I have met very few people with the confidence of Vishal Virani. His unique ability to capture the imagination of those he interacts with is truly remarkable. Whenever I meet Vishal, I am astounded by his self-assuredness—he is undeniably one of the most exceptional volunteers in our ecosystem. But let me take a step back and share how this journey began.
I first met Vishal while stepping into my role at Together. At the time, he was running a small services company in Surat, boasting an impressive client list. However, during the pandemic lockdowns, Vishal became restless and had a brilliant idea—he could turn his services into a product.
Like every small business owner in tier 2 India, Vishal is all about hard work. While building his product, he reached out to people across the ecosystem for advice on raising capital. In that search, we connected. Our first call was striking. Vishal had a crystal-clear vision of what he wanted to create; he had conducted extensive research on price discovery and customer willingness to pay. He was well aware of what his peers were building and the gaps that existed. Although I don’t recall every detail of our conversation, he successfully raised a funding round shortly after. His hard work truly paid off! But more importantly, he recognised that the challenges he faced were common among founders in less-favored cities in India, and he was eager to help others like him.
A few months later, Vishal attended the SaaSBoomi Annual, and that’s when I finally met him in person. Pixelated video calls simply do not do justice to Vishal’s presence—he carries himself like he’s ten feet tall. The fact that English isn’t his first language doesn’t deter him; he finds the right words to express himself. He steadfastly refuses to switch to another language, mastering it each day, and he embraces that challenge with pride. While others may retreat into the shadows or avoid events, Vishal stands tall and unbothered by the language barrier.
It was clear to me that Vishal had a spark. At SaaSBoomi, it was up to us to fan that flame. Once he signed up to volunteer, he aimed to elevate Surat from its status as a lesser-known city. Over the past three-and-a-half years, Vishal has curated a community of SaaS founders across Gujarat. I’ll be honest: Surat was never on our radar as a potential SaaSBoomi chapter, but Vishal changed that!
On our first visit, about eight founders attended our event. Now, thanks to his efforts, that number has soared to 50! Last year, at the Annual, Vishal brought along 80 founders and senior operators to network and learn. He even held informal boot camps to help founders navigate networking and engage with VCs. All of this is to strengthen India’s SaaS ecosystem.
Vishal’s commitment is exceptional. He has even deputed members of his own staff on short notice to help at SaaSBoomi, without asking for anything in return. When we asked him why he did it, he simply said, “I did my duty.”
Though he may not speak often, when he does, his words are carefully chosen and meaningful. We are truly honoured to have such a bright light in our community. Keep shining, Vishal!
From the Author:
SaaSBoomi began in 2015 as a small gathering of ~50 founders, and today, with over 500 events across three countries and countless lives touched, we’ve only just scratched the surface.
None of this would have been possible without the unrelenting passion of our 125+ volunteers — the lifeblood of SaaSBoomi.
Their contributions go beyond effort; they’ve built a community bound by camaraderie, empathy, and a shared vision for a Product Nation.
Pay it FWD is my tribute to every pay-it-forward champion I’ve encountered on this incredible journey.
Their contributions to SaaSBoomi and the broader ecosystem have been immeasurable, yet there remains a story left to be told — one that echoes the impact they continue to create.
