How PGP MFAB Strengthened My Path in Our Family Business

After studying industrial engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I came back and worked under my father for about two and a half years. Eventually, I felt ready to take a more structured step forward, and that is when I chose PGP MFAB at ISB.

I am the second generation stepping into our family business. My father started it more than twenty-five years ago. We run Crystal Furnitech Private Limited, where we manufacture modular furniture and have one of the largest furniture manufacturing facilities in central India.

One of the reasons I chose ISB was that my dad spoke very highly of it. He has done courses at ISB himself. He has seen the school closely and always said PGP MFAB is truly strong for anyone building a family business. His confidence in ISB stayed with me, and when it was time for me to choose a programme, his recommendation mattered.

At one point, I considered a traditional MBA. My thinking shifted after interacting with students from regular PGP batches, not only from ISB but from other B-schools as well. Their approach felt very job-oriented. They wanted to become strong employees. PGP MFAB felt different. Everyone here is business-minded and focused on return on investment and growth. It is reassuring and motivating to be surrounded by people who think the way I do and who want to build something of their own.

What drew me to the PGP MFAB was not only the ISB brand and the quality of its professors but also my own gap in financial knowledge. I come from a science and engineering background. I know I am weak in accounting and finance, and I realised I cannot lead a company without understanding every part of how a business runs. I am no longer only an engineer. I have to be a leader, and that means understanding the finances, the economics and the commercial decisions that keep a company healthy. One of my goals is to deeply understand these fundamentals so I can eventually take full responsibility with confidence.

Another reason for choosing PGP MFAB was the kind of peers and industry leaders I would meet. Collaboration is important to me. Not necessarily collaboration that leads to direct business, but the kind that happens when people share experiences and solve problems together. Even if we come from completely different industries, the problems we face are often similar. Discussing how others approached them, what solutions worked and what to avoid feels invaluable.

My father remains one of my biggest inspirations in this journey. He still learns even today. He continues to take short courses at ISB and attends programmes on the Hyderabad campus. Even after being in the industry for more than twenty-five years, he remains curious and humble enough to improve. Watching him accept that no one knows everything and that learning never stops pushes me to stay grounded. His mindset reminds me that success does not mean the journey ends. There is always something more to learn. There are always people whose failures and successes can guide you.

With PGP MFAB, I hope to strengthen myself for what comes next. After this course, let us see. I hope to continue the journey he began and contribute to the future of what he built.

Synopsis

Naman Bhartia from Nagpur is the second generation in a large modular furniture manufacturing business. An engineer by training, he joined the PGP MFAB programme to build stronger financial and business skills, learn from diverse peers and prepare himself to eventually lead and grow the family company with confidence