Train Salesman to Rs 300 Crore Business: A crorepati journey that began with selling old magazines

In the bustling local trains of Mumbai, a young man named Gaurav Kate once fought a battle with his own fear. His weapon? A bag full of magazines. His victory wasn't just selling a copy; it was learning to speak up. That same voice would later go on to champion the cause of thousands of small shopkeepers across India.

Gaurav's journey from a small village in Akola to building Ezo Books, a company valued at Rs 300 Crore, is a powerful lesson in seeing opportunity where others see obstacles.

Every great story has a humble beginning. For Gaurav, it started with a keen eye. In college, he noticed students eagerly buying roses for Rs 50 on Rose Day. He saw an opportunity. The next year, he bought 2,000 roses and sold them all in just a few hours. The lesson was clear: understanding what people want is the first step to a successful business.

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Later, to make ends meet, he took on the challenging task of selling magazines in Mumbai's crowded local trains. It was here, face-to-face with passengers, that he learned the art of sales. He learned to read people's faces, understand their hesitation, and build their trust in a matter of seconds. This wasn't just a side hustle; it was his real-world MBA.

Armed with confidence and a drive to build something of his own, Gaurav co-founded LegalDocs. This startup helped small businesses navigate online legal processes like GST and trademark registration. It was a success, proving that he could identify and solve a market need.

But then, the pandemic hit.

The COVID-19 lockdown brought the economy to a halt. New businesses weren't being started, and LegalDox, once thriving, could no longer continue. For many, this would have been the end of the road. For Gaurav, it was a detour.

A conversation with a local snack shop owner changed everything. The owner explained his big problem: when he wasn't at the shop, sales dropped, and he suspected errors or theft. He wanted a solution but refused a complicated computer system. He picked up his simple calculator and said he needed something just as easy.

Gaurav realized that thousands of small shopkeepers in India wanted to go digital but were intimidated by complex, English-based software. They needed simplicity. They needed a system that worked with a tap, not a keyboard.

From this insight, Ezo Books was born.

Gaurav and his team built EZO as a simple, image-based billing machine. A shopkeeper doesn't need to type. They just tap a picture of the product—like 'chai' or 'biscuit'—and the bill is generated instantly. It tracks sales, manages inventory, and lets the owner check their business from their phone, anywhere.

The solution was a runaway success. Shopkeepers loved it. From a few dozen machines, EZO now sells thousands every month. Today, the company generates over Rs 3 Crore in monthly revenue and is valued at an incredible Rs 300 Crore.

Gaurav Kate's story teaches us that success isn't about never failing. It's about learning, adapting, and having the courage to pivot. He saw a problem faced by the common Indian shopkeeper and built a bridge to the digital world for them.