Page 92 - The Indian Optician Digital Edition July-August 2021
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SHRI JAYANTILAL SHAH Modi of Alankar Opticians came to see me
at my office. We fondly recollected our days
CENTREX OPTICIANS, MUMBAI of yesteryears, shared some laughs and
remembered a few friends over a cup of tea.
Those 50 minutes was like reliving the last 50
years of my experiences. It is for such occasions
that I keep working.
TIO: You have worked hard to give this
wonderful legacy to your children/grandchildren.
What advice would you like to give them?
JS: If there is a recipe for success then the
CENTREX key ingredients would be Discipline, Honesty &
OPTICIANS
OPENING building relationships.
People who know me, know that discipline
YOUNG JAYANTILAL R SHAH
is my middle name and I want my next
generations to be equally disciplined. There is
no substitute for hard work. I strongly believe
that hard work in tandem with discipline will
reap exponential success. When my son Milind
joined the business, I apprised him – you and
only you are responsible for your mistakes.
Don’t blame the situation or others for it. Don’t
thrive on it, learn from it and move forward.
Competition was not very intense in that era. It
was good enough to be disciplined and focused
on your work.
But around 2012 when my grandson, Harshit
joined the business after pursuing his MBA
who in turn agreed to lend me funds. The ball things were no longer the same. Competition
was thus set rolling. Secondly, I had to cover a was intense and is intensifying every day. I told
wider area of South Mumbai and cater to more him consolation prizes are only in school. In
retailers. Hiring people was not an option for me, business there is no re-exam or re-evaluation.
so I got my brother, Shri Popatbhai on board. We An opportunity lost is lost forever. Be attentive
divided areas and reached out to more retailers. to the ever-changing business landscape and
He was dedicated and has whole heartedly reshape your business strategies accordingly.
supported me in my decisions.
I explained to him that a business is built on
TIO: We are happy to note that even though relationships. Money is a by-product – though
you are 90+, you still work every day when so a very important one but it is bound to come
many of your peers have already retired. What if you are true in your relationships and way
motivates you to do so? of working. Invest in relationships. Not only
JS: If I say profits, it would be very lame. I no different parts of Mumbai but today Centrex
longer work with that aim. I have kept that aim Opticians has clients from geographies like the
for Harshit to pursue. Truly speaking, the love USA, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Africa,
and support I have earned from my fraternity Kuwait, Dubai, Mauritius et al. It’s not that there
is enormous. The affection and respect of my are no opticians there but they still prefer us
friends from the industry is genuinely what because they value and trust the relationship,
keeps me going. Very recently, Shri Ramniklal we have built up with them. Be humble and
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