Mastering Leadership, Culture, and the Long Game: Lessons from Business Turnarounds and Self-Discovery with Himmat Singh
I’m thrilled to share the latest episode of our podcast, featuring the incredible Himmat, a true business builder and leader. Himmat is the founder and CEO of Maximus Capital Partners, the owner and CEO of EPI Color Space, and the co-owner and director of operations at Vital Care of Northern Virginia. His journey is nothing short of inspiring, and I can’t wait for you to hear his story.
Here are some of the key takeaways and intriguing insights from our conversation:
Himmat’s Origin Story: From India to the U.S.
Early Beginnings: Born in India, raised in Dubai and inspired by his entrepreneurial mother.
First Steps in Business: Helping his mother’s business in high school, including providing security for a Bryan Adams concert!
Educational Path: Studied at George Washington University and Wharton, with a focus on running companies rather than investment banking.
Leadership and Company Culture
Leadership Philosophy: Emphasizes soaking in existing culture and operations, being flexible, and avoiding preconceived notions.
Transparency and Communication: Learned the importance of these from both good and bad leaders.
Work Ethic and Focus: Inspired by mentors who taught him to filter out noise and concentrate on what truly matters.
The Concept of a Search Fund
What is a Search Fund? Investors provide capital to an individual to acquire and run a company, betting on their ability to grow and eventually sell it for a profit.
Himmat's Experience: Raised a search fund in 2014, a relatively niche model at the time, and navigated the challenges and opportunities it presented.
Building and Enhancing Company Culture
Core Values: Aligning the team with shared vision and values to foster a cohesive work environment.
Personal Reflections: Importance of core values in both business and personal relationships.
Growth and Development
Continuous Improvement: Advocates for training and development, creating opportunities for learning and team-building activities.
Attracting High Performers: Creating a culture where everyone feels like they have a stake in the company’s success.
Defining Success
Living on His Own Terms: Values the freedom to set his own schedule and balance work with personal interests.
Commitment to Growth: Enjoys the journey of growth and is committed to continuing on that path.
Future Trends and Opportunities
Commercial Real Estate: Excited about the renewed opportunities as people return to the office.
Building a Strong Core Team: Focused on finding talented individuals who share a strong work ethic and competitive spirit.
Himmat's journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, authenticity, and a strong work ethic. His insights on leadership, company culture, and personal growth are invaluable for anyone looking to make their mark in the business world.
Tune in to the full episode to hear more about Himmat's incredible story and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Trust me, you won’t want to miss it!
Stay curious and keep learning,
P.S. Don’t forget to check out the show notes for Himmat's contact information and social media links. Connect with him and continue the conversation!
Connect with Kip on LinkedIn
https://www.linkedin.com/in/kipknippel/
Watch Bite-Sized Clips on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@capitalistculture/shorts
Himmat Singh
CEO
Himmat is a hands-on executive with extensive experience at the Board, CEO, and COO level positions, with multiple businesses, across industries and geographies. His background includes guiding companies through periods of notable change, including rapid growth, repositioning, turnarounds, and rightsizing.
Himmat began his career as a Management Consultant with AMS (American Management Systems) and successfully managed multiple systems implementation projects, including leading a DoD subdivision that was spun off to CACI.
After business school, Mr. Singh moved to India to help launch a South Asia focused Private Equity fund (Anvil Global Partners) sponsored by a Goldman Sachs Partner. Later he joined India’s largest glass manufacturing company ($400M Sales) in a dual role, as a CIO for the group and as a CEO of an underperforming chemicals subsidiary. This was a standout performance during the GFC when he effectively turned around the bankrupt firm, while saving $2 million for the group, by reengineering operations and restructuring IT. Mr. Singh also worked for the largest RE Developer in Asia and led teams from McKinsey in developing models and negotiating exits of non-core verticals and assets.
In 2014, Mr. Singh founded Maximus Capital Partners, a Search Fund to acquire and operate a lower middle market company. Maximus was supported by multiple family offices and private equity and venture capital investors. In 2017, he took a minority stake in Circle of Life, a Home Care Services Company with operations in 7 states and grew the … Read More