"10 Years Ago, I Hired A Taxi Driver": Hyderabad Founder's Unusual Bet Pays Off

AdOnMo co-founder Sravanth Gajjula has shared the career journey of the company’s first employee, who joined as a Class 9-pass taxi driver a decade ago and now leads procurement operations across India. The story has drawn attention to the role of potential, trust and workplace support in building successful careers.

According to Gajjula, the man had no previous corporate experience, limited English-language proficiency and no conventional résumé when he was hired. At the time, many employers placed considerable emphasis on academic degrees, fluency in English and professional experience, making the decision to recruit him for the fledgling company an unconventional one.

Gajjula said he looked beyond the candidate’s formal qualifications and instead focused on his personal qualities. He identified the employee’s ambition, honesty and willingness to find solutions as the main reasons for offering him the opportunity. The appointment made the taxi driver the first employee of AdOnMo, an advertising technology company co-founded by Gajjula.

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The company did not expect its new recruit to adjust to a corporate environment immediately. Instead, it supported his development by enrolling him in spoken-English classes and assigning him meaningful responsibilities. This approach allowed the employee to learn through experience, gradually develop workplace skills and demonstrate his ability to handle increasingly important tasks.

Over the following 10 years, the employee progressed through the organisation and eventually became its head of procurement. He now handles responsibilities across India and is regarded by the company’s leadership as one of its most trusted employees. Gajjula presented the career transformation as an example of what can happen when employers invest in capability rather than relying exclusively on credentials.

Sharing the account on LinkedIn, the co-founder also raised a broader question about conventional recruitment practices and the qualities organisations prioritise when evaluating candidates. The story highlights how inclusive hiring, structured learning and access to real responsibility can create opportunities for people without traditional educational or professional backgrounds, while also helping companies retain employees who grow alongside the organisation.

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