Breaking down tasks is key to productivity: Neo Group’s Nitin Jain

In the late 90s, Nitin Jain was given a few stocks by his businessman father. At the time, he was still in his teens and didn’t know much about it, so he started tracking them in the newspaper. The daily price changes fascinated him and the opportunity to make money through these fluctuations caught his interest.

Even after graduating with a Bachelor of Technology degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur and working in the chip design industry, he continued his research on the stock market. Once his heart was set on this newfound interest, he pursued a Master of Business Administration in finance from the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta.

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After spending 18 years in various positions at Edelweiss, where he built multiple businesses and even became Chief Executive Officer at just 30 years, he finally decided to go the entrepreneurial way in 2021 as the Chairman and Managing Director of Neo Group.

“Coming from a family where business was celebrated and becoming a professional CEO at a young age, I’ve always been drawn to growth and the thrill of building something new. A few friends and I discussed the idea and realised that India presented a fantastic opportunity in the wealth and asset management space. So, we decided to start something from scratch, aiming to do it better and faster while creating more value for everyone involved,” Jain, 46, says.

Establishing a new brand took its time. The first year presented a significant learning curve for Mumbai-based Jain, while tackling several issues such as setting up a physical office and building a proficient team. But in under three years, they have been able to raise ₹40,000 crore in assets.

“Handling somebody else’s capital is a massive responsibility and probably the only thing that keeps me slightly awake at night. But risk is often associated with a negative connotation. I believe it’s equally important to consider the potential positive outcomes, since it can lead to great opportunities. Making judicious decisions by quantifying the risk-to-reward ratio is critical and these are the frameworks we strive to build and adhere to in our approach,” he says.

In an interview with Lounge, Jain talks about mentorship and the importance of effective project management.

Who do you consider as your mentor?

I’ve been shaped by a diverse range of influences - my school teachers, father, wife, colleagues and clients. Meeting successful people through work has been particularly enriching. Each encounter offers new lessons and perspectives. Some of these individuals have become friends and sounding boards, contributing to a continuous process of mutual learning.

One major insight you worked on with your mentor’s guidance?

While it may sound cliche, a key lesson from one of my early bosses has had a lasting impact on me. He believed that if you focus on being a genuinely good person, effective leadership will naturally follow. His simple yet profound perspective has guided my approach. Now, when I hire potential leaders, this principle serves as one of my primary filters.

How do you mentor your colleague at work?

I strongly believe that mentorship is a two-way street. The idea that only senior individuals can impart knowledge due to their experience is outdated in my view. I hold those I consider future leaders of our organisation in high regard and invest significant time with them, discussing how I’ve approached building our firm based on fundamental values and principles. I openly share my own experiences and the mistakes I’ve made along the way. We’ve created a very open culture at Neo, where they can approach not just me but all senior members of our team when they encounter challenges. This open dialogue is a cornerstone of our mentorship approach.

What are some of the productivity principles that have made your professional or personal life much easier?

My perspective on work-life balance has evolved significantly. In the past, I believed that staying late in office was essential to achieve productivity and stuck to this mindset till I was about 40. However, influenced partly by Covid and partly by my own experience, I decided to set a limit for myself. Now, I typically leave the office between 6.30-7pm. Spending quality time with my family has become a priority and is a source of rejuvenation. It’s critical to have a balance between work and family life. Over a period of time, I’ve also realised that it’s possible to effectively manage both aspects of life, rather than prioritising one over the other.

What’s the one positive work routine you have developed during the pandemic?

I’ve found that effective project management is a crucial skill and creating a strong discipline around it has been a key positive change for me. Instead of assigning long-term projects with distant deadlines, I focus on setting daily or weekly deliverables. This means that if you’re working with me, you need to provide updates on what has been accomplished each day. I’ve found that this approach significantly enhances productivity. Instead of waiting until the last minute, breaking down tasks into smaller, actionable items spread across the timeline encourages prompt action and results in faster project completion based on my experience.

Any books or podcast you would recommend about mentorship and growth?

There’s a remarkable book called Team of Rivals that I highly recommend. It’s about how Abraham Lincoln built a team and transformed his country. If you are willing to invest the time and patience, it’s truly worth reading.

Monday Motivation is a series in which business leaders and creative individuals discuss their mentors and their work ethics.

Shail Desai is a Mumbai-based freelance writer.

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