Ultra Tech cement has not only been a big part of my life but it has affected millions across the nation. Ultra Tech is among the world's leading cement makers. The houses we live in, the roads we travel on, the institutes we study in, are a culmination of the effort put in by the team of Ultra Tech Cement Ltd. and Hindalco Ltd. I am a big biking and cycling enthusiast. Researching for this article made me aware of how Birla carbon ensures top-notch quality in the manufacturing of tires by supplying carbon black and thus enhancing my biking experience.
ABG is India's first billion-dollar pure-play fashion powerhouse. That statement itself tells us about ABG's contribution to the retail and fashion sector. If I go through my wardrobe, I won't find a single clothing item that hasn't been purchased from the various brands under the ABFRL Umbrella. Be it the sneakers which I bought from ‘F21', my ‘Louis Philippe' shirt, ‘Van Heusen' innerwear, sweatshirt from ‘People' or the suit from ‘Peter England' which helped me crack my college interview, all of these have enabled me to have my own style statement and be a more confident individual.
Recently I was in Hyderabad and I ended up visiting the Birla Mandir to worship lord Venkateshwara. The temple is a personification of grandiose and finesse. Overlooking the waters of Hussain Sagar Lake, the temple gives you a panoramic view of the city. And this is just one of the many temples which the Birla family has constructed across the country. These temples are a place of worship for many and have reshaped religion to conform to new age ideas of philanthropy and humanitarianism.
ABGL is responsible for fulfilling the dreams of millions by providing them with various financing options. My house, in fact, was financed by ABHFL back in 2016 and that is one of the most important ways in which ABGL has been a part of my life. Aditya Birla Finance Limited helped my father to fund his business and inadvertently help me to reach where I am today.
It is quite amusing how ABGL has been such a huge factor in my life; right from my basic clothing needs to indirectly finance my growth and happiness. ABGL has the mission to deliver superior value to its customers, shareholder and the society at larger and through my personal experiences, I can say that ABGL is delivering on its mission.
Overcoming Challenges
One of the most valuable lessons that my parents have taught is me that success won’t be served to you on a silver platter. Life is not easy and to achieve your goals, you do need to overcome certain obstacles. It is this tough journey that makes the success that much sweeter.
This brings me to my experience as a 14-year-old teenager. It was the month of April; the temperature was as high as 42°C and the city was Pune, Maharashtra. Being cycling enthusiasts, my friends and I got this idea of cycling to Mahableshwar which is around 135Kms from Pune. So the day, on which our exams ended, we packed our bags, took our cycles and left on the journey of a lifetime. We were just five 14-year-old kids cycling at 2 PM in the scorching sun of April with nothing but one back up car for our aid. Anyone who has traveled from Pune to Mahableshwar knows about the Khambatki ghat which is infamous for its steep slope and heavy vehicular traffic. But this wasn’t going to stop us from reaching our destination. We cycled for 6 straight hours with vigor and with only one goal in mind; to keep peddling until we reach the summit of Khambatki. It was a long and arduous journey but the 5 of us managed to complete it because of our strong will, our resilience and the hunger to achieve our goal.
In January 2017, my elder brother, who is a hotel management graduate, and I identified a gap in the market of Pune. There were no cafes or QSR’s selling specialty waffles and the demand for waffles among the population of Pune was increasing. Consequently, we came up with a business model for a Café’ which would specialize in waffles and its accompaniments. The execution of this entire idea was going to be a big challenge for us. Coming up with a name for our brand, getting the name registered, creating a logo, coming up with a good menu, sourcing quality ingredients, financing the project and this list goes on. What helped us the most to overcome all these challenges and successfully launch our idea was that we had good communication between us, we had a clear vision of our goals and most importantly we focused on working smarter; not harder. Today, my brother is entirely managing the café and has managed to successfully open 4 more branches. Also, it is the 2nd highest rated café in its category in Pune on Zomato.
I have lived by these important values which my parents have imbibed in me and faced any challenge coming my way with a smile on my face. Every obstacle we face is an opportunity for us to broaden our horizon. For me, the outcome is secondary. The mere fact that I came out of my comfort zone, looked the problem right in the eye and gave my 100% is a win in itself because “We don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges.”
#ABGLWooMe #XIMB
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