Neelam Singh- From Earning a Few Ten Thousand to Becoming the Owner of an Rs. 40 Crore Company.

“Great companies start because the founders want to change the world… not make a fast buck.”

Neelam Singh, who turned this quote by Guy Kawasaki into reality, had everything that an average person wants in his/her life: a nice family and a stable 9-5 job, however an unsatisfactory experience with QSRs(Quick Service Restaurants), led her to become the woman who now owns Rs. 40 crore venture called ‘The Burger Company’.

Neelam Singh was born and brought up in Agra. Her family consisted of three members her father; who was a college principal, her mother; a homemaker, and Neelam herself. According to her, her childhood was a package of joyful upbringing and solid education with supportive yet strict parents. The experience that changed her life occurred during her college years. One day while out with her friends, she noticed that there were not many QSRs in her area, and the ones that were present did not meet her satisfaction. "You go with your family to fine-dine restaurants which are expensive, but when you go out with friends you look for affordable places that offer good food and ambience,” Says the young entrepreneur “Somehow during my college years, despite Agra being a very popular tourist destination, it lacked pocket-friendly restaurants. That’s when I decided that I would set up my restaurant one day.” She added.

During her MBA she did an internship in a QSR, gaining some experience in this field, She also had an opportunity to set up her stall at a campus festival along with her friends, which proved profitable, earning her Rs.1 lakh. After pursuing MBA, she was placed at Genpact with a salary package of 5 LPA. She saved money for her dream of owning her own QSR by skipping lunch or eating from small vendors. She describes that period as tough but she persevered for the sake of her dream. After three years of struggle and hard work, she left her corporate life in 2016 and finally opened her first outlet of ‘The Burger Company’ in Gurugram in 2018. During those three years, she also got married to Nitish Dhankar, whom she met through a matrimonial site and who is also the Co-Founder of TBC along with Neelam. Nitish, a corporate executive, was very supportive of Neelam’s dream. 

After the first wave of the pandemic, she pursued her business Idea, at a time when many entrepreneurs were emerging globally. Since then, the company has boomed, and Neelam never looked back. Her dream project, “The Burger Company” has reached the milestone of 100+ outlets in 40+ cities this year, making it the largest Indian Burger brand with a turnover of Rs. 40 core.

In conclusion, Neelam Singh's remarkable journey from a stable 9-5 job to becoming the owner of "The Burger Company" exemplifies the power of ambition, perseverance, and a commitment to creating meaningful change. Fueled by her unsatisfactory experience with QSRs, Neelam set out to establish a restaurant that offered affordable prices, good food, and a welcoming ambience. Through years of hard work, saving diligently, and overcoming numerous challenges, she turned her dream into reality. Today, "The Burger Company" stands as a shining example of entrepreneurial success, with its extensive presence across multiple cities and a significant turnover. Neelam's story serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs, proving that with determination, hard work, and a passion for making a difference, one can achieve extraordinary success and create a lasting impact. Her journey reminds us that great companies are built not merely for profit, but to change the world for the better.