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‘I cried, burned cash, fought with family’: Delhi founder recalls ‘unseen struggles’ behind success

Delhi-based entrepreneur Kawaljeet Singh recalled how, at one time, he stopped attending social gatherings out of guilt for not making enough money.

Updated on: Nov 1, 2025, 10:17:52 IST
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Success may look glamorous, but behind it lies a story filled with struggles and uncertainty. Just like the journey of this Delhi entrepreneur who recalled how he cried, missed social gatherings, and battled FOMO while building his business.

Kawaljeet Singh's story of struggle has prompted varied reactions on X. (Kawaljeet Singh)
Kawaljeet Singh's story of struggle has prompted varied reactions on X. (Kawaljeet Singh)

Kawaljeet Singh, the founder and co-founder of several restaurants, shared how everyone sees him opening new outlets of his eateries, but no one knows the cost he had to pay to be in that position.

Also Read: 'There's no such thing as work-life balance': US billionaire says real success requires 24/7 grind

“People see me now opening every time new outlet but nobody knows I cried, burnt a lot of money, fought with my family, gave my whole Jawani to this field. Did not attend social gatherings bcz of my inner guilt of not making money,” Singh wrote.

“Major FOMO bcz my MDI peers literally minted money during this period. So yeah, not easy!,” he added. He shared his story in response to a post by a San Francisco-based Indian-origin founder on X. HT.com has reached out to the founder, this report will be updated when he responds.

A post by a Delhi entrepreneur on X. (X/@kawal279)
A post by a Delhi entrepreneur on X. (X/@kawal279)

How did social media react?

An individual posted, “Most of the success stories are filled with pain, doubt, and isolation. Keep growing paaji.” Another added, “True. And I don't think anyone could've made it big without going through the same emotions during the journey to scale!”

A third expressed, “Going through a similar phase, not sure if I will succeed or not. Let's see. Fingers crossed.” A fourth wrote, “Totally agree. Still in that phase.”

Who is Kawaljeet Singh?

His X bio reads, “Failed Restaurateur, Successful Franchisor!” According to his LinkedIn profile, he completed his studies at the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon.

Also Read: Bengaluru entrepreneur reveals how a cold email led to a long term bond with Nithin Kamath

Initially, he started his career as an intern with ICICI Bank, but soon after, he opened his own restaurant. Over the years, he went on to open a few more restaurants.

Just a few days ago, he also posted about the expansion of one of his brands. “With your love and support, Khadak Singh Da Dhaba is expanding to new cities soon.”

  • Trisha Sengupta
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Trisha Sengupta

    Trisha Sengupta is a Chief Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over six years of digital newsroom experience. Specialising in high-engagement storytelling, she blends viral trends with traditional journalism to cover the intersection of technology, finance, and human emotion. Her reporting spans real estate and personal finance struggles in hubs like Bengaluru and Gurgaon, the NRI experience, and corporate shifts like tech layoffs. Trisha also frequently tracks global figures and writes human interest stories. Offline, Trisha is an avid reader, history enthusiast and solo traveler. She balances her journalism career with family life while actively integrating AI tools into her modern storytelling approach.Read More

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