Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan's Journey

May 2, 2025

Meet Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan - Bold Journey Magazine

Introduction

  • Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan
    • Shared experiences from middle school, bonding over basketball and classes
    • Developed a deeper friendship and partnership with shared dreams and ambitions
  • Philosophy
    • "Always be building" - a mindset shaping their entrepreneurial endeavors

Key Ventures

Workbee Holidays

  • Origin: Identified a market pain during the festive season for Christmas lights installation
  • Solution: Developed an app connecting users with installers using technology
  • Challenges: Realized customer service was crucial, learned negotiation, and problem-solving
  • Achievements: Grew to 1100 users, achieved $50k in sales, and raised $12k in funding

Off-Season Projects

  • Talking Plush Toy: Inspired by a "Black Mirror" episode
    • Integrated hardware into a cow toy with a large language model
    • Gained experience in prototyping and AI fine-tuning

Turbo Learn

  • Inception: Idea born during a backpacking trip in Wyoming
  • Functionality: Uses AI to convert lectures into notes, flashcards, and quizzes
  • Skills: Applied customer support and technical skills learned from previous ventures
  • Community: Encourages collaboration among students

Personal Growth and Insights

Additional Experiences

  • Sarthak: Developed "Gradify," an app with 30k users
  • Rudy: Delivered a TED talk and interned at a VC fund

Philosophy

  • Always Building: Constantly innovating, growing, and learning
  • Future Aspirations: Aiming to join Y Combinator and create impactful projects

Note-Taking Innovation

  • Problem: Traditional note-taking methods are inadequate for diverse student needs
  • Solution: Turbo Learn creates comprehensive study aids from recorded lectures
    • Provides diagrams, charts, and visual aids
    • Offers a community platform for sharing and collaboration

Important Qualities to Develop

  1. Technical Expertise: Mastery in a specialized area
  2. Constant Learning: Embracing new challenges and staying curious
  3. Complementary Skillsets in a Team: Value of diverse skills in collaboration

Reflections on Growth

  • Perspective: Shifted focus from age-based achievements to global impact
  • Advice: Encourage young people to aim for creating tangible global impact

Contact Information


These notes summarize the entrepreneurial journey and insights shared by Rudy Arora and Sarthak Dhawan, focusing on their innovative mindset, key projects, and personal growth reflections.