Indian man mocked over his 'thick accent' rises from janitor to US company CEO
An Indian man shared how he was told as a janitor in the US that his "thick accent" would not take him too far. He is now the CEO of a US company. His post sparked debate on persistence, self-improvement and whether accent matters more than skills.
An Indian entrepreneur based in the US shared how he went from working as a janitor and being mocked for his "thick Indian accent" to becoming a successful CEO, revealing that he taught himself to speak better by listening to motivational speaker Tony Robbins' audio tapes while mopping floors.
Sharran Srivatsaa, CEO of Acquisition, shared the story in a post on X after entrepreneur and author Alex Hormozi and motivational speaker Tony Robbins spoke about his journey.
In the post, Srivatsaa recalled arriving in the United States with what he described as a "thick Indian accent" and being told that he would never find employment unless he learnt how to speak differently.
At the time, he said, he could not afford a public speaking coach as he was working as a janitor and struggling to make ends meet.
Instead of giving up, Srivatsaa turned to a public library, where he borrowed Tony Robbins' audio tapes and listened to them every night while cleaning floors, teaching himself how to communicate more confidently.
Reflecting on the experience, he wrote, "I'm the Indian guy Alex Hormozi and Tony Robbins are talking about."
He added, "I came to the US with a thick Indian accent and was told I'd never get employed anywhere if I couldn't learn how to speak."
Explaining how he overcame the challenge, Srivatsaa said he could not afford a speaking coach, so he relied on Robbins' tapes instead. He said the experience shaped his belief that "not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do."
"I could've listened to the employers and stayed as a janitor. But your starting point is not your story, it's just the first chapter of it," he concluded.
Take a look at the post here:
The post prompted a discussion online, with many users praising Srivatsaa's perseverance and saying his journey was an inspiration for people trying to build careers abroad.
Others, however, argued that while communication skills certainly matter, especially in customer-facing roles, technical expertise often plays a bigger role than one's accent in industries such as software.
Several users also said his story underscored the importance of persistence, self-improvement and making the most of whatever resources are available.
An Indian entrepreneur based in the US shared how he went from working as a janitor and being mocked for his "thick Indian accent" to becoming a successful CEO, revealing that he taught himself to speak better by listening to motivational speaker Tony Robbins' audio tapes while mopping floors.
Sharran Srivatsaa, CEO of Acquisition, shared the story in a post on X after entrepreneur and author Alex Hormozi and motivational speaker Tony Robbins spoke about his journey.
In the post, Srivatsaa recalled arriving in the United States with what he described as a "thick Indian accent" and being told that he would never find employment unless he learnt how to speak differently.
At the time, he said, he could not afford a public speaking coach as he was working as a janitor and struggling to make ends meet.
Instead of giving up, Srivatsaa turned to a public library, where he borrowed Tony Robbins' audio tapes and listened to them every night while cleaning floors, teaching himself how to communicate more confidently.
Reflecting on the experience, he wrote, "I'm the Indian guy Alex Hormozi and Tony Robbins are talking about."
He added, "I came to the US with a thick Indian accent and was told I'd never get employed anywhere if I couldn't learn how to speak."
Explaining how he overcame the challenge, Srivatsaa said he could not afford a speaking coach, so he relied on Robbins' tapes instead. He said the experience shaped his belief that "not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do."
"I could've listened to the employers and stayed as a janitor. But your starting point is not your story, it's just the first chapter of it," he concluded.
Take a look at the post here:
The post prompted a discussion online, with many users praising Srivatsaa's perseverance and saying his journey was an inspiration for people trying to build careers abroad.
Others, however, argued that while communication skills certainly matter, especially in customer-facing roles, technical expertise often plays a bigger role than one's accent in industries such as software.
Several users also said his story underscored the importance of persistence, self-improvement and making the most of whatever resources are available.
