YesMadam CEO Recounts Harrowing Armed Robbery in Liberia: "Broke My Leg Trying To Escape"

Mayank Arya, founder and CEO of YesMadam, recently shared a harrowing personal experience on LinkedIn. Over a decade ago, in December 2013, Mr Arya survived an armed robbery in Liberia, suffering a severe leg injury while attempting to escape. The injury was so severe that medical professionals predicted a two-year recovery period. Reflecting on the incident, Mr Arya noted that the past decade has been a transformative journey, imparting valuable life lessons. In a poignant post, Mr Arya penned a heartfelt message to his past self, acknowledging the remarkable resilience and strength that enabled him to overcome the immense challenges he faced.

"December 09, 2013: Somewhere off the Liberia coast. I had just survived an armed robbery. I broke my leg trying to escape during the chaos and it looks bad. Very bad. Can't sleep again. leg's hurting like hell. funny how life works - one minute ur doing ur job, next you're lying here wondering if you will ever walk properly again," he wrote on LinkedIn.

"Dec 16, 2024. Hey Mayank from 2013, it's 2024 and guess what? The leg that felt like the end of the world? It carried us further than you could've imagined. You fought through all the pain, and today you are running your own company. Our company. You taught me that real courage isn't in never falling. It's in refusing to stay fallen. So thank you for teaching me not to give up. Because now? We're running! Not just on our feet but towards a purpose we are proud of. And guess what? We are not stopping here. Period," the post further read.

See the full post here:

Following his life-altering experience, Mayank Arya went on to establish YesMadam in 2016, an innovative at-home beauty services startup. Under his leadership, the company has achieved remarkable success.

However, the company was recently embroiled in a social media controversy. The uproar was sparked by a company email, purportedly from the HR head, stating that stressed employees would be terminated. However, YesMadam later clarified that no employees were fired and the email was part of a campaign to raise awareness about workplace stress.

The heartfelt post resonated deeply with many people, particularly given its timing amidst the controversy. One user wrote, "I am so happy to see you here, Mayank your journey is nothing short of inspiring-turning pain into purpose and struggles into success. Truly a testament to what resilience and courage can achieve."

Another commented, "Time didn't just heal; it gave you the space to rebuild stronger. Stories like yours show that growth is painful, but it's always worth it.''