How I Helped a Classmate Get His Food Truck Dream Rolling
One of the best surprises of going back to school for my MBA at Ohio State's Fisher College of Business has been who I get to sit next to. My classmates in the Working Professional MBA program aren't just students — they're nurses, engineers, marketers, and, in at least one case, a future food-truck founder.
That founder is my classmate Naren, and he's building something called Dosa Rush — a venture to bring bold, crispy South Indian dosas to the streets of Columbus. If you've never had a dosa, think of it as the crêpe's savorier, spicier cousin: a thin, golden, fermented rice-and-lentil crêpe, often wrapped around spiced fillings. Naren sees real demand for it here and very little competition, and he's going for it.
When I took on the role of alumni & graduate coordinator for our student council, I realized something simple: I'm surrounded by people doing cool things, and I have a few tools and relationships that can help them get noticed. So I decided to put them to work for Naren.
Step one: tell his story
Just like I've done for my mom's law practice and my brother's photography, I sat down with Claude Code and built Naren a dedicated Alumni Spotlight page — his story, his brand, and his photos, in one clean place I could point people to. Then I shared it where it counts: our MBA students-and-alumni Facebook group and my LinkedIn network.
Step two: open the right doors
A website gets you seen. But a new business really runs on relationships — and that's something I believe in deeply, both in my work and in my volunteering. So this morning, I brought Naren as my guest to my weekly networking group, the Networking Professionals of Columbus.
It's a room full of exactly the kind of people a new food venture needs to know: realtors, attorneys, CPAs, contractors, bankers, and small-business owners who all live and work in central Ohio. Naren got to introduce himself, share what he's building, and start making the local connections that can turn an idea into a going concern. From the look of it, he walked away with a handful of genuinely helpful conversations.
A website gets you noticed. A network gets you started. Most people who are building something need a little of both — and a friend willing to make the introductions.
He's working hard to launch it
Naren isn't just dreaming about Dosa Rush — he's putting in the work to get the truck on the road, and he's looking for the kind of support, advice, and connections that help a new business take off. If you'd like to learn more about what he's building, or how you might be able to support it, the best thing to do is simply reach out to Naren directly. He'd genuinely love to hear from you.
Why bother?
Honestly, because it's fun, and because it's the kind of community I want to be part of. I get to combine two things I love — using technology to make something quickly, and connecting good people to one another. Neither one costs much. Both can change someone's trajectory.
If you want to follow along with Naren, you can find Dosa Rush on Instagram at @dosa.rush and connect with him on LinkedIn. And if you're building something of your own — or you know someone who is — don't underestimate what a spotlight and a warm introduction can do.
Rooting for you, Naren. Go get 'em.
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