Like many success stories, mine begins in a small town.

I am Devashish, born and raised in Gadchiroli, a place where dreams often feel distant and opportunities limited. I come from a lower-middle-class family, but thanks to the relentless hard work and sacrifices of my parents, especially my mother and father, our lives gradually improved. Before I even entered my teenage years, we had moved into a comfortable middle-class life. They gave me everything they could—education, support, and freedom to dream.

What I didn’t give myself back then was belief.

Education: Struggles, Failures, and a Turning Point

Despite having opportunities, I failed to use my privileges wisely. I was surrounded by intelligent, confident students, and instead of being inspired, I felt intimidated. That discomfort slowly turned me into an underdog—academically weak, low on confidence, and unsure of my place.

My academic scores reflected that struggle:

• 10th grade: 54%
• 12th grade: 57%

Somehow, I managed to secure admission to a good engineering college in Nagpur. But once again, I found myself surrounded by peers who had better exposure, stronger communication skills, and excellent academic performance.

The result?
I failed my first year of engineering.

That failure kept me at home for almost a year—a phase filled with self-doubt, regret, and quiet realizations. It was during this time that I truly understood the importance of education, discipline, and seriousness toward life.

When I resumed my second year, something changed—not overnight, but meaningfully.

The Power of the Right People

I was fortunate to find a group of friends who accepted me exactly as I was—a small-town boy with poor dressing sense, weak English, and low confidence. They didn’t judge me; instead, they believed in me more than I believed in myself.

One day, they decided to help me—and they worked harder on me than I worked on myself.

With their support, guidance, and constant motivation:

• I cleared all subjects in my second year
• Slowly, my academic performance improved
• My confidence started to grow

By the time I completed my final year of engineering, I had scored 74%. More importantly, I had transformed—from a struggling student into someone teachers recognized as capable and sincere.

First Step into Entrepreneurship

I knew my low 10th and 12th grades would limit campus placement opportunities. So instead of waiting, I chose to act.

I launched my first website: Students Diary.

To my surprise, it gained significant traction. We received a good number of visitors and even multiple interview calls from new portals. The idea was a success—but unfortunately, due to inactive partners, we had to shut it down.

Still, that experience ignited something inside me.

That was my first step into entrepreneurship.

Soon, I started getting freelance projects and successfully delivered several of them. However, like most parents, mine wanted to see me in a stable job with consistent income—and I understood their concern.

So, I chose employment.

Career: Lessons from the Real World

My first job was in Pune, in a company with just four employees. I believed working in testing would give me enough time to manage freelancing alongside—but I was wrong.

Office responsibilities consumed me completely, and I slowly began losing clients.

Determined to balance both worlds, I tried finding opportunities in Nagpur, where I could spend more time building my business. Over time, I attempted to set up my own companies—but I failed repeatedly.

In fact, I shut down four companies.

Then came a turning point.

I landed one large project, and with renewed confidence, I founded Nexus IT Software Solutions. From that moment, I never looked back.

For the next few years:

• I worked 16–17 hours a day
• Managed both job and business in parallel
• Built a strong team and reputation

Within 2–3 years, the company grew rapidly. At its peak, we had:

• 10+ employees
• A well-established office space
• Consistent projects and growth

However, due to regulatory and compliance challenges, I was eventually forced to shut it down.

It hurt—but it didn’t break me.

Where I Stand Today

As I write this, I have completed 15 years of experience in Quality Engineering (QE). My career has been nothing short of a roller-coaster ride—from failure to growth, from self-doubt to leadership.

I have worked as:

• A team member
• An individual contributor
• A team lead

Today, many of the school and college toppers I once admired are nowhere close to where I stand—not because I am smarter, but because I never stopped learning, failing, and trying again.

Whatever I have achieved is because of:

• My parents’ blessings
• The unwavering support of friends
• Relentless hard work, patience, and a little luck

My Entrepreneurial Journey

So far, I have:

• Delivered 100+ client projects
• Personally built 30–35 products

Some projects were true game changers, including:

• JustBollywood
• Cinetalkers
• JustMarathi

I later sold these platforms to clients for significant value—money that helped me pay the down payment for my flat, a dream that once felt impossible.

I don’t consider myself lucky.

I consider myself a hard worker—someone who may receive the best things in life a little late, but when the opportunity comes, I give it everything I have.