Leadership is not just a position, but a practice
Jaiden Solomon, PGPFMB 2025 participant
Wrapped up my PGPFMB contact 3 at SPJIMR. Learning finally feels fun again. After graduating with a degree in management studies from Wilson College, I joined our family-owned business. We are engaged in the manufacturing of construction chemicals, including tile adhesives, plasters, concrete solutions, and epoxy systems, marketed under our brand name MASTER APPU.
Why I chose to pursue PGPFMB at SPJIMR?
I had always planned to work for about two years before pursuing my master’s degree. Coincidentally, when I was considering enrolling for a master’s, I happened to be near the SPJIMR campus for work. I walked in casually just to get more information. That’s when I learned about the Post Graduate Programme in Family Managed Business (PGPFMB), and it immediately felt like the right fit for me. What really stood out was the modular format, just one week of classes each month. This offered me the flexibility to continue working and apply what I learn directly to real-life situations at work. This balance of learning and practice is what made PGPFMB the perfect choice for me.
Key highlights from PGPFMB contacts 1, 2 and 3
The journey so far has been a power-packed sprint of learning, reflection, and growth. It inspired me to pursue my passion for learning and creation. Reflecting on my experiences with Contact 1 and Contact 2, I recall the cohort bonding session on the first day, which helped us break the ice and bond with the very diverse cohort from the outset.
Another memorable learning experiences include events like ‘Family Fridays’, where PGPFMB and/or SPJIMR alumni meet and share their journeys, inspiring us with informed insights on shaping our success roadmaps. Dynamic learning experiences like these make me appreciate the way Prof. Tulsi Jayakumar, Executive Director of CFBE and our programme chairperson, approaches ideas. She has always focused on learning not just from books, but beyond that.
My key takeaways from the PGPFMB journey so far
- When you’re surrounded by like-minded, driven individuals, you grow 100x faster
- Understanding that leadership is not just a position, but a practice. It is the ability to influence, persuade, and inspire.
- Know your leadership style: directive, supportive, delegation-driven, or inspirational? Because your style defines your impact.
- Manage yourself before managing the business. A sound mind and body are non-negotiable.
- Data is everything: customers, feedback, complaints, sales… every touchpoint is data, and data is value.
- Your team is your heartbeat. Trust, culture, and employee satisfaction drive performance.
- Emotional intelligence = business performance. The higher it is, the stronger your outcomes.
- Understanding your books is a skill and an art. Mastering it gives you control over your business.
- Segmentation and positioning aren’t marketing buzzwords; they’re strategic fundamentals that shape where you play and how you win.
- In business, don’t just chase margins; look at the rotation of money. Speed matters. Faster cycles = stronger business.
My defining moment of 2025
With over 4,000 alumni, PGPFMB offers a treasure trove of learning from its thriving family-managed business network and community. I feel choosing this programme is the best decision I have made in 2025. For anyone considering this programme, I would strongly recommend going for it if you want to:
- Build your personality as a leader
- Expand and strengthen your network
- Bring innovation and fresh thinking into your family business
The family-managed programme at SPJIMR is not just about managing a business; it’s about evolving as an individual and a leader, ready to create lasting impact.
About Post Graduate Programme in Family Managed Business (PGPFMB)
SPJIMR’s Post Graduate Programme in Family Managed Business (PGPFMB) is designed to groom new entrants to family businesses to enable organic growth for self and their family businesses. It helps preserve and nurture the legacy of the earlier generations and leave one’s indelible mark on the family business for years to come. Conceived and launched in 1997, the programme is the pioneer in post-graduate family-managed business programmes in India. It has grown in strength, with 37 batches already having gone through the programme.
