A Noida-based professional has sparked a wider conversation around side hustles and small businesses after sharing why he believes young professionals should think twice before quitting their jobs to start one. His video, recounting a failed attempt at running a small food outlet outside a gym, is now circulating widely online.
In the clip, he begins with a simple observation which is buying a Rs 15 cup of tea and wondering how much a vendor might earn in a day. He says this is a common thought among 9-to-5 employees, who often assume such businesses are easy to start and scale. But, he adds, the reality is far more complex.
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Drawing from personal experience, he explains how he and a friend once opened a small shop in Noida, outside a gym called Black Figure. The location seemed promising and the Rs 10,000 rent felt like a bargain. They assumed a steady stream of gym-goers would translate into consistent sales, so they stocked juices, protein shakes, eggs and even Maggi.
However, the financials quickly began to fall apart. Pricing turned out to be unpredictable especially for items like fresh juice, where input costs fluctuated daily. He recalls selling pineapple juice for Rs 90, only to realise that the cost of making it was nearly the same due to raw material prices and their use of a cold-press machine. Eggs, which they expected to source cheaply, were costing Rs 7–Rs 8 instead of Rs 5, while breakage during preparation added to losses. Protein shakes, priced around Rs 150 due to high input costs, saw limited demand. Even Maggi, despite being marked up from ₹11 to ₹30, failed to generate real profit once rent, labour and operational effort were factored in.
Over time, they understood a key mistake, confusing low rent with a good opportunity. The shop’s basement location meant poor visibility and negligible footfall beyond a small group of 30–40 gym members. With such a limited customer base, scaling revenue was nearly impossible.
The experience, he says, changed his perspective. While he believes he could run the business better today he also said that low-investment venture often hides complex cost structures and operational challenges. Selling even a Rs 15 cup of tea, he points out, is not as straightforward as it appears.
The video has resonated with many online, with users sharing similar cautionary takes. One commenter noted that entrepreneurship often looks easy from the outside, but uncertainty can quickly overwhelm decision-making, suggesting that people should start small or part-time while maintaining financial stability. Another user pointed out that the duo seemed to have entered the business without fully accounting for hidden costs such as utilities, salaries and market volatility, warning that breaking even rarely happens from day one.