People who burn with an entrepreneurial spirit, have a very clear vision of their business dream and the passion to make this dream a reality at all costs. The lure of a cushy job, fear of the unknown or even lack of support from family cannot deter them from pursuing their chosen path. One such individual in whom the entrepreneurial flame burns especially bright is Pradyut Mathur, founder of Sunniva Energy Pvt Ltd that manufactures and installs renewable energy solutions. After completing his graduation in Computer Science & Engineering, Pradyut chose to establish his own business rather than working for a well-known MNC as his father desired. Inspite of a failed business venture in the telecom sector, Pradyut persevered and did not give up on his dream to be an entrepreneur. Rather he decided to explore the renewable energy sector and found his niche. Seven years later, Pradyut has made his family proud by establishing a successful renewable energy business in Jaipur with clients across the globe.

In conversation with GlobalLinker (GL), Pradyut Mathur (PM) shares his journey of following his passion to be an entrepreneur and establishing a flourishing business.

GL: Tell us about your business and how it came into being.

PM: Our business is about propagating renewable energy (in particular Solar Photovoltaics) globally. Initially we were trading in Africa and then started manufacturing our own brand of panels. We are now entering installations of rooftop projects in India. We have strong technical guidance and experience in this arena due to my father and his colleagues being in the field.

GL: Is this a first generation enterprise? How did you come up with the idea of establishing this business?

PM: Yes. This is a first generation enterprise. In fact, it took considerable effort on my part to convince my father that I wanted to venture into business and not take up a job that I was offered with a leading software MNC after my graduation in Computer Science & Engineering. The idea came to me when I was in my fifth semester and I realised that there's a vast disparity in the exchange rates between the Indian Rupee and USD or Euro/GBP. I then decided I wanted to enter into Export/Import, but I did not have a specific product in mind. I did not want to deal with people who were not educated or were in some manner not very understanding of technical data and hence my opportunities were limited. In addition, at 22 years of age, I wanted something that would provide me with a living for a long time. The idea of renewable energy was relatively new then and I decided to pursue this business three years later after a failed business venture in the telecom sector.

GL: What are the challenges you have faced in establishing your business?

PM: The first major challenge was convincing my father that I wanted to establish a business. My mother has been a strong support always but it took a while to convince my father. After this, selection of ideas, establishing a company in India, registering Sales/Service Tax, all takes considerable effort. However, the single most important challenge that I feel exists is that nobody wants to do business with a new entity. If everybody wants to do business with already established companies, how will entrepreneurs thrive? I somehow want to change this mindset. As a policy, we deal with new establishments and first generation entrepreneurs in our projects, as much as possible.

GL: What is the USP of your business?

PM: Our USP is partnering with new entrants and entities. This gives us a benefit of sharing ideas more transparently and openly as compared to already established agencies that are stubborn in their thought process. We promote entrepreneurship as much as possible and any member of the team is free to quit the organisation for further studies/starting a venture. They are also given preference in trade, if that is possible, with our company. We believe financials can go up and down but human relations go a long way and are the backbone of any business. Also, we do not deal with any buyers/suppliers who do not treat us as equals.

GL: What are some of the achievements of your business?

PM: The biggest milestone is not financial but emotional - being recognised for my efforts within the family. On a more business ground, venturing into South America was a major milestone. Establishing our own production line and brand was another achievement. 

GL: Who are some of your major clients?

PM: My major clients include Hansalia SA, Norwegian Church Aid, etc

GL: What role do you feel GlobalLinker plays in connecting and assisting SMEs?

PM: GlobalLinker is bridging the gap between entrepreneurs which is extremely important. If an entrepreneur knows of other business owners, they can surely explore synergies. GlobalLinker is a good initiative in this direction.

GL: What is your big business dream?

PM: My big business dream is to have a working office in all continents and grow my brand globally. In all places, we would like to work with local entrepreneurs and collaborate with them with our own Indian values while retaining their thought process and incorporating whatever we can learn from them into our own business.

GL: What is your message to aspiring entrepreneurs?

PM: Conceive a dream; focus on the way ahead and when things don't go as planned....take a leap of faith. God has a plan for us all.

Disclaimer: This article is based solely on the inputs shared by the featured member. GlobalLinker does not necessarily endorse the views, opinions & facts stated by the member.