Why Aswin Quit His Job to Become a Delivery Boy

About this episode

Delivery rider and content creator Aswin S joins host Shan A Salam to discuss navigating the gig economy in Kerala while documenting his journey on YouTube. Aswin began food delivery during his college years to earn pocket money, later securing a campus placement role at an automotive assembly plant near Chennai. Unhappy with the corporate routine, he resigned to return to Kozhikode, taking up delivery work full time while turning his daily experiences into online content. He breaks down the operating economics of platforms like Swiggy and Porter, highlighting the cost advantages of electric bicycles over petrol motorcycles. Aswin also details how a gruelling 90-day target to make ₹1 lakh led to extreme exhaustion and emergency appendix surgery, underscoring the vital need to prioritise health over hustle. Today, he supplements his delivery earnings with platform onboarding referrals and YouTube income, while preparing to launch an electric cycle rental service for delivery workers.

Key takeaways

1. 1Switching from a petrol motorcycle to an electric bicycle drastically reduces daily running costs and increases net earnings.
2. 2Maximising delivery earnings requires tracking order counts and online hours to qualify for platform performance incentives.
3. 3Documenting daily gig work on social media can create secondary revenue streams through platform referrals and brand collaborations.
4. 4Pushing through extreme work hours without adequate hydration and rest can lead to catastrophic medical emergencies.
5. 5Quick commerce dark store networks are expanding rapidly into tier-two and tier-three regional urban centres.
6. 6Juggling multiple delivery applications allows gig workers to smooth out dry spells between meal delivery peak times.

Chapters

1. 0:00Highlights
2. 3:41Introduction
3. 4:45The journey begins
4. 5:50Joining process
5. 6:38First order
6. 7:45COVID time
7. 8:25How is this structure?
8. 9:35What is incentive?
9. 9:56What is part-time & full-time?
10. 11:43Total number of orders
11. 12:45After college
12. 14:15The time when BMW worked
13. 18:10Starting YouTube
14. 20:02Cycle delivery
15. 21:20YouTube challenge
16. 22:50Health importance and appendix
17. 24:35YouTube journey
18. 25:00Delivery moment (Actress Surabhi)
19. 26:00My cycle
20. 27:00How many orders will I get?
21. 28:00Got insurance at Swiggy
22. 30:47After appendix surgery
23. 34:02Income from YouTube
24. 35:01Other income sources
25. 38:00Kottakkal delivery
26. 42:57How many orders are placed in Kozhikode
27. 51:00About Kerala