Meet MBA Chaiwala: From Failed MBA Aspirant to Owner of more Than 100 Chai Cafes

MBA Chaiwala: MBA Chaiwala, is a name that has become synonymous with entrepreneurship, innovation, and the art of making tea. Prafull Billore is the founder of MBA Chaiwala, a chain of cafes that serves tea and other refreshments to its customers. His journey from being a failed CAT aspirant to a successful entrepreneur is nothing short of inspiring. His entrepreneurial journey has given a ray of hope to many youths from middle-class families who want to do something big in their life.

But do you know that Prafull Billore, famously known as the MBA Chaiwala, is neither a foodie nor a very big fan of cooking? He did not even like to make tea. According to him, he learned to make tea after he started his tea stall. In the early days of his tea business, he often used to put some ingredients of tea in less or more quantity inadvertently. But with his sheer dedication and smartness, he built a multi-million business of tea across India.

The success of his entrepreneurial venture lies in his leadership and fearless attitude. Prafull always dreamt of becoming a big businessman since childhood. His passion was to earn more money and live a comfortable lifestyle. To achieve his dream, Prafull started preparing for CAT (Common Admission Test), a highly competitive test for admission to an MBA program at prestigious colleges including IIMs. But he failed thrice to clear the CAT exam despite preparing hard for the same. The journey from a failed CAT aspirant to a successful entrepreneur has surprised and motivated many around the country.

Early Life and Career

Prafull Billore was born in a lower-middle-class family. He is a native of Dhar, Madhya Pradesh. Being from a lower-middle-class family, he had always seen financial hardships in his life. So from his early days, he wanted to make lots of money so as to provide his family with a comfortable life. It made him fascinated by the world of business from a young age. After completing his graduation, he appeared for CAT but he failed. He then started traveling to places that helped him to gain different perspectives and insights. For the sake of his parents, he enrolled at Ahmedabad University to complete his studies.

College Drop Out to Tea Seller

While studying at Ahmedabad University, he took a part-time job at McDonald’s to know how it feels to work. During his job, he realized that he can’t become rich by working for others. So he quit his job and studies and opened a tea cart on SG Highway in Ahmedabad in 2017. The reason behind choosing the tea cart was both financial and feasible. He knew that chai is the only beverage which is consumed across India, so everyone would drink it. He also had only 8000 rupees with him, so a tea cart was the most feasible option available.

The Success of MBA Chaiwala

Prafull started MBA Chaiwala with the intention of expanding it into a big business. The MBA in MBA Chaiwala stands for Mr. Billore Ahmedabad. During the initial years, his parents were angry with him and his relatives used to taunt him. Despite that, he kept working on fulfilling his dreams. Many people were drawn to his cart seeing an English-speaking man serving tea. He tried several strategies to make his tea business famous and attract customers.

He used to organize cricket tournaments and ludo games, as well as a whiteboard where people could leave messages for their loved ones. It helped him to draw customers to his tea stall as he gave people something new to look forward to every time they visited his tea stall. After two years of business in Ahmedabad, Prafull expanded his franchise cafe in Bhopal in 2019. Since then the MBA Chaiwala start-up kept on accomplishing new feats every passing day. The MBA Chaiwala has now more than 100 tea cafes in various Indian cities with yearly revenue in crores.

Prafull’s success has not come easy. He faced many challenges, including resistance from traditional tea vendors, lack of funds, and the initial struggle to convince people to try a new concept. However, his determination and perseverance paid off, and he succeeded in creating a brand that is now synonymous with quality tea and a unique cafe experience. Prafull is considered one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in the country. MBA Chaiwala’s success story inspires young entrepreneurs who want to pursue their dreams and make a mark in the business world.