By Staff Reporter
Dubai: For many, becoming a millionaire by the time your 30 conjures images of MBAs from Ivy League schools, high-stakes finance jobs, or a lucky break in Silicon Valley. But for 31-year-old Dubai-based Indian entrepreneur Roota Mittal, who is the founder of LearnWithRoota.com, all it took was a laptop, relentless determination, and self-taught digital marketing skills to become a self-made millionaire.
“It was mainly from my marketing consulting business, and then I was able to grow the principal multi-fold through investments,” she told Gulf News. “That’s why I say – making money and growing money are two completely different skill sets. It’s important to know how to do both.”
In an age where many millennials and Gen Zs are wary of tying their financial future to a traditional 9 to 5, Mittal’s story resonates.
Armed with her new book Wealthy Moves and an Instagram account boasting over 100,000 followers, she aims to cut through the noise and offer practical advice on monetising skills, building wealth, and becoming financially self-reliant.
Quitting stability to chase something bigger
Mittal studied computer engineering in Gujarat, India, and got her first job through campus placements at a US-based software company. It was a solid start after graduating college and she earned a comfortable 2 lakh rupees per year. However, the reality didn’t match the dream.
“I was working 12 to 14 hours a day, even on weekends, and still got passed over for bonuses that my peers received. It hurt. I felt undervalued and creatively stuck,” she recalled. “I imagined myself sitting at that desk coding till I’m 60 and it just didn’t appeal to me. I thought, is this all there is to life?”
She quit her job in 2016. Just two months later, she launched her own marketing business, a decision that would transform her life.
Her first marketing experiment? Herself
Mittal had always loved travel and ran a blog alongside her tech job. Curious about how to grow her readership, she started experimenting with Facebook ads.
When her travel blog started getting leads, she realised she could apply those same skills to help others. Using her own data as proof, she pitched her first clients – online business owners in need of advertising support.
“You don’t need to wait for a client project to prove yourself. Be your own guinea pig, experiment, gather data and use it to land your first client.”
From there, she began helping small businesses improve their social media presence and generate leads. As her client base grew, she started creating digital courses to share her strategy with others and eventually built a full-scale coaching programme that’s now helped more than 2,000 marketing freelancers.
“I had savings, so I used that to attend workshops, network and learn as much as I could. I could feel the potential, it was exciting,” she said.
What financial freedom actually looks like
She moved to Dubai in 2024 after spending four years working in Singapore.
She describes the UAE as the ideal place to grow her business. “Dubai is incredible for scaling. I love that you can find a community for anything here. The lifestyle and the potential are unmatched,” she said.
But with her first million behind her, Roota did splurge on a designer bag (who wouldn’t treat themselves to that) but she also reinvested in her business, grew her portfolio with stock investments and made a plan to live on her own terms. She now earns approximately of Dh25,000 per month from her business.
Now pregnant with her first child, she says the real reward of financial success is freedom and not tying her time to company hours.
“I feel secure enough to take time off as I enter this new season of motherhood. I do not need to rush back to work or answer to anyone else’s schedule. That’s the gift of building something for yourself.”
The lesson she keeps repeating: Charge what you’re worth
It’s common advice for new entrepreneurs to start small and price low. But Roota believes that mindset can hold you back more than it helps.
“Low prices don’t make you humble, they make people doubt you,” she said. “So many entrepreneurs think lowering their prices makes them more accessible. But it doesn’t attract better clients, it repels them.”
“If you’re not confident in your worth, your clients will sense that. They will question your credibility. Stop underselling yourself and start showing up like the expert you are.”
Her advice? Be bold — even if it’s cringey
“If you know how to generate leads, you will never go hungry,” Mittal said.
She credits her success to mastering just a few core skills – Facebook ads, copywriting, and consistently showing up online, even when it felt uncomfortable.
“The more cringey you’re willing to be, the faster you will improve. You have to be willing to put yourself out there, even when it feels awkward. That’s how growth happens.”
Mittal’s story is proof that you don’t need an elite degree or a trust fund to achieve financial independence. With the right skills, a willingness to learn, and the courage to take risks, you can build a business and a life on your own terms.
Source: Gulf News
