This Indian-origin entrepreneur went from driving cabs to running a $2 million business in US

MONEY Singh, just 19, left Punjab for San Francisco in 2006. He had no idea he would later run two million-dollar ventures in the United States. His journey was not easy, marked by loneliness, debt, and sheer perseverance.

“I was depressed for almost a year. I wanted to go back,” Singh, now 38, told CNBC Make It, recalling his early days in the US.

He initially joined a college in the Bay Area but soon dropped out because his academic credits from India did not transfer. Urged by his mother to start earning, Singh took up odd jobs. He worked first at a local drugstore, then as a dispatcher at his uncle’s cab company for about $6 an hour.

That job marked the start of a 12-year run in the cab business. Singh started as a driver, expanded to a five-cab fleet, and later launched his own dispatch company. He then founded Driver’s Network, an advertising and marketing platform for independent drivers.

By 2018, Singh wanted a change. He drew inspiration from his mother, who owned a salon in Punjab and later in Northern California. Along with a local barber, he launched Dandies Barbershop & Beard Stylist in Mountain View in 2019.

“I wanted to do something different, but something I understood — business,” he said.

Setting up Dandies was a major challenge. Singh invested nearly $75,000 from his savings. He spent almost a year getting permits before he could even open the doors. Then, six months after launch, the Covid-19 pandemic forced a temporary closure. His business partner left, but Singh refused to give up.

He maxed out his credit cards, borrowed from friends and liquidated his investments. He even cut back on food to keep the business afloat, he told CNBC Make It. “I had to eat $1 meals to make sure the business stayed open,” he recalled.

During the lockdown, Singh attended barber school. This allowed him to serve customers himself once the shop reopened. When Dandies resumed operations in 2021, it quickly became a community space, catering to men, women, kids and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

The hard work paid off. Singh now owns three Dandies locations across California, and employs 25 people, including 15 barbers.

According to CNBC Make It, the barber shop brought in $1.07 million (around ₹8.9 crore) last year. His other venture, now known as ATCS Platform Solutions, earned $1.18 million (around ₹9.8 crore).

Singh has cleared most of his debts. He now draws a combined monthly salary of about ₹5.8 lakh. Dandies became profitable in 2023.

He attributes his resilience to his childhood in Punjab. His family faced violence during the Sikh separatist unrest of the late 1980s. “Those were tough times,” he said. “But that struggle built my work ethic.”

Next, Singh is developing an app called Barber’s Network. It will serve as a booking platform for barbers and clients, similar to apps like Booksy and theCut.

Despite long hours, Singh says he has no plans to slow down. “I don’t think I’ll ever retire,” he told CNBC Make It. “I breathe business.”