Ashutosh Kharangate

Ashutosh Kharangate: Advising Businesses to Reach the Apex through MARC

In this competitive era of vast modernization, maintaining your existence in the business industry is a tough task. In every vertical whether it be services, education, legal or business; there is an arduous competition.

Every organization is trying to step on its rivals to move ahead and stay at the curve. In this world of prodigious opportunities and complexities, business organizations are looking forward to establish new connections and are finding new ways for innovation.

Running a thriving business these days has become a grinding and a frustrating experience. The good news is that it doesn't have to be the same way now.

With adequate advisory services at every step, running a successful business is turning to be a fruitful and exciting adventure. Advisory services are provided with the goal to support undertakings and overcome weakness in specific areas like finance, business, legal, etc.

A range of business advisors are bestowing best-in-class services to help organizations perform up to the ballpark and become a sovereign. Nowadays, start-ups are showing rapid growth in the industry, but the thing they lack is advisory service.

Proper advisory services are required by every organization out there to leave a blemish on the audience's mind and the stakeholders too.

Advisory services are a huge need for every business organization out there. No matter you are a corporate giant or a just born start-up, you need advisory services at every step towards your success.

Mangal Analytics & Research Consulting Pvt. Ltd. (MARC) is one of the fastest growing companies offering Business Advisory Services in India. Since its inception in 2010 as Mangal Advisory Services (MAS), it today has a footprint across India as well as International Markets, offering a wide range of services.

The company in 2015 was re-branded as MARC to showcase its enhanced portfolio of services. MARC operates from its offices located in Mumbai, Pune and Goa. It has a network of consultants situated in Kolkata and Bengaluru catering to the East and Southern regions of India.

The firm is mainly focused on providing guidance to the burgeoning SME sector to empower small and medium businesses with appropriate financial and analytical techniques.

As a team, MARC lets entrepreneurs focus on achieving key objectives in their business by taking charge of other complexities; which in turn leads to unprecedented growth.

Progressing at a fast pace, the company has already served more than 200 SMEs across the country, offering project reports / business plans, and outsourced CFO services.

MARC's rich clientele envelops several leading and reputed names including the Government of Goa, Goa Electronics Limited, Planet Hollywood, Vikings Ventures, Payatu, Monginis – a master franchise in Goa, Magsons – the largest chain of superstores in Goa, Alcon Group, Optel Vision Inc, Astra Group of Companies and well-known five-star hotel brands.

Our editorial team had a conversation with Ashutosh Kharangate, the Founder and Managing Director of MARC about his personal & professional journey, future of the company and much more. Here are the edited excerpts.

Take us to the genesis of your personal and professional journey.

There is an emotional link. MARC was formed as a tribute to my late mother Mangal. Hence, I walk on her path through the philosophy set for the company. For me work is more a passion and hence there is no distinguishing point between the two.

However, considering I am a family man and have an adorable son and a beautiful wife, they have certain cute demands.

I see to it that I am available at the beautiful moments with them and if work demands I stretch to start work before the birds start chirping in the morning. In this way I am in a position to accomplish both in a go.

How did you come up with this business idea/get associated with the company?

With experience in PwC and during the stint there, starting something of my own was always on my mind. Fate dealt a cruel blow and the untimely demise of my mother brought me back to my home, Goa.

Since Goa, back then was a developing state, an end to end business advisory was one thing which really didn't exist at that time. Having grown up in Goa and then moving to Mumbai, it helped a lot to understand the type of services that were needed and cater to the niche market.

Hence it all started with Mangal Advisory Services in 2010, which was incorporated as Mangal Analytics & Research Consulting in 2015. Now, as we advance towards mid-2019, I am delighted and content to say that all our hard work and constant improvement has actually paid off in recent years.

Are you a risk taker?

Of course, yes. No one would have thought of starting a business consultancy firm in the year 2010 in a place like Goa. I am grateful to God, that I am successfully running this firm for the last 8 years and have grown by leaps and bounds.

What do you like to do the most when you are not executing your business operation?

I am a coffee shop person. I like sipping a coffee and dreaming about the future or plan. In addition, I love driving around either alone or in the company of my loved ones. Playing chess with my son will perhaps come a close third.

Describe the most memorable incident of your professional life.

The most memorable incident in my professional life was when as an MD and founder of MARC, I was awarded the prize for the "Best Business Consultancy 2019" award by Business Goa Magazine held at Goa Marriot's in Panaji Goa.

It was a dream come true as I was yearning for it since a long period of time. A close second shall be the Aeonian Award which MARC received at a national level. To be recognised by some judges of high pedigree was overwhelming.

One word that describes you the best…

Passionate

What are the forthcoming plans of the company?

5 years from now we see ourselves as a team of 200 strong and dedicated individuals who shall be solving complex financial models across the world. We have started working in this regard and today service clients across Europe.

We are in the process of creating a network of associates across the globe to help clients look cross borders. Our goal is to provide them an informed opinion when they are looking for cross border transactions.

Similarly, we have also focussed on other Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities wherein we conduct awareness programs pertaining to importance of our services.

This enables us to acquire clients once they understand the need for the same. We are also working towards creating a tech platform to make our services more affordable to the end consumer.

If you had one piece of advice to rising entrepreneurs just starting out, what would it be?

Perseverance. Entrepreneurship isn't easy. Every day there are new challenges and surprises. Keep your focus and fight each day as it comes. Keep dreaming and one day you shall conquer. However, please also have critics around you for reality checks. Sometimes it's good to know when to quit as well.