There’s something surreal about seeing your dreams take flight – quite literally.
As I sat 40,000 feet above the ground, holding the first copy of “The CEO from the Last Bench,” a wave of memories came rushing back. The quiet backbench of my classroom. The early days of uncertainty. The countless failures and the few precious wins that shaped the journey.
Unveiling the book mid-air wasn’t a PR stunt – it was symbolic. It represented a story of rising, not just in business, but in belief. Before I learned to lead teams or scale companies, I had to learn to believe in myself.
The Last Bench: Where It All Began
For many of us, the last bench in school meant two things, comfort and invisibility. It was where you could dream freely without the pressure of being noticed.
I wasn’t the star student. I wasn’t topping exams or collecting medals. But I was curious. I was observing, absorbing, and learning in my own quiet way.
That’s where The CEO from the Last Bench truly began – not as a title or an achievement, but as a mindset. It’s about believing that where you sit today doesn’t define where you’ll stand tomorrow.
We all start somewhere, and sometimes, the back of the classroom gives you the best view of what’s possible.
The Journey: From Doubt to Direction
Every entrepreneur has a “moment”, that instant where things shift.
For me, it wasn’t one moment, but many small ones that built momentum.
When I started The Rolling Plate, it wasn’t with the intent of building one of India’s fastest-growing food franchise networks. It began with a simple question: “How can we make entrepreneurship accessible?”
The traditional food business required huge investments, operational knowledge, and constant involvement. Not everyone had the time or expertise for that. That’s when the FOCO (Franchise Owned, Company Operated) model came to life, an idea designed to help people earn from the food business without running it daily.
It was new, risky, and untested. But so was every great idea before it worked.
From one kitchen to many, from one brand to multiple cuisines, The Rolling Plate grew because people trusted the vision. And more importantly, they saw themselves in it. They saw an opportunity where once there was uncertainty.
The Book: More Than Just Pages
When I started writing The CEO from the Last Bench, I didn’t want it to be another business book filled with theories and jargon. I wanted it to be real.
This book is about the lessons that no MBA program teaches you:
- How to fail gracefully and still show up the next day.
- How to build a team that believes in your dream before the world does.
- How to handle success without losing your humility.
It’s not about becoming a CEO—it’s about the journey to becoming one.
And more than that, it’s about becoming the kind of leader who remembers where they started.
Each chapter carries pieces of my personal journey—from the last bench in school to building a brand that now inspires others to start their own. It’s filled with stories, reflections, and practical lessons that anyone—student, professional, or entrepreneur—can relate to.
Flying High: A Moment of Reflection
Holding the book on a flight, 40,000 feet above the ground, felt poetic.
Because for years, I had been chasing “success,” numbers, milestones, and goals. But that moment reminded me that success isn’t always measured in achievements. Sometimes, it’s about perspective.
Flying high is not just about altitude; it’s about attitude.
It’s about how far you’ve come mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
When I looked out the window that day, I realized every takeoff comes after turbulence. Every journey that reaches the skies has had its share of storms. The important part is not avoiding them, but flying through them with faith.
Lessons from the Journey
If there’s one thing the CEO from the Last Bench stands for, it’s possibility.
You don’t have to be the brightest in the room. You just have to be the most consistent.
Here are a few lessons that have stayed with me through the years:
- Start before you’re ready: Waiting for perfect conditions is the biggest delay to success. You’ll never feel completely ready – and that’s okay.
- Consistency beats intensity: how to get up every day. The results might not be immediate, but momentum builds quietly.
- Failure is feedback: Every time something doesn’t work out, it’s teaching you what not to repeat. That’s growth in disguise.
- Stay grounded: No matter how high you fly, always remember the ground that helped you take off. Gratitude keeps you balanced.
- Believe bigger: Your dreams will scare you – that’s how you know they’re worth chasing.
Not the Last Bench Anymore…
Unveiling The CEO from the Last Bench at 40,000 feet wasn’t planned to be symbolic – but it turned out to be the perfect metaphor for the journey.
From the back row of the classroom to the boardroom.
From observing others’ success to building my own.
From being overlooked to overdelivering.
And through it all, one thing remained constant – the belief that your starting point doesn’t define your finish line.
To everyone sitting at their own version of the “last bench” right now, remember this:
You don’t have to move to the front to make a difference. You just have to move forward.
Final Thoughts
The CEO from the Last Bench isn’t just my story, it’s a story for every dreamer who’s been underestimated, every thinker who’s been told they’re too quiet, and every doer who started small.
It’s a reminder that dreams don’t have to begin big—they just have to begin.
Because when you truly believe in your journey, you don’t just rise—you soar.
And sometimes, you find yourself looking out the window at 40,000 feet, smiling—because you realize that the last bench was just the beginning.