Morning coding, evening crackers shop: Techie's side hustle story goes viral

A tech professional, who goes by the name Ray on social media, has opened a firecracker shop as a side business in his hometown, garnering significant public attention as Diwali approaches. Ray shared his new venture on X (formerly Twitter), sharing two photos of his setup and describing how he balances his main job with this seasonal business.

Ray’s plan involves coding from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. for his regular job and dedicating 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. to manage the cracker shop. “All set for opening up the (temporary) cracker shop this Diwali with 2 other friends,” he posted. “10 to 4 office/coding and 4 to 9 cracker shop,” he added.



Business strategy and community support

Ray’s shop, a collaborative effort with two friends, is set up in his unnamed hometown with all necessary permissions in place. He mentioned that the people in his community are more inclined toward local businesses than online purchases, making this venture promising for the Diwali season. In response to comments on X, Ray noted, “People in my hometown do not trust online shops, hence I expect business to do well.”

Public response and Diwali context
Ray’s post has sparked widespread engagement, attracting thousands of views and a variety of comments. Some users praised his entrepreneurial spirit, with one commenter saying, “Wow, nice side business.” Another remarked on the nature of the firecracker business, noting, “Nice, not a lot of margin but it’s fun.”

Diwali, the festival of lights, will be celebrated on October 31 this year. The festival traditionally spans five days, beginning with Dhanteras and concluding with Bhai Dooj, as families across India come together to celebrate with lights, sweets, and fireworks.