Leaving a high-paying corporate career is often romanticized, but Meenal Goel’s story highlights the grueling reality of the transition. After six years of financial consulting at top firms like KPMG and Deloitte, Goel walked away from a secure ₹28 LPA salary to chase her entrepreneurial dreams. The initial months were a trial by fire: for five consecutive months, her new business generated zero revenue, and her personal savings plummeted from ₹12 lakh to just ₹4 lakh. Haunted by "3 AM self-doubt," she faced the immense pressure of meeting societal expectations while watching her financial safety net disappear.

The turning point came not with a massive investment, but with a modest ₹25,000 freelance contract from Unacademy. This small win provided the critical validation she needed to keep going. Today, Meenal has transformed that early uncertainty into a thriving company that generates ₹5 lakh in monthly recurring revenue and employs a team of five. Her journey serves as a powerful case study for aspiring entrepreneurs, emphasizing that "readiness" is often an illusion and that persistence—rather than a perfect starting balance—is the true currency of business success. She now focuses on building a venture with the long-term potential of reaching a ₹100 crore valuation, fully owned and driven by her own vision.