Finding Systems in A Family Business Journey at PGP MFAB

The moment I realised I needed to step back and learn was when I understood that while experience had taught me how to run the business, I needed deeper business acumen to connect that experience with theory, structure, and long-term decision-making.

I am a second-generation member of my family business, Beacon Trusteeship, a SEBI-registered debenture trustee firm founded by my father. Growing up around the business meant responsibility arrived early, not as a title but as an expectation. Over time, my role evolved into working closely with issuers across the lifecycle of non-convertible debentures, coordinating with intermediaries, strengthening internal processes, and managing long-term relationships with CFOs and senior treasury leaders.

Working In A Business Built On Trust

Operating in a regulated, trust-led business accelerates maturity. You are not simply managing transactions or service levels. You are safeguarding credibility in an ecosystem where accountability continues long after capital is raised. That reality shaped how I approached work early on. I was fast, responsive, deeply involved, and always available.

A good day before ISB meant emails cleared, turnaround times met, clients satisfied, and repeat business coming in. But those days rarely allowed space to pause. Deep data analysis, structured MIS, governance design, and people management often took a backseat to immediacy. I was doing a lot, but not always understanding why things worked the way they did. That gap stayed with me.

The Moment That Made Me Pause

There was a moment early on that still stays with me. I was part of a discussion where a senior finance leader calmly walked through a decision involving risk, regulatory exposure, and long-term consequences. Nothing about the conversation was rushed. There was no urgency or noise. Just clarity.

I realised I approached similar situations very differently. I solved quickly, reacted fast, and closed loops efficiently, but I did not always step back to ask whether the decision would still hold up six months or a year later. That difference was uncomfortable. Not because I felt incapable, but because I could clearly see the gap between operating well and thinking deeply. It made me realise that experience gives you speed, but structure gives you confidence.

Why PGP MFAB And Why Now

I did not come to ISB because I lacked exposure. I came because exposure alone was no longer compounding. At this stage of the family business journey, continuing to learn only on the job would eventually limit how far I could take both myself and the organisation.

I needed structured thinking, stronger financial acumen, and a broader perspective to match the responsibility I already carried. Short executive courses or informal learning would not have been enough. I needed an immersive programme that would force me to slow down, challenge my instincts, and rebuild how I think.

The PGP MFAB programme stood out because of its modular structure. One intensive week every six weeks allows learning to happen alongside real business responsibilities. The academic rigour, international exposure, and diversity of the cohort promised challenge rather than comfort. ISB felt like the right place to be pushed hard.

I joined with doubts. About my financial depth. About speaking confidently in class. About whether I could articulate my thoughts as clearly as others. Those doubts did not disappear immediately, but they became part of the learning.

What PGP MFAB Really Feels Like

What truly enriches the PGP MFAB experience is what you put into the space. Most participants arrive with a similar mindset. Everyone is running a real business and genuinely looking for answers rather than validation. That shared intent changes the energy in the classroom.

What surprised me most was how openly peers discussed real issues from their family businesses. There was very little posturing. Conversations around governance gaps, succession concerns, professionalisation challenges, and the pressure of scale were candid and grounded.

Professors encouraged this openness and responded with a demanding, practical approach, constantly pushing us to connect frameworks back to our own businesses. Being able to engage with faculty beyond the classroom has been deeply enriching. Learning does not feel episodic. It feels continuous.

Despite coming from different industries, the underlying challenges felt remarkably similar. That realisation made the learning relevant, urgent, and personal.

Learning That Continues Between Modules

One of PGP MFAB’s greatest strengths is what happens between modules. Every time I return to work after a term, the shift is immediate. The questions I ask are sharper. My priorities are clearer. I can anticipate the consequences of decisions instead of reacting after the fact.

Meetings have become more structured. Communication is more precise. I delegate with clarity instead of urgency. I no longer feel the need to be involved everywhere and have started trusting systems more. PGP MFAB has not reduced pressure, but it has significantly improved how I handle it.

I joined the programme with a clear intention. I wanted to grow the business with speed, without compromising structure. PGP MFAB is helping me do exactly that.

Rethinking Leadership In A Family Enterprise

One idea PGP MFAB has helped crystallise for me is that speed and structure are not opposites. Structure is what allows speed to scale.

Earlier, speed came from personal involvement. Decisions moved quickly because I was present everywhere. Over time, I realised this kind of speed is fragile. It depends on individuals, energy, and constant attention. Structured speed comes from clarity. Clear roles. Clear processes. Clear decision rights.

For me, innovation in a family business does not mean replacing legacy. It means strengthening it with discipline, governance, and professional management. PGP MFAB is helping me bridge generational perspectives by shifting decision-making away from instinct and urgency towards systems and long-term thinking. Leadership, I am learning, is less about control and more about creating conditions where others can succeed.

Looking Ahead

As I look ahead, I see PGP MFAB as a genuinely transformational year. Not because of any single course or concept, but because of the cumulative effect of sustained learning, reflection, and a strong peer network over fifteen months.

The access to faculty, combined with a cohort that thinks similarly while operating across different industries, creates an environment where growth feels intentional rather than accidental. Each term feels like a step towards becoming better, not just at work, but in how I think, decide, and lead.

The question I keep returning to is simple. Can the business operate with the same discipline and integrity when I step away? If the answer is uncertain, that is not a people problem. It is a systems problem. PGP MFAB is helping me move closer to answering that question with confidence.

Advice To Prospective Applicants

If you are applying to PGP MFAB, be clear about why you are coming. The programme rewards intent and self-awareness far more than credentials. Come prepared to be challenged, to unlearn, and to slow down your instincts. That is where real growth happens.

That is why I chose ISB. Not because experience failed me, but because I wanted to give it structure.

PGP MFAB has not changed what I do. It has changed how I think, react, and grow as a leader.

Synopsis:

A second-generation leader at Beacon Trusteeship, a SEBI-registered debenture trustee firm, Vihsal Nathani reflects on how the PGP MFAB programme at ISB helped bridge experience with structured thinking. The piece explores leadership in a trust-driven business, the shift from instinct to systems, and how PGP MFAB strengthened long-term decision-making for him.