By growing in a gradual and measured manner, SP Singla has managed to retain full ownership of his eponymous specialist bridge-building company
The first project Sat Paul Singla, 57, completed as an entrepreneur was a small bridge over the Yamuna in 1996, valued at a mere ₹10 lakh. A first-generation entrepreneur, he started with no capital and worked his way up, going from project to project, gradually building the company named after him—SP Singla Constructions.
Today, SP Singla specialises in constructing river bridges across the country. The company is present in 15 states and has posted revenues of ₹1,150 crore in the year ended March 2017. What’s impressive is that the company has managed to do this without diluting any equity (it is still 100 percent owned by Sat Paul Singla) and without taking on an excessive amount of debt. (Total debt stands at ₹52 crore taken for financing equipment purchases.)
How did Singla manage to build a large construction company with little capital? What is it about the industry structure that allowed him to grow without taking on significant debt? And how has an entrepreneur, who employs about 5,000 people, still managed to retain full ownership?
Until 1996, Singla, a civil engineer, had been working with small construction companies in Punjab and Haryana for 12 years, constructing river bridges in Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. The work was challenging and helped him hone his skills. The only problem was he would have to stay at a particular location, complete the project and move on to the next location. “Shifting my family was an issue and shifting schools frequently for my two sons was difficult,” recalls Singla.
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 18, 2017 من Forbes India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك ? تسجيل الدخول
هذه القصة مأخوذة من طبعة August 18, 2017 من Forbes India.
ابدأ النسخة التجريبية المجانية من Magzter GOLD لمدة 7 أيام للوصول إلى آلاف القصص المتميزة المنسقة وأكثر من 9,000 مجلة وصحيفة.
بالفعل مشترك? تسجيل الدخول
Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet