In 2024, influential business leaders are driving innovation and shaping industries amid rapid change. The Enterprise World highlights visionary leadership across diverse sectors, from technology to finance and healthcare. These leaders champion disruptive initiatives, sustainability efforts, and inclusive workplace cultures, guiding us toward a future marked by resilience and progress.
Manas Mehrotra (Founder, 315 Work Avenue) reflects on his journey of leadership evolution, acknowledging the pivotal role played by many individuals in his development as a leader. With a clear vision, he aspires to establish a comprehensive work environment where both individuals and businesses can thrive. Beyond entrepreneurship, Manas sees himself as a visionary, committed to revolutionizing the way people work.
Crafting Contemporary Work Environments
A significant milestone in Manas’s journey was the growth of his company from 100 seats in 2019 to 40,000 seats presently, a testament to his entrepreneurial acumen and foresight. This transformation underscores the difference between theoretical perspectives and hands-on entrepreneurial experience. Manas finds gratification in witnessing the tangible results of this transition, marking it as a pivotal moment in his career.
Manas Mehrotra’s foray into the coworking space industry was fueled by his vision of crafting contemporary work environments tailored to diverse clientele needs. His objective is straightforward: to establish a haven where individuals and businesses alike can realize their objectives.
Over the past few years, Manas has steered the company’s trajectory from a modest entity to a significant player, adeptly addressing the varied requirements of its customers. From the outset, he recognized the necessity for customization to ensure the company’s resilience and prosperity in the long term. Fundamental to their ethos was clear principles: delivering top-notch services to foster enduring client relationships with an unwavering commitment to quality. Trust, dedication, and sustainability constitute the bedrock upon which Manas has built the company.
Embracing Selflessness and Integrity
Manas Mehrotra envisions 315 Work Avenue or 315WA as the premier destination for coworking spaces nationwide, aiming to cultivate the next generation of coworking leaders. The company’s mission is to empower individuals to achieve their goals and evolve into mentors who can guide newcomers in the coworking sector. The team at 315WA embodies the values and principles integral to the company’s ethos, embracing selflessness and integrity as guiding principles in their daily endeavors.
Following its inception, 315 Work Avenue encountered its most formidable challenge in the form of the pandemic. Manas found himself tasked with retaining clients amidst adverse conditions and a prevailing sentiment favoring remote work. Successfully persuading clients of the long-term benefits of continued partnership proved crucial during this period, a feat accomplished with the support of his team. Moving forward, the focus shifted to sustaining the company’s growth, transcending conventional targets to attract top-tier clients. This endeavor necessitated meticulous attention to detail, ensuring the provision of optimal locations, ergonomic design, and cutting-edge technology. Manas’s success in meeting these demands is evidenced by the company’s continued success post-COVID.
Each expansion undertaken by Manas Mehrotra and 315WA marked a significant milestone, reflecting their confidence and determination to venture into new territories. Their numerous accolades, including recognition as a Great Place To Work, underscore their status as a pioneering and progressive company poised for continued success.
Beyond One Size Fits All Approach
315 Work Avenue sets itself apart from competitors by providing top-tier workplace solutions that elevate the experience of setting up and operating within its spaces. Its value proposition revolves around two key elements: Innovation and Customization. Recognizing the diversity of workspace needs, 315WA prioritizes tailoring office environments to suit each client’s unique requirements. This commitment to customization ensures that professionals can work in spaces optimized for their needs, fostering enhanced productivity and satisfaction. Innovation and customization are integral components of 315 Work Avenue’s client-centric vision for satisfaction and success.
Manas Mehrotra has gleaned valuable lessons throughout his leadership journey. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balanced and honest perspective on one’s strengths and weaknesses. Self-awareness, he believes, empowers individuals to engage with others openly and confidently. Manas contends that inspiring leadership narratives are not solely derived from decision-making and strategy but also from the willingness to take risks and challenge the status quo. Such actions, he notes, often stem from a sense of purpose, compassion for others, or a steadfast belief in acting for the greater good.
Sustainability in Action
Emphasizing the culture of innovation and creativity, the key lies in articulating a clear vision for business strategy development. According to Manas Mehrotra, this involves defining the goals, challenges, and opportunities facing the organization, as well as establishing metrics for success. By effectively communicating these objectives to the team and aligning them with the company’s values and mission, individuals gain a deeper understanding of the strategy’s purpose and direction. This clarity inspires team members to actively contribute to the organization’s goals.
315 Work Avenue prioritizes Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), engaging in various initiatives to support communities in need. Their approach is characterized by aligning CSR goals with core values and mission, ensuring authenticity. They actively involve stakeholders in decision-making processes to address concerns effectively. Moreover, they assess the environmental and social impact of operations, integrating responsible practices. Recognizing the importance of sustainability, they adapt practices to be eco-friendly, acknowledging the benefits for the environment and business performance.
315WA is expanding its presence in New Delhi & NCR and Hyderabad markets while strengthening its current markets. With 2 million square feet of space across 40 prime locations in Bengaluru, Chennai, Mumbai, and Pune, the company aims to be in 10-12 cities within two years. They plan to increase their Bengaluru presence to over 50 centers and explore opportunities in mall spaces to accommodate the trend toward hybrid work arrangements.
Leadership Strategies for Overcoming Challenges
In leadership roles, Manas Mehrotra often encounters situations where his team must overcome significant challenges, such as tight deadlines, complex problems, or demanding clients. To ensure his team remains motivated and engaged in such scenarios, Manas employs several strategies. Firstly, he prioritizes effective communication by articulating the vision and purpose behind the challenge.
By explaining why the task is important, what the expected outcomes are, and how it aligns with both team and organizational goals, Manas helps his team grasp the significance of their work. Additionally, he emphasizes the importance of setting clear and realistic expectations. Manas ensures that each team member understands their roles and responsibilities, identifies key milestones and deliverables, and establishes metrics for measuring progress and success. By providing clarity and direction, Manas enables his team to effectively plan, prioritize tasks, and minimize confusion or frustration.
The Influence of Visionaries
Throughout Manas’s career journey, he has found inspiration in several leaders, with two standing out prominently. Firstly, Manas admires Mark Zuckerberg, the founder and CEO of Facebook, for his innovation and perseverance. Zuckerberg’s journey from a college dropout to a tech titan serves as a testament to the power of vision and determination.
Manas Mehrotra resonates with Zuckerberg’s emphasis on thinking big, taking risks, and embracing failure as part of the learning process, which has taught him valuable lessons on resilience and adaptability. Secondly, Manas finds inspiration in Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, known as the “Missile Man of India,” for his rise from humble beginnings to the presidency through hard work and dedication. Kalam’s vision for a technologically advanced India and commitment to youth empowerment closely align with Manas’s career aspirations, motivating him to strive for excellence.
Manas advises aspiring entrepreneurs:
- To contemplate career goals and define the concept of success.
- It is important to make self-assessments and regular check-ins to ensure alignment with personal objectives.
- While autonomy and financial success may serve as motivators during tough times, having a deeper sense of purpose or mission is important.
- Whether it involves improving healthcare, addressing climate change, or enhancing user experiences, having a mission enables entrepreneurs to navigate challenges more effectively.
- A mission serves as a strong motivator and garners support from others who share the vision of positively impacting the world.
Taking Breaks from Work
Manas Mehrotra emphasizes the importance of maintaining a work-life balance. He finds solace in pursuing activities he enjoys and dedicates himself to achieving his goals. Manas believes that hard work brings a unique sense of fulfillment that routine tasks cannot match. He advocates for taking breaks from work to spend quality time with loved ones and recommends prioritizing activities that bring personal fulfillment.
Believing that one’s legacy starts with an initial job role, Manas Mehrotra serves as the foundation for subsequent career stages. Each phase contributes to the accumulation of wisdom essential for fostering growth, innovation, and opportunities, both professionally and personally. Manas aspires to leave a legacy of innovation, which evolves with every new experience and untested idea he embraces. He views each instance of deploying bold ideals and inspiring others to pursue their visions as essential steps in shaping his legacy of innovation.
