Banglore (Karnataka) [India], April 19: With Hype, Vijaya Belavadi and Raghav Belavadi are revolutionizing the luxury travel scenario in India.
The Belavadi siblings have built India’s No. 1 luxury mobility business platform in just 8 years, making them a force to be reckoned with in the luxury travel landscape. With revolutionary technology that is easily accessible on mobile and web pages, Hype has its presence on land, water, and air with luxury cars, yachts, and private jets. Hype’s customers are not only the niche and elite who feature on India’s list of who’s who but also the upper middle-class population of India.
The small, residential neighbourhood flat in South Bangalore is a very unlikely place for the headquarters of a company that has revolutionized luxury travel for millions in India. The idea of making luxury travel affordable to the masses of India was born in the innocuous, two-bedroom apartment of Vijaya Belavadi in the year 2017. Thus came into existence, Hype Luxury Mobility, which is now not only spread across 23 cities in India but has also spread its wings globally, making its presence and impact in Dubai and the UK.
Raghav and Vijaya serve as excellent examples of how business empires can be built from humble backgrounds. Despite being born into a middle-class family, they dared to dream big and succeeded in achieving their goals. In addressing young entrepreneurs, they emphasized that success as an entrepreneur is achievable without a degree from IIM, IIT, or studying abroad. Their advice to the younger generation is to recognize the power that lies within themselves and not seek co-founders or external funding.
The siblings highlight the family business models of Baniyas as a source of inspiration, urging young entrepreneurs to learn from their experience. They also emphasize the importance of women in business and their acumen. In terms of their own success, the siblings say that they do not rely on venture capital funding but rather are focusing on revenue and profitability, using family funds as their primary resource.
The siblings impart invaluable advice to budding entrepreneurs, encouraging them to adopt a global mindset and prioritize lean, passionate teams over large, costly ones with extravagant office spaces. They emphasize the importance of being customer-focused and urge entrepreneurs to work tirelessly to stabilize their businesses and operations.
Above all, Raghav and Vijaya spoke against giving in to the allure of short-term fame and spotlights and advised entrepreneurs to remain steadfast in their commitment to building a sustainable, long-lasting business. They highlight the importance of maintaining a laser focus on the customer and the bottom line and advise youngsters against the temptation to chase after fleeting trends or shiny objects. By adopting a lean, customer-centric approach, entrepreneurs can create a strong foundation for their businesses and pave the way for future growth and success.
Raghav Belavadi, the younger sibling, has always been someone who dreams big and is future-oriented. He completed his BE in mechanical engineering and has extensive experience managing global brands such as Accenture, Infosys, and WIPRO. He is also a serial entrepreneur who is known for building global businesses in niche domains such as fintech, luxury, edtech, and mobility.
Vijaya Belavadi completed her BSc in Computer Science and went on to assume global leadership positions at HP and Accenture.
Together, they have spearheaded the growth of hype not only in India but also overseas. Hype has now emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the global luxury car rental scenario.
