The more I talk to entrepreneurs, the more I realize that the best of them are in business because of a larger mission, a passion in their hearts, or the simple desire to solve a problem and give back to the communities they are in. Profits, of course, are an essential part of business. But they are secondary for these entrepreneurs — a measuring stick to tell them how far they’ve gone. One entrepreneur who embodies this “giving entrepreneur” spirit is Mahesh Mirpuri, president of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce here in the Philippines, and the entrepreneur behind numerous successful businesses.
I’ve known Mr. Mirpuri for a long time, and what’s interesting to see is how he has grown as a businessman as he has pursued his own personal growth. As he gained prominence as a businessman, he devoted himself to growing the business community. And through the years, he has sought to become a better manager, helping team members and fellow entrepreneurs to achieve their goals. Or maybe it is the other way around. Maybe it is personal growth that led to his business success.
Mahesh Mirpuri and I recently reconnected in an unlikely way — a gym date. This gym date is typical of what he is about today. It’s not about networking — though, yes, if an opportunity arises, he will pursue it as any good entrepreneur will. The morning we spent working out, and later talking over coffee, was about exploration. It was about rediscovering each other as friends and as entrepreneurs, without any pressure for next steps. And it was also about finding ways to learn how we could help each other — and the world — which he did by sharing his most precious commodity: his time.
Entrepreneurs can learn so much from his leadership and management style. We spoke at length over on the RJ Ledesma Podcast, and you can check out the highlights here by reading to the end.
GIVING BACK TO THE COMMUNITY
Mahesh Mirpuri is, most prominently, the President of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce in the Philippines. In his time as president, he has led the largest growth of the federation.
The Filipino-Indian community has been in the Philippines for many decades now. And just like the Filipino-Chinese community, it has grown into a powerhouse of commerce locally. Speaking about the community in the Philippines and how it has evolved over the years, he said, “It’s really about trading, right? I consider the Indian a negosyante (businessman). So they’re very good at talking, negotiating, sourcing, and things like that. So it’s really changing, right? Tech seems to be where things are going.” He also mentioned the BPO industry as an area where the Filipino-Indian community plays a vital role.
While growing the federation, he has placed particular focus on the future generation of business leaders. He explains, “The biggest change that I see — because 72 years as a chamber, that means it’s a generational change — we have second gens, third gens coming into the business. And at the end of the day, these are the guys that are going to run their parents’ business.”
By bringing the next generation into the fold, he aims to help them grow their respective businesses by providing them with tools, by networking, and by helping them achieve their goals.
He said, “They need to step in, and they need to be the future leaders of the community and of the chamber as well. So I see that slowly happening now. So I’m excited for what’s in store for the future.”
ENTREPRENEURS’ ORGANIZATION
As a belated introduction to Mahesh Mirpuri, he leads Styletex, a garment business with a presence in India, Bangladesh, China, and the Philippines, which he inherited from his businessman father. He also has a glassware and tableware business which serves restaurants and hotels, among other businesses. Early in his career as an entrepreneur, he was successful, but not fulfilled.
“All I did before was buy A, sell B, and I was happy,” he says. “But that’s not it. Today, you live in a world where you need to manage your people. You need to make them feel good at work. And this is one of the biggest learnings that I had in my life.”
The turning point for him came when he joined the Entrepreneurs’ Organization (EO), a prestigious group that supports the entrepreneurial community.
“I never got to do an MBA. I used EO as my MBA,” he said. “I used it to change my business, improve my business, fix things inside that I could never have done without it. And it just absolutely changed my life.”
Through EO, he found his purpose. He said, “I learned what I like is leading people, guiding people, talking to people, helping them understand what are their strengths. So finally, when I found my passion, that’s how I’ve been able to move things across.
“I can help people, right? Yes, they’re good at their jobs. But once you find out what you’re good at, that’s how you move. And so far, that’s been the biggest game changer for me.”
Learning this, Mahesh Marpuri’s entrepreneurial journey changed track to become one marked by generous leadership for his community, guidance for his team members, and giving to entrepreneurs. Watch the full interview to learn more.
RJ Ledesma (www.rjledesma.com) is a Hall of Fame Awardee for Best Male Host at the Aliw Awards, a multi-awarded serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and business mentor, podcaster, an Honorary Consul, and editor-in-chief of The Business Manual. Mr. Ledesma can be found on LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. The RJ Ledesma Podcast is available on Facebook, Spotify, Google and Apple Podcasts. Are there entrepreneurs you want Mr. Ledesma to interview? Let him know at ledesma.rj@gmail.com.
