When passion meets the most unique idea, Today YBI interviewed Mr. Trushar Khetia the Founder and CEO of Tria Group of companies. If you would like to start a company or even venture into media advertisement Trushar is the person to meet, Kindly learn from history story and visit the website
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| Mr. Trushar Khetia Founder and CEO Tria Group of companies |
Your name: Trushar Khetia
Company name: Tria Group
Position Founder & CEO
Country. Kenya
Short introduction about yourself.
I am a 27 year old Kenyan entrepreneur, with a vision of using business as a force for good, in order to make a difference to the lives in my continent, Africa. Tria Group is my first official jump into the wonderful world of entrepreneurship. My first venture within Tria is in the advertising and media marketing via Tria Transit Media
When did you start your business?
The company was established on the 9th of November 2012, so we have crossed a year though it has been just over 6 months since we have been fully operational in our offices with a team in place.
What’s your business net worth?
$1 million is my target at the end of 1 year
Are you a start up? What keep you going In this world of competition?
Yes we are a start up from absolutely zero! What keeps me going is the passion to do something different from the norm. Norm is boring! I always challenge myself to think differently from the rest in the industry.
How do you plan your work?
I plan external meetings with clients from Monday to Thursday. (I like being out of the office meeting new people every day). Friday is an internal day where I use it to catch up with my team in the office via our weekly meetings. Saturdays are for my business social meetings, strategic thinking and any email correspondence
What motivated you to start your business?
I have always been a curious person. Even as a child I would look for opportunities to makes a difference in others. At the age of 8, I was running a comic/storybook library where I would hire out books which I had finished reading, to my classmates for a small fee. At the age of 10, I started selling boxes of biscuits to the students in my school as I realized I could sell them cheaper than the price they were buying from the school canteen. As I grew up, finished High School and University and was employed, though I was always happy, I felt something was missing. I realized I was meant to be an entrepreneur, by re-collecting my behavior as a child when I had no idea that I was actually running a business unknowingly. I followed my true calling and eventually started Tria at 25.
Why that Business and not the other?
I have always had a passion and interest in the advertising industry. My work experiences prior to starting Tria has been either selling brands or buying brands so I felt nothing would be better than being involved in interacting and developing a wide variety of brands through advertising
Did you start it alone or with friends?
Started this business by myself.
How long have you been in business?
I was employed in different businesses for about 5 years in total with my biggest achievement being working for Procter & Gamble (P&G) in the UK for 3 years. While the move to entrepreneurship via Tria has been just over 1 year for me.
What’s the story behind your business?
I was employed in 2007 as a marketing manager for Securex (a security company in Kenya dealing in guards, security systems etc.). This was in between the gap year I took between my 2nd and final year in University. They asked me to prepare an annual marketing plan for them on how they can grow their brand. During my research into the different advertising avenues, I realised there was a big gap in the transit advertising media market (buses, taxi, rail) in Kenya compared to other parts of the world where I had gotten exposure as a student at the time. In the UK, where I was studying, bus advertising was huge and I would see very creative ads. It is at this point I asked myself, ‘Wouldn’t it be awesome if I had a transit media company in Kenya advertising on the buses to begin with?’
What challenges did you face?
As my business idea was new to the market, it took a lot of time, energy and efforts in convincing clients who had been used to advertising using traditional media such as billboards, radio and TV. Changing the way things have been done from the norm is always tough. Also initially when setting up, during the recruitment process, quite a few people were scared to take the risk of joining a new company with new radical ideas of doing things as they preferred being in their existing jobs which were in conventional media.
How did you overcome?
I had to be tenacious, highly persuasive, and focused. You cannot let other people’s negative thinking affect your drive and ambition in doing what you have set yourself to achieve. If you have a dream, you are the only one who has the mind power to make it a reality.
What is that one thing you wish you knew before you started that company?
Managing people is not as easy as one would think. Everyone is different with various levels of behavior and expectations. When you are the boss, the leader, you sometimes have to make tough decisions to balance between the business and your people.
One Advise to start ups and upcoming entrepreneurs like you?
Never let anyone tell you that you can’t do what you want to do. Don’t take any form of an answer. You are the only one who determines your destiny by the thoughts and actions that you take.
Who inspire you, Like a role model and why?
I have a few. One is my Dad because he had no formal education or strong work experience, yet as a raw entrepreneur he made it in his own way. My other role models include Sir Richard Branson of Virgin, Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates of Microsoft, Warren Buffett, Mukesh Ambani of the Reliance Group and Sir Alex Ferguson, the successful former manager of Manchester United. All these individuals have certain traits in common. They had the belief in themselves, they had a big vision in their minds as to what they will achieve in their lives and with determination and hard work they challenged the way things were done, they stood firm and built up huge empires and brands around them making a difference to millions of lives around the world. I want to follow in the footsteps of these people.
What are some your philosophies if any?
I am open to learn new things everyday
I am passionate and focused in giving my all into achieving my mission and goals
I ‘think BIG’ & have a BIG heart
I will make a difference by inspiring others to achieve greatness
If you were to start a company(new) what kind of unique product would you invest in?
I would think about an online or mobile retail business (e-retail/m-retail) which makes everyday life even simpler.
Most young people are in their earlier entrepreneurship life, what kind of support would offer to them. E g. Mentoring, advising, connecting, sharing your network.
I would absolutely love to mentor, advice and share experiences with likeminded entrepreneurs so we can all develop together.
How do you see your business in the next five year?
I see Tria diversifying into other forms of media both within transit as well as platforms like radio. I have a dream to have my own radio station. Radio Tria! Also I aim to expand Tria to other countries in Africa. The world is too big and I want to be everywhere!
What kind of connection would you like to have to make your business better?
