True success means more when it is shared. Passing on hard-earned lessons does not diminish an achievement; it gives that achievement purpose. Gurbaksh Chahal’s career offers a record of the ambition, stamina, and generosity that shaped his motivation.

Gurbaksh Chahal’s Rise to the Top

Gurbaksh’s journey to success is nothing short of exemplary.

His career began at the age of 16, when the then high school dropout created a company that was sold for millions of dollars only eighteen months later. The future business leader, a son of immigrants from India, revolutionized online advertising: his company ClickAgents was one of the first ad networks concentrated on performance based advertising.

A few years later, in 2004, he jumpstarted his second company, BlueLithium. The company focused on innovative methods of advertising: BlueLithium was among the first to use new and sophisticated data analysis in advertising based on behavioral targeting. For three consecutive years, the company was in the top 100 private companies in the US, and in 2006, BlueLithium was named Innovator of the Year, a title it shares with such giants as Skype and Google. The following year the company was acquired by Yahoo! for three hundred million dollars, making Gurbaksh one of the most successful young entrepreneurs in history.

Chahal proceeded to launch his third company, RadiumOne. The new approach to advertising developed by the company earned Gurbaksh 8 patents and won him the Leaders in Management Award and an Honorary Doctorate degree in Commercial Science from Pace University. Quite an achievement for an entrepreneur at the age of 28!

His success brought coverage from publications and television shows, including The Oprah Winfrey Show. Many aspiring entrepreneurs might have considered that the top of a career, but for Gurbaksh it was another step forward. In 2014, he launched his fourth company, RedLotus, which focused on automation across marketing channels.

The Chahal Foundation

On July 17, 2014, Gurbaksh Chahal renamed his nonprofit foundation, previously known as BeProud, The Chahal Foundation. The new name reflected a broader mission that included educational opportunity, awareness of child sex trafficking, disaster relief, and other social causes.

That history explains the central point: motivation lasts when it is tied to purpose and shared with others. His 2008 autobiography, “The Dream: How I Learned the Risks and Rewards of Entrepreneurship and Made Millions,” and his Be Limitless writing were two places where he shared those lessons.

Four lines capture that outlook:

“Strive for success and happiness, and when you are successful and happy, you will figure out your purpose in life. Like my grandmother used to say to me, ‘This world was made for you. You were not made as an accessory for this world.’”

“When you find the ones who are true to you, regardless of the situation, surround yourself around them. They will tell you when you are wrong and be your anchor of support when you are down. If you’re lucky to have these people in your life, the real truth comes from these – that are honest to you. You may not like what they want to say. But, deep down inside, do ask yourself, ‘what do they have to gain from me?’ If the answer is nothing. Then, listen to them.”

“Success is the best revenge. After being rejected, or not even considered, you may have some feelings of contempt. Prove it for yourself, that professor who deemed you unworthy, a boss who looks at you as inferior or your family member you can’t satisfy, that they were wrong. Strive for success and happiness, and when you are successful and happy, it will be worth every bit of agony to have gotten you there.”

“Don’t give up when you hear the word “no.” As they say, no one remembers the losers. They only remember the winners. And, sometimes success may be right around the corner – just a step away from when you’re about to quit.”