White-collar jobs and fixed monthly paychecks are often seen as the safest path to building wealth. However, owning even a small business can be just as financially rewarding. In today's world, success and income are not always proportional to formal education, as practical skills, risk-taking, and hard work often matter far more than degrees on paper.
An example of it was recently seen when an X user revealed that her local dry cleaner earns over Rs 2 lakh a month. Nalini Unagar shared the story on X, saying the owner and his wife run the business with two helpers. The dry cleaner's monthly revenue is around Rs 283,500, with expenses like Rs 6,000 for electricity and Rs 40,000 for helpers' salaries, leaving a profit of Rs 237,500.
"Yesterday, I was talking with the dry cleaning shop owner near my house, where I regularly go. He and his wife both work together, and they have two helpers on salary. I was shocked when they said they earn around ₹2,00,000 per month, which is equal to a 10+ years experienced software engineer in India," the tweet was captioned on X.
See the tweet here:
Unagar also shared the shop owner's income breakdown. On a daily basis, they iron around 350 clothes at Rs 10 each, earning Rs 3,500, and dry-clean 20 heavy garments at Rs 350 each, adding Rs 7,000 daily. This totals Rs 10,500 daily, and with only 3 days off monthly, their estimated revenue is Rs 283,500.
"After cutting all the expenses, they get a profit of ₹2,37,500. They told me these figures are from last month, but on average, they earn ₹2 lakh+ every month," she added in the tweet.
Social Media Reaction
The post sparked a lively discussion on X, with many users pointing out that it highlights the gap between perceived social status and actual economic value. Others were impressed by the dry cleaner's earnings, calling it a great example of entrepreneurial success.
One user wrote, "We often chase white collar jobs for good salaries, but information like this prove that running your own business small or big , if done with real interest, can be just as rewarding sometimes even more.Thanks for sharing.."
"We're conditioned to run after white-collar jobs and fixed paychecks, but stories like this remind us that owning a business—small or big—can be equally fulfilling, and sometimes far more rewarding, when done with genuine passion. Appreciate you sharing this perspective," another commented.
"Why are you surprised? Small business owners have huge earning capacity if there is a conducive business environment. This was the backbone of America," a third user said.
A fourth user added, "Wow, that's impressive! It's great to see small business owners doing well. It really shows how hard work pays off."
