An exclusive interview with Mehul Sharma, Founder & CEO, Signum Hotels & Resorts

 An exclusive interview with Mehul Sharma, Founder & CEO, Signum Hotels & Resorts

“No matter how gloomy it gets and how hazy your destination seems, there is eternally a glint of light, guiding you towards your goal”. This is the principal excerpt herding Mehul Sharma, Founder & CEO for Signum Hotels and Resorts, towards making his brand even more distinguished and flourishing in these wicked times. Exemplifying the essence of leadership and innovation and conquering the jeopardies of his voyage, Mehul’s journey has been meritorious and nothing short of inspiring. The onset of prepping a business is the most demanding component entailed in the entrepreneurial process. Mehul had to start his team from scratch toiling its route up to bring the company to the status it finds itself now. He visited 17 hotel owners to persuade them in allotting their properties to him but unfortunately, all of them vetoed. These rejections fuelled the flame in him and finally, the 18th hotel owner he approached agreed. His team and he worked with persistence on this property and gave rise to the now global brand Signum Hotels and Resorts. Mehul, already a prominent name in the hotelier circle, working as the director of sales and marketing at Taj Hotels and possessing years of valuable experience, pushed out of his comfort zone and ventured on to become an entrepreneur. Carrying a fascination of traveling the world, the notion thumped his psyche while he was skimming along with the pages of a magazine on a flight containing numerous hotel options, and he realized the potential brimming in the hospitality sector in India. He concluded to make this idea prosperous by launching Signum Hotels and Resorts in 2018. He strived to make his brand globally acknowledged through his vision of innovation and an attitude of never giving up.

At IdeapreneurIndia, we had the opportunity to interview with Mehul Sharma, Founder & CEO, Signum Hotels & Resorts

1. When were you founded?

-> Signum Hotels & Resorts was founded in January, 2019.

2.How many employees do you have?

-> Signum Hotels & Resorts has over 300 employees.

3.How do you get an idea to start this venture?

-> I got this business idea while travelling abroad, when I found a gap in the market for a niche, Indian rooted global hospitality brand offering experiential stays. The whole idea was to create a global brand touching people’s lives with unique stay experiences. 

4. Is the company funded?

-> The company is not funded, it is boot strapped. 

5.Briefly explain about the business?

-> Signum Hotels & Resorts, manages assets & properties on behalf of owners.  We have our own Brand, Brand standards, Standard Operating Procedures, White-labelled Technology and our own team. We deliver profits to the ownership and increase their shareholding value by increasing Earning Per Share. We run the hotels under our brand, across the globe.

6. What is the future Plan?

-> We plan to strengthen our global footprint by opening the brand hotels in various countries and establish ourselves as contemporary global hospitality brand with Indian roots providing experiential stays. 

We have recently collaborated with UK based group 360 Stays and we manage more than 325 keys across the UK in more than 39 locations. We are coming up in Bosnia and Canada too.

7. How are you different from others?

-> We believe in curating local experiences for guests. We aspire to engage the senses to disconnect from the everyday and focus in the present by actively engaging the mind & body in new experiences. We incorporate the flavour of the city in our hotels through art, music and architecture. Our aim is to bring the city to the guest for a truly memorable stay. 

This sets us apart and different from other brands.

8. What’s your revenue?

-> We are still boot strapped and profitable though we are looking forward to raise funds, soon.

9. How fast are you growing?

-> We are strengthening our footprint in India and abroad. We are soon coming up with more than 12 hotels in India by the end of this quarter & beginning next quarter.

Abroad, we have just expanded with collaborating with 360 Stays with more than 325 keys across the UK in more than 39 locations. We are also launching properties soon in Dubai, Middles East, Canada, Bosnia, and more

11. What’s your background? 

-> I am hospitality industry veteran with more than two decades experience with leading brands like Taj Hotels, Shangri La, ITC Hotels, IHG, etc.

12. What skills you needed to start the business?

-> First & foremost skill is the right capital understanding, clear vision of the idea, belief in yourself, backed by lots of data and research. You must have a business plan, and be prepared for the worst. Overestimate your expenses and underestimate your sales. Make sure that you have funds to survive for next 2 years. Must have skills are to be hardworking, grounded & persistence. This will take you a long way. 

13. Are you successful in this space? What’s unique about your leadership team?

-> We are fairly successful in this space and are successfully carving our niche in India & abroad. Our leadership team includes stalwarts from the large chains like ITC, Taj & IHG hotels. They really help us and contribute towards shaping the Company and taking the brand to the next level.

12. Why is your team perfect to solve the problems you’re tackling?

-> The team is handpicked and we see each problem  as an opportunity to serve. It is cumulative hard work from each of the team member that is the reason behind our success.