From Dishwashing to Success: Shyamal Patel’s Journey to Entrepreneurship

Life usually strikes in cycles of success and failure, however those that stay regular throughout adversity finally rise. Shyamal Patel, born in Ahmedabad, is one such instance. His father labored in land buying and selling, his mom was a homemaker, and his youthful brother later entered the real-estate discipline. His father, regardless of having {an electrical} engineering diploma from Bhavnagar and a possibility to go overseas, selected to stay in India on account of household obligations. He later partnered in a gold-silver enterprise, however life took a drastic flip when he was recognized with thyroid most cancers at simply 33–34 years of age.

Throughout surgical procedure, docs found practically ten cancerous nodes as an alternative of 1, and his mom was requested to signal paperwork accepting medical danger. Although the operation succeeded, the remedy left his father and not using a voice for six months. Throughout this era, enterprise losses mounted, theft occurred, and your complete enterprise needed to be offered. His father vowed to restart nothing and dedicate himself solely to his youngsters’s training. No matter cash was obtained from promoting the enterprise was stored apart solely for Shyamal and his brother’s research.

Shyamal studied at Loyola close to Legislation Backyard and later at Hiramani College. Nevertheless, the household’s monetary scenario deteriorated rapidly. His father often needed to journey to Mumbai’s Tata Hospital for chemotherapy and relapse therapies, and by the point Shyamal reached Class 12, all financial savings have been exhausted. Loans needed to be taken from relations and associates. Throughout these years, Shyamal couldn’t afford tuition courses, travelled by AMTS whereas associates used faculty buses and two-wheelers, and infrequently watched debt collectors go to dwelling when curiosity funds have been delayed.

Determination to go overseas: America was the one dream

After Class 10, Shyamal determined that if he needed to progress, going overseas was the one manner. Like many Gujaratis, the glamour and way of life of NRIs left an impression on him. He agreed together with his father that if he scored above 75% in Class 12 science, he would keep in India—he scored 74%. The choice was sealed: America it will be.

However his journey started with a serious shock. At simply 17, he left Ahmedabad for the US on a scholar visa, with round 350 folks coming to the airport to see him off. He had trusted an agent blindly and didn’t even ask who would decide him up in America.

After touchdown at New Jersey airport, he wandered alone for 2 hours till somebody lastly got here on the lookout for him—and scolded him instantly. He was then taken to a home the place 24 college students lived in 4 rooms with day-night shifts.

His passport was taken away, and the agent compelled him to check IT as an alternative of pharmacy. The so-called “close by faculty” turned out to be in Virginia, seven hours away. The school itself was unlawful and later shut down.

Struggling in America: dishwashing jobs and 14-hour days

Within the US, Shyamal’s life grew to become a every day battle. He labored at a Pakistani resort, washing dishes for $4.5 per hour—far lower than the usual $6–7 per hour. He walked 10 km a day, studied throughout unpaid two-hour afternoon breaks, returned dwelling at midnight, and repeated this routine for years. He prevented telling his mother and father about his struggles and stored insisting his research have been going nicely.

After discovering the place his passport was stored, he and two others fled that home at midnight. To attend faculty in Virginia, he would wake at 3 AM, change two buses and two trains, research from 1 PM to 7 PM, and return dwelling by 6 AM the subsequent day. After three wasted years in IT, he restarted lecturers by pre-pharmacy and later utilized for pharmacy faculty.

One other blow: A property rip-off pushes his father towards despair

Whereas arranging his pharmacy charges on the Massachusetts School of Pharmacy in Boston—the oldest pharmacy faculty within the US—one other disaster struck. His father determined to promote a small piece of land saved for his sons’ training, however fraudsters obtained his signature on paperwork and offered the land with out consent. Terrified, his father known as Shyamal trembling, confessing his psychological state was collapsing. To maintain him secure, Shyamal lied that his charges have been organized.

To proceed his research, he wanted co-signers for scholar loans. From a listing of fifty doable folks, he and his fiancée shortlisted 10 however repeatedly failed. Ultimately, one particular person agreed, and slowly, semester by semester, he obtained by.

Homeless in Boston: one other fraud, one other breakdown

When shifting from New Jersey to Boston, he fell for one more rip-off—he paid $800 hire for a faux itemizing and arrived with solely $200. Hungry for 2 days, consuming solely bread and butter, he reached a breaking level and questioned God in frustration. At that second, his guru Nityaswarup Swami despatched a be aware by Patitpavan Swami reassuring him that God was with him. Moments later, a scholar named Jay Brahmbhatt noticed his tilak-chandlo and provided him a spot to dwell. Shyamal stayed in that home of 12 college students for the subsequent 5 years.

9 years of research, $425,000 in prices and no job for 2 months

Shyamal accomplished 9 years of training within the US—three wasted in IT and 6 in pharmacy—spending $425,000, together with $150,000 misplaced within the unlawful IT program. After graduating in 2017, he spent two months jobless till a former senior helped him safe a job in Pennsylvania at $50/hour. Later, he grew to become a working associate in a Virginia pharmacy, incomes as much as $150,000 plus bonuses.

But, regardless of the wage, he saved solely $1,000 a month as a result of $4,500 went towards his mortgage installments. Milk price $3.5 needed to final 15 days. Realizing {that a} job would by no means let him repay his loans rapidly, he recalled his father’s phrases: “A Patel is born for enterprise.” This shifted his route.

Entrepreneurial turning level: shopping for a fuel station and getting into hemp merchandise

Throughout COVID-19, fuel stations have been promoting cheaply, and Shyamal purchased his first for $60,000. His spouse give up her IT job to assist. His brother additionally joined. Later, Shyamal found the rising demand for hemp-based medicines used for sleep points, melancholy and ache reduction. He discovered a producer, created his personal line of merchandise, and finally give up his job.

Right now, he manufactures 350 merchandise—70% medicines and 30% hemp clothes—and earns practically $1 million monthly. He owns three fuel stations in Virginia and one in North Carolina, whereas his hemp manufacturing facility is in Oregon, the place he lives.

17 years with out visiting India

Shyamal had a five-year visa and steady I-20s for research however by no means risked leaving America till receiving an EB-5 visa. Because of this, he didn’t meet his mother and father for 17 years. When he lastly landed in Ahmedabad in 2024, he stood nonetheless for quarter-hour, respiratory within the air. He discovered Ahmedabad reworked—very like America.

Marriage after seven years of ready

His fiancée arrived within the US in 2013 for her grasp’s diploma. The couple waited seven years hoping Shyamal would get his H1B visa so they might marry in India. When it by no means occurred, they went to courtroom on Vasant Panchami and married for $100.

Warnings for brand spanking new college students and Gujaratis within the US

Shyamal now guides Gujaratis on avoiding scams. He highlights:

• College students being deported for not having monetary paperwork • Brokers touchdown college students at improper airports • The rise of honey-trap scams the place minors faux to satisfy males and police arrest them • Fast-money traps involving transporting packages that comprise unlawful money or gold • Patels focused as a result of police can hint households in Gujarat

Many Gujaratis have obtained 5–7 yr jail phrases adopted by deportation due to such traps.

A message to college students and households

Shyamal says he would by no means have gone to America if he had ₹50 lakh in hand on the time. He warns younger Gujaratis towards unlawful migration and shortcuts. Laborious work, correct documentation, and authorized routes are the one protected methods ahead.