and welcome here :)

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  7. Sounds good!!

    Best wishes for the contest

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  8. best of luck di....awesome story..:)

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  9. small town Bill Gates.. India is full of them
    n I feel proud in saying that :)

    lovely story Saru..

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    1. Yeah, we are proud of that! Thanks for reading Jyoti.

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  10. You're a wonderful story-teller! :)

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    1. Coming from you, it's a huge compliment. Humbled!

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  11. Beautifully narrated! Inspiring!

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  12. As a person who is getting her hands dirty with entrepreneurship right now, I am totally inspired by this post! Convey my best wishes and regards to the small town Bill Gates!

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  13. Nice read Saru. I am back here after a long time. Your writing still remains as beautiful as it was before.

    PS: When do you plan to write a book for your fans ?:)

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    1. Book happened last year. Check Rousing Cadence tab. Thanks for a beautiful comment and welcome back :)

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  14. That's a very inspirational post.

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  15. Very nice... Nitin is a true entrepreneur.

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    1. He is, for sure. Thanks for reading Manjulika :)

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  16. Nice, inspiring story, Could you include a link to his website in your blog post?

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    1. It is there in the post. Thanks for reading Chaitanya :)

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  17. Nice read and inspiring. Beautifully narrated. Wish you luck for the contest.

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  18. So inspiring! 'How can you get things done from someone when you don't know how to do it yourself.' This line resonates so much with me!
    Best of luck, Saru!

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    1. No wonder, you are good at whatever you do Roshni. Thanks for reading and for your wishes :)

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  19. Excellent post. .. a very inspiring young man indeed. Good luck with the entry :)

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  20. What a success story. Very inspiring. All the best Saru :)

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  21. That is awesome stuff. Follow your dreams to reality.

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    1. Yes, follow your dreams to reality. Thanks for reading Rajesh.

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  22. oh i m so inspired by this man :) you have added so much life to this story that i can almost imagine the whole picture before me. Great Job :)

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    1. Thank you Jiggyasa for a beautiful comment. Welcome here dear :)

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  23. Was hooked till the end ...quite inspirational story ! best of luck :)

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  24. Excellent improvisation. But the real challenge to any business is its sustainability. If he is able to create profits/ROI consistently over the next few years, kudos!! Wishing Nitin all the very best in his venture :)

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    1. He has been doing it for many years now. I mean, that's why such a bold step of closing a profitable family business and moving ahead. Thanks for reading and your wishes :)

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  25. Wow! What a wonderful story Saru. All we need is the passion to perform and the rest will follow. This is an apt example of the same..

    This deserves to be published to an even larger audience. All the best :)

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    1. I agree Binu on both the statements. Thanks for your wishes :)

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  26. Quite inspiring.
    Read it twice.

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  27. Such posts really encourage...Keep it Up... !

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  28. Nice one, all the best..........Good luck

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  29. That's one good inspiration! I wish it gets published in CS! :)

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  30. A nice inspiring post!!

    All the best! :)

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  31. All the best Saru :) Yeah I also visit the site quite often. it's great :)

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    1. Thank you. Site's a treat for car and bike lovers.

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  32. Good tale to share and very well narrated, Saru!

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  33. What a lovely inspiring story, Saru! And a story worth reading and retelling.

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  34. This story reinstates that passion and hard work can take you to great heights!! Convey my best wishes to the young Bill Gates!!

    www.makeitbeayoutiful.blogspot.in

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    1. I'll and thanks for reading Aditi. Welcome here :)

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  35. What a delightful story! Well-written too.

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  36. Hard work and determination can do wonders!:)

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  37. And yes, very clean and crisp narration indeed!:)

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    1. Thanks, coming from you it's a huge compliment Tarang :)

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  38. Very Inspiring and well described Saru :)

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  39. Truly inspiring stuff....... I have gone through his site, a very well maintained one..... The good thing is his family also supported him fully even not knowing about this business and did not ask him to join the well established family business.... My best wishes to them......

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    1. Yes, his mother is very modern in her outlook. Of course, we have to applaud his family for his success. Thanks for reading and sharing your views Debopam.

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  40. Very nice Saru..well narrated... All the very best for your competition.. I know you are bound to get success as this story some where relates to you as well :-)

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    1. Thank you, good to see you here after a long time :)

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  41. One keeps wondering whether the story is real or fiction! I am going to Google the website name now!
    Good luck with the contest.

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    1. It's real Rickie, tagged as true stories. :) Thanks for the wishes :)

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  42. 'You need to know all the tiny details of your business.' ...now we know how he succeeded. This Bill Gates of Ambala is an inspiration. :)

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    1. Yeah, ask me. This is exactly the reason I failed. Thanks for reading Puru :)

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  43. hardwork is one part to grow,, he was determined and alo he luk favoured him and also his family were very supportive. To get everything fll in place is tough even though u are hard working. All the very best to your friend nitin:)

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    1. Yes, we do need the right combination to succeed. Thanks for reading.

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  44. Saru, its great that you know someone like Nitin. People like him always affect people around them in a good way. A wonderful write up.

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    1. Yes, such people bring energy and positive vibes. They inspire too. Thanks for reading :)

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  45. Very inspiring,thanks for sharing.Nitin's self-motivation was the key.

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  46. All the best Saru. Well written about a determined person.

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  47. That's what we call inspiration...inspiration to do something and then giving your entirety to it and finally believing in your dreams and always craving to take the extra mile propels one to prosper...whether he is an entrepreneur or anybody else...!!!

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    1. Such a beautiful way of putting it, Anjan. Thank you for that! :)

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  48. It is an inspirational story Saru.Good luck for the contest

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  49. The way you articulated excellently, I couldn't hold my curiousity - I clicked his website half way through reading and returned back.

    Stumbled upon here from IndiBlogger... :)

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    1. Great, happy to know that you were excited to have a look at his website. Welcome here Arun :)

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  50. The narration - absolutely spot on, the story - truly inspirational ... I am sure this will get selected ... all the best buddy :-)

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    1. I hope so too. Fingers crossed :)

      Thanks for your wishes :)

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  51. Very inspiring. The journey which started with a few computer books and a zeal is flourishing reminds me of journey of journey of thousand miles begins with a single step

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    1. It does but not many have the courage and determination to follow their dreams. Thanks for reading.

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  52. Nitin's story seems inspiring for the people who themselves, irrespective of their interest.
    Good luck! :)

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    1. Sorry, because of typo can't understand what you meant :(

      Thanks for reading Gayatri.

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  53. Very nice write-up. I definitely love this website. Keep writing!


    Feel free to visit my blog post Abercrombie France

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  54. excellent post ma'am .. hardwork, perseverence and determination, that's all you need ..

    all the best for the contest!

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    1. Yes, success is a combination of all those factors. Thanks for your wishes Rahul.

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  55. Very energetic blog, I liked that a lot. Will there be a part 2?


    Look at my webpage ... Michael Kors Outlet

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  56. Hard work and determination ; key to success :) Very much Inspiring and motivating..... :) Technology News

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  57. Hi Saru.. Just got my blog approved in Indiblogger.. And yours is the first article which i read.. So this goes straight to my treasured memories. Btw your article was excellent with simple words.

    Do Visit my blog too when you get time
    http://journeywithbarani.info/myblog/spectacular-life/

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  58. I'm too lazy to read long blog posts, but I couldn't leave yours. Congrats to Nitin; we need people like him in this country. And Saru, I must praise your writing style... simple but spicy. I've a personal admiration for such writers who can cook such spicy dishes using the basic ingredients! It's called skill you know? :)

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    1. No, I feel I am quite unbaked, still learning but glad you like my style. Though, your posts are very funny and unique. Thanks a ton for reading and for motivating me. :)

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  59. that was such an inspiring post. Thanks saru :)

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  60. This is such an inspirational story! :) I liked this line the most-'How can you get things done from someone when you don't know how to do it yourself.' Nicely narrated.

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  61. Very inspirational story that gives a lot of lessons and take away for those willing to learn!

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  62. Wow , this story really boosted me up , thnxx for posting this ma'am :)

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