Sleeping on Road to $10 Billion

Hey ,

How does it feel from sleeping on a road to running a $10 billion company?

Would be hard for many of us to tell but we all have our own story.

But today, I want to share inspiring story of a founder who became India’s youngest self-made billionaire at the age of 27.

This is the story of Ritesh Agarwal, founder of OYO Rooms.

(And this is not him narrating this time, it’s me sharing about his journey):

Ritesh was born into a lower-middle-class family in a small village in India. From a young age, he dreamt of doing something big, but societal norms and financial constraints held him back. Despite the challenges, Ritesh was determined to carve out a different path for himself.

Ritesh managed to secure a spot in a decent college, but instead of focusing on his studies, he became fascinated with the idea of entrepreneurship.

He started a business providing accessible and affordable hotels, but nothing seemed to work out. His very limited funds dried up, and he found himself sleeping on the streets for several nights. Yet, his spirit remained unbroken.

Desperate for a breakthrough, Ritesh applied for the Thiel Fellowship, a prestigious program that supports young entrepreneurs, ran by Peter Thiel, the OG entrepreneur.

He dropped out of college without informing his parents as a prerequisite for fellowship, hoping this gamble would pay off. To his delight, he was accepted into the fellowship, and this became the turning point in his life.

With the support of the Thiel Fellowship, Ritesh restructured his business model. He focused on making conscious decisions, aligning his actions with the betterment of his customers, team, and society.

His company began to gain traction, and by the age of 27, Ritesh became India’s youngest self-made billionaire.

Things were going great and then the pandemic hit, shaking his company to its core. Many businesses crumbled, but Ritesh business took more hit because travelling was of least concern during those tough times.

Did it impact him? Absolutely, but his resilience and conscious mindset kept him afloat.

He redirected his focus towards his customers and hotel partners, ensuring their needs were met even in challenging times.

His efforts paid off, and his company soared to new heights, reaching a valuation of $10 billion.

He always preaches that:

If you ever look into any of his interview or podcast, you will understand in an instant what made him so successful.

(Conscious Mindset)

A truly inspiring story, but I mostly resonate with his attitude to keep customers and team at the top.

Indeed, a Super Founder, just like yourself.

Thanks for taking out your precious time for reading this.

If you have any specific feedback or anything interesting, you’d like to share, please let us know by replying to this email.

Stay tuned for the next one. Until then, keep building consciously.

Thank you,

Santhosh, founder of WeBuidl