Three diehard Nagpurians who made it big in the business world captivated the audience in a panel discussion held here on Sunday. They offered a blend of practical advice, personal anecdotes, and valuable business mantras during the discussion held here at MIHAN as a part of the two-day Central India Management Conclave (CIMCON-24) organised by the IIM Nagpur and Vidarbha Management Association (VMA). The panel discussion featured prominent industrialists - Vishal Agrawal, Director of RC Plasto; K S Cheema of Central Star Motors, and Shripad Ashtekar, founder of Signpost India, also served as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs. Vijay Phanshikar, Editor of The Hitavada, moderated the session. Cheema’s group is in the business of construction, mining and automobile dealerships. Ashtekar’s Signpost India Ltd., is an integrated advertising media enterprise listed recently on the BSE and NSE.

 

On the other hand, Agrawal’s R C Plasto is one of the leading companies in water storage tank, plastic pipe manufacturing and other similar products manufacturing. All the panelists were from different backgrounds and succeeded in different businesses adopting different styles of doing business. But a common element in them was their strong commitment for following ‘principles and ethics’ in all their own business worlds. K S Cheema emphasized the importance of ethical conduct in business. He stressed that entrepreneurs should prioritize “ethics and mission” throughout their careers and not compromise on integrity. Cheema opined that business should not be done with the sole objective of making money, but to help shape up lives and to transform them for better. Vishal Agrawal spoke about how he set aside the then prevailing practice of ‘under invoicing’ (to save taxes) in the markets. “Without bothering about the losses, I refused all the illegal ways to save taxes in my company,” he said.

 

He also shared his experience of turning around three family-run businesses by optimizing resources, improving policies, and embracing continuous learning. Shripad Ashtekar highlighted the core values that drive successful and responsible businesses. He further spoke about the importance of overcoming mental blocks and building a personal narrative for success. He advocated for tailoring approaches to different clientele and adopting a flexible strategy. Ashetkar also shared his management tip with the audiences to achieve success.