Ring of FIRE Story #3: That 25 Minutes Drive from Failure to Freedom

September 27, 2018, 4:45 PM EST – I was driving back to my hotel in the Philadelphia suburbs, physically drained and emotionally shattered after a devastating day. Earlier, management announced our company’s acquisition by an Indian IT giant, freezing all promotions and raises until March 2019. My expected promotion to Director, slated for October 2018, was why I’d travelled to the U.S. With my boss’s resignation months earlier, I was the obvious successor. That title, the office, and new car I’d envisioned were the validation of my sacrifices. Now, they are gone. I felt cheated, helpless, and betrayed.

For four years, I’d poured my soul into this company—traveling 120 days a year to pitch solutions, working odd hours on proofs of concept, and logging 14-hour days to support teams across India and the U.S. I missed my son’s milestones, family weddings, festivals, and vacations, all to secure a better future for him. Even on rare breaks, I worked to impress the CEO, chasing recognition and financial stability. I traded time for a title and money, only to have it all stripped away.

During that 25-minute drive, my mind was full of doubt and negativity. From remembering all my failures till now to imagining a bleak future—living in my parents’ house in Delhi, jobless, asking them to cover my son’s school fees. In my mind, I have disappointed everyone I love. In reality nothing has changed but In my mind, I have lost the job and all my savings and the knowledge and contacts I have gained in the last 13 year. I was full of self doubt.

At 10 PM EST, my son, Neev, called before heading to school. “Daddy, I miss you and love you,” he said. “Come back soon, and don’t bring toys—I’m a big boy now.” His words brought a faint smile, then a lot of tears. Later, my wife, Parul, sensed something was wrong and called back. I told her everything and she laughed at me on how serious and boring I have become. She reminded me of my college days, when I shrugged off failing three subjects in my fourth semester, saying, “I’ll clear them next time—marks don’t define me , I am bigger than marks”. I was stupid ,fearless and unbothered by failures.. I wanted to be that brave stupid kid again.

October 7^th  2018 8 AM EST, After sorting my finances and more importantly my mind , I was ready to follow my dream of starting my own company. I called my former boss and a dear friend, Amit. I requested him for a part time assignment for a few months to cover my expenses and start what I dreamt of for long. He obliged and said the famous dialogues from DDLJ “ Ja, Jee le apni Zindagi”, and  reminded me that “ these 80-hour-per-month consulting contract to cover your expenses and the remaining 600 hours are yours to build the life you’ve dreamed of” His words shifted my perspective—I realized my worth and the value of the time I had and how little I need to survive. April 24, 2019 was the last day in my company.

After a 4-month consulting gig, I gained the confidence to start an IT Services  business in Saudi Arabia with friends. I failed again, and failed bigger than before but this time, I was that stupid fearless kid from Lajpat Nagar, scared but laughing off setbacks and failures knowing that I can do better.

July 2025, I co-own a software services company with offices in India, and the U.S. employing nearly 90 people. Thanks to a lot of my friends and mentors, I truly believe in the saying that  “Failure is not a person , it’s an event”.

About the Author:

Nikhil Shewakramani resides in Hyderabad with his wife and son, having settled there after working in 10 cities worldwide.He manages an IT services and product company. On weekends, Nikhil enjoys cricket, either playing with friends in a nearby box or watching sports and discussing with friends . A passionate traveler, he seizes every opportunity to explore new destinations, viewing each trip as a chance to learn and unwind. For Nikhil, life’s greatest joys stem from balancing work, play, and adventure.