Edited by: Ritu Singh
Offbeat Oct 06, 2026 13:09 IST Published On Oct 06, 2026 12:41 IST Last Updated On Oct 06, 2026 13:09 IST Rather than relying only on online research, Dinesh chose to interact directly with potential customers.
An Odisha man has taken an unconventional route to expand his family’s dairy business. After quitting his job at the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), he moved to Bengaluru and started working as a Rapido bike rider to understand what potential customers want. During the ride, Dinesh asked Raj about the dairy products he regularly buys apart from milk. The unexpected question led to a conversation about his plans. “Dinesh quit his IT job at NPCI… Parents not happy. He has a dairy farm back home in Odisha. He wants to expand it and build a dairy products business. But instead of sitting at home guessing what the market wants, he quit his job, came to Bangalore, and started riding Rapido,” Varun wrote in a LinkedIn post. Rather than relying only on online research or conventional market studies, Dinesh chose to interact directly with potential customers. He moved to Bengaluru and began working as a Rapido rider, allowing him to earn money while also speaking to passengers who could potentially form his target customer base. The former NPCI employee has reportedly given himself a year to understand the market and refine his business model. He then plans to return to Odisha and work on expanding his family’s dairy operations. “It wasn’t just the idea. It was the clarity. No MBA jargon, no pitch deck, no market research report. Just a guy asking his customers what they want. Rooting for this guy. Hope I’m having his dairy products someday,” Varun added. See the post here: His approach has attracted attention on LinkedIn, with users praising the idea of combining customer research with a source of income. Many described it as a practical example of understanding customers through direct conversations rather than relying entirely on traditional market research. One user wrote, “This is such a beautiful example of customer discovery in its most authentic form. Sometimes the best market research is simply having real conversations with the people you’re trying to serve. Rooting for him! A third user added, “This is a great idea, a direct feedback and expectations from the consumers. Show full article
His story was shared by LinkedIn user Varun Raj, who said he met the rider, identified as Dinesh, during a Monday morning commute. Dinesh particularly uses his rides with IT professionals to understand their dairy consumption habits and identify products they may be interested in buying, according to Raj’s post. Dinesh’s “paisa bhi milega aur feedback bhi” mindset is brilliant. Another said, “Real marketscaping and building targeted product which he knows consumers would want… fab!
