Interview with entrepreneur Vinod Ramchandra Jadhav
Vinod Ramchandra Jadhav is a first generation entrepreneur with a passion for business. In 2001, he began operating as a franchises owner of a “Medicine Shoppe International” where he learned the ropes of the pharmaceutical industry and got the experience he needed to apply his knowledge of supply chain management on a larger scale. In 2003, he started SAVA Group and has grown the company into an international powerhouse that has footprints in 35 countries around the world.
Since then Jadhav has taken his talents to a number of companies. In addition to being Chairman of SAVA Group, he is Chairman of DEVTECH M2M Group, Director of GangaGen Inc. and Managing Director of Regent Global FZCo.
What has been the biggest accomplishment of your career?
We started with one employee in the organization, Sava Global, in 2003 and now employ about 700+ employees across the organization in various countries. I feel this is the biggest accomplishment of my career.
What motivates you?
The ability of the business to employ more employees and thus touch as many lives as possible is what motives me to expand the business and take it to new horizons. Coming from a middle-class background and raised in a community where people struggle to get jobs in India always provided motivation to create business opportunities which will create jobs.
What are some of your favorite tools and resources for your work?
I was lucky to be born in the Internet era where communication is swift, effective and without boundaries. The Internet has been the single most valuable resource I use on a daily basis to run and expand the business.
How do you stay ahead of the competition?
Listening to market demand and always giving the customer more than just what he demands. Customer delight is important to stay ahead of the competition. There is also a need to look for opportunities to improve performance constantly.
Which Business leaders, past or present, have inspired you the most?
Jeff Bezos of Amazon and Sam Walton of Walmart who created and expanded retail businesses across new formats have inspired me. Their ability to improvise on supply chain efficiencies has fascinated me.
Mahatma Gandhi's famous quote on customer service, although not a business leader, has also always inspired me.
"A customer is the most important visitor on our premises, he is not dependent on us. We are dependent on him. He is not an interruption in our work. He is the purpose of it. He is not an outsider in our business. He is part of it. We are not doing him a favor by serving him. He is doing us a favor by giving us an opportunity to do so."
Being an Entrepreneur can be taxing, how do you relax?
Listening to music, watching movies, playing cricket and football are some of the things I do to relax. I like all kinds of Indian music whether its classical, Bollywood or modern.
Can you give some advice to those interested in becoming an Entrepreneur?
My advice is to pursue the passion and not aim only for profit.
Don’t enter into a business which is not part of your core competence. Ensure that you understand the product or business very well before venturing into it. Also, work and learn by contributing as an employee to one or two organizations before venturing into entrepreneurship.
Never miss opportunities of having the highest possible education. Just because someone became successful after dropping out from college doesn’t mean that is the formula for success. Knowledge helps.
And always remember, the customer is the whole purpose of any business and keep them in the center of all decisions, products, and processes.
What is one of the most interesting experiences you've had in your life?
I started as Service Engineer in Larsen and Toubro and learned how to repair engines and excavators and other earth morning types of equipment. Then went on to handle inventory management, import, export, customs, excise, international taxation, logistics/supply chain over the next 13 years. All these experiences were very interesting and helped me to set up complicated international trading operations which wouldn’t have been possible without these experiences.
What is the next step for you?
I keep working on opportunities which can help me build new factories and employ as many people as possible. My aim is to touch as many lives as possible during my lifetime.
