Summary of "How he Retired at 34 and Now Makes 1Cr Per Year?"

Summary

The video features an individual who retired from his corporate job at age 34 and now earns approximately ₹1 crore per year through his own business, Agna Productions, which focuses on photography and related services.

Key Financial and Career Highlights

Career timeline and salary progression:
- Started corporate career in 2002 with Hindustan Unilever (~₹25,000-30,000/month).
- Joined Xerox in 2004 (~₹50,000-60,000/month).
- Joined Infosys in 2006 (~₹70,000-80,000/month).
- At Infosys, annual take-home salary was about ₹15 lakh (~₹1.25 lakh/month) before quitting in 2009.
Decision against relocating to the US:
- Offered a job in Chicago around 2008 with a salary of ₹20-25 lakh/year versus ₹12-15 lakh/year in India.
- After comparing expenses and savings potential, decided not to move abroad.
- Emotional and family considerations also influenced the decision.
Retirement and corpus:
- Planned to quit within 5-6 years; fast-tracked retirement to 2009.
- Corpus at the time of quitting was about ₹50 lakh.
- Corpus has grown 3-4x since then, attributed to business growth rather than corporate salary continuation.
Business revenue and growth:
- First-year revenue target was ₹15 lakh (matching Infosys salary).
- Achieved ₹20 lakh in under 9 months.
- Business revenue has grown approximately 10x since inception.
Business financial management:
- Expense management: Keep expenses to about 40% of revenue (includes rentals, team salaries).
- Savings: Allocate 20-30% of revenue as savings.
- CSR: 10% of revenue dedicated to corporate social responsibility.
- Long-term planning: 10% reserved.
- Remaining funds cover day-to-day expenses.
- Emphasized that sound financial planning helped sustain the business through the pandemic (e.g., salaries and rents paid on time).

Personal Finance and Investment Approach

Started investing with a financial advisor’s guidance:
- Initial advice: Spend first year’s income freely; start investing from year two.
- Began with ₹2,000/month savings, gradually increased with bonuses and salary hikes.
Wife’s salary was saved entirely during early years.
Financial goals segmented into:
1. Retirement planning for self and spouse.
2. Children’s education.
3. Personal indulgences (travel, hobbies).
Asset allocation evolved over time:
- Initially 60-70% debt instruments, 30-40% equity (via mutual funds).
- No direct stock investing due to lack of skill and patience.
- Current allocation approximately 50-60% equity and rest debt.
Advocates for mutual funds managed by experts rather than direct equity investing.

Retirement Philosophy

Retired at 34 by quitting corporate job and starting own business.
Emphasizes that financial retirement is never absolute due to inflation and lifestyle escalation.
Believes retirement is about lifestyle choice and financial security, not an age or corpus number.
Defines “enough money” as being able to sleep comfortably, spend time with family, and feel satisfied.

Advice for 30-35 Year Olds

Prioritize financial security and maintain a healthy bank balance.
Take calculated risks before age 35-36.
Post-40, risk appetite and energy decline due to family responsibilities and aging.
Encourages exploring and saving aggressively in early career stages.

Regrets and Reflections

No regrets about not moving to the US or leaving Infosys early.
Wishes he had started financial planning earlier and been more aggressive with investments.

Disclaimers / Notes

This is not explicit financial advice but a sharing of personal experience. Emphasizes individualized goals and comfort over chasing arbitrary financial targets.

Mentioned Assets / Financial Instruments

Mutual funds (equity and debt).
No direct equity investing.
No specific tickers or ETFs mentioned.

Presenter / Source

Interviewee: A Bangalore-based former corporate employee turned entrepreneur (name not specified).
Platform: Zerodha’s “Proudly part of the 0.1% network” series.
Interviewer: Mayur (likely the host or interviewer).