A man who left his family and a stable job in India to relocate to Canada recalled the hurdles he faced on his way to success. He shared how, after moving abroad, he worked 12-hour night shifts for $16 an hour at a fast-food chain.
The video the NRI, Kamal Nanda, shared shows a split screen along with text inserts. The first one reads, “2023: I left my family and a stable job in India to flip burgers 12 hours a night for $16 an hour.”
The text on the second part of the screen reads, “2026: I work from home with real work-life balance and travel in Canada for work.”
{{/usCountry}}The text on the second part of the screen reads, “2026: I work from home with real work-life balance and travel in Canada for work.”
{{/usCountry}}“A drunk customer threw a drink at me over a five-minute wait. We were short-staffed. They yelled, cursed, and threw it anyway,” the Canada-based entrepreneur wrote on Instagram.
He recalled that was the day he decided that he didn’t relocate to another country to be treated like that. Determined to change his future, he started “applying for jobs vigorously.” Not just applying for jobs before shifts, he even took one interview mid-shift, during lunch break.
What happened next?
Nanda recalled, “It turned into a freelance project. No payroll. No guarantee. I took it anyway and kept the burger job part-time.”
He continued, “For almost seven months, my days looked like this: 9 to 5 at my new job. An hour’s drive to the burger job. 6 to 11. Sometimes midnight. 30 minutes home. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Then the freelance turned full-time. I left the fast food chain for good.”
The man shared that his professional journey wasn’t a “straight line after that”, adding, “I left for a new opportunity, and two months in, they let me go. The next 30 days were tough. In those 30 days, I got 10 interviews and 3 offers. What made the difference: The urge to get out. Upskilling every day. Taking a chance on something that wasn’t stable.”
Advising those who are in a situation like he was, he shared, “Look at yourself in the mirror. Be honest about where you’re lacking. Your resume. Reaching out. Networking. Applying to the right roles for your skillset. You’re busy. I get that. However, find one or two hours anyway.”
He added, “Be patient. It takes time. Keep working on yourself.”
According to his LinkedIn profile, Kamal Nanda completed his B.Tech. degree from Kurukshetra University. He then pursued his post-graduation at Conestoga College.
He started his career as a web developer for a company in Haryana. After opting for a career break, he joined a company in Canada. He quit the firm to work as a marketing manager. Presently, he runs his own setup.