Entrepreneur and content creator Ankur Warikoo has opened up about his remarkable professional journey, revealing how his income grew from just Rs 14,750 a month at the age of 24 to Rs 33 lakh a year within five years.In a recent Instagram video, Warikoo looked back on a period of uncertainty that followed his decision to drop out of a PhD programme in the United States and return to India without a clear career plan. “My first job at age 24 paid a salary of Rs 14,750 per month. In 5 years, I was earning Rs 33 lakh,” he said.According to Warikoo, the initial phase after returning home was far from easy. He spent nearly a month and a half attending walk-in interviews and scanning newspaper job listings before finally making it to the last round of interviews at NIS Sparta. Going into the process, he hoped to earn around Rs 10,000 a month but ended up receiving an offer of Rs 15,000.Working alongside colleagues with MBA degrees soon made him realise the importance of formal management education. That thought gained momentum when the Indian School of Business (ISB) introduced its one-year MBA programme. However, enrolling required him to take what he described as “the biggest loan in the Warikoo family”, resulting in a monthly EMI of Rs 20,000.Recalling his decision, he wrote in the caption, “So I asked myself: can I get a job paying Rs 35,000 after ISB? Rs 15,000 which I already earned and Rs 20,000 which is the EMI. The answer was yes.”His time at ISB, he said, was both humbling and transformative. Surrounded by IIT toppers, chartered accountants, lawyers, doctors and defence professionals, Warikoo felt he had little to contribute initially. “I didn’t have anything to share, I just had to absorb,” he said.Check out the video: View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ankur Warikoo (@ankurwarikoo) During the programme, he discovered consulting as a career option and dedicated himself to preparing for the highly competitive recruitment process. After clearing multiple interview rounds, including a final interaction with a managing director, he secured what he described as “one of the best jobs on campus”.Story continues below this adThe breakthrough dramatically changed his career trajectory. His annual compensation jumped to Rs 12 lakh, and a promotion roughly 18 months later accelerated that growth further. By the time he left the organisation three years later, he was earning Rs 33 lakh annually.Looking back, Warikoo attributed his progress less to innate talent and more to persistence and effort. “I am not the most intelligent person. But when someone trusted me, I worked hard to deserve it,” he said.Warikoo’s account of rising from a monthly salary of Rs 14,750 to an annual package of Rs 33 lakh in just five years is the kind of success story that resonates with ambitious young professionals. However, there is one important caveat: it happened more than two decades ago. The job market, salaries, competition and career paths have changed significantly since then.According to Dipshi Sharma, Associate VP at PeakAlpha Investments, Warikoo’s experience should be viewed more as an exception than a standard template for success. “The story is definitely an outlier,” she said during an interaction with indianexpress.com. While such dramatic income jumps are uncommon, Sharma believes the broader lessons behind the journey remain relevant. “If you have a goal and work towards it, money will follow. Upskilling, finding mentors, finding your niche, and networking will help too.”Story continues below this adSharma argues that career growth is rarely driven by qualifications alone. While degrees continue to play an important role in helping candidates enter organisations, long-term success depends on what employees bring beyond their academic credentials. “A graduate/post-graduate/MBA is a basic requirement for most jobs today,” she said, adding that qualities such as attitude, analytical thinking and strategic decision-making often determine how far someone progresses.The relationship between skills and salary, she noted, is also more nuanced than many people assume. Skills by themselves do not guarantee higher pay, but when combined with a strong work ethic and a clear sense of direction, they can significantly accelerate both career and income growth. “Skills, when put to good use, along with a strong work ethic, can definitely lead to growth – both in salary and career trajectory,” Sharma said. Having a defined goal, she added, helps professionals identify which skills are worth investing in and develop them with purpose.When it comes to job switches, Sharma believes professionals should focus less on the act of switching and more on the reasons behind it. Better compensation can be one factor, but growth opportunities, workplace culture, learning potential and work arrangements also matter. She cautioned against frequent job-hopping, arguing that meaningful contributions often require time. “I don’t believe in switching jobs often because it takes at least one year to fully understand your role and do it well,” she said.Sharma believes many professionals remain stuck not because they lack effort, but because they lack direction. “Lack of a plan or goal on where you want to be in your career, not upskilling, getting complacent, not being aware of opportunities to grow, and a lack of ambition and hunger for growth” can all hold people back, she said.Story continues below this adFor those currently earning Rs 15,000-20,000 a month, Sharma’s advice is simple: invest in yourself. “Manage your time very well so you can read, network and add many facets to your personality,” she said, while stressing the importance of upskilling and staying prepared for the future of work. If growth opportunities are limited, she advises looking elsewhere.Echoing Warikoo’s own message, Sharma emphasised that sustained effort remains indispensable. “Hard work is non-negotiable. Whether you are working at the office or working on yourself, hard work rewards you.”