I think the spark was always there.
Back in school days, me and my friend Sarath opened a small “vacation shop” during our summer holidays selling chocolates, soft drinks, toys, and snacks. It only lasted the length of the vacation, but something about that experience stuck with me. I loved the feeling of creating something of my own. That little spark of entrepreneurship grew with me over the years.
As I grew older, I started having long conversations with a close friend about startups random ideas, products, services, apps many hours of what ifs. We even researched launching a mobile car wash business, but dropped it after realizing it wasn’t cost-effective with the tech and tools available. For a long time, everything remained just dreams and discussions.
When Canada Became a Stepping Stone
My plan to become an entrepreneur never disappeared it just took a backseat for a while. I moved to Canada in 2019 for studies, hoping to turn my life around, gain exposure, and build something meaningful. Those five years were filled with learning: working in retail jobs at Walmart, Superstore, Dollar Tree, and Peavey Mart… I was observing, absorbing, and evolving.
But somewhere deep inside, I knew I didn’t want to spend my whole life working for others.
As I started thinking of returning to India, the spark reignited. I knew I needed a backup plan that could slowly become my main plan.
The Idea That Turned Into ‘Bytes’
One day, scrolling through Instagram, I stumbled upon a video that talked about owning a food delivery franchise with a low investment. That’s how I discovered Bytes. At first, I was skeptical. “Can I really start a business from here, while I’m still in Canada?” But I kept researching. I called the team, asked tons of questions, even reached out to others in the same field.
Unlike Swiggy or Zomato, Bytes offers a franchise-owned model. That means real, local people like me are running the show in their town. We have direct relationships with local restaurants, which allows us to give customers more personalized offers and better service. It’s about community, not just tech.
I used my personal savings from Canada to fund the startup. No loans. No partners. Just belief and support from my uncle back home.
Early Struggles and Startup Reality
Starting Bytes in Thriprayar wasn’t easy. The biggest challenge? Building a team while I was 13,000 km away.
Thankfully, my uncle helped me find a reliable guy on the ground. Still, the next big hurdle was reaching customers. Thriprayar is a small town, and spreading the word meant trying everything social media, local newspapers, posters. But the competition is tough. Zomato and Swiggy are already known names, with massive budgets and advanced apps.
But we did it we onboarded all the top restaurants in the area and launched the app on February 14, 2025. Only four months in, we’re still in the early phase. I’m paying employees from my pocket. We haven’t broken even yet. Some days I doubt if Thriprayar was the right place to start. But I haven’t lost hope. Many people still don’t know about us. And that means there’s still room to grow.
Learning to Market Myself (and the Brand)
One of the hardest parts for me was marketing. I tried collaborations, social media promotions, print ads. But the results didn’t match the effort.
That’s when I realized I need to learn this myself.
Agencies were quoting sky-high prices, so I decided to enroll in a Digital Marketing course at CDA. That’s been a game-changer. I’m learning not just how to promote Bytes, but how to build future businesses with the right strategy from Day 1.
My goal now is to build an in-house team, not only for Bytes but also for other business ideas that are waiting in the wings.
What’s Next?
We’re already expanding to Vadanappilly, with more nearby towns like Moonupeedika, Thalikulam, Edamuttam, Katoor, and Peringottukara on the list. One day, I want Bytes to be the first name people think of when they crave food in and around Thriprayar.
I also have two other ideas:
One is ready to launch.
The other is still in R&D.
This is just the beginning.
My Advice to Anyone Dreaming of a Startup
If you’re scared, I’ve been there. Starting something is scary but waiting too long is scarier. The more you delay, the harder it feels.
Start small. Do your research. Make a six-month plan. And be patient especially when things aren’t going as expected. You’ll need that patience more than you think.
I’m still learning. I’m not fully involved on the ground, but I have a team. I give people jobs. And that means something to me. I used to spend hours watching entertainment on social media. Now my feed is full of marketing tips and startup stories. That’s how much life changes when you become an entrepreneur