The Creator
My name is Yashasvi Shankar. But this is not really a story about a name. It is a story about a journey — a journey that has taken me through sport, struggle, failure, persistence, family, friendship, success, and everything in between.
For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to build something that mattered. Not simply to make a living, but to create an impact — to prove to myself that an ordinary beginning could lead somewhere extraordinary.
My journey was never easy.
Before business, there was sport
Before I became an entrepreneur, I was a sportsman.
Badminton was a huge part of my life. I played, trained and exercised for nearly seven to eight hours every single day. There was a time when I truly believed sport was going to be my life.
On the court, I learned things that would later become part of the person I am: discipline, endurance, focus, competition, the ability to lose and come back, and the determination to keep going when your body and mind tell you to stop.
But life had another plan.
I eventually realized that I needed to take a different route. Engineering became the path I chose as I began thinking seriously about creating a life of my own.
I still remember my father telling me something that stayed with me.
Be more realistic in life than simply dreaming.
My father
At the time, those words felt very different from the world I had imagined for myself. But I understood the message. Dreams need direction. Ambition needs discipline. And if I wanted to create my own life, I needed to set a goal and work toward it.
So I did. From that point forward, I fixed a goal in my mind — to build something of my own, to become successful through my own effort, and to create a life that I could be proud of.
I did not know then where that road would take me. But I know where it has brought me today.
The years that built me
At the age of 23, I decided to put my mind into business. I tried. I experimented. I failed. I started again.
- Poultry
- Computer sales
- Software
- Consulting
- Staffing
- Technology projects
- eBay
- And more
Countless other ideas and ventures that, at the time, I believed could become something. Some worked. Many didn’t.
There were setbacks that hurt. There were financial pressures. There were disappointments that I didn’t always talk about. There were nights when I questioned myself, and moments when walking away would have been much easier than continuing.
But I continued.
Because somewhere inside me was a stubborn belief that my story was not going to be defined by the things that didn’t work.
Then came Saanvi
Eventually came Saanvi Technologies.
What began as an idea became a company. Then a team. Then relationships. Then opportunities. And, over more than 20 years, it became a journey that changed my life.
Saanvi Technologies taught me that success is rarely one big moment. It is thousands of small decisions made when nobody is watching — showing up, taking risks, keeping promises, learning from mistakes, and getting back up after setbacks.
And as the journey grew, I also discovered something else. Success attracts attention. And sometimes, that attention comes in the form of jealousy.
I saw it. I felt it. I heard the whispers. For a long time, I said nothing. I swallowed the words. I carried the pain quietly. And I kept moving.
Keep your eyes on the destination
I chose to put my head down and drive.
I think of it like a lion on the hunt. When a lion has chosen its destination, it doesn’t stop to worry about who is watching. It doesn’t turn around every time it hears a noise. Its focus remains on the destination.
That became my mindset.
I didn’t stop because someone mocked me. I didn’t change direction because someone doubted me. I didn’t allow someone else’s opinion to become the definition of my life.
I simply kept going.
The people who made the journey worth it
But no journey is ever truly walked alone.
My wife, Savitha, stood beside me through the uncertainty, the risks, the disappointments and the dreams. She saw the journey from the inside — not just the moments people could see from the outside. Her strength and her belief in me have been a part of everything I have built.
My daughter, Saanvi, became another reason to keep building. I wanted her to see that dreams are not created by wishing for them. They are created by having the courage to pursue them, the patience to endure them, and the strength to continue when the road becomes difficult.
And I cannot tell my story without talking about my family — both from my side and from Savi’s side. Their love, encouragement, blessings and belief have carried me through more than they may ever realize.
Then there are the friends who have been there along the way. The people who genuinely wanted to see me win. The people who encouraged the next crazy idea, celebrated the victories, stood around during the failures, and reminded me that one setback was never the end of the story.
To every one of them: thank you.
Because whatever success carries my name today, the journey was never mine alone. Every person who believed in me, stood beside me, celebrated my victories and stayed through my struggles is part of this story.
And in many ways, Jealous & Co. is also a toast to them.
Why Jealous?
After more than two decades of building businesses, relationships and a life shaped by persistence, I wanted to create something that represented more than a bottle. I wanted to create a spirit with a story.
That is how Jealous & Co. was born. The name is intentional.
Because jealousy is part of human nature. People often see what someone has achieved, but rarely see what it took to get there.
Jealous is my reminder that every success has a story. A story of being underestimated. A story of being questioned. A story of being tested. And ultimately, a story of choosing not to stop.
I didn’t fight jealousy. I outgrew it.
I didn’t create Jealous to fight with anyone. I didn’t create it to settle a score. I created it to own the word — to take something that can carry negativity and transform it into something bold, sophisticated, confident and unforgettable.
Because perhaps the greatest response to doubt is not an argument.
It is achievement. It is continuing. It is becoming everything you were told you could not become.
The spirit behind the spirit
So when you raise a glass of Jealous, I hope you find more than the spirit inside the bottle. I hope you find the journey — the discipline of the athlete, the courage to keep going when nobody is watching, the confidence to follow your own road.
And remember: people may be jealous of where you are. But they will never know what it took to get you there.
This bottle carries more than a spirit. It carries a story. My story. And the story of everyone who believed in me along the way.