I started my business with ₹500. Here’s what I learned.

I didn’t plan to become a branding guy.

Honestly, at 17, I was just a broke student with ₹500 in my pocket, a second-hand laptop, and zero clue about business.

But I had one thing.

A buddy of mine who needed a logo.

And another one who wanted a poster.

So I said, “Why not?”

I charged ₹500.

Felt like Mukesh Ambani for a day.

But here’s the funny part.

I had no idea how to use Photoshop properly.

I would Google “How to make a logo” while talking to the client, nodding like I knew exactly what I was doing.

I wasn’t a designer. I wasn’t a strategist. I was just… willing.

Willing to show up. Willing to learn. Willing to say “Yes” before I figured out how.

The accidental discovery.

One day, while designing yet another “modern minimal” logo, I asked the client a simple question:

“Hey, who are you actually trying to attract?”

Silence.

Then: “Anyone who pays.”

That moment stuck with me.

Because it reminded me of myself.

I was also saying yes to anyone.

No focus. No positioning. No story.

Just chasing the next ₹500.

But that question… it sparked something inside me.

What if design wasn’t the real issue?

What if the logo was just the surface — not the reason people choose you?

What if the real issue was not knowing who you are and why anyone should care?

Roots before the fruit.

I started reading obsessively about branding.

Not the fluffy, buzzwordy stuff.

But real, practical strategy.

Why people trust certain brands.

How stories shape buying decisions.

Why some businesses are chosen even when they charge twice as much.

That’s when it clicked.

Branding is not about looking pretty.

It’s about getting clear on your roots before you show your fruits.

It’s knowing your:

• Purpose (Why you exist)

• Personality (How you show up)

• Positioning (Where you stand)

• Promise (What you wont break)

These aren’t just marketing-terms.

They’re the foundations that turn “I make logos” into “I help businesses stand out in a crowded market.”

They’re what helped me go from a ₹500 freelancer to building and scaling actual companies.

And they’re what I teach.

Most founders have this backward.

They jump straight to ads.

To social media.

To making things look good.

But your brand isn’t built on tactics.

It’s built on clarity.

Because when you know who you are, you no longer have to justify your worth.

You shouldn't sound like everyone else.

You attract the right people — the ones who understand you, trust you, and stay.

If you’re a founder reading this…

And you’re still figuring out your story…

I’ve built something for people like you.

It’s called The Brand Engine.

A step-by-step course where I show you exactly how to build your brand strategy — the way I wish someone had taught me when I was that clueless ₹500 freelancer.

The pre-launch is live.

If you want to build your brand before wasting time and energy on tactics that flop…

Sign up for The Brand Engine pre-launch.

This is your shortcut to clarity.

Your unfair advantage.

Your story — finally told well.

See you inside?
– Shashank

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