“I don’t need money. I have enough,” Otis D’Souza said it with such ease that it seemed almost unnatural. Then came the second part of the sentence. “I just don’t want to do anything.”
Most stories about work begin with a search for an opportunity. It starts with someone who no longer needs it.
That’s partly why the Internet is so fascinated by D’Souza, 64, who recently went viral after joining a Mumbai startup as an intern.
The title itself was enough to arouse curiosity.
Interns are usually people who are trying to start their careers.
D’Souza has already gone through many phases.
Long before he became the internet’s favourite intern, he flew helicopters, became an aircraft maintenance engineer, built companies, watched one become one of the largest in its category, and eventually closed it down, retired, and accumulated his hard-earned lessons, joking that if there was a mistake to be made, he’d probably already made it.
“If there was a mistake to be made, I made it,” he said. The Times of India. Rekha starts laughing. But it also explains why people listen when he speaks.
“I’ve been expecting you.”
The story started with a phone call. A mutual friend was insistent that startup founder Joshua Selins needed to meet D’Souza. The reason was unusual. “He would often joke that Otis was an older version of me,” Selins recalled. Out of curiosity, he picked up the phone. “The first thing Otis said was, ‘I was waiting for you.'”
The conversation lasted for more than three hours. The two discussed entrepreneurship, failures, life after retirement, purpose, business and those pesky challenges that people face regardless of age. Although they were decades apart in age, they had an instant connection. Selins was making something. D’Souza spent most of his life doing just that.
Life before internship
D’Souza’s professional journey did not begin in a boardroom. A self-proclaimed rebellious teen, he stopped studying after completing his SSC and entered the workforce while many of his peers were still in school.
His early jobs included cleaning and washing helicopters. What started as work gradually became an interest and then a career. By the age of 22, he had qualified as an aircraft maintenance engineer. Later came entrepreneurship.
Together with friends, he formed an events company that eventually became the largest of its kind. Then came the other side of the business. The company closed down. Today, he talks about both experiences with the same level of honesty. Got success. There was a failure. Life moved forward. What remained was the lesson.
The internship that started as a joke
As their conversation continued, Selins realised that D’Souza had some things hard to find. Perspective.
Not something that comes from books or podcasts, but from experience. At the same time, D’Souza found himself attracted to the energy of a young team building something from nothing. One day, Selins provided a simple suggestion.
Why not spend some time in the office?
There was no consulting contract. No counselling system. No discussion on compensation. D’Souza wasn’t looking for any of these things. In fact, he remembers thinking, “I’m not a coach.
I’m not a consultant. I’m not a consultant. “The title “Intern” emerged almost by chance. Someone made fun of it. The team laughed. Comparisons with the film The Intern emerged. D’Souza also laughed. He joked, “I’m your intern; I’m your boss.” Title retained. He did exactly the same.
what youth taught him
The viral video led many to believe that the relationship worked because the young employee was learning from someone with decades of experience.
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D’Souza believes that learning is mutual. In fact, he says the most important lessons he’s learned recently have come from young people. “The problem with our generation is that we spend our lives instructing them,” he said. Don’t do this. Do that. This is the right way.
This is the wrong way. But he believes young people are not looking for another person to tell them what to do. “They want someone to listen to them.” It’s a simple observation, but it has shaped how he interacts with the team.
He prefers conversation rather than lecturing. Instead of giving orders, he offers options. Then he lets people make their own decisions.
cake text
A moment that had a lasting impact on the company came during a discussion about ownership. D’Souza observed that many decisions were coming through the founders. So he gathered the team and asked a question. “Do you want a piece of cake?” Everyone said, “Yes.” His reply came immediately. “If you want a piece of the cake, you have to help bake it.” ”
The message was simple. People cannot sit on the sidelines and expect ownership. They have to contribute to creating something first. According to Selins, the conversation led to a significant change in accountability and initiative within the team. It was one of those lessons that took only a few minutes to explain but could take years to learn.
The advice a founder never forgets
A conversation continues between the two through Selins. Like many entrepreneurs, he was dealing with the pressures of cash flow, payroll, and the constant uncertainty that comes with building a business.
After listening patiently, D’Souza presented a viewpoint that surprised him. “Of all the problems you may have in life, not having money should be the least of your worries.” Then he explained the reason.
Money matters. But so do family, relationships, meaningful work, and the people around you. After decades of entrepreneurship, D’Souza had come to a conclusion that takes many people years to reach. “Money really is the smallest.”
The attention she never expected
The viral response completely stunned him. According to Selins, D’Souza has never been a person who likes to be in the limelight. Yet as the video spread online, messages poured in from strangers thanking him for sharing their experiences and perspective. One message in particular stuck with the founder. “Joshua, I’m so happy right now. You have no idea how much this has blessed me.”
For Selins, that was the most meaningful part of the entire experience. What started as a simple idea inside an office grew into something much bigger. This showed D’Souza that people still wanted to hear what he had to say. The lessons learned from decades of successes, failures and reinventions still matter.
what matters now
These days, D’Souza says there’s one thing he doesn’t worry about anymore. Other people’s opinions. “You don’t like me?” He said, laughing. “Stand at the end of a long line.” This is a line that comes across differently once you know the story behind it. The Internet may remember him as the 64-year-old intern who went viral. But those who knew him remember something else.
A man who has already experienced success and failure, ambition and retirement, certainty and reinvention – and who still has not lost his curiosity. Despite everything he did, he still shows up. Not because he needs any other title. Not because he needs another pay cheque. But because he still believes there is value in listening, learning, sharing what he knows, and helping create something new.
