At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Gajendra Kothari for an exclusive interview with us. Gajendra is an Entrepreneur, TEDx speaker and Co-Founder of Etica Wealth Pvt Ltd. Let’s learn more about his background, journey and his advice for our community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Gajendra:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I come from a middle-class family in Jorhat, Assam. I completed my Bachelor’s degree in Business Management from Bangalore University, followed by an MBA from the International Management Institute (IMI) in New Delhi. I started my career with UTI Asset Management Company as a management trainee in Mumbai.
Before joining UTI AMC, I had little knowledge about mutual funds, but my first year of working with retail clients sparked my passion for this industry. I realized I wanted to one day establish my own wealth management firm because I saw that financial literacy in our country was very low. Many people needed guidance with their finances, and there was a lot of mistrust back then.
After my stint in London, I returned to India and founded Etica Wealth Management with my brothers. Our philosophy has always been to invest our clients’ money as we would invest our own families’ earnings. From day one, we prioritized transparency and shared our portfolios with all our clients.
We aimed to educate investors through awareness programs, teaching basic investment concepts in an engaging manner, often using our own case studies. Gradually, people appreciated our approach and trusted us to manage their family investments.
Over the past 15 years, we’ve grown organically. Today, we manage Rs 2800 crores of client assets across mutual funds, serving more than 10,000 clients. We have a team of 50 people operating from offices in Mumbai, Kolkata, Bangalore, New Delhi, Guwahati, and Jorhat, Assam.
‘Etica Wealth’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
I agree, choosing the right name took us three months. For us, this isn’t just a business—it’s our passion. We wanted a name that reflected that. ‘Etica’ means ‘ethics’ in Portuguese and Spanish, which aligns with our core values. The name is short, memorable, and we found that no one else was using it or had a trademark for it. We believed it would be easy for people to remember.
The problems we aim to address are straightforward. We work hard for our money, but does our money work just as hard for us? Our second goal is to help investors reach their financial objectives without worry, ultimately guiding them toward financial freedom so they can pursue what they love.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Challenges are an inherent part of any business, and that’s what makes entrepreneurship exciting. Some days, we feel on top of the world; other days, we might feel down. Since we have a strong purpose of solving people’s financial problems, we see a long journey ahead.
We want to reach as many families as possible and support them in their financial journeys. India’s financial literacy is still at a nascent stage, so we believe it will take at least 40 to 50 years to make a significant impact.
Our passion for our work keeps us resilient. Because our business is fully aligned with our clients’ interests, there’s no conflict of interest. As we grow, our revenues tend to decrease— which is good for our clients—and we grow alongside them. The best part is that, as owners, we don’t report to anyone, and we have a dedicated team to help us navigate daily challenges.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
First, I’ve learned that you must be a lifelong learner. With 20 years of experience, I believe every day is an opportunity to learn and grow. Stop learning, and you stop progressing. Second, I’ve realized that the power of compounding is fundamental—whether in learning, investing, client relationships, or goodwill. Patience and time are key, as nothing happens overnight. Playing the long game means less competition and greater rewards.
Finally, I’ve understood that having a purpose in life is crucial. Without a meaningful purpose, motivation wanes over the long term. You should choose a purpose that lasts a lifetime—something noble, like helping others live better lives.
This profession of improving others’ financial well-being is both rewarding and inspiring. The positive feedback from our investors motivates us to work even harder.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
Based on my 20-year journey, I believe the key reasons for my success are as follows:
First, I am not particularly intelligent; I consider myself an average person. However, maintaining a clear focus has helped me stay committed and persistent.
Second, simplicity in life and business is crucial. I always try to see things through a lens of simplicity—if something feels overly complicated, I move away from it immediately.
The third factor I’ve learned over the years is the art of storytelling. To make a meaningful impact, you must be a master storyteller. Authentic, simple stories resonate with people, especially when you share your own experiences—nothing beats that.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
My advice to young people is to find your true calling and purpose in life. Initially, this can be challenging. You may lack clarity at the start of your journey; it might take five, ten, or even fifteen years to discover what truly drives you.
Once you find your passion, dedicate yourself fully to it. During the first five years, work with people you respect and admire. Although you might not earn much initially, the knowledge and experience you gain will pay off immensely over time—much like compound interest.
Also, don’t focus solely on clocking hours; remain hungry for knowledge and continuous learning. I often ask young people, at which end of life do you want to feel discomfort so that you can enjoy comfort at the other end? If you embrace initial discomfort, your life will be more comfortable in later years. Ultimately, it’s your choice.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
After 15 years, the most rewarding part of this journey is receiving daily positive feedback from the people whose lives we have touched. When we see clients achieving their financial milestones and hear them thank us for our advice, acknowledging that they no longer worry about money, it makes us incredibly proud.
These moments motivate us to work even harder. The fact that people are trusting their lives hard earned money to us makes us more responsible and when you go back to bed at the end of the day, you might have been completely exhausted, but you feel so content that you have done something great for your investors. I always believe markets are not in our control, but at least our intent is always right since we have complete skin in the game too.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
