From an electrical engineer, who used to design mobile phone chips in the US, to starting one of the prominent spas in the country, Ritesh Mastipuram, has come a long way. Even though he started his career with a corporate firm, Ritesh always carried a burning desire to do something on his own.
“I realised my passion for business when I was doing my masters in the US. I started a food joint in New York City for a brief period. It taught me leadership and the nuances of running a business, at a very young age,” Ritesh starts the conversation.
Armed with 14 years of hands-on experience in five various sectors, Hyderabad-based Ritesh shifted his bag and baggage to India to be his own boss! “Though I wanted to start something on my own, I didn’t know what or where or how to start; I didn’t have a Godfather! I closely watched and researched the market and decided to do a consumer and service-oriented business,” reminisces the 38-year-old businessman, adding, “During that time, the wellness and spa industry in India was at a nascent stage and seemed like a perfect opportunity to build a successfully structured venture. People were becoming passionate about taking care of themselves and were willing to spend on wellness and beauty.”
With the intent of bringing about a wellness revolution, he started the spa chain — O2 spa across the country in 2008. With 90 plus outlets in India and nine outlets in the UAE, Ritesh has created his own empire and is an inspiration to many young, budding entrepreneurs.
Being an enterprising game-changer in business, Ritesh says that the wellness industry is very competitive. “I play by my own rules and we try and give our best service to the customers. Spa business is a booming industry now and even the tiniest of faults will affect our clientele. Since I handle Indian operations, I closely watch and study the industry to stay updated,” Ritesh says.
Though he has a busy schedule, Ritesh finds time to take a break every now and then. “I am not a workaholic and take life as it comes. I’ve learned to balance my professional and personal lives. I make sure to go for annual holidays with my family. I enjoy the adrenaline rush I get by skiing. I also love to read — from wellness to leadership to organisational behaviour, etc. Watching movies and listening to Ilayaraja songs are my other past time favourites,” adds Ritesh.
An art aficionado, Ritesh also designs the interiors of all the O2 spas across the country — “I travel a lot for my work and I’ve developed a love for paintings and keep collecting them. The interiors are designed in-house and I get into the detailing of it,” sums up the businessman.
