In Silicon Valley, it feels like every other person you meet is either working on the next big startup or dreaming of one. From coffee shop conversations to Uber rides, there’s a chance that you’ll end up finding entrepreneurs trying to change the world. That’s exactly what Resham Khanna, a Meta employee, discovered during a routine Uber ride in San Francisco.
Khanna and her friend were surprised to find a poster in their Uber driver Frederico Coutrim’s car, asking for help with his new startup. Coutrim, an Uber driver by day and an aspiring entrepreneur by night, was working on an app called TransChatMe. His goal? To get 1,000 downloads so he could attract investors.
The app automatically translates messages in real time, eliminating the hassle of copying and pasting into translation tools. Curious and impressed by his determination, Khanna struck up a conversation with him.
Inspired by the Uber driver’s hustle, Khanna shared a photo of his poster on X, encouraging people to support his app. Her post quickly gained attention, and in just 24 hours, TransChatMe had 200 new users.
Chatting with our Uber driver who is building startup and looking for feedback. If anyone works in adjacent fields please hit him up pic.twitter.com/PS4NMSJSBY
— resham khanna ☻ (@Reshusaur) September 28, 2024
Coutrim, overjoyed, sent Khanna a heartfelt email thanking her for the support. He wrote, “Your help has given us strength to keep moving forward,” expressing his gratitude for her help in shining a light on his project.
woke up to a very sweet email actually, my friend booked the Uber but he somehow found me on email/linkedin 🥹 pic.twitter.com/HoxJUph4GG
— resham khanna ☻ (@Reshusaur) September 30, 2024
While Coutrim’s entrepreneurial journey has just begun, Khanna’s simple act of kindness and a viral tweet gave him the push he needed. It’s a heartwarming reminder that sometimes, all it takes is a little support to help someone chase their dream!