Chapter 10: The First Move
Graduation passed faster than Anshul expected.
For most students, finishing high school felt like the end of something important. Teachers gave long speeches about responsibility, parents took photographs, and everyone talked endlessly about college plans.
But for Anshul, graduation wasn't the end of anything.
It was the beginning.
For years he had been preparing quietly—studying markets, building capital, and observing how the technology industry was evolving. Now he finally had something that most young entrepreneurs lacked.
Money.
His investment account had passed half a million dollars.
It was not enough to build a massive company yet, but it was enough to start something.
And that was all he needed.
---
One evening he sat at the dining table with his parents.
"I'm not going to follow a normal path," he said.
Rajesh looked up immediately.
"What do you mean?"
"I'm not planning to focus on a traditional job after college."
His mother set down her cup.
"You want to start your company?"
"Yes."
Rajesh leaned back in his chair.
"You've been talking about this idea for years."
"And now I'm ready."
His father didn't answer immediately.
Instead he asked a different question.
"What kind of company?"
Anshul thought carefully before replying.
"Technology and media."
Rajesh raised an eyebrow.
"That's broad."
"It's supposed to be."
The world of technology was expanding quickly. The internet was no longer a small experiment used only by universities and engineers. Businesses were beginning to understand its real potential.
And somewhere inside that expanding digital world, Anshul planned to build something powerful.
---
Later that night he returned to his room and opened his computer again.
The modem connected slowly as usual.
Dial-up internet was still the standard for most households, but broadband connections were beginning to appear in some parts of the city.
Technology was evolving.
And the companies that controlled that evolution would become incredibly powerful.
On the screen in front of him was a simple document.
At the top of the page, a single name was written.
Nova.
Nova Group.
The idea was simple.
Nova would begin as a small technology company focused on building internet platforms and investing in future startups.
But eventually it would grow into something much larger.
Technology.
Media.
Entertainment.
Everything connected.
Anshul wasn't interested in building a single product.
He wanted to build an empire.
---
Over the next several months, he began quietly taking the first steps.
The company registration process took time, but his father helped him navigate the legal paperwork.
Rajesh had years of experience dealing with corporate law, and even though he remained slightly skeptical about the scale of Anshul's ambitions, he was willing to support the effort.
The official company name became:
Nova Technologies.
It started small.
A single rented office space in a modest building not far from downtown San Francisco.
Two computers.
Basic internet infrastructure.
And one young founder who believed he understood the future better than most investors.
---
At the same time, Anshul continued expanding his investment portfolio.
One of the most important companies he began studying was a small startup that was gaining attention among internet users.
Google.
The search engine had only been around for a few years, but its technology was far better than many competitors.
The founders were still focused on improving their algorithms rather than aggressively expanding the business.
Most investors hadn't realized its true potential yet.
But Anshul knew.
When Google eventually went public, it would become one of the most powerful technology companies in the world.
And Nova would be ready.
---
One afternoon, Mia visited the small office for the first time.
She walked inside slowly and looked around the room.
"That's it?"
Anshul glanced up from his desk.
"What do you mean?"
"This is your big company?"
"It's the beginning of it."
Mia looked at the two computers, the small desks, and the quiet room.
Then she laughed.
"You're starting a tech empire with two computers."
"Everyone starts somewhere."
She leaned against the desk.
"You know… most people your age are still trying to decide what they want to do with their lives."
"And you?"
"I'm still deciding."
"That's normal."
"But you act like everything is already planned."
Anshul thought for a moment before answering.
"Not everything."
Mia smiled slightly.
"Well, if your empire becomes famous someday, I'm going to remind everyone I saw the very first office."
"That sounds fair."
---
As the evening sun faded behind the city skyline, Anshul stood near the office window looking down at the streets of San Francisco.
Cars moved slowly through the traffic.
Office lights glowed in distant buildings.
Inside those towers were companies shaping the future.
But Anshul believed something else.
The next generation of powerful companies hadn't fully appeared yet.
And when they did…
Nova would be ready to claim its place among them.