Prince of Truffles

Ian Purkayastha's teen revolution didn't include high school music groups, opposing his instructors or humiliating fashion experiments. For him it was: "dark truffle ravioli with foie gras sauce". What's more, couple of years after, Purkayastha not just recollects the "stunning" taste of that dish, yet he's transformed himself into one of America's driving truffle dealer/tycoon.

In 2009 he took up his post as North American sales director for PAQ Gubbio, a main Italian truffle maker. At that point in August 2010, straight from secondary school graduation, Purkayastha left his Arkansas home and his American mother and Indian father to move to New Jersey, outside New York, where he could be closer to the activity.

Emanuele Musini, director of PAQ Gubbio, said he found his American wonder amid a food show in 2008. Only 16, Purkayastha had begun his own particular business Tartufi Unlimited.

With the truffle season finishing on February 2011, Purkayastha had two kilos (four pounds) left over and was pondering what to do with them. Crisp truffles just keep seven days and after that they require solidifying, which brings down the worth. He was fortunate: while driving the comapany vehicle to a Fedex office, a friend happened to call to request two kilos that he needed to supply to a Latin American customer. Purkayastha has always clearly had that touch with business. He relates at the beginning of his career investigating online where he found some produce in France, transported by Fedex. He paid $150 for a large portion of a kilo (one pound), and sold them to the neighborhood gourmet experts and made a 600 percent margin.

Purkayastha doesn't lament his unusual career path. He knows his priorities and needs and was removed from college subsequent to missing exams. The reason was that he needed to talk at a Truffle Festival in Oregon.

If you know you are good at something, don't let anyone stop you from believing in yourself and pursue it, including you.