- Indian entrepreneur Harshil Tomar was fired from his US remote job six months ago for focusing on his startup
- Tomar decided to live frugally with a nine-month runway to pursue his startup full-time
- He hid his job loss from his parents and received financial support from his co-founder Wasim
An Indian entrepreneur, Harshil Tomar, who was let go from his US remote job six months ago, has shared an inspiring story of turning adversity into success, building a startup that raked in Rs 44 lakh ($50,000) in revenue by October. The young founder took to X (formerly Twitter) to recount his journey, revealing that he was sacked from his remote US job during a routine stand-up call that changed his career's trajectory.
"Reason simply being I was focusing too much on my startup as per them. I begged them to give me another chance if possible so that I could do better work and at a faster pace but alas the decision was made," Tomar wrote.
"For the next 10-15 days, I was in a confused state of choosing my dream or looking for a safety net again. I asked all my friends for referrals and thankfully there were few that could be arranged."
With only nine months of total runway if he lived frugally, Tomar sat down and played out all scenarios possible: the best, the worst and the okay one.
"Finally I took the call. I will live cheaply. I will try to figure this out. Every day I spend more time looking for safety, my life would push me towards not taking risks. One year more, I will need to pay rent, one year more, I will need to think about buying a house, one year more, I will need to think about marriage," said Tomar, adding that he decided to go all in.
Hiding the truth from his parents, who still believe he works his old job, Tomar sought support from his co-founder Wasim, who did not 'withdraw any finance' to help ensure he stayed afloat.
"In these 6 months, I have seen all highs and lows. From months with zero clients to working with the biggest brands. The journey has made me more thick-skinned than anything I have ever experienced in life."
By October, his startup hit $50,000 in revenue, secured sponsors, and was prepared to expand from one to 10 team members.
See the viral post here:
Also Read | Russian Woman Lists Indian Office Habits Considered 'Abnormal' Abroad
'Really inspiring'
As the post gained significant traction online, social media users lauded Tomar's perseverance and courage to grind out results.
"Going through something similar. I hope I can find the courage to overcome this like you," said one user, while another added: "Love the honesty! Glad to see your journey from there!"
A third commented: "This is really inspiring brother. If you ever need any help with free design, financial help or anything, just DM and I'm here. Don't need anything in return. Keep Grinding."
