Immanuel John, founder of the Tamil Nadu-based startup Teckas Technologies, has gone viral on Reddit and LinkedIn for sharing a candid breakdown of his financial and professional growth. His story highlights a “skills-first” approach to a tech career, prioritizing hands-on experience over initial paychecks.
The Financial Roadmap: 2018 to 2026
John’s journey began with a bold choice: turning down a ₹25,000 corporate offer to take a ₹10,000 internship at a startup because he wanted to “write real code from day one.”
| Year | Monthly Salary | Milestone / Lifestyle |
| 2018 | ₹10,000 | Intern in Bengaluru; lived in a 2BHK with 3 others; survived on Maggi. |
| 2019 | ₹25,000 | Transitioned to a full-time role at the same startup. |
| 2020 | ₹35,000 | Steady growth as a developer. |
| 2021 | ₹45,000 → ₹80,000 | Job hop; began learning Blockchain at night. |
| 2022 | ₹3,50,000 | Secured a high-paying remote role for a foreign company. |
| 2024 | Varies | Launched Teckas Technologies; currently has 9 employees and global clients. |
The “Blockchain Pivot”
John identifies 2021 as his turning point. While working his day job, he spent nearly five months teaching himself blockchain technology during the night. This specialization allowed him to jump from a domestic salary to a global remote salary of ₹3.5 lakh per month by 2022.
Advice for Aspiring Developers
For those currently earning ₹20k–₹40k and feeling stuck, John offers three key takeaways:
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Embrace Risk Early: If the job market is tough, try building a “micro-SaaS” or solving a niche problem for 10 customers.
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Uncomfortable Upskilling: The biggest salary jumps come from specialized technologies (like AI agents or Blockchain) rather than generalist roles.
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The Entrepreneurial Leap: John admits he currently earns less than his peak salary, but the equity and growth of his firm, which services India, Europe, and the US, represent a more significant long-term investment.
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The news cycle also featured several other viral stories:
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The “IIT Baba”: Abhay Singh, the viral face of the Mahakumbh, has officially married a Bengaluru-based engineer in Himachal Pradesh.
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Geopolitics: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev surprisingly voiced support for Iran and Khamenei in the ongoing conflict involving the US and Israel.
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Naval News: The Indian Navy saw major additions today with the nuclear-ready submarine Aridhaman and the warship Taragiri.
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Entertainment Gossip: Rumors are swirling that Sanya Malhotra and Rishab Sharma have reportedly parted ways.
