What do you do when your 9-to-5 stops working out twice? For Zeeshan Bakhrani, a former product manager, the answer was simple. He went back to something he always loved, which is nothing but food. Today, in New York City, he is serving Bihari-style tacos and Pakistani-American street food. Through his venture, he manages to pull in up to Rs 1.3 crore a month.
As reported by CNBC, the 34-year-old was laid off twice from product management roles. Instead of looking for another similar job, he decided to take a chance. In August 2025, he launched Nishaan in Manhattan. In the business, he invested $70,000 (around Rs 65 lakh) from his own savings. It wasn't a random jump. He had been doing food pop-ups on weekends for years, even while working in tech. After the layoff, he was forced to switch professions.
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For him, the food at Nishaan feels personal, and there is a reason. The menu includes Pakistani chopped cheese, Bihari-style barbacoa tacos and buffalo tandoori chicken sandwiches. Growing up in Chicago, he saw how his mother would mix things up, adding spices like cumin, coriander and chilli powder to everyday meals. This is how he got the idea to blend the flavours he grew up with and American staples.
As quoted by the portal, Bakhrani says, “I'm Pakistani, I'm American. I'm going to embrace parts of both.” He remembers experimenting at home by switching tortillas with parathas or adding chutney to burgers. What started as small kitchen experiments has now turned into a full-blown startup venture, and guess what? It is paying off really well.
Initially, the man's earnings were around $57,000 (approx Rs 53 lakh) a month. Today, he earns $140,000 (about Rs 1.3 crore) per month, which means people are clearly showing up.
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Well, well, his work life has changed as well. He, now, does not have to sit for long meetings or wait on approvals. Instead, he spends up to 14 hours a day in the kitchen, and the results are fruitful.