Prafull Billore (MBA Chai Wala)

Some Lesser Known Facts About Prafull Billore

• Prafull Billore is an Indian entrepreneur who revolutionized the tea industry by introducing MBA Chai Wala, offering a wide variety of tea and snacks. His unwavering passion turned his once-small business into a flourishing enterprise.

• He was born into a Hindu middle-class farmer’s family belonging to the Brahmin community in Dhar, Madhya Pradesh.

  

• Prafull helped his father, Pandit Sohan Billore, manage his small grocery store when he was a child. Later, the family started selling ‘pooja samagari’ with the Riddhi Dev brand.

  

• After completing his graduation at Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya in Indore, Madhya Pradesh in 2016, he aimed to prepare for both Common Admission Test (CAT) and Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT), but he couldn’t clear either of the exams. In 2017, he took up a job at McDonald’s as a housekeeper and moved up to the position of cashier. Despite the promotion, Prafull was determined to start his own venture. During his CAT preparation days, tea had been a source of comfort, inspiring him to start his own tea stall. Under the guise of enrolling in a short-term course, he borrowed Rs. 8,000 from his father and opened a tea stall in Ahmedabad, Gujarat in 2017.

  

• Prafull encountered a setback on the first day of his tea stall when no customers showed up, but he refused to be discouraged and devised a new approach. He began conversing with customers in English, which sparked their interest in the English-speaking Chai Wala and his distinct tea blends. Slowly but surely, Prafull’s business started gaining momentum. Balancing his father’s expectations for him to pursue an MBA with his passion for tea, Prafull found himself at a crossroads. Eventually, he decided to pursue his dream of creating the best tea in India. Prafull tirelessly experimented with various chai mixes and flavours until he concocted the perfect blend that earned him recognition as the founder of the MBA Chai Wala, also known as Mr. Billore Ahmedabad Chai Wala.

• On 18 October 2021, Prafull Billore launched ‘MBA Chai Wala Academy’ with the aim of helping aspiring entrepreneurs through guidance. He promotes his vision of “Har-Har Startup, Ghar-Ghar Startup” through this initiative.

• Prafull’s success in the tea business can be credited to his clever marketing techniques. He recognized the Indian population’s affection for tea and set himself apart by serving it in earthen cups alongside toast and tissue while speaking English gently. By situating his tea shop at political rallies, weddings, and other events, he gained exposure and caught the attention of more customers. Social media played a significant role in expanding his business as Prafull interacted with his customers frequently through various social media platforms. His unique marketing approach on Valentine’s Day, which offered free tea to singles, went viral, bringing in a plethora of new clients. He further increased customer engagement by organizing book drives and open mic nights at his store. Prafull’s innovative tactics made his tea business a household name, with branches in various cities such as Bangalore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Chandigarh, Delhi, Kolkata, Pune, Dehradun, Kanpur, and Gurugram.

  

• He has received both gold and silver YouTube Plaques.

  

• Prafull is frequently invited by educational and other institutions to deliver motivational speeches and inspire young people.

  

• In 2023, he received the Pride of India Award at GSA India @ 75 Expo Washington, D. C. Sequel at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., United States.

  

• He has been invited to judge several events including TATVA 2023 – a business case study competition.

  

• Prafull is a religious individual and can often be seen travelling to various holy sites throughout India.

  

• Billore’s social media presence has not only brought him fame but has also made him the subject of many memes online. Some of these memes have humorously tagged him as a “panoti” or a bringer of bad luck. The meme gained more traction in March 2023 when several famous personalities who had been photographed with Billore found themselves caught up in scandals. The internet soon exploded with images of Billore’s “victims,” and the jokes about his supposed curses continued to circulate. Interestingly, some events seemed to lend credence to the “panoti” meme. For instance, Arvind Arora, a motivational speaker and influencer, who had interviewed Billore in November 2021, faced a difficult time on the reality show Shark Tank India in March 2023. Similarly, the Indian billionaire industrialist Gautam Adani, who had posed for a picture with Prafull Billore in April 2022, got entangled in a corruption scandal in 2023. Prafull Billore’s ascent to fame has been meteoric, and his social media presence has played a vital role in this success; however, as the ‘panoti’ jokes continue to spread, some started to wonder if being associated with him could turn into a liability for famous personalities.