- Money Singh moved to San Francisco in 2006 and struggled socially and academically.
- He started working for $6/hour in his uncle's cab company before building his own taxi fleet.
- Singh founded Drivers Network to help gig workers earn by advertising on their vehicles.
In 2006, Money Singh arrived in San Francisco from India as a 19-year-old with little excitement about his new life. He struggled socially and emotionally in his first year and dropped out of college after discovering that his Indian academic credits wouldn't transfer. "I was depressed for that one year. I wanted to go back. Socially, I was very alone," he said.
Urged by his mother to find a job, Singh began working for 6 dollars an hour as a dispatcher for his uncle's cab company.
What followed was over a decade in the taxi business that laid the foundation for his entrepreneurial journey. Singh began driving his own cab, gradually expanding into a small fleet of five. He then launched his own dispatch company before founding Driver's Network, a marketing and advertising agency tailored for independent drivers.
Today, Singh's businesses bring in more than $2 million annually, CNBC reported. He credits his deep understanding of the struggles and needs of drivers for the success of Driver's Network. The platform helps gig workers earn additional income by turning their vehicles into moving billboards for brands.
In 2018, Money Singh felt it was time to branch out beyond the taxi industry. While continuing to manage his driver-focused ad agency, now called ATCS Platform Solutions, he explored new business opportunities. Inspired by his partner Joypreet's suggestion and drawing from his mother's background as a salon owner in both India and Northern California, Singh teamed up with a local barber to launch Dandies Barbershop and Beard Stylist in Mountain View in June 2019.
"You have to go through permitting. You have to go through dealing with the city. t took me a solid year to get the license to even open the shop, so I was paying rent for one year before I could open the shop," he added.
The gamble paid off. In 2024, Dandies generated ₹1.07 million in sales, while ATCS brought in ₹1.18 million, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It. Both ventures are profitable, and Singh remains actively involved in each. He now works full-time at Dandies and devotes around 20 hours a week to ATCS.
Balancing two businesses wasn't easy, but Singh credits his hands-on approach and willingness to learn for helping Dandies grow from the ground up. He handled everything from marketing to customer experience, all while continuing to lead ATCS.
Now 38, Singh has no plans to slow down. He says he doesn't believe in the idea of retirement and enjoys staying productive and creating opportunities for others. "I don't think I'll ever retire. I would want to work all the way through. That's just what I breathe," he said.
