Five years ago, Maya Verma was working night shifts at a small grocery store in her hometown of Indore, India. Life was simple, money was tight, and dreams often felt like distant stars — beautiful, but out of reach. But what Maya lacked in resources, she made up for in curiosity and a hunger to learn.
The Spark
It all began with a YouTube video about artificial intelligence. Maya, who had no prior experience with coding, was fascinated by how machines could “learn.” That night, after her shift, she downloaded a free coding app on her old smartphone and began her journey.
Every day, she’d study during her lunch breaks and practice coding at night. From Python basics to AI model tutorials, she absorbed everything like a sponge. Her small bedroom doubled as her classroom and workspace.
Breaking Through
A year later, Maya completed a series of free online courses and built a simple AI chatbot for her cousin’s retail website. It was clunky but functional — and it sparked attention in her local community. Soon, small businesses began asking her to build AI tools, automate customer service, and even help with basic data analytics.
She named her venture “VermaVerse” and ran it entirely from her second-hand laptop. What started as side projects snowballed into a full-time business.
The Turning Point
Her big break came when a Delhi-based startup noticed her work on LinkedIn. Impressed by her resourceful approach, they offered her a collaboration to build an AI-powered inventory assistant for retailers. The project was a hit — and Maya’s reputation soared.
Within three years, Maya had built a team of five, mentored underprivileged students in coding, and was invited to speak at a national tech conference, where she shared her story with tears in her eyes and fire in her voice.
Today
Now 29, Maya leads VermaVerse, a growing AI consultancy helping small businesses across India automate operations and embrace digital transformation. She still lives in Indore but is building a community tech hub to help others like her — people with big dreams and limited means.
Key Takeaways:
- Curiosity is the first step to transformation. Maya didn’t have a degree or connections — just the will to learn.
- Consistency beats convenience. Learning during lunch breaks and late nights paid off.
- Small projects lead to big doors. Her cousin’s chatbot opened up unexpected opportunities.
- Inspiration creates impact. Today, Maya doesn’t just succeed — she uplifts others.