THE basis of each country’s economy is its successful businesses. A bright future depends on a variety of elements. Understanding these elements will significantly alter how we perceive a business’ success. Business is about sticking up for what you believe in, and trusting in it. Business owners create businesses for both financial and professional motives. Nobody ever begins a business with the intention of failing, but if one does, most business owners learn from their errors and give it another shot. Successful company owners have an “I won’t lose” mentality that drives them to not consider defeat an option.
In my bid to understand what goes into making a business successful, I spoke to Shyam Thakur, founder and director of Clifftop Group Asia.
His affection for food, beverages, and nightlife that began as a vision has since evolved into a successful pioneering path. Clifftop has carried on developing meaningful relationships, concepts, and aspirations. Hailing from India, Shyam first came to Malaysia in 2016 at the age of 33. Passion and perseverance are the essential building blocks of success in business, and Shyam understood what he was passionate about. He envisioned making nightlife his primary area of interest. When questioned why that was his one and only option back then, he said: “This is the only thing I know.
“Food, drink, and nightlife are the three magic phrases that have remained with me throughout my life. When I initially started, I clung to these three principles since these are the key things that would make people happy, and thank God, it has guided me ever since.”
Of course, keeping Clifftop Group going was really not easy, just like for any other business owner. Shyam faced struggles and difficulties in managing the business.
“My biggest flaw was that I had no experience in the food and beverage sector. We were able to maintain it thanks to all of my local partners.”
According to Shyam, his dynamic changed when businesses were suffering and shutting down because of the epidemic. He made the most of every chance that presented itself to generate fresh concepts for his next ventures.
“My friends and I would get together and discuss fresh ideas with nothing more than a glass of our favourite Martini, and believe it or not, it works. In fact, during one of these relax moments, I had an idea for my newest endeavour.”
Giving up was never in his vocabulary, and while doing this interview, I could see that Shyam genuinely seemed to be loving what he was doing. When considering his early decisions or what he may have done differently, the successful entrepreneur had no regrets.
“It serves no use to dwell on the past and feel regret. There is, as the cliché goes, pleasure after pain. Similar to it, I had many hurdles, but given where I am today, I am grateful for everything.”
When we asked Shyam to talk about his achievements, he was kind enough to refrain from boasting about his enormous success and instead said that whatever position he is in now is the result of his own dedication and the incredible team that supports him. Because developers and other people approach him for business agreements, he views himself as someone who is competent at what he does.
“It’s a notable achievement if people approach you without me having to initiate contact. I would like to think that they have faith in me since they are aware of my ability. I’m really grateful for that.”
Recently, Shyam was recognised for having one of the top 30 bars in Malaysia. The list was chosen by a survey of industry insiders, drinkers, and influencers. He used the opportunity to express his gratitude to his friend and advisor, Murli Menon, who had supported him from the beginning.
“Words aren’t enough to explain how grateful I am that he has been there for me since the beginning. He supported me and had my back in both good and bad times, more like a brother to me. We connect so well together perhaps because we know one other so well that even our opinions are so similar.”
Shyam currently operates five clubs, and a new modern Indian restaurant, Le.Mirch, is currently being developed. It is scheduled to open in February 2023. He seems to be quite precise about what he does, based on what I’ve observed. Customers’ opinions are important to Shyam, and he understands how to meet their needs by offering them great food, amazing music, and, of course, excellent service.
“If you serve your customers well, they’ll be loyal,” he said.
His long-term goal is simple. “Millions to billions. And I’ll keep doing what I’m doing to get there. I want to take my business to 12 more countries. For that, I would give myself four years.”
Shyam offered the following advice to anyone thinking about taking a similar route: “The secret to a successful business is a solid strategy. Business planning is implemented by strategy; thus, it is essential to plan out strategy by deciding which areas of the company to concentrate on and how to deal with the competition. Any business owner will be happy and proud to have a prosperous business, but achieving success in business requires a lot of passion and dedication. Although it is hard, it is not impossible.”
Since I personally visited each of his five clubs, I could tell that he is really dedicated about what he does since the attention to detail and level of service were exceptional. Including their meals, beverages, and even music.
Shyam Thakur, best wishes to you!
