A heated debate has erupted on social media after a Hyderabad-based CEO publicly challenged an investor’s advice that entrepreneurs should focus on building companies to solve problems rather than just getting rich.
Jitendra Emmani, co-founder and CEO of Cozy Farms, countered this claim by saying that it is perfectly acceptable to build companies with the sole purpose of making money. He also warned against taking unsolicited advice from the Internet.
Investor attitude: purpose over profit
The debate started with a post on X in which an investor shared advice for aspiring founders.
“Don’t start a company if you’re primarily driven by: – making money, getting famous, doing better than others, calling yourself a CEO/founder,” he wrote.
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He went on to emphasize that one should build a company out of passion, adding, “Only do it if you’re crazy enough to do whatever it takes to solve a problem you care deeply about.”
The CEO’s counterargument
Jitendra Emmani offered a sharp rebuttal, drawing on his own experience. He explained that he built his first company, Picxy, to solve a problem he cared deeply about.
While studying at Northern Illinois University in the United States and working for a media portal highlighting stories from South India, he noticed a lack of images representing India, according to YourStory.
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That’s when he launched Picxy, a stock image platform for Indian businesses, to fill this gap.
“I started my first company to solve a problem I cared deeply about. A stock photography company for India. I worked hard for 6 years and it didn’t take much longer,” Emmani recounted.
After Picxy, he launched Cozy Farms with a clear focus on income generation. According to Emmani, the company’s annual revenue today equals the six-year revenue of his first venture, Picxy.
“Stop listening to gyan. Build for money it’s perfectly fine. Build ethically and enjoy the work you do. Get rich and put the money to good use,” his X post read.
Netizens react to the post
Jitendra Emmani’s post went viral on social media, with many users agreeing with his comments and sharing their own opinions.
The netizen said, “Obviously, business is meant to make money, even most large NGOs run a profitable business. In fact, if one is not practical enough to be driven by money, they should not think of starting a business.”
Another individual said: “The kind of honesty more founders need to hear. Passion is important, but sustainability is more important.”
Another use of X took a harsher stance, saying, “You just roasted 90% of would-be investors, people who talk about following passion and shit. Money is the biggest motivator in this world. Period.”
