Mr. Barrel - Founder Barrel Exhaust
BARREL
The Story of Barrel Exhaust

The Monk
Who Sold
His Hyundai.

A man who lost everything twice and then sold his car to pay his team. This is what Barrel Exhaust is built on.

Mr. Barrel - Founder, Barrel Exhaust
Chapter One - The Man
01

An MBA.
A Family.
No Plan.

A LEAP OF FAITH, BLINDFOLDED

2014
Quit his job with no idea what came next
2x
Mobile app startups - both failed, provident fund exhausted
1 flat
Sold 30 days before registration to keep the family going
1 offer
Senior designation at a famed company - he said no
Chapter Three - The Build
Barrel was growing.
Then the world hit back.
Three times.

GIVING UP WAS EASY.. BUT DREAM WAS TOO BIG TO LOOSE..

Nov 2015
Barrel Founded in Bangalore
Manufacturing facility set up. First exhausts for Royal Enfield. Borrowed funds from friends and family.
2016
Demonetisation - Sales Fall 50%
Overnight. No warning. Half the revenue gone. Suppliers still needed paying.
2017
GST on Auto Spares Skyrockets
Just as markets recovered, GST rates for auto spares surged - forcing a price revision that hit Barrel on the exact same wound.
Mid-2017
6 Months Without a Salary
Giridhar had not taken his salary. Had not paid rent. Then came the morning he could not pay his team either.
The Moment
He Made a Decision
His team's families came first. Everything else could wait.
Chapter Four - The Defining Moment

He Washed
The Car
One Last Time.

The Barrel Exhaust i10 - first office
The First Office

The Hyundai i10 - Barrel's office, warehouse and first brand vehicle. It wore the logo before anything else did.

📱
"I can do without a car.
I believe you will do better soon."
Giridhar's wife, the day he told her

When the team found out what Giridhar had done to ensure they were paid, something changed. They took it on themselves to work harder than ever. Sales did not just recover - they exploded.

230%
Sales growth after the team rallied
From near-zero to international orders
3m 10d
Time it took to walk into a showroom
And book the SUV he had always dreamed of
59+
Countries now shipping to
From Bangalore to the world

Each entrepreneur is a monk who has let go of something dear to them - in the hope of getting something bigger.

Giridhar Soundararajan, Founder
The Vision

Three Words.
Everything We Do.

Our Vision Statement

Create
Happy
Bikers.

Not sell exhausts. Not grow revenue. Just this - make riders happy. Every product, every decision, every sound clip on the Sound Library runs through this filter.

010

Sound First

We are in the business of selling unforgettable experiences. The exhaust note is the product. Everything else is packaging.

011

India to the World

Built in Bangalore. Shipped to 59+ countries. 25+ reselling partners globally. 50,000+ customers and counting.

012

What's Next

Barrel is working on transforming the experience of traveling for motorheads. So much more to come. Join us in the Barreling revolution.

The Man Behind It - Mr. Barrel
Mr. Barrel - Giridhar Soundararajan
MR. BARREL
Giridhar Soundararajan - Founder

Every problem is a misspelled opportunity.

The Man Bikers Call Mr. Barrel

Founder - Rider - Builder - Visionary

Giridhar built Barrel so every rider could feel what he felt the first time a truly great exhaust spoke. Find yours.

Chat with us on WhatsApp →
Join the Ride

Your Bike
Deserves A
Voice.

Find Your Exhaust Hear It First