Family Business Leadership: Lessons from the Ground Up

I came back from Birmingham thinking I’d get a strategy role in my family business. My dad sent me to the warehouse instead.

It was 2006. I walked into my father’s office with a plan ready. “We should just focus on real estate. They’re bringing in most of the money anyway. Let’s go all in and scale fast.”

I expected a discussion, maybe some pushback, but definitely a seat at the strategy table. Instead, he just said, “Why don’t you go to the warehouse and start from there?”

And the next day, fresh out of Birmingham, I was sent to work at the warehouse like any other trainee. It felt unconventional at first, but I trusted him. In hindsight, that decision shaped my understanding of family business leadership more than any strategy meeting ever could.

Why Family Business Leadership Starts on the Ground

Those few months changed everything. I was there with the team every day, handling real operational challenges and watching how things actually worked on the ground. No institute teaches you how weather affects installation schedules or how small operational delays impact client relationships.

That experience showed me that family business leadership isn’t about titles—it’s about understanding the business from the inside out.

Leading Through Crisis

Just as I was getting comfortable, we faced our first major crisis. The Supreme Court tightened regulations on outdoor advertising in Delhi, putting 70% of our revenue at risk. Then came 2008, and the recession wiped out real estate budgets completely.

Thankfully, we hadn’t concentrated everything in one sector.

In 2016, demonetization froze our cash flow. GST restructured the industry. RERA transformed real estate marketing. COVID paused outdoor advertising entirely.

Each crisis tested our family business leadership model.

The Power of Calm Decision-Making

Every time, we responded the same way. We sat together, evaluated options calmly, and avoided panic-driven decisions. My father never allowed fear to dictate strategy.

We tightened operations. We supported our people. We diversified instead of retreating.

That consistency is what defines strong family business leadership—discipline during uncertainty.

From Warehouse to Public Listing

Today, we are listed on the stock exchange with 1,000+ outdoor units and 600+ digital screens, serving clients across multiple sectors.

This success wasn’t built on aggressive shortcuts. It was built on adaptable family business leadership and long-term thinking.

Real Leadership Begins at the Bottom

If there’s one lesson for the next generation, it’s this:

• Don’t chase the corner office first.
• Start at the ground level.
• Understand the work.
• Respect the process.

Because real family business leadership doesn’t begin in the boardroom.

It begins in the warehouse.