INDIA: The latest episode of Transcontinental Times’ show, “Smart Entrepreneurship Decoded” featured Yogesh Barot-CEO of Business Dimensions International, Exec. Ed holder at Harvard, IIMA, and IMD Alumni. Yogesh’s firm grasp of the infrastructure business has landed his persona with over three decades of experience in the cement industry in India. He has just emerged as an entrepreneur with a wide range of rich and impressive experiences.
The entrepreneurial aspects played a larger role in Yogesh’s professional venture
Yogesh’s professional journey chronicles a diaspora of experiences initiated in 1990 after graduating from Pune University with a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering. He subsequently worked for three years in an architectural firm in Ahmedabad before joining Ambuja Cement in June 1993, where he spent 26 years as part of the company’s premier customer service marketing group.
“On January 21 last year, I began my entrepreneurial journey.” If you want to succeed in business, you must develop an entrepreneurial mindset because if you work for a company, you must first consider how the company will be profitable and how the company will truly earn. After all, if they earn, they will expand their business and thus help the society grow further,” he remarked.
While decoding the business aspects, Yogesh affirms that the entrepreneurial mindset was a part of his consciousness. When he began his career in Ambuja, he was fortunate to be the only person who travelled to Rajasthan. His exceptional abilities propelled him into a position of leadership, requiring him to consider everything related to clients and their needs, including product comments that benefited the company. All of this was only feasible because of an entrepreneurial mindset.
“Gujarat is a place where people think more about business than doing a job, yet I worked for roughly 30 years out of my say 32-year career at the time,” Yogesh asserts, emphasizing the importance of entrepreneurship. Since I first considered entrepreneurship, I’ve had one thought: one day, I’ll surely create a firm where I can think about products and services that would not only benefit my customers but also help society flourish.
The fuel price rise impacts wider aspects of the cement industry
Discussing the impact of price hike in the cementing sector, Yogesh explains, “The cement business is a highly demanding sector in India looking at the great work done by the Modi government, they are strongly focused on infrastructure development, road bridges, buildings, and airports, and this requires cement everywhere. It is difficult to envision a world without cement. As a result, there is a large need for cement.”
Yogesh mentions that India is the second-largest cement-producing country after China and that India generates approximately 500 million tonnes of cement annually, of which approximately 400 million tonnes are manufactured.
“The price increase is undoubtedly related to an increase in input expenses such as diesel, transporters, and logistics. As a result, an increase in fuel prices will affect the overall pricing of cement. However, prices have marginally corrected in the recent month, and there has been a drop in price rise. As a result, it helped both the cement players and the customers,” he highlighted.
“I believe that, given the present government’s incredible infrastructural achievements. Cement is one of the best industries to invest in and plays a significant role in the development of our country,” he continued.
Yogesh mentions cement as a high-energy-consuming business when assessing the impact of the cement industry. He estimates that cement contributes approximately seven to eight per cent of total CO2 emitted globally, which is a significant amount, but he also emphasizes that the cement sector is a responsible industry that has begun significant CO2 abatement activities.
Briefing about the variety of cement, Yogesh adds, “In the 1960s, only Portland cement was used, which produced 98 per cent of clinker, but currently several forms of cement are utilized, such as Blended, and Portland Pozzolana, which reduces clinker by roughly 35 per cent. The cement industry also employs fly ash, a by-product material, in the manufacturing process, conserving natural resources such as lime and significantly reducing CO2 emissions.”
“India has made amazing contributions to CO2 reduction, so when you use such measures, you are not only enhancing the strength and derivative of the concrete, but you are also contributing enormously to the country,” he explained.
Yogesh reveals his aspiration, claiming, “When I started my entrepreneurship, I dreamed of having my own company, and since then, I’ve envisioned a long way, at least for the next ten years, since when you create an organization, you have to recruit your team.” My family also supports me; my elder son is a doctor, and my younger son is a computer science engineer. So, in the future, if they feel they can join.”
“My objective is to take my vision and bring it to the public with the help of my experienced team so that I can provide better products and services to our society,” he concluded.
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Watch the whole interview here:
