Jesse Pujji, alongside friends Chris Amos and Nick Shah, launched a social media platform during a precollege summer program. After initial setbacks, they took jobs in consulting and investment banking, but Jesse's entrepreneurial desire remained. Four years later, they founded Ampush, a digital marketing firm that thrived without external funding, managing over $1 billion in digital media spending and partnering with major brands, culminating in a successful sale in 2023. Jesse identifies as a business-loving entrepreneur, inspired by his father's entrepreneurial journey.
It took them about four years to walk away from their jobs and start the digital marketing firm Ampush (named for the first two letters of each of their last names). They built the business without taking external funding, eventually managing more than $1 billion of digital media spend, growing to over 100 employees, and partnering with brands such as Uber, Stitch Fix, and Hulu.
There are two types of entrepreneurs, says Jesse. The ones who have an idea that they can't get rid of and they just want to see it exist in the world and the ones who want to be an entrepreneur because they love business and love the idea of being a leader. I am very hard in the second camp.
Jesse's entrepreneurial spirit was ignited by his father's example. He came to St. Louis from India in the late 1970s and started his own business from scratch.
My mom tells a story about how after Halloween, she got a call from my elementary school principal that I was selling my candy for a quarter a piece.
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