VSS Mani is the founder of Just Dial. He started out in 1996. He invested Rs 50,000 to launch the company. He was 29 years of age at that time. The company was started before Google did. It is also called Indian version of the behemoth.
Just Dial was acquired by Mukesh Ambani's Reliance in 2021.
Mani used to work in United Database, a yellow pages company. His initial idea was that this practice would be easier and more accessible via phone.
Before Just Dial, he launched a company called Ask Me. It didn't work as phones weren't that accessible then.
He once told in an interview how he became a millionaire in a matter of weeks.
The year was 1999. A company approached him. The company was helmed by an Indian entrepreneur. He offered him cash in lieu of a part of his company. He went to his chartered accountant and asked him about his company's worth. The CA, to Mani's dismay, said the net worth could be just Rs 15-20 lakh.
Mani told the prospective investor to throw him a number that he was willing to pay. He was willing to pay a couple of million dollars. He closed the deal at close to 3 million dollars. He became a millionaire three years after he opened the company.
He was born in Jamshedpur and grew up in Calcutta. He is a college dropout.
In 2021, Reliance Retail bought 67 percent of Just Dial, including shares held by VSS Mani. According to reports, Reliance paid Rs 2165 crore for the new shares, Rs 1332 crore for Mani's stake and Rs 2200 crore for the open offer. They paid Rs 5700 crore for the majority stake at a valuation of Rs 8,500 crore. The company yesterday was valued at Rs 6575 crore at the stock markets.
He is the Managing Director and CEO of Justdial.
He told in an old interview that when he had arrived in Mumbai to open Just Dial, he had just Rs 50,000. He used borrowed furniture, rented computers and had just 5 employees.
Last financial year, according to Moneycontrol, the company's revenue was Rs 986.67 crore and profit was Rs 162.92 crore.
