Education
An Indian immigrant in the U.S. became a millionaire by successfully running a Gujarati restaurant, defying Peter Thiel's claim that restaurants are the worst businesses to invest in.
Updated : Aug 20, 2024, 04:26 PM IST
Peter Thiel, the American billionaire and PayPal founder, once famously remarked that restaurants are the worst businesses to invest in. He cited reasons like fierce competition, slow growth, and low wages, making restaurants an unattractive investment. However, for one Indian immigrant in the United States, opening a restaurant turned out to be a life-changing decision, propelling him to millionaire status.
An X user named Sunil recently shared the inspiring story of his Gujarati friend who immigrated to the U.S., opened a Gujarati restaurant, and now enjoys a comfortable life. Sunil humorously reflected on his own journey, comparing it to his friend's success. While Sunil holds a master's degree and enjoys listening to podcasts, his friend, who only studied until the 10th grade, managed to achieve remarkable entrepreneurial success.
"Met a Patel friend who runs a restaurant in New Jersey," Sunil wrote on X. "He was in his late 40s and 10th pass. I am an engineer with a master's degree who listens to podcasts."
During their conversation, Sunil mentioned Peter Thiel's view on the restaurant business, highlighting the high failure rates and unpredictable customers. However, his friend, seemingly unaware of who Peter Thiel is, confidently dismissed the notion.
The Gujarati restaurant owner explained that for him, running a restaurant is a guaranteed way to become a millionaire. He pointed out that he has at least 50 families who are loyal customers. Contrary to Thiel's belief that restaurant customers are unpredictable, the entrepreneur explained that if his food is lacking in salt one day, his customers will simply ask him to add more. They won't stop coming to his restaurant over a minor mistake.
One key to his success, the restaurant owner added, is the strategic location of his establishment. Situated on the route to the popular Swaminarayan Temple in Robinsville, New Jersey, his restaurant attracts a steady stream of customers, including many Gujaratis from New York and Pennsylvania who visit the temple. Tourist buses often stop at his restaurant, bringing in 50-75 people at a time.
His daily routine is simple: waking up every morning to cook traditional dishes like dal, chawal, roti, sabzi, and dhokla. Over the years, this straightforward approach has turned him into a millionaire.
Sunil concluded his post by admiring his friend's success, noting that it didn't require an MBA or a penchant for listening to podcasts. Instead, it was a result of common sense, intuition, and the ability to take calculated risks.
The post quickly went viral, garnering over 300,000 views on X. Many users resonated with the message, with one commenting, "Most educated people are trapped in analysis paralysis – waiting for the perfect start. If we can just focus on the basics and continue working towards it, success will follow." Another user shared a similar story, saying, "A friend, after getting fired from a software developer job, started small businesses like stores and laundromats, and ended up making more money than before."
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