Ranjith K Ravula

From Limo Driver to Inc. 5000: How I Built a $4M+ Staffing Company (No Network, Limited English)

I came to the U.S. on a dependent visa. No network. Limited English. Zero staffing experience. I drove limos, worked as an accountant, and still decided to start from scratch.

Today, Raks Group does $4M+ in annual revenue, we’ve been on the Inc. 5000 for three straight years, and our team is 75+ strong across the U.S. and offshore.

In this episode, I share exactly how it happened—the messy start, the systems we built, and what I’d do differently.

What you’ll learn:

How I broke into staffing with no background or contacts
The first 3 clients that changed everything (and how we won them)
Scaling a global team: hiring, training, and day-to-day ops
Building business systems that run on autopilot
The mistakes that almost killed the business (and how we fixed them)
Why I built SociaM8 for LinkedIn branding
A peek at our new recruiting AI software and how it speeds up hiring

Hashtags: #staffing #recruiting #entrepreneurship #immigrantstory #inc5000 #linkedinbranding #SaaS #AIinRecruiting #RaksGroup

2 months ago | [YT] | 0

Ranjith K Ravula

My wild ride from “no English in 2007” to 27k followers and two companies

I just went on The Digital Recruiter Podcast with Clark to share the real story:

bootstrapping Raks Group with zero funding or network
paying contractors on time even when I couldn’t pay myself
building inbound with consistent LinkedIn content (no spam)


Episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3e5U...
Bootcamp: DigitalRecruiter.io/bootcamp
Newsletter: www.digitalrecruiter.io/drnew...
More: linktr.ee/thedigitalrecruiter

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Ranjith K Ravula

Grateful to share my entrepreneurial journey on the All-InRec Recruitment Podcast by Manatal! 🎙️

The biggest challenge I see in hiring today isn't what you'd expect:

It's unconscious bias.

When recruiters see:
• Foreign names
• Career gaps
• Non-traditional paths

Great candidates get filtered out due to quick judgments.

My own story reflects this reality:
• Started as an accountant in India
• Faced an 8-year career gap in the US
• Struggled to get responses despite qualifications
• Built Rex Group from these challenges

This experience taught me: hiring isn't about checklists and requirements. It's about relationships and seeing potential beyond the resume.

That's why I'm passionate about:
• Building AI tools to reduce bias
• Helping candidates bridge career gaps
• Creating opportunities for overlooked talent

To all founders and hiring managers:
Look beyond the obvious. Some of your best hires might be the ones other companies are skipping over.

Thank you, Lydia and the Manatal team, for having me share this message.

#InclusiveHiring #ReduceBias #NonTraditionalTalent #CareerGapsMatter #FairRecruiting #AllInRecPodcast

3 months ago | [YT] | 0

Ranjith K Ravula

From Limo Driver to $4M CEO — My Story on Makers Bar

I went from driving a limo to building Rax Group into a $4M+ IT staffing firm. In this Makers Bar episode, I share the real story, cultural challenges, social anxiety, financial hurdles, and how I used consistency, systems, and personal branding to build a business that lasts.

This isn’t theory. I break down what actually worked for me and what I’d do if I had to start over today—especially with AI changing the job market.

What you’ll learn:

- How I turned early struggles into fuel (and what I’d do differently now)
- Simple stress-management routines that kept me steady
- A practical way to set and hit career goals
- My money playbook: where I invested time and cash to grow
- AI in recruiting: what’s real vs. hype
- How I built a personal brand that opens doors
- What I’m seeing in today’s job market
- How we integrate teams and tools inside companies

About Makers Bar:
Makers Bar connects global professionals to collaborate, share knowledge, and build. Their mission is to raise one million leaders who make the world better. Grateful to be part of it.

Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
02:40 – My Beginnings
08:59 – Overcoming Social Anxiety
17:10 – Managing Stress Techniques
20:35 – Defining Your Career Goals
24:51 – Key Differences in Growth
29:37 – Strategies to Grow Your Money
33:14 – AI’s Impact on Job Market
41:40 – Building a Personal Brand
45:50 – Current Job Market Trends
48:42 – Company Integration Strategies
54:30 – Contacting Me
56:30 – Outro

Links:

- Raks Group (my company): www.raksgroup.net
- Connect with me on LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/in/ranjithravula/

If this helps, hit like, subscribe, and drop your questions. Want me to do a deep dive on AI in recruiting or personal branding? Comment “AI” or “Branding” and I’ll line it up next.

#staffingagency #successstories #successfulceo #inspiringentrepreneurstory #entrepreneurjourney #recruiting #AI #personalbranding #careerdevelopment #MakersBar #RaksGroup

3 months ago | [YT] | 1

Ranjith K Ravula

In 2007, I moved to America, not knowing a word of English.

Now, I’ve built businesses, built community, and helped other recruiters build income they never thought possible.

It’s not because I had a secret playbook. It’s because I refused to let the silence stop me.

Dropped a live chat last week, where I share the raw story:

- Learning English by listening
- What I’d do differently if I started again
- And how I help other recruiters build something of their own

If you’ve ever felt like an underdog, like you’re “behind,” this one’s for you.

4 months ago | [YT] | 0

Ranjith K Ravula

Just dropped something special!

I sat down with Jules Fox on The Growth Switch podcast to talk about how I went from $80,000 in debt all the way to building an $8M staffing empire from scratch.

We get into:

- The real struggles (the sleepless nights, and the near burnouts)
- How I hustled my way out of debt
- My biggest hiring mistakes (and wins)
- Actionable steps for anyone looking to scale up

If you get value, don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe. And if you want more behind-the-scenes or have questions about staffing, drop them below.

Big thanks to Jules and Ariz Media for having me on!

5 months ago | [YT] | 1

Ranjith K Ravula

A few months ago, I had a blast sharing my story from landing in the US with $12k, to navigating all the ups and downs of building an IT staffing company as an immigrant founder.

We dug into the real side of the journey, failures, small wins, and what’s worked for us in recruiting (and what hasn’t). If you’re in staffing, hiring, or just love hearing scrappy founder stories, this one’s for you.

Would mean a lot if you check it out and subscribe to the channel! Drop your thoughts or questions in the comments—happy to connect and help where I can.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/2vsldDiE_hs

#recruitment #staffing #founderstory #podcast #immigrantentrepreneur

5 months ago | [YT] | 1