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No more 9-to-5: Computer-science engineer leads business-owner revolution

Retire in your mid-30s? That doesn’t necessarily sound like the American dream, but certainly a dream.

As of Friday, it’s a dream fulfilled for Ravi Chawla. A career computer-science engineer, Chawla walked away from his 9-to-5 job one last time.

The Murphy resident has spent much of his work life in McKinney, stationed in the Summit Business Park building just off South Central Expressway. That stage is officially over, though, as Chawla retired this week well before his 40th birthday.

“I could not see beyond my education – that was my whole identity and profile,” explained Chawla, surrounded by dozens of independent business owners from around the U.S. “Everybody lives for the weekends; now, we get to choose to customize every day of the week.”

Representing businesses based in over 20 states, the crowd donned red-and-blue T-shirts with “6 Saturdays, 1 Sunday” blazoned across the back. Each of them has learned from Chawla how to secure a financial future without working from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every weekday.

Nithin Mohan, who runs his own Wall Street business in Manhattan, New York, met Chawla through Chawla’s brother. He learned basic business trends and developed a side venture that teaches others how to shop online.

Chawla quickly made his mark on Ambar Global, a consortium of trusted companies in the fields of infrastructure, pharmaceuticals, mining and petrochemicals providing expert advice and execution. The company’s Michigan-based operations have netted $11 bullion and become a truly worldwide venture.

“He’s walking out of a 9-to-5 job one last time and chasing his dreams and making them come true,” noted Ganesh Shenoy, Chawla’s business mentor. Shenoy was dressed as George Washington as he tweaked the definition of the “American dream.”

An enthusiastic crowd chanted, “No more 9 to 5” as they surrounded Chawla outside the McKinney office building. Their lasting sign of entrepreneurship-fueled freedom: Chawla took a sledge hammer to a clock, busting it – and its symbolic limitations – to tiny pieces.

Chawla’s 4,500-square-foot home and expensive cars are all paid off. His father said Chawla’s “ahead of time by 20 years” and can no control his own stress level “because it’s his design.”

Chants continued as Chawla entered a limousine and waved farewell to his business-owner protégés.

“Go out there and teach people so they can experience the same freedom we can experience today,” he told the crowd. “That’s what to be excited about going forward.”

Follow Chris Beattie on Twitter @CB_StarNews

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