In the heart of Gujarat, legacy businesses and government jobs dominate the career landscape. That’s where one man chose the road less travelled—literally. Meet Dr. Jay Merja, a true multi-hustler, entrepreneur, and visionary. He didn’t just break the Mold but reinvented it. He is a founder of BYWAY (Logistics). Jay partners with e-commerce giants like Flipkart and Amazon to power last-mile delivery in Gujarat.
But logistics is just the beginning. Having done Ph.D. in Entrepreneurship, he also delivers TEDx talks. He is associated with global platforms like IEEE and the World Economic Forum, making a strong resume. Jay is the force behind franchise ventures like Van Heusen, Uppercase Ecobags, and Rich Basket. His journey, though, was far from linear.
An Unconventional Start
Jay’s school years were scattered across Gujarat—he changed five to six schools during his childhood. In all directions of Gujarat from Charotar to Kutch, Anand to Navsari and more,now settled in Ahmedabad. Though academically strong, his early path was shaped more by societal expectations than personal passion. “Everyone was doing engineering, so I did too,” he says. After earning his degree, the pressure to pursue UPSC mounted, especially from his father. His father is IAS officer, who hoped to see his son in the civil services.
But Jay’s instincts pushed him elsewhere. He explored MBA options, and after giving multiple entrance exams. He found his calling through an EDI (Entrepreneurship Development Institute) advertisement in a newspaper. A paper among the 15–16 delivered to his home daily. The moment he saw the campus, he felt aligned with its energy.
Despite the institute’s disclaimer that it didn’t promote placements, Jay committed to the 2-year MBA program in Entrepreneurship. Coming from a non-business family, he had no mentors or entrepreneurial background. But he had clarity: he wanted to create something of his own.
Early Experiments and First Failures
Jay’s first entrepreneurial experiment came during his engineering years—a platform for students to exchange books, named Four Junior. The team lacked confidence and didn’t know how to launch it properly, but the idea was ahead of its time. Though it fizzled out, the seed for entrepreneurship was planted. After his MBA, Jay took a role of assisting grassroots innovators, many of whom were illiterate. He said, “I felt I was working for others, and not for myself.” Though the work was meaningful, it wasn’t satisfying. That realization reignited his passion to build something independently.
The Birth of BYWAY
His breakthrough came from a simple fascination—with Uber and the power of logistics technology.
He realized logistics in India was disorganized, full of gaps, inefficiencies, and lost miles.
Inspired by this, he founded BYWAY, focusing on last-mile delivery and empty-mile utilization.
The name “Byway” comes from countryside side-roads, symbolizing alternate paths and unexplored journeys. The company quickly caught the attention of e-commerce brands seeking lean, fast delivery solutions. Jay’s mission was simple: “Give the market what it needs, not what you love.”His father, once sceptical about business, saw strangers calling him “Jay’s father”—and understood.
During COVID, disaster struck—he lost 70% of clients, shrinking from 52 down to 12.
But where others saw doom, Jay saw opportunity: Rich Basket for essentials logistics was born.
With no background, he launched a grocery store and scaled it strategically. He rented a ₹2 lakh space for just ₹1 lakh—pure hustle and negotiation. Then came gourmet lines, imported products—turning Rich Basket into a premium retail experience. COVID didn’t crush his dreams; it made him a serial entrepreneur with resilient strategies. The love and loyalty from customers became his motivation—feedback mattered more than funding rounds.
Philosophy, Mindset, and Lessons
Today, Dr. Jay Merja juggles multiple roles: founder, franchisee owner, mentor, and top-level troubleshooter. He believes that entrepreneurship isn’t just inborn—it can be cultivated. “Entrepreneurs can be created,” he asserts.Despite having little mentorship himself, he now dedicates time to guiding aspiring founders. Often through he reflects on the lens of his own failures turning them into learnings.
His favourite mantra? “Fast and slow.” Be fast in execution—launch your idea without overthinking. But be slow when it comes to handling problems—have patience, stay calm, and be open to learning. According to Jay, success lies not in a perfect idea, but in a strong team, constant learning, and the resilience to keep adapting.
He says, “I’m not just earning money—I’m earning knowledge every single day.”
The Road Ahead
Dr. Jay Merja is far from done. With each new challenge, he finds an opportunity to pivot, adapt, and grow. From failed college startups to becoming a leader in Gujarat’s logistics space, Jay’s story is a powerful reminder that you don’t need a legacy to build one.
What you do need is courage, consistency, and the curiosity to take the byways—those lesser-travelled paths that often lead to the most extraordinary destinations. Keep reading Gujpreneur to take a byway for you path to success.
