'Sometimes, belief is your only business plan': Founder explains why he quit a ₹1 crore US job and returned to India

Leaving behind a high-paying job abroad is a difficult choice. For Chennai-based entrepreneur Vivek Thiruvengadam, it meant walking away from a Rs 1 crore annual salary in the US, returning to India with his family and starting a business with just Rs 90,000 in savings.

Six years later, the founder and CEO of Qubit Fitness says the decision was worth it.

Thiruvengadam recently reflected on his entrepreneurial journey in an Instagram post, sharing how he left the US after 14 years to move back to Chennai with his wife and their 11-month-old daughter. Rather than continue chasing a higher-paying career overseas, he chose to return home to be closer to family and build something of his own.

"It wasn't a random move. I wanted to be closer to family. To build something that mattered - not just earn more," he wrote.

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The decision comes at a time when more professionals are choosing to return to India after years abroad. Immigration experts say return migration has picked up in recent years, driven by stronger opportunities in India's startup ecosystem, the rise of remote work, tighter visa rules and a growing desire among many professionals to be closer to their families.

Building a business from scratch

In January 2021, Thiruvengadam launched Qubit Fitness without an office, investors or even a team. Armed with only a laptop, his time and Rs 90,000 in savings, he began building the business from the ground up.

The first year tested his resolve. By the end of it, the company had generated Rs 20 lakh in revenue—far below what he had earned annually in the US. But instead of seeing it as a setback, he said the experience strengthened his belief that he was on the right path.

"6 years ago, I took a leap that made no sense in the paper but made perfect sense in my heart. Sometimes, belief is your only business plan," he wrote in the caption of the video.

The payoff after six years

Over the years, Qubit Fitness steadily expanded, adding more clients, strengthening its systems and increasing its impact. Six years after taking the leap, Thiruvengadam said he has finally reached the financial milestone he had once set for himself.

Reflecting on the journey, he said entrepreneurship taught him that consistency matters more than talent, patience pays off in the long run, and earning money through purposeful work feels fundamentally different. He also thanked his family, clients and early supporters, saying their trust and encouragement played a key role in helping him build the company.

Social media users applauded Thiruvengadam's decision, with many saying his journey was a reminder that success isn't always measured by the size of a paycheck.

One user wrote, "This is proof that sometimes the biggest risk leads to the biggest rewards. Wishing you many more years of success."

Another commented, "Money can always be earned again, but time with family cannot. Thanks for sharing your journey so honestly."

A third user said, "Your story gives confidence to so many people who want to build something of their own but are afraid to take the first step."

A fourth user added, "Leaving a comfortable life isn't easy. Respect for choosing purpose over comfort and making it work."