Honesty is Still the Best Policy

Ajay Singhania has been the managing director of Venktron Digital Systems and has held this position for the last 25 years since it was formed in 1987. Today, the company has 16 branches and maintains consistent growth and at the helm of its affairs is Singhania.

Initial Days
Born and brought up in Delhi, Singhania completed his graduation in commerce from Delhi University. After his post graduation, he pursued a career in law. Due to a turbulent financial crisis in family, he had to drop out in second year and joined his father in his business. For the next 10 years, he helped his family in their stock exchange business.

Singhania said, "It was always my dream to be a part of the IT industry as at that time it was booming. In this period, I tried to start my business from Delhi where it did not really take off. Finally in 1985, I moved to Mumbai for good and in this city which has been my home for the last 30 years, I did manage to successfully kick off my career." He further added, "I have been told that I have a sentimental personality but I do believe that the killer instinct required to run a business is something I posses, which has helped me grow from strength to strength. The word in the market is that doing business from Venktron is always profitable and this is a statement which makes me very proud."

Running his own business is something that he dreamed of as a child and at the time of his youth, the computer accessories and component market was booming and was something that really caught his interest. Adding to this, Singhania said, "I also had cousins who were involved in it which inspired me even more to establish Venktron and became a big player in this industry."

Pillars of Success
Talking about major factors which contributed to his successful career, Singhania said, "I believe that hard work, persistence and the sheer will to succeed contributed largely to whatever I have achieved. My work is worship for me and there is no bigger passion in the entire world than running my business."

Every leader has his own source of inspiration and for Singhania it was his grandfather, late Nandkishor Singhania. Singhania said, "My Grandfather is the most inspirational man I have ever met and probably will ever meet. His strong words and abundant blessings have made me the person I am today."

On asking about leadership mantra, Singhania said, "My belief is that you should always be fair to those you work with as well as those who work with you without prejudice. Transparency and sometimes even brutal honesty is what is necessary to keep your employees motivated." He further added, "Rewarding those who are deserving and ensuring growth for the sincere and dedicated ones always wins loyalty towards the company."

Overcoming Challenges
The challenges faced, for every period were different. In the initial days, it was a time when he started off his business, awareness and affordability was low and had to go from shop to shop looking for new customers. From there to today, where everybody has the same access to information and wafer thin margins is one of the biggest challenge faced by his company.

In addition, the increase in competition from peers as well as vendors was something which he deals with on a regular basis in the present day scenario. Adding to this, Singhania said, "This along with the rise of MNC's and new brands who are spending massive amounts on marketing their products has led to making this industry even more dynamic. Adapting and changing with the times is imperative to ensure growth of one's company."

Growth Curve
Singhania has a different business model from his compatriots and his business focuses on parallel imports. Commenting on this, Singhania said, "Parallel imports are more profitable. Moreover, all our partners along with the channels also provides the same products for a significantly cheaper price to the end customer." He further added, "It has also been often said that the service and warranty provided by us is better than most service centers that the brand themselves have established."

Besides this, Venktron is sole National distributors for Bitdefender which is a leading anti-virus company. In addition, the company is also the National Distributors for Verbatim and Freecom storage devices and for Olive's tablets and telecom products.

Balancing Act
For any successful businessman, it is important to have a balanced professional as well as personal life. Talking about how he manages this part of his life, Singhania said, "Well, usually Sundays are the only days I get time for the family. We like to go for a movie or perhaps a nice meal in a good restaurant. My children Neha and Aditya have started taking an active interest in the business over the last year and have introduced many new fields like the e-commerce and LFR industry so I am fortunate enough to be able to include my family in my professional life."

For fitness, Singhani enjoys playing tennis and tries to ensure that he does not miss a single day of it. Besides this, he is an avid reader and am also a fan of cricket. Adding to this, Singhania said, "Devotional songs are also something I enjoy and find soothing."

Road Ahead
Going ahead, in times to come, the company aspires to become a major player in telecom market while growing in the IT industry . Singhania said, "We also hope to add a few more branches in the locations we have so far been unable to tap. I wish someday my company becomes a household name for consumers across India." On a conclusive note, Singhania shares his wise thoughts for all the upcoming, "I would advice upcoming professionals that the most important thing is honesty to yourself and to have a clear picture of your hopes and dreams."