Nitin Bansal founded Prithu Homes, a residential home developer, in mid-2015 with the backing of Puneet Dalmia of the Dalmia Bharat Group. A Delhi boy, Nitin graduated from Shri Ram College of Commerce in 1996, and went on to secure his management degree from IIM, Bangalore (1998). He has worked in companies such as Unitech, Airtel and Power Finance Corporation.
Stints at start-up firms Classteacher Learning Systems and Achiever’s Academy ignited the entrepreneurial spark in Nitin, who then set out on his own venture.
How has your MBA helped you in corporate life/ entrepreneurship, if at all?
My MBA helped me get a framework and a foundational perspective on all aspects of business. Freewheeling, non-judgmental discussions around case-studies helped fine-tune my analytical abilities.
What were your key learnings from the MBA ?
During my work, I met several entrepreneurs, including school drop-outs, who built large organisations. One personality aspect I found common in them was their ability to analyse a situation and probe by asking the right questions. When I look back, I realise that’s one of the key skills that the MBA pedagogy focused on developing.
If you had to re-visit your MBA, what would you have liked to see as part of your course, especially for someone planning entrepreneurship?
I would have liked more insights into sales and experimentation. On a general level though, pedagogy improves your inter-personal skills. Theoretical discussions too would have been helpful.
What have the chief ingredients in your success been ?
It is a journey, so I don’t think you ever reach the top. What has helped me reach wherever I am is clarity on what I want, and the ability to unlearn and learn.
What have been your best and worst moments?
God has been kind so, my working career has been full of best moments.
The worst moment is a tie between two experiences that both brought immense learning. In the first, while in a job, a big investment sank and I realised later that I could have saved it by staying firm on my stand with my boss and not agreeing with him. In the second, while chasing my entrepreneurial dream, my bank balance plummeted to zero.
What would your advice be to young MBAs who are joining the corporate sector?
One, softer factors determine your success in work a lot more than you were exposed to during the MBA. Two, have a clear focus on what you want from work, and go for it.
Are you happy with the way the MBA is structured and taught today?
Yes. I am sure the current brains behind the MBA structure must be continuously taking insights from the market and evolving.
What would you advise young MBAs to read?
One should learn new aspects of issues, either through reading or discussions. In addition to any specific requirement related to work, I like to do read random books and have discussions on any topic. If I enjoy it, I continue, otherwise I change to something else. It has worked for me.