FROM INTRAPRENEUR TO ENTREPRENEUR

Manoj Chalwa, Managing Director, Alexander Richards

Ever dreamt of buying a beautiful Brazilian beachfront apartment, well according to one entrepreneur, there has never been a better time to buy. Niamh MacSweeney reports.

Born in India, Manoj Chawla’s family started out in the retail business in Dublin. An economics graduate of Trinity College, he realised early in his career that he had the ability to spot opportunities and that by making small changes he was able to make a big difference in business.

Chawla forged a very successful career as a consultant, general manager, vice president and finally as chief information architect for renowned blue chip companies in the UK. He admits the common tread in the various jobs he had was the ability to work as an intrapreneur bringing entrepreneurial disciplines to the job. He also admits that although working for others had it pluses, he wanted to create his own venture from scratch because he sees entrepreneurship as a creative activity, which gives him a greater sense of satisfaction.

“I’ve always been lucky enough to write my own job description but I think when you are in a company you also want the recognition of getting promoted faster and even though I made it to business development director and general manager, I wanted something that I could give my time fully to,” he explains.

Bricks And Mortar

Spending a lot of time away Chawla decided he was going to have to move on if he was to attain a more favourable lifestyle. “I looked at various businesses; in particular I was interested in real estate, because there was a lot happening in this sector. There was a downturn in technology, I realised that people would start to use the internet to look at property and so I could see this emerging market really taking off.”

Alluring South America

After considering various countries Chawla regarded Brazil as the next big thing in the property market. “Even though Brazil is a difficult place, I have always worked with the idea that there is no rule book. About two years ago I started to see a lot of foreign interest happening in Brazil so I said alright, now is the time.” According to Chawla breaking into the market was a challenge and vision that took over a year to materialize, an endeavour which required him to travel the country researching the market and building up a network of contacts.

Because Chawla was entering a relatively new market there were no guarantees that his enterprise would succeed. Clearly undaunted by the challenge, Chawla’s confidence and enthusiasm means he will stop at nothing to realise his ambitions. “I’ve always been the person who says do it right, do it big, understand your market and sell expertise,” he declares.

Uncharted Terrain

His ability to anticipate the potential growth in the property market in Brazil and his efforts to take on a new market at a time when few others seemed interested, has been the key to his success. Although he sees himself as a small businessman, he has ample ambition. “I’m doing what I always did in terms of entrepreneurship but not within the safety of a large company that pays your salary and gives you all the resources you need. It’s a bit more of a challenge because you don’t have the brand behind you, but it was important that I create my own niche and then try to stand out.”

Steps To Success

Chawla clearly loves being his own boss, if only because he can devote himself fully to the business. Although he agrees that it is more challenging, he also agrees that it is equally more rewarding. Rather than remain working for others he is happy to be “painting on the big canvas.” Being one of the first developing a new market was daunting for Chawla who recognizes that, “when a market is so raw there are no statistics, no numbers, no standard process so you have to find your way through it because there is no map.” When the company Alexander Richards initially started operating, Chawla never imagined that so many people would look to buy property in Brazil. Today he is happy to announce a market that has seen substantial growth.

Brazilian Beauty

Chawla says that there are many interesting things that make it an attractive location for overseas property buyers. “Its interesting what Brazil means to people; it means a different pace of life, it means retirement, it means happiness and it is so nice to have a product that can give, rather than just sell efficiency. Its nice to connect to peoples lives and make them happy,” he concludes.

Contact: Manoj Chawla email info@alexanderrichards.co.uk or Tel: +44(0)207 7543 740