“On 18th December 2017, I opened my HDFC Net Banking App. And this screenshot was special because for the first time in my life, my bank account was showing more than 1 crore rupees.”
The Beginning: A Story of Resilience- If I Can Do It, YOU CAN TOO!
Every financial journey has a starting point. Mine began not with wealth, but with debt, responsibilities, and a series of life decisions that weren’t always wise. This is the story of how I went from living paycheck to paycheck to crossing my first crore—and how you can do it too.
Chapter 1: The Early Years (2011-2013)
In April 2011, I became the founding CEO of Groupon India with a salary of ₹36 lakhs annually. Before that, I worked as a consultant and earned well, but I had made every mistake in the book:
- ❌ Bought a house on loan thinking it was a “good investment”
- ❌ Purchased a car thinking it was a “good investment”
- ❌ Had to support my father’s business debt for 10-15 years
- ❌ Had my own ISB education loan to pay off
- ❌ Spent recklessly without building savings
The Lesson: High income doesn’t automatically mean high savings. Financial discipline is a skill you must develop.
Chapter 2: The Turning Point (2013-2014)
In 2013, I got the responsibility of Groupon AIPAC (India, Indonesia, Philippines, Thailand). My exposure to international markets revealed an incredible opportunity.
The Indonesia Observation
I noticed something fascinating:
- Indonesia had advanced offline retail with magnificent malls
- But online retail was severely backward compared to India
- The country had similar demographics and internet penetration
The Insight: Whatever happened in India would eventually happen in Indonesia. I realized I could replicate successful Indian business models in Indonesia.
The Paytm Parallel
One idea stood out—online mobile recharge. This was before Demonetization (2017) made Paytm a household name. At that time, recharging meant:
- Going to a shop
- Buying a scratch card
- Entering the code manually
The revolution of online recharge was just beginning in India—and completely absent in Indonesia.
Chapter 3: The Investment Decision
I pitched the idea to my Indonesian colleague who had left Groupon. He was interested. I was invested.
My Investment: ₹10 lakhs
That was a LOT of money for me at that time. I had made many stupid investments before, but this time I was driven by conviction. The truth is, back then I only thought about investing in startups—I never considered:
- 📈 Stock market
- 📊 Mutual funds
- 💰 Any other investment vehicle
I thought mutual funds were for “old uncles” (completely wrong!). I believed I was a “rockstar startup entrepreneur” who would only invest in startups. None of my other startup investments worked—except this one.
The Lesson: Sometimes our biases blind us to opportunities. Be open to learning about all investment avenues.
Chapter 4: The Struggle Years (2014-2017)
The Salary Rollercoaster
- 2014: Salary jumped to ₹97 lakhs (close to a crore!)
- 2015: Co-founded Nearbuy, salary reduced to ₹60 lakhs
- 2016: Went bankrupt, salary cut to ₹45 lakhs
Despite earning well, expenses consumed everything:
- Business loan payments
- Sister’s wedding (2017)
- Education loan (lasted till 2016—11 years!)
- School fees
- New house expenses
- Parents’ house maintenance
The Classic Salaried Trap
Whatever salary came, I spent that much. Savings was an afterthought. This is the classic mistake of a salaried individual—and I made it despite knowing better.
The Lesson: Income growth doesn’t guarantee wealth accumulation. Lifestyle inflation is real.
Chapter 5: Rock Bottom (2016-2017)
My Investment in Nearbuy
In 2015, I invested ₹60 lakhs of my savings into Nearbuy. Then made more investments in other startups. By 2016, I was broke.
The Lowest Point (May 2017)
On my son Vidur’s birthday, he needed a cycle. We could only afford it by selling Ruchi’s jewelry. That’s how bad it got:
- 💳 Credit cards were maxed out
- 💰 Had taken personal loans
- 📉 Expenses far exceeded income
- 🏦 Down to our last few thousand rupees
Our company Nearbuy was running out of money. We had to lay off people—some of the hardest decisions of my life.
The Nearbuy-Paytm Deal
In August 2017, Paytm showed interest in investing in Nearbuy. But the deal was incredibly complex with many moving parts. While negotiations dragged on, Sequoia (now Peak XV) helped fund our monthly shortfalls.
Chapter 6: The Miracle Email (November 2017)
Then came the email that changed everything.
The Indonesian founder I had partnered with wrote: “We are raising a next round of funding. Our current investors are getting an opportunity to liquidate some of their holding. Would you be interested?”
I replied: “I would love to sell half of my ownership.”
A few days later: “Yes, it’s possible. Our board has agreed.”
The Result: I sold half my ownership for ₹1.3 CRORES.
Chapter 7: The Moment (18th December 2017)
On December 18, 2017, my HDFC Net Banking App showed a balance of ₹1.32 crores—₹1.3 crores of that had just hit my account.
The Realization
I almost broke down. I told Ruchi:
“There is someone who is helping us with his hand on our head. But we didn’t work hard. We didn’t respect that person properly. We didn’t earn it. We haven’t worked hard to get to this point.”
The Shift
From that moment, I decided:
- ✅ I will never dismiss money
- ✅ I will never disrespect money
- ✅ I will neither run after money nor hate it
- ✅ Money has an important objective—I will learn to be its friend
The Lesson: The first crore came through luck. But I realized I couldn’t grow it without hard work, knowledge, and respect for money.
Chapter 8: The Transformation (2018-2024)
From ₹1.3 Crores to ₹13.5 Crores
Today, my net worth is around ₹13.5 crores—all accumulated in the last 6 years. That’s 13X growth, faster than any other investment.
What Changed?
I invested in what I should have invested in first:
- Myself (upbringing, education, growth)
- Becoming a better version of myself
- Learning about money—how to make it work for me
My Investment Strategy Now
- 📊 Stock market investments
- 🚀 Startup investments (knowledgeably)
- 🌍 International investments
- 💼 Business investments
- 🏦 Building layers of distribution and trust
Chapter 9: The Most Important Lesson
The first crore of my life was a lucky incident. But that’s NOT the takeaway.
The Real Takeaway:
- Because it was lucky, I realized it was not in my control
- I realized I couldn’t do it again without effort
- I had never worked hard for it
- If I wanted ₹2 crores, ₹5 crores, or more—I would have to WORK HARD FOR IT
- I would have to VALUE MONEY
- I would have to UNDERSTAND MONEY
- I would have to MAKE MONEY MY FRIEND
The Message to You
At any point in your life, if you reach your first crore, the best way to do it is when:
✅ You know how you reached it
✅ You knew you would reach it
✅ You know how to go further
Because then:
- Money will be in your control
- Your knowledge will be your best friend
- You will be able to trust yourself
- It’s not luck—it’s your own effort
Key Takeaways for Your Financial Journey
1. High Income ≠ High Savings
I was earning ₹97 lakhs but still had no savings. Financial discipline matters more than income.
2. Don’t Let Lifestyle Inflation Ruin You
Every salary hike doesn’t have to come with a spending hike.
3. Be Open to All Investment Avenues
Don’t dismiss stocks, mutual funds, or any investment just because of biases. Learn everything.
4. Respect Money
Neither run after it nor hate it. Make it your friend.
5. Invest in Yourself First
Your education, growth, and knowledge are the best investments you’ll ever make.
6. Hard Work + Knowledge = Wealth
Luck might give you the first crore, but only hard work and knowledge will grow it.
7. Financial Success Takes Time
My education loan lasted 11 years. My journey to financial stability took over a decade. Be patient.
Final Thoughts
Your first crore is not just about the money. It’s about:
- 🎯 The journey you took
- 📚 The lessons you learned
- 💪 The person you became
- 🌟 The foundation you built for your future
If I can do it—with all my mistakes, bad decisions, and rock-bottom moments—YOU CAN TOO!
“Money is something that is necessary for life. It has a very important objective in our lives. To fulfill that, I will neither run after money nor will I hate it.”
— Ankur Warikoo
This blog post is based on the inspiring journey of Ankur Warikoo, entrepreneur, author, and content creator. His books “Do Epic Shit” and “Get Epic Shit Done” have sold over 4 lakh copies and offer deeper insights into life, failures, and personal growth.
Have you started your journey to your first crore? Share your story in the comments below!
📚 Recommended Reading:
- “Do Epic Shit” by Ankur Warikoo
- “Get Epic Shit Done” by Ankur Warikoo
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