‘Read 5 financial articles to be a successful entrepreneur’

Anant Munjal’s journey from a curious student at Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park to a distinguished alumnus is a testament to unwavering dedication and pursuit of excellence. His story does not just reflect his remarkable academic achievements but his career trajectory serves as a great instance of inspiration. He has always been passionate about cars and the automobile industry which has led Munjal to start his venture. 

“A great institute is truly very significant in shaping you for your endeavours,” Munjal opines.

In a candid interview this car enthusiast, who started his venture —  Motorprotek Pvt. Ltd — talks about his journey after completing his education.

Can you share some insights on how ‘Apeejay School’ has significantly shaped your career?

I would like to credit my parents who decided to get me admitted to the Apeejay School, Panchsheel Park. I have spent 14 years of my life here and have possibly been guided by the best teachers. I had a great circle of friends who were as passionate as me about cars and automobiles. This describes the nature of every boy in his teenage years. Having good guidance from the mentors gave me direction to begin with my business. The best way the school has shaped me was by helping me indulge in extracurricular activities in addition to my studies. I have learned teamwork skills along with time management, which pushed me to succeed in my venture as well. 

What motivated you to skip engineering and start an automotive business?

Post my schooling I pursued engineering followed by a master’s degree abroad. From hereon, all my thesis and internship were about automobiles. I soon realised that the way we protect our phones by laminating, we can do the same to protect big assets like cars. Paint protection has been widely used in the West, but the industry is less explored in India. This motivated me to take a transitional skip and start at my pace, and trust me, the response I received in the initial months was fabulous.

What are some key challenges you faced while transitioning from an engineering background to that of a business world?

Starting a venture of course comes with challenges. At the establishment phase, I found it difficult to hire the right set of people and look for an appropriate place of work. The icing on the cake was I already had my hands on the business world during my internship in the UK. After coming back to India, I took nearly three to five months to understand the aspects of my business, focus on the niche, and induce brand awareness. Once things started to fall in place, slowly we tapped into the market.

Running two companies is commendable. Factors that have led to success?

Both my companies are a subset of one business. Autocatalyst is based upon providing service that involves car coatings like Ceramic and Paint protection. Since these services are a bit expensive and are not accessible to everyone, I came up with the idea of DIY coatings. To cater to all kinds of customer needs and wants. I started  Motorprotek, a  parent company that focuses on supplying DIY products PAN-India. It is relatively more economical and affordable for the masses. Since the response was incredible, we started promoting the same through online channels and e-Commerce portals.

Please share some fond memories from your school days.

It is impossible to quote any one particular memory of my school days because they were endless. Starting right from the morning prayers to educating yet fun classes, everything was super great at Apeejay! Since I was always enthusiastic about sports, I used to eagerly wait for the Physical Education class. Moreover, it’s super great to reminisce about the times of those annual functions, wherein I used to be a part of the choir group as well. It’s amazing to remember how far I have come. Since I live just 2 km away from the school, whenever I pass by, the nostalgia kicks in!

What do you think is the biggest challenge for the automotive industry in the coming decade?

Personally, the biggest challenge that is yet to come would be the changing market from fuel-driven vehicles to electric ones. EVs are going to drive our future. But this might also put a lot of people out of work and jobs like car workshops or mechanics. Moreover, having an EV also requires a permanent parking spot (including a home charging station). The transition in the coming years shall be a tad hectic but as they say “If it doesn’t matter in 10 years, it shouldn’t matter at all”. Sure the journey might be difficult, but once done, it is going to be good for all.

Advice to the present Apeejayites or aspiring entrepreneurs.

Apeejayites are blessed to be a part of such a great institute that not only provides exquisite knowledge of academics but also the skills required for you to embark on your journey of becoming an entrepreneur. To be an exceptional entrepreneur, you must possess the skill of managing finances. An aspiring entrepreneur needs to read at least five articles about finance daily and that’s how all your potentialities will be unlocked.