A content creator from Noida has issued a stark warning to salaried employees, urging them to reconsider the common assumption that side street businesses offer an effortless path to additional income. In a candid revelation, he detailed how his own venture into running a small food outlet quietly descended into financial losses, despite initially seeming profitable on paper.
The Allure of "Easy Money" in Everyday Moments
Vishwas Verma explains that the notion of "easy money" often strikes salaried individuals during the most mundane activities, such as purchasing something as inexpensive as a Rs 15 cup of tea. In an Instagram video, the Noida resident recalled how he would instinctively calculate a street vendor's potential earnings and conclude that such businesses must be highly lucrative.
According to Verma, this mindset is prevalent among those working regular 9-to-5 jobs, who frequently believe that small food enterprises are straightforward to manage and promise rapid returns. He openly admitted to once sharing this perspective himself.
From Idea to Implementation: A Costly Experiment
Driven by the belief that low-investment ventures could yield steady profits, Verma decided to test the waters with a side business. Alongside a friend, he rented a modest shop in a basement near a gym he regularly visited, securing the space for a monthly rent of Rs 10,000.
On the surface, the numbers appeared simple and promising. The rent was affordable, the target customer base seemed well-defined, and the products—boiled eggs, juices, and protein drinks—were perceived as easy to source and sell. However, Verma noted that once operations commenced, these assumptions quickly unraveled.
Unexpected Challenges in Pricing and Supply
With stable salaries and spare cash at their disposal, the duo assumed the business would sustain itself with minimal effort. Verma emphasized that this overconfidence proved to be their most significant error.
One of the initial hurdles arose with fruit juice sales. Pineapple juice, a popular choice among gym-goers post-workout, became difficult to price accurately due to volatile fruit costs. Despite charging Rs 90 per glass, they later realized the price scarcely covered expenses. Even investing in a cold-press juicer did not alleviate the issue, as each pineapple yielded far less juice than anticipated.
Similarly, eggs were rarely available at the budgeted rate of Rs 5-6 per piece. During winter months, most suppliers quoted prices closer to Rs 7 or Rs 8 per egg. By the time they attempted to sell eggs at Rs 10 each, losses had already accumulated, transforming what seemed like a simple profit-making idea into a costly endeavor.
The Hidden Costs and Location Pitfalls
Products with seemingly high mark-ups, such as instant noodles, also failed to make a positive impact once fixed costs like rent and staff salaries were accounted for. Verma later understood why the rent was so low—the location attracted virtually no footfall beyond gym members, severely restricting daily sales volume.
A Lesson in Groundwork and Realistic Planning
Concluding his account, Verma stressed that his intention was not to discourage entrepreneurship but to highlight the critical importance of thorough preparation. He pointed out that many full-time employees pursue side hustles under the misconception that they require only spare money and basic calculations. In reality, every business demands a deep understanding of the market, meticulous planning, and hands-on experience.
Verma's story serves as a sobering reminder that success in business, no matter how small, hinges on more than just initial enthusiasm and superficial number-crunching.
