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Laid-off software engineer opens village supermarket, says it is now seeing strong daily sales
A software engineer who lost his job has built a village supermarket from scratch.
Laid off from a software job, a young engineer in Sri Lanka has turned uncertainty into opportunity by opening a small village supermarket. What began as a response to sudden job loss has now grown into a steady local business serving his community.
The store is now reportedly earning a daily turnover of ₹50,000, reflecting how quickly it has found demand in the area.
The post was shared on LinkedIn by Samitha Sulakkana. In the caption, he wrote: “A few months ago, I was affected by a major layoff at my company. Like many professionals, I suddenly found myself facing uncertainty about the future. As a software engineering graduate, I always envisioned my career in the technology industry. Software engineering is still my passion and I hope to remain connected to it. However, during that challenging period, I realised that opportunities do not always arrive in the form we expect. Instead of waiting for another opportunity, I decided to create one.”
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“In my village, there was no mini supermarket serving the local community. I saw both a need and a business opportunity, so I took a calculated risk and opened my own store. From the beginning, I wanted to do things differently. Rather than operating as a traditional shop owner, I used my technical background to improve the customer experience.”
“As my first step, I developed a simple online ordering system with Cash on Delivery, allowing customers to place orders conveniently from home.”
“Three months later, the business has grown to over ₹50,000 in daily turnover. More importantly, I have gained valuable insights by interacting with customers daily and understanding the needs of my community.”
Take a look:
How social media reacted
One person wrote, “Brilliant. You are truly inspiring, Samitha.”
Another user shared, “Same story happened to me, buddy, last year. So I started my own clothing brand. QA is not just for software; it is about everything around us. I am now a quality-assured clothing brand owner, making beautiful outfits for my customers. Keep going, the ladder has more steps to climb.”
Another comment read, “Proud of you, Samitha.”
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His journey highlights how setbacks can push people towards unexpected paths that still lead to growth when they are willing to adapt, learn, and take small consistent steps forward each day.
