⚡️ A QUICK NOTE ABOUT OUR FEATURED SPONSOR ⚡️

Thanks to this week’s featured sponsor: Sendero.

Sendero started alongside the early days of Webflow, a No Code powerhouse website builder. In fact, it's said to be the first Webflow-specific agency. Almost 8 years later, Sendero surpassed over 400 projects and helped deliver integrated websites for clients like First Round Capital, SpringHealth, CarbonHealth, EasyKnock, Axon, HeavyAI, SuperbAI and more.

Sendero can design and build nearly anything using No Code, including complex portals and web applications. It's both a development agency with a database and authentication platform to build your complex no-code dreams. Sendero is made for any startup or big business. They were said to be 2023's "largest kept secret for startups" on the Indie Builder newsletter because of Sendero's automated AI content writer specifically made for Webflow. And best of all, all Sendero subscriptions are on sale.

Get connected into Sendero's private Slack channel with next day development previews, a built-in AI growth platform that can automatically import your original website content into Webflow within seconds, and grow it and gate with their AI content writer and Authentication (included!). Check it out here.

Below is my story about how I hustled to get to America.

I shared a brief version of this on Twitter last week and it resonated with so many people so figured I’d post here too.

⏰ Year 2021 ⏰

I was working at a computer consulting agency called TCS for $250/mon in Chennai, India.

The money wasn’t great and the whole environment was incredibly uninspiring for me who was 23 years old and beaming with ambition. I would send half the money each month to support my mom and pay $100 rent and shared a small apartment with 6 other men.

I didn’t like my circumstances — I knew I was meant for more.

One of my close college friends made it to Carnegie Mellon university the year before and spoke highly of the engineering programs here in America. Outside of him I had no network or immediate family here.

I would frequent the library at TCS every day during lunch time and pick up inspiring books to break my monotony of the lame job.

One month I read about Steve Jobs and his rise. Then I read about Jony Ive. I was awestruck at the optimism and ambition of America. You could become anyone and rise to the top through hard work, grit and entrepreneurial creativity.

The desire to move to America was planted in my head.

I wanted to do Master’s like my college friend as that was a legal clear path to move here and explore if I’d fit here. I wanted to be a founder in the world’s biggest arena for entrepreneurship.

But there were barriers everywhere.

I had less than $50 in financial savings. My family didn’t have the credit history for an educational loan. I borrowed money from a friend to take the GRE exam. I was preparing late nights after work and I got a moderate score. In the 80% percentile. Good but not great. Then I re took it to give myself full chance. Got roughly 95%. Then I borrowed even more money to apply to the Universities.

I googled how to craft University applications, letters of recommendation and resumes. I hustled for 8 months to make sure I have a strong shot to make it in Fall 2011 (Aug 2011) program.

Then came 7 rejections from colleges. They didn’t offer any guidance but it was mostly because I didn’t have an impressive credential that American universities recognized like an IIT degree. I went to a tier 3 college for under grad.

I only got 1 acceptance from a top notch private university in Nashville called “Vanderbilt” but the fee was super high. (See image below)

No way I could afford it.

But I simply could NOT accept that. This can’t be my fate.

I was meant for more I thought. I talked to my Carnegie friend and asked what else I could do. He suggested I could contact relevant Professors to pitch myself given that their email addresses are public info. And maybe ask for scholarships.

So all summer I wrote ~500 emails to all the college faculty I could find. Including those that rejected me.

I showed proof of work where I built robots for fun, my prev academic projects, tech conference seminars I taught, my non-profit work. Basically every element of “high agency” action. This was a Hail Mary.

I did my part and resigned to TCS library life. Nothing worked. Most of them ghosted me or emailed me sorry.

At the very end of my hope that summer, I got a MIRACULOUS email.

It was from Vanderbilt again. It said the faculty revised their admission offer and now granted me 100% scholarship. Along with $1900/mon as a Teaching Assistant on campus job without ever seeing my face. (See image below)

THAT CHANGED MY LIFE.

My family couldn’t believe it. Neither did I. I quit my job, applied for a visa and made it to America. Here I am 13 years later still in awe. I just shot my shot and the Universe heard me.

Source: Link to story on Twitter

Shoutouts and Sponsors:

#1. Million Labs

• Million Labs gets you to your first $1000 faster with nocode and AI. 1500+ startups already enrolled, Join today here.

#2. Magic Journal

• My sister Priyanka Puvvada who’s a world-class prosthetic make-up artist is always brimming with new entrepreneurial ideas. One of them is a collection of digital products that serve people like her (and me) who believe in the power of daily affirmations and gratitude journaling. She launched her 1st worksheet on Gumroad which is a 50 page PDF filled with incredible prompts hand-picked by her. I am a proud brother and bought the 1st copy :) Would LOVE your support if it’s interesting to you. Grab your copy here.

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