Snehal Mantri, Director- Mantri Developers
Snehal Mantri began her fascinating journey with Mantri Developers as a Sales and Marketing Executive in 1999, overseeing the initiation of new projects and nurturing long-lasting relationships with customers and investors alike. It was a newly launched venture of her husband, Sushil Mantri when they relocated to Bangalore. Today, she is at the helm of affairs as the Director — Marketing & HR at Mantri Developers. Her interest in marketing helped her to define and execute numerous growth strategies that were instrumental in elevating the brand to a position of industry leader. Snehal is a Home Science graduate and after getting married in 1985 she joined her father in-law’s Stock Exchange business in Pune in 1985. Her experience in stock broking came in handy to understand the consumer behavior and conceptualize new marketing ideas when she joined Mantri Developers later. Beyond work, Snehal believes in helping and supporting various organizations that give back to the society in some way or the other. She has been playing an integral role in social initiatives since the inception of “Mantri S.E.V.A” (the CSR wing of Mantri Developers) in 2011. As one of the founding trustees at the Billion Brick NGO, she spearheaded the initiative of helping disaster struck Nepal where thousands were devastated by the worst hit earthquake. Snehal & team work with local administration for setting up basic sanitation facilities in areas such as Sankhu, Bhaktapur, and Sitapaila villages of Kathmandu Valley. They are now developing the village by providing the first toilet in there for women.
Snehal loves to travel and explore new places and is a big lover of music. She also loves pets and has 2 beautiful dogs at her home.
About your entrepreneurial journey
“I relocated to Bangalore from Pune in 1999 with my husband and was looking for a challenging role to utilize my potential and time. My husband then suggested that I join his newly founded Real Estate company Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd as the sales and marketing executive. He knew I had great interest in that sector and was up for challenges. It has been a roller-coaster journey since then but the learning has been immense. I have been able to innovate and bring newer perspective to the table. The real estate sector is extremely challenging but that hasn’t stopped me from challenging my capabilities and achieving my goals.
I have donned multiple hats managing all stages of project management including conceptualizing, planning and development through the marketing and sales phase, leading up to the post-sales process. I ensure that Mantri Developers is at the forefront of the Real Estate market with innovations and out of the box concepts. Fortunately, the marketing initiatives introduced by Mantri have been well received by the customers and the industry alike. Programs such as ‘Digital Interactive Mannequin’, ‘Augmented Reality initiative’- bench-marked the integration of technology for enhanced consumer engagement — the first by any real estate company in India.
My experience in marketing has helped me understand the consumer psychology and I have been able to pioneer projects like Telemedicine and Concierge Services, and create concepts like Home Care-Propcare, Spacethetics — an interior decorating solution and Mantri Insignia, a customer loyalty program.
As a woman, I understand what would go through the mind of a housewife and have implemented plans tailor-made to suit their needs. By introducing the Smart Lady Training Program, we have given the housewives a platform to bring out their entrepreneurship skills.”
The inflection point
“I have always been intrigued by the business world. My hunger to learn and succeed is ideal to be an entrepreneur. My husband has always had great trust and respect for me and that helped me want to move towards the path of entrepreneurship. Challenging myself makes me want to work hard and prove a point that women are no less than a man as they are always multitasking.”
High point in career
“The switch from home science to stock broker to being Director, Marketing & HR — the journey has been a roller-coaster ride and I consider each switch a high point in my career. The crowning glory has been the introduction of the Smart Lady Training Program which has given housewives a platform to bring out their entrepreneurship skills. It is something that I am very proud of considering the fact that I am a home maker too.”
Greatest inspiration
“My father who has always taught me business skills.
My Husband who always challenges me to go to the next level
My children who always motivated me to achieve extra mile.”
Most important milestone in life
“One milestone that makes me very happy is that I have brought up both my kids — Pratik and Priyanka to be responsible leaders in any field they choose to be in. I feel proud knowing that they are using their knowledge and upbringing to help grow Mantri Developers Pvt. Ltd along with us.”
Women are called the “better halves”. What does it mean to you?
“Women have a special ability to multi-task and we at some point have learned the art of balancing our lives. I ensure that the home front is well taken care of so that my husband can concentrate on handling the business. If it weren’t for us women, men wouldn’t be able to concentrate on work, this would in-turn shake the balance at home as well as at work. Women are known to share responsibilities and help their partner. This goes to prove why we are better halves. To me it means that I am equally important and responsible in every aspect of my husband’s life.”
How do you / did you believe in making dreams come true?
“I dream big and envision the future. I believe in being innovative, fast thinking and adapting swiftly to the ever changing trends. My success mantra to achieve this is- prioritization, dedication and delegation. To begin with, I prioritize activities on both personal and professional fronts. Whether it is attending the parent teacher meeting or ticking off targets at work, whatever is prioritized first, must be adhered to with full dedication till successful completion. That way my mind can focus on the next activity with ease. I am a good listener and learn from people. I enjoy meeting people and interacting with them as that helps me learn more and ultimately leads me to achieve my dreams. Nothing is impossible if one is passionate.”
Challenges faced
“Being a woman thought leader in a complete male dominant business has always been a challenge. At Mantri, we endeavor to increase the ration and encourage women to join the corporate world, hence have introduced several special provisions for women like providing flexi working hours and work from home option. With a growing number of women joining the workforce the industry is bound to change. It’s encouraging to see young talented women challenging the system and setting new trends every day. We undertake measures to integrate people, place, process and technology and introducing an enhanced facility management. We are focused on getting a higher ratio of women into the work-force of the company, belief that equal opportunities will give rise to a more efficient team. Only one challenge in specific to our industry is to handle the government officials for approvals.”