Panjim:The growth of a business across generations requires vision, an ability to work as a team, good products and generally being smart and on the ball all the time. For family businesses it is very important for the various generations working together to be in sync. In this day and age, it is not unusual for a member of the third or fourth generation to move away from the family business to carve out a name on their own.
Then there are families where everyone seems to be in sync. The Whatsapp and Viber generation may communicate differently but if there is a synchronicity of thought then all is well.
Prabhu Constructions is one such company which into existence under the guidance of Venkatesh Prabhu Moni in 1997. A civil contractor who earned his spurs working with some of the big builders in the state. He was responsible for projects like Park Avenue Apt in Calangute.
Long hours kept him away from a young wife taking care of a son who was just born. This drive was also motivated by the history of his family. His father was a cook with the Dempo family and was also a noted singer but passed away when Venkatesh was all of two.
His mother took it upon herself to ensure the four children studied and made the most of life’s opportunities. He studied and worked as a painter in the evening to supplement the family income.
Later, he studied the radio officer course in the hope of getting a job as a radio officer on the ship. He was not lucky and decided he had to get to work. He started working as a worker earning Rs 700. In time, he went on to work with a contractor, which earned him a salary of Rs 2000.
He was on his way. Venkatesh, an ambitious man with vision had decided he wanted to move up the ladder. He learnt on the job so to speak. His passion and drive helped him achieve his vision. His first project was as contractor and he was responsible for projects like Park Avenue Apt in Calangute. With time and experience he decided he had to move up the ladder. He constructed Alfran Plaza, which consisted of 400 offices and shops in 1999. Projects were initiated and in 2007, he constructed his own house.
Like any man with drive, he felt it was important to expand his business. In 2004, he started Shasha Enterprises, which was involved in the transportation of building material. In addition, he also established Shubham Metal Industries, a metal aggregate company in addition to cement blocks.
A father to three kids Shubham 22, Srasha 17 and Sama 7, he has maintained a very intense pace as he sought to achieve his goals. Shubham Prabhu Moni made his entry into the business two years ago. A graduate of Saraswat College, Mapusa, he passed out in Business Management last year. In this day and age, the pace of business has increased dramatically.
The gentle easing into work is becoming a practice of the past. He is overseeing business in Goa as his father establishes an office in Thane, Maharashtra.
There are ongoing projects in Mapusa, Porvorim, Caranzalem and Dabolim. He remains calm and collected as he handles the inevitable demands that come with handling projects. His father has now moved on and pitching to work on infrastructure projects nationally. Shubham expects to be overseeing all this shortly. A very competent team below them ensures that everything is done as per the requirements of Shubham and more importantly the client.
The family had taken over an infrastructure com pany with expertise in Central government tenders for projects on water, road, power etc. They have two projects, one in Thane and the other a redevelopment in the Bandra Kurla Complex.
Shubham loves his technology and shares a passion of fast cars with his dad. The path ahead as he put it was tough but it would also be very interesting. In the years to come, there is a strong possibility of his sister
Srasha joining the company. She is expected to leave for London to learn interior designing and is expected to be away for six years. Perhaps, by then, the father will spend his time reading the scriptures; something, which he loves doing dearly and watching his children take the company to the various corners of the country and perhaps, one day even pitch internationally for contracts. Time will tell.