Chapter 9: The Power of the First Sale
Delhi – February 22, 2009 – 6:00 AM
The morning was unusually cold. Shiva rubbed his palms together, breathing into them to fight the chill as he waited for his laptop to boot up. It groaned and sputtered, taking forever. He gritted his teeth.
Soon, he promised the battered machine. Soon you'll have a successor.
Today was not about patience, though.
Today was about momentum.
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6:30 AM – An Unexpected Email
When Gmail finally loaded, Shiva spotted a subject line that made his heart skip:
> "Inquiry: SEO Services for Coaching Center"
It was from a local business owner, Mr. Sharma, who had stumbled onto Shiva's freelancing profile while browsing for help with Google rankings.
This is it. My first real service client.
He read the email carefully:
> "We run a tuition center in Lajpat Nagar. Need help getting our website on the first page for keywords like 'best coaching Delhi' and 'physics tuition Delhi.'"
Shiva cracked his knuckles.
He had studied SEO algorithms from the hard drive of 2035. In 2009, barely anyone in Delhi even understood what SEO truly was.
He drafted a professional, confident reply:
> "Dear Mr. Sharma,\n\nThank you for reaching out. I can certainly help you achieve better visibility online. I propose a basic SEO package including keyword optimization, content tweaks, and local business listing support.\n\nCost: ₹3,000 one-time fee.\n\nTimeline: 2 weeks.\n\nLooking forward to discussing further.\n\nBest,\nShiva Gupta\nNovaEdge Digital Solutions."
Three thousand rupees might seem small—but it was seed capital.
More importantly, it was proof.
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8:00 AM – School Hustles and Dreams
At school, Shiva's mind was elsewhere during morning assembly.
He envisioned NovaEdge's first invoice, imagined hiring his first real team one day.
When Rohit caught him staring into space, Shiva grinned and whispered,
"First client inquiry. We're going pro."
Rohit's eyes widened. "Already? Bro, you're serious about this!"
"Dead serious," Shiva whispered back. "Get ready. Rickshaw Rush is just the beginning."
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2:00 PM – Classrooms into Laboratories
Instead of heading home immediately after class, Shiva stayed behind.
He surveyed the empty computer lab.
Old CRT monitors lined the walls like tired soldiers. Dusty keyboards. Flickering fluorescent lights. Faded posters about "The Wonders of Windows XP."
To most students, this room was a punishment.
To Shiva, it was an opportunity incubator.
This will be our first HQ, he decided.
Workshops, coding clubs, game jam hackathons. Right here.
He snapped pictures on his old Nokia phone. Planning layouts in his head: banners, chairs, whiteboards, energy.
From dust, we shall build stars.
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5:00 PM – Negotiations
Back home, Mr. Sharma replied:
> "₹3,000 seems high. Others have quoted ₹2,000."
Negotiation was on the table. Shiva had anticipated it.
He responded:
> "Understood, sir. I offer a student discount. ₹2,500 final offer, but will include setting up a Google My Business page too, no extra cost. You'll gain local visibility."
He waited.
Ten minutes.
Fifteen.
Then the reply:
> "Deal. Send me payment details."
Shiva leaned back in his chair, a victorious grin spreading across his face.
First sale secured.
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7:00 PM – Building the SEO Machine
Without wasting a second, Shiva began preparing:
A checklist for Mr. Sharma's website audit.
Keyword lists with low competition, high potential.
Templates for monthly SEO reports.
He wasn't just going to deliver; he was going to overdeliver.
Every satisfied customer would be a stepping stone to five more.
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9:00 PM – Rewards of Action
That night, he allowed himself a rare indulgence: two scoops of butterscotch ice cream from the local vendor.
As he sat on the curb, spooning cold sweetness into his mouth, Shiva felt it deep in his bones.
This is what real winning feels like.
Not fantasy.
Not dreams.
But action crystallized into reward.
Brick by brick.
Byte by byte.
Rupee by hard-earned rupee.
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11:00 PM – Journaling the Legacy
In his worn notebook, Shiva wrote:
> "February 22, 2009 \u2013 First real client confirmed.\nToday the world paid me for the knowledge I once only hoarded.\nToday, I became not just a dreamer, but a doer.\nNovaEdge is real now.\nI am real now."
He underlined it three times.
Tomorrow, there would be new battles.
Bigger clients.
Bigger rejections.
Bigger victories.
But tonight?
Tonight he slept the sleep of kings.
Because the empire had made its first gold coin.
And it would only grow from here.
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[End of Chapter 9]
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