Episode 46: Dipak Bhadra - Meet the Financial Freedom Expert and Author

Unless you don't have a clear picture of that life, you will never reach there. And that's what was happening for first five years. I didn't had a clear picture. There is a big difference between employee mindset and entrepreneur mindset. Entrepreneur mindset has to be with prosperity and abundance. Because my mindset was only that work on the job, get good job, good, good pay, good promotion and then retire.

They say money doesn't grow on trees or does it? Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, welcome to another episode of Be youe Own Boss. Our guest this week is the author of Grow youw Money Tree, Mr. Deepak Bhadra. And Deepak is an entrepreneur. He's a real estate investor and he has been working in the engineering field for about 30 years before starting his entrepreneurial journey. Let's hear from Deepak about his story, his journey. Deepak, thank you so much for taking our time and joining us here on the Be youe Own Boss podcast.

Thank you. Thanks. Thanks Sachin for having me here on your podcast. Your show Be youe Own Boss.

So Deepak, let's start with your story right from the beginning. Tell us about your childhood, your parents, your siblings. Where were you born?

Yeah, I'm born in very small town of Kutch, Kutch district. Now Kutch is famous from this run of Kutch and Run festival. But that time Kutch was one of the isolated district of India in Gujarat. So I'm born in Gujarat, studied in Gujarati medium and my father was working for government initially and then he has moved to Oman. So he worked for 40 years in Oman. My siblings, I'm elder one and I have two sisters. So both are younger to me. But then now both are married, having their own kids and enjoying their own lives. Yeah.

And growing up as a child, did you have aspirations to become an entrepreneur one day?

No, I never thought becoming entrepreneur, I was kind of happy kind of person. Even right from childhood. Okay, even okay. We were not even middle class. We were like I have seen my father working hard. The time I remember my father was working in government at the same time he was studying in college. So I, I saw him going to college six o' clock in the morning. So I'm talking about 1971. 72. That's the time I can recall. Yeah, that time there was no car or no bike or so he was going for by cycle. And then from there he used to go for job which was full time job, 10 to 5, 10 to 6. And from there he was going to a lawyer's office. As a part time job.

Wow. So he did two jobs and studies study.

And then he used to come back at home 9:10pm yeah. And then also he was working for the work of lawyer. Because that time there was no computers. There was no kind of gadgets what we have. So it was all manual. So I have seen him writing those lawyers script and everything. So that's what. So my understanding since then was that hard work is the only way to live a better life.

True. And what about schooling then? You know once you finished your schooling, what kind of studies did you go into after that?

So schooling. Yes, I did. I studied in Gujarati medium which was up to 12 standards. I was good at study. But at the same time I was little bit notorious also so doing a lot of things. So my parents, they put me in hostel from the fifth grade.

Oh really?

So three years I was in boarding school. Little away from my hometown, 50 kilometer away in vacations I used to go home.

Yeah.

So three years from fifth, sixth and seventh grade I had a different kind of experience. Different life.

Did you like it?

When I look back, yes, it was fun and I enjoyed that also. But yes, I always wanted to come back home. So after completing seven three years in boarding school I came back home. And since then up to 12th standard I was studying in the same town, Gujarati medium. I opted for science. So after completing 12th I went to engineering. Okay.

Yeah. Good. So you did your engineering in there was mechanical engineering.

I did electrical engineering. So I did electrical engineering. Now why I did electrical engineering, I had no idea. But as my friends were going for engineering.

Yeah.

I went for engineering. And I didn't got admission in degree. Because I didn't had good percentage in 12th standard. So I had no other choice but to go for diploma.

Diploma.

So I did diploma.

Okay.

Electrical engineering I was good at again the study. So it went well again it was a life which I have enjoyed. Then immediately I got job campus placement which was a kind of apprentice. Like that time we called as apprentice in the power station.

Like internship.

What we call kind of internship with. I remember my very first salary was 1500 rupees.

Okay.

So I started my career with 1500 stipend.

Right.

Like stipend. Yeah, so it's called stipend. One year in the power station.

Yeah.

Because I did electrical. So I got first opportunity in power station.

Okay.

But parallelly what I did now somehow from where it came maybe my father was working in Oman and I was vacation. I was coming to Oman. I have seen air conditioning. I've Seen it was very hot in Oman those days. Even now also.

Yeah.

And that. That time my mind started working that air conditioning in this part of the world is always going to be required. And that made me to join air conditioning course. It was post diploma course.

Okay.

In government college in Ahmedabad. So I was. I got job in Ahmedabad. So evening again, I was going to college.

Wow.

So after finishing my job, I did two years of post diploma in air conditioning.

Right.

And that helped me to get a job in one of the biggest company in India. Voltas. Yeah. So they were the. You can say founding company for air conditioning in India. Absolutely. And I'm fortunate. So my foundation of air conditioning.

Yeah.

Started with that environment which is Tata group of company.

Yeah. Voltage is Tata group of companies.

Yeah. It was really.

Tata is like. It's a. It's a wonderful.

So my foundation of professional career was built on those strong values.

Yeah. Yeah. And how long did you stay with Voltas after that?

So I was there for three years. I worked in Voltas for three years. I learned about air conditioning. That was my school for air conditioning.

Okay.

I studied something, but then it was implementation.

The practical knowledge came from.

Yeah. So practical knowledge, including company was giving me responsibility. Like traveling with consultants and take them to Mumbai factory meeting, visiting places like ISRO and Plasma Research Institute. And it was a totally new level of exposure in many industries. I was going for meetings. So it was a good start, you can say.

So when, when you were working with Voltas and you know, visiting all these places at that time, did you have the aspirations that, you know, you want to start your own business or did that strike you?

Maybe one corner of my mind, but not serious thoughts, not burning desire. There was like when I see people, they were their own boss sometimes. But if I go back, it was not that kind of, you can say burning desire because I was. I was in an environment where I have seen my father working. So that's what my mindset was.

It was automatically set that this is life.

That's. That's what I. My mind says that, okay, I have to work, get good, good grade, get good job, get promotion, change the company, increase salary. And that's how that my mindset was there for growing in professional life.

And how did Dubai happen then? So you were working for Voltas here and then.

Yeah. So from Voltas I have shifted to Oman because my father was in Oman and I was keep on coming. And I've seen good lifestyle in Oman.

Yeah.

Air conditioning was required.

Air conditioning is required in this region.

So I got a good break to start with Oman's biggest company. So in India it was India's biggest company, air conditioning Voltas in Oman. I got break in Bhavan Engineering which was Oman's largest company in air conditioning.

Okay.

And then seven years I worked in Oman in air conditioning.

Wow. And then how did you move to?

Then I had. I had desire to because I was from Oman. I was coming to Dubai for visits. I was coming for some exams also.

Yeah.

So as I didn't do degree, my mind was always thinking that as I am not having degree in engineering, I'm not good enough. I need degree. That was my that time mindset and that for that I was coming from Muscat to Abu Dhabi for some exams to get equivalent degree in engineering. And then I have seen.

So this, by this time you were already working for what? 10 plus years, right?

Yeah, close to. Yes. 3 plus 7. 10 years. Yeah. But then see that's what our mind had that desire. So. Our mind. Yeah. See learning is my always passion. I love learning. That time I didn't thought from that point of view. That time my intention was to get degree. Because if I get degree I get good. You can say facilities. So the company own Oman. I was after Bhavan, I was working. They had very clear. You can say segregation. If you are a diploma you will get one bedroom apartment. If you are a degree holder you get three bedroom apartment. If you are diploma you get Devu car. If you get, if you are a degree engineer you get Land Rover. So now that was driving me that okay, just because of this difference of.

This paper that you have to get to the other class.

So that's what I thought. Okay. I want to upgrade myself.

Yeah. Yeah. And did that happen then once you finished your.

It didn't happen. I didn't completed it because it was just wish only.

Yeah.

It was not kind of burning desire. So I was driven by circumstances again, family responsibilities. By that time I already have my son who was very young and then spending time with family. So priorities was different, priorities changed, priorities have changed.

Yeah. Yeah. And then what was your next step after that?

So then I. Because I was coming to Dubai, I have seen Dubai, there are better opportunities in air conditioning. Maybe two, three times more salary than Oman. Better prospects.

Yeah.

So then I started exploring opportunities in Dubai and one of my friend, he says okay, come to my home, stay here and explore. Meet companies, go for interviews. I did that. I got couple of offers. I selected one. I was here for eight days and that time there was no Mobile, there was no car. So I remember that time it was peak summer. And then when the offer came, I was getting three times more salary than Oman. I accepted that offer interview which I've gone through that company. So I worked with Al Shirabi Group. So since then I worked for 20 years in that company.

20 years.

Yeah. Al Shirabi in Dubai. I joined as an engineer.

Yeah.

I retired or resigned as executive director from that company. So there was a good growth.

Yeah.

Because something differently happened. I started investing in me.

Yeah.

Learning about industry first and then learning more about me and success.

And talk us through that process like because you know, 20 years when you moved from, you know when you moved up from. From an engineer to an executive director. So how was that growth like and what happened? You said you invested in yourself. Tell us more about that.

So yeah. So initially I joined as an engineer. But good thing about me like see sometimes when opportunity knocks your door. Yeah. And if you're not ready thinking that no, I don't have these skills, I don't have that. I don't have those. I would have missed those opportunities so many times. Opportunity came to me. It was offered to other people also working in the same team. Now those people took little longer time. I said yes. So I was offered an opportunity. I was in projects in air conditioning and projects is little bit fancy. Like you will say that I am project engineer or I am project manager. I was offered in the same company. They were planning to start some manufacturing setup and ducting. Like ducts are required in air conditioning system. I was offered that. Okay. Would you like to make a switch from where this idea came? I said yes. Even I didn't know much about ducting. I didn't know much about selling of ducts. I said yes. And that has opened up many opportunities. After a few years as I was growing in selling another again I was offered another opportunity. Would you like to take control of entire division including manufacturing, including business development. I had no skills that time but I said yes. And then I learned those skills. And it is always I believe that if I would have thought how and if I would have thought that I am not ready with this. Those opportunities was like it was knocking. But then yeah, yeah.

You took. You said yes.

I said yes. Yeah. Without worrying about how I'm going to do it.

Yeah. I heard, heard this somewhere that if you're confused, say yes. Because the opportunity, if you say no, the opportunity is gone.

Yeah, absolutely. This is what I totally believe into that.

Yeah. And so once now you've been working with in this company for 20 years. You grew up. What was your exit or like at that point? What. What made you decide that you want to resign? Or did you retire or resign from the company? What was your.

I resigned. But I have planned. So I resigned in 2019.

Okay.

So the 14th of July 2019 was my last working day. That was my farewell day. Yeah, entire unit, all the workers, CEO of the company. I got a good farewell. It is going to be exactly four years. Today is the 11th of July. It was the 14th of July. So four years. But this shift happened when I was attending one of the training. In 2011, I was attending one training of NLP. Now again, if I go back, why I was that in that training room is because of my children. So first my son, I enrolled him like there was a summer camp happening, right? And then company who was helping children, they invited parents and kids that there is something inside us and it just needs to be explored. And they were giving demonstration of children, young children, they can have good memory, they can have better attitude. So we have enrolled my son and he was going for that in seven days we have seen changes. And then they have offered course for parents. Now this is what like all the coaching companies, they do this way. So then me and my wife, we went for that four days, two weekends. Actually, it was two weekends nlp. There was a firewalk. And then we reached to a level that it was asked that what you want to change in your life? So I decided to change two things. One thing, okay, I was earning. I don't say very high salary that time, but reasonably good salary. But what I was doing, I was giving my money to other people to handle. Like those financial planners. And then they always come up with excuses that it is subject to market risk and all those. So my money was not growing. And in that event, I have decided I want to take control of two things. One is I will take control of money for which I need to learn. And then second thing, I always thought that I'm introvert, I'm not good networker, I can't speak in front of 10 people. And in that event, I've decided that I want to work on public speaking skills. So in that this shift happened, I joined Toastmaster to improve my public speaking skills. And I went to Robert Kiyosaki to learn money skills.

You went to the best.

I went to the best. Like Internet. I just searched who is that also happens. So one of my friend in India, he handed over me audiobook of rich dad. Poor dad. Now before that I. I had no idea who Robert Kiyosaki is. So it is this book. Yeah, he gave me audiobook and initially I didn't understood what this guy is talking about. He's having two dads, rich dad, poor dad. But then while walking I was listening continuously and that made me to think that this guy is talking something. He's talking about financial freedom. I never heard about financial freedom before that because my mindset was only that work on the job, get good job, good pay, good promotion, save it, invest it and then retire. That's what my mindset was. But when I learned from audiobook, I thought okay, why not to go to this guy? So I just for curiosity, I sent an email that I want to know how your team can help me. And the next day I got called from us that okay, thank you for inquiring what we want to qualify you whether you are fit for this or no. And they have sent me form questions, I have filled questions. And then this is okay, we qualify you. If you want to join our program, we can help you. It was 18 months program that time. There was no online, the zoom or even Skype was not there.

Yeah.

So my arrangement was there. Every week it was Thursday, 9pm Dubai time, I get call from my coach.

Okay.

So first call was with Robert Kiyosaki. And then remaining all the calls every week it was from the coach. And that was my first call was.

Directly with Robert Kiyosaki. Wow.

And then all the other calls for all the months was from coach, dedicated coach, same coach. And that was the biggest investment I have made in me. First time it was $7,500. I don't know how I made even my salary was not in that range. But it was some, you can say intuition in me or desire in me wanted to come out. So I went with that course. With that course I got a game called Cash flow Game. Right. And then my mind started shifting. So this book, if I show this. So this is personally autographed by Robert Kiyosaki.

Wow.

And I have many books which he has signed for me. And then. Yes. So I started learning about money. As I told my two decisions, learning about money and learning about public speaking. And both were going on.

Yeah.

But for first five years there was no growth. 2011-2016 after learning all those carrying information in my mind.

Yeah.

And so I learned Robert from Robert Kiyosaki for 18 months about real estate. So I've invested in two properties. So one property I was getting positive cash flow one was coming, negative cash flow. So after five years, my passive income or journey to financial freedom was zero. Now after investing all these, learning all this and then result was zero, which was giving me frustration. But still I was in comfort zone because salary was coming. It was not, you can say sense of urgency. So salary was coming. I was growing in company from position to position. So from project engineer to sales engineer to divisional manager to general manager to executive director, all those things were happening.

Growth was happening there. But then on the personal finance side, yeah.

So the dream which I was seed, I have planted that time, financial freedom, that was not growing.

Right.

And then what happened? 2015My father was working in Oman for 40 years. And then he, because of some health issues, he was good. He was handling team of 400 people. He was general manager there. But then at the age of 71, he was asked to retire. And I have seen pain on his face. And then that time my mind says that I want something but I'm not committed. I was just taking casually. It was just like a dream wish or interest or hope. And nothing was changing. That's what like first five years, nothing was changing. Now should I wait for 60, my age of 60. And then my company tells me that tomorrow is your last day, we have arranged farewell party for you or should I do something now? And that was, you can say kind of paradigm shift or shock for me that the way I'm living, the way I'm in comfort, I'm taking life casually. Even though I was growing, but I was not growing in financial freedom. And when it says when student is ready, teacher will show up.

Yeah.

And then somebody connected me with Bob Proctor.

Bob Proctor?

Yeah. So Bob Proctor. I knew little bit about Bob Proctor from the Secret movie. So Secret is known for Law of Attraction.

Yeah.

And then somebody shared me link of Bob Proctor's online event which was based on Think and grow Rich book. So it was four days event, it was happening in US LA time 9am so it was 12 hours difference. So the by time 9pm So I paid 300 and I attended. So I started watching. I thought that okay, I will watch for maybe two hours and then remaining I will watch recording. But it was so interesting and something was connecting, something was resonating. I was watching three days entire night, throughout the night. And then I thought okay, this guy is having answered which I am. I am trying to find out. Since five years carrying all the knowledge by rich dad, poor dad. But results were not changing and he was made. He has made such In a simple way. He says, financial freedom is simple. We make it complicated. Success is simple. We make it complicated. And then in that event, I was offered an opportunity to attend live training in Canada, Toronto, where Bob was based. And I submitted my interest. So I was given this opportunity. Again, they were qualified. They say, okay, we want to qualify. Whether. Because this, that event, people were coming from all over the world.

Okay.

So in that event, when I went there, there were Hollywood directors, Olympic gold medal winners, and all those kind of profile people. So I was qualified for that. And they says, okay, you have to fee for courses. $18,000.

$18,000.

$18,000. Now this was something new for me.

Yeah.

But my mind immediately, I didn't even ask time. I said, yes, I'm in. Okay, how, how I can come to Canada? I didn't add Canada visa. So this is okay, we'll send you paper. I transferred money immediately. And I was there in Canada for looking for answer for financial freedom.

Right.

And day one. Now, Bob Proctor, if audience is not aware. So this is Bob Proctor's. So I'm directly mentored by Bob Proctor. One to one, I was traveling to Canada from that event. So in that event, very first day, Bob asked me that why you are here? I was all the way from Dubai. Most of the people were from us, Canada, Europe. Very few people were from so far. So he says, you are here. What you are looking for, what you expect from this event. So my answer was, I am looking for financial freedom. Because that time my dream for financial freedom was ignited. I want at any cost, I want that.

So it had turned it into a burning desire.

It turned into a wish and dream. Yes. So initially it was a wish or hope or interest.

Yeah.

But the moment it turned as a burning desire, things of universe have started connecting dots and you took action.

I mean, $18,000, like, you know, if I were there, I would have probably backed out and said, oh, no, 18,000, that's a lot of money. You took action. You took that step and you went there.

So that that has changed. But that was not enough. Now Bob says, okay, you are here. You want financial freedom. But do you have a picture of your life when you are financially free? Now, being me as an engineer, it is always logical thinking, if this happens, this will happen. If my salary goes this much, if my passive income goes this much. But I never thought beyond that. Now there is a life beyond that which we can create with imagination. Being engineer, it was always logical, always realistic, always practical. Believing in drawings, believing in formulas and mathematics and Numbers and here it was totally different. So Bob says, unless you don't have a clear picture of that life, you will never reach there. And that's what was happening for first five years because I didn't have a clear picture of that life. So Bob says now this is six days event. Today is day one. Don't accept whatever I say, but don't reject. Consider it. And then all the way I came from Dubai to Canada, invested this amount. So I had no choice but to give attention and consider it. And then every day my mind was coming up with some answers. So question was, when I am financially free, what I would be doing? So first day answer came that because I did air conditioning only till that time it was 26, 27 years in air conditioning. So my mind says that okay, as I didn't do anything. So when I'm financially free, I will have a company of air conditioning in Dubai because Dubai will always require air conditioning. There will be enough clients and everything. So my mind has built those pictures. And day two again he was sticking through that intense training of going deep inside. He says answers are inside. So day two answer came that contractors I have seen struggling, struggling for money, struggling for orders, struggling for payment, certification, labors, team. Then my mind says from one job I will be buying another big job. It will not be a good choice. Even though I will be entrepreneur, but I will not be having those freedom of choice. So day two answer came as I will be a consultant. So consultants you can manage with small team. You don't need big setup. You will not be on mercy of contractors to get money. So day two, this was the answer. Day three answers changed that consultants. When there is a downturn, when market is going down, real estate consultants are the first people to suffer because all the designing work will be stopped, new conceptualization will be stopped. And then my mind says again it will be the same issue. So I will become an expert. So expert in fire safety and acoustics. That's what I did for few years. I learned from our principals in Ukraine. And my mind came with this answer that be an expert so everybody will need you, right? So day three, this was the. But day four, totally new answer came from where it came, no idea. But my mind says I love learning because to learn only I came from Dubai to Canada. Now what if I continue this journey as a professional and with Bob Proctor and do with him what he is doing now? I don't know from where it came. Yeah, but then immediately I was offered an opportunity on day four that okay we have consultants. We have consultants division. Be part of our consultancy division. Become consultant with Bob Proctor. Invest $32,000. Take decision. So when you are in that environment, you don't think that. So I didn't thought straight away. I allowed to swipe my credit card of $32,000 and I got access also online immediately. On day four evening, day four, night, I didn't have sleep. My mind says, you are engineer. You never coached anybody. You don't know what mind is. It is just three or four days you are learning this. You are introvert, you are not good in English, you don't have business skills. All those things started.

You started having all the negative thoughts.

All my mind started coming up with. And then next day morning I was sitting with Bob Proctor because Bob knew that this is going to happen. So I was sitting with him next day morning appointment of half an hour. And I says, I think I made a mistakes. It was this not for me. I am not. I am engineer. I would prefer to stay and focus there. Then he says, after doing four days, this intense activity, Universe came up with this answer. Universe wants you to do this. This was your purpose of life. You found very few people in the planet. They found their purpose. You found your purpose. Now if you want to withdraw because you don't know how to achieve it, I don't mind, I will give you money back. But you will regret your entire life. But if you are going with me, I will make sure that you become who is required to do this. And he says, you don't need to know how, you only need to know what. And that day, the day before, I found what without worrying about how. But now I'm doing it. Seven years it is now.

You've been a coach for seven years.

I became author also, which I never thought. It was not in my dream that I can write. But something like, see, we have all the talents and ability inside us and.

That'S a big leap also, right? Being an author, I mean you had your own insecurities about coming from. You thought that. You said you were not confident because you said you were not good in English. But here you are public speaking, you're giving interviews, you've written a book. That transition has been because you started changed your beliefs.

Yeah, it is. Yeah, right word change in my beliefs. It was my belief about me. I can do this, I can't do this. And that was holding me back.

And now you're helping others change their beliefs. Talk us through that process of like how you transition into when you Came back to Dubai after this training. Training. How did you set up your coaching?

Yeah, so I became consultant. But for first seven months I didn't do anything. Even after investing this kind of money. $32,000.

Yeah.

Having franchisee with Bob Proctor as a consultant. And then because see in Dubai like I was on job and we have like those mindset or guidelines that when you are working for a company you should not do anything else. So those that fear back of my mind was holding me back and I didn't took any action. So next again I went to September for my consultants training and Bob says, why you are coming here? You didn't do anything, you have not helped anybody. Because if I am having clients, Bob will come to know. So I have to give program license and then I have to coach. Now my confidence was not that great that I can coach. Another thing is what if my company comes to know? What if my team will come to know? What if my clients see me doing something and then the message will be spread and I will lose my credibility and all kind of nuisance happening in my mind. But then when I went to Bob, he says, if you want to do, I will help you. But if you don't want to do and if you want to come up with these excuses, he was very blunt. Yeah, he says, I will help you but you have to do what I am telling you to do. So I surrendered. Like see after investing this much, I have surrendered. He says, okay, go to your boss and ask his permission that you want to do this part time. Now this was kind of suicidal attempt because if this is not working, you will be in the blacklist, you will be on the radar. But then he knew like see that's why mentors are very important in life. They will see something in you which you can't see. So I went to my CEO, I was reporting to owner of the company and within 10, 15 seconds he says do it.

Wow.

So something which I was holding myself back, Universe was ready, conspired everything. But it was me who was not taking action. And then he says, do it, but help your team also. Because I was team leader, I was executive director at that time. He says, help your team with this material. Because I was investing in me company definitely was getting benefited because when I was improving, my results were improving. But he says, teach your team also. And that gave me an open ground to practice. So Bob Proctor give me advice that do this for part time for two years, stretch yourself. He says, don't mix your work with this. Do it. In part time. Do it in your weekends. Stretch yourself. You have to stretch. I did that. And then time came. He pushed me. He says now it is time to resign. He says enough is enough. You cannot have security and freedom both at same time. You are not leaving your security, but you want freedom. It's never going to come. Now you had practiced enough. It is three years commit which date you are going to resign. So he took my commitment. So it was January 2019. I went to Los Angeles for training. So since then I was given going for training every three, four months. I was traveling to Canada or U.S. so it is. I paid the price. It is not that.

Yeah. You've invested so much in this. I mean, also you travel your.

So I was using for those five, four or six, five years my leave, annual leave for this traveling, for these travels. But it was worth. If somebody says, was it easy? No. Was it worth thousand times? Yeah, Because I became a different person with all those what I did.

Yeah.

And then he pushed me. He says now enough is enough. Give a date. So I committed my date that okay, I will submit my resignation on the 1st of April 2019. And the 30th of June will be my last date on the same year, three months. Because I had three months notice period. But say. He says, okay, good enough. But now every day you have to write and solidify this decision. You have to reinforce this decision every day. So I was writing a statement that I'm so happy and grateful now that I am a full time. So I submitted my resignation as on the 1st of April 2019 and I am full time thinking into result consultant from 1st July 2019 onwards. So he was helping me to build those pictures. He was helping me to reinforce that decision every day.

Yeah.

He says otherwise what happens today you have taken decision. But after few weeks that decision will lose its energy. So you have to make that decision every day.

It will fade away otherwise.

Right, Otherwise it fade away. But I was making that decision every day.

Yeah.

So when the first of April came, I was calm and relaxed. Even though I was giving up big salary. I was getting close to Dh169,000 in my job. It was not that easy.

Huge salary, with such a long career.

Yeah. And then I have not done that coaching. It was not a full time. But then if I want freedom, I have to give up security. But then what he helped me. So that time learning from Robert Kiyosaki.

Yeah.

So I was building my financial freedom.

Right.

So what was happening with new Level of awareness, learn from Bob. And helping my team. My team was becoming better. So my team was becoming better. Company was getting benefited every year there was a growth of 30, 40%. Company was rewarding me and my team and that was making my financial freedom journey very shorter. My compensation every year it was increasing by 30, 40% and that that was making me to invest in real estate assets, building my passive income portfolio. And then when day came, I was fine to leave.

So by this time because you were also investing in real estate and you were. So you started your passive income. So it kind of gave you that confidence that yes, you can continue to.

My mentor says that don't make foolish decision. Don't just leave your job because of emotional. You have to plan, make sure that your family is not suffered. So even though I left my job four years back, my family is enjoying better life.

Yeah.

I've moved from two bedroom to three bedroom, three bedroom to four bedroom. And we are living better life than we were living before. Brilliant.

Deepak, when you look back at this journey of yours, when you know, starting from the schoolboy from Kutch to the businessman that you have become, the coach that you have become. Right. Who would you like to give credit to for your success?

Yeah, many people starting with my parents, whom I have seen values even though we were not financially that strong. But they never made me to feel that we have lack of money at the same time, the relationship they were building with people. My father, he has worked in one company for 40 years. So loyalty is important, ethics are important, give more value. I have seen my father giving more value than what he was being compensated. So all those things were unconsciously programmed. And then at every level, different mentors. My family like see, without my family, my wife's support, definitely it would not have been possible. She allowed me to travel all the way for trainings, investing, making this kind of crazy decision. Even when I have decided to leave my job. My parents were little bit upset. This is why you want to explore something new, which you never did. You are very happy, you have good facility from company. Company is happy with you. Why you want to take this risk. But yeah, wife, my kids, they have supported me and then mentors. So I understood the importance of mentor in life. My mentorship journey started formal mentorship with Robert Kiyosaki, Bob Proctor. I have mentor Andy Harrington. So public speaking because I knew that if I want to be a coach and if I want to coach and group, I need to be good at public speaking.

Yeah.

So I have been mentor for public speaking who is in Ukraine, he was regularly coming to Dubai. I invested almost 150,000 Dirham with him.

For public speaking.

For public speaking.

Wow. So this is one thing I've noticed in your journey that you know you've constantly invested, you've always invested in yourself, time, effort and money. Yes, right. And you have you never held back from investing in yourself.

I'm still investing. I have business coach now. Rajiv Talreja. Because being me as an employee, my mindset was different.

Yeah.

And there is a big difference between employee mindset and entrepreneur mindset. Entrepreneur mindset has to be with prosperity and abundance. As an employee we think differently. When you are jumping from that world to new world, it is totally like when I jump from there. Even though I wanted to be a coach, I didn't have business skills, I didn't have coaching skills and I didn't have technology skills. Now all these three were required. So I had another mentor who helped me on technology skills, being presentable on videos courses, social media. Now I never thought, if I look back four years I never went on social media Facebook now I can go in few seconds and just.

Yeah. So which you do live sessions on.

LinkedIn which was not me but it was there in me. But then it was my self limiting beliefs were not allowing to come out. I thought I'm shy person, I'm introvert, what other people will say when I'm going on social media I'm not looking good, Lights are not proper, cameras are not proper. All those things were there. But then Bob Proctor was pushing and then what happened when I left my job in July couple of months I thought I will not do anything because after working for 30 years I wanted to enjoy freedom. And then I started doing trainings in person and then February Covid started so everything in person stopped. So you don't know what kind of challenges, what kind of obstacles, what kind of uncertainty are there on your way. And my entire model which I have prepared was collapsed. There was no in person meetings. I was meeting people on coffee and then I was helping them with program which is stopped.

Yeah.

But that time Bob has made a model for consultants and he was helping how we can improve online presence. So it was all came started online. So when when you are taking one action universe will make it happen.

Yeah, yeah. What's your advice for people who are at their job right now and want to get started in their own, you know, entrepreneurial journey? They want to start their own business. What's your advice for them?

So they have to start seeing those pictures. Everything starts with pictures. Only dream, hope or wish will not help.

Yeah.

Unless it is turned into burning desire.

You have a model here, I want you to show that.

Yeah. So. Yeah, so this is. So it is all about alignment. Like see. So this is what Bob Proctor's model, which I learned and I'm following since last more than seven years. So Bob says success is about alignment or financial freedom is about alignment. Or anything you do. If everything is aligned, like take example of suppose there is some machinery and there are gears. Now if gears are not aligned, like in car, if shaft is not aligned with the wheel, it will not, it will break.

Like that's what yoga is all about, right?

Yoga is the union of alignment of alignment. It will help you in alignment. So Bob Proctor, I learned from him that success is 95% mindset, 5% strategy. But unfortunately we focus a lot on strategy. We do feasibility report and then we make a decision. And if feasibility report, if worst case scenario is stronger, people give up that plan, that project. Now Bob always says, think from best case scenario, what best can happen. What if this works, how your life will change. So if anybody in the job and wants to switch, start building those pictures, start using your imagination. So this model, if I explain. So this is Bob's model. It's called stick person. And this is, imagine that this is the big circle is mind and small circle is body. Yeah. These five, these five are senses. These antennas. So we see, hear, smell, taste and touch. And this is how we receive information. So right now you are receiving information using your senses, seeing and hearing audience also who are watching this podcast, they are also receiving and it goes here in conscious mind. So our conscious mind connects us with outside world. Now, 95% information we receive is not helping us. There is lot of it is information overload. And particularly with the social media. Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, newspaper, other people. All those information comes and that time, if we allow that circumstances, those information take control of our thinking, we lose control. It says we become what we think about. Or there is a book which Bob was reading for 62 years. Think and grow rich. It doesn't say work and grow rich. Think and grow rich. So thoughts are here. Thoughts are one of the. Or thinking is one of the mental gift. And his mentor Earl Nightingale says only 2% people in the world they think or. Sorry, 1% people they think. 2% people they think they are thinking. And 97% people rather prefer die to than thinking. So thinking is hardest thing. Mental activity is not thinking. Most of the people are busy with mental activity. So thinking should be based on our desire, our dreams, our imagination. Not based on our present result. Most of the people they will look at their present result. That can be bank balance. That can be P and L report. That can be medical report Students it is a results. And based on they will decide what kind of person they are now. Okay till that time, these are their results. But not necessarily that future also will be the same results. You can always change it. So when you create those thoughts of your dream, your wants and then believing it. So subconscious mind only understand language of emotions. Conscious mind is logical mind. Subconscious mind is emotional mind. And here we have belief system. We have past experiences, past mistakes, our programming. So unless we don't change here there will be always knowing and doing gap. So with body we take action. So people are carrying lot of degrees, knowledge certificates. But their results are different. They are not happy with their results. Now why? It is because this part is missed subconscious mind. So to change subconscious mind one has to do paradigm shift. Paradigms are nothing but our programming. So we are using this digital device. It works on programs correct. And regularly we update it. We get message that okay, now new version is available and we update after few years we change the device also. But then what about ourselves? Most of the people they think that once they finish their college education learning is done and they stop learning. Learning is a lifelong journey. And that's what one of the reason why I left my job to do this. I wanted to give full time to learning. I didn't want it. Somebody tells me that okay, come this time to the office. Go home this time, have your lunch this time.

Yeah, you wanted your freedom and dedicate time to learning.

And small small choices. Like say I made a choice every day 2:30 in the afternoon I do yoga. People say okay early morning I made a choice. I want to do yoga at 2:30. Now my job. If I was in job, that freedom will not be there. I have decided to go for three retreats every year. I am doing it. Last year I went three places. Three retreats. I did one. I did vipassana. I love meditation. I did Vipassana for 10 days. I went to Bangalore for Jindal for my nature cure. And then I went to art of living in Bangalore. I stayed there for seven days. So these are small, small choice of freedom.

That's freedom, right?

This freedom. This Two months back I went to mountaineering. I went for mountaineering.

You did trekking, hiking.

Yeah, I did. I went 11,000ft height for 4 days continuous trekking, carrying my backpack of 12kg weight myself with mentor. So I had a mentor.

Yeah. Talking of mentors and talking of learning here, you know, let's kind of wrap up here. One final question as we wrap up, right. For the, for the audience, for the people who would like to reach out to you and benefit from the, from the services, the coaching that you're offering here. What's the best way that people can reach out to you?

So I'm available on LinkedIn. Deepak Badra. So I'm more active on LinkedIn because I know that professionals and business owners, they are active on LinkedIn. Yeah. Sometimes I go on Facebook, but otherwise I live in Dubai. They can search on my name. My, my information is available. I regularly do online master classes also. So one of the master class I'm doing on the 15th of July, which was my first day of freedom four years back.

Right.

So you're celebrating that I'm celebrating. So my master class name is Security to Freedom.

Security to freedom and 15th of July. I think by the time this episode comes out, it might be already passed now because we'll publish the episode later, but we'll include your LinkedIn profile in the show notes and in the YouTube description and book that you've written. Grow youw Money Tree. Is this also available on Amazon?

This is available on Amazon. It is internationally. India or UAE also.

Right.

And this book I have written in a simple language which I understood.

Yeah.

Not that complicated. My own practical, small, small things which made me financially free.

Yeah. So check out the book, it's available on Amazon. Deepak, how was your experience being on the show?

Amazing. Like, see this is what like I, I love inspiring people. Somebody inspired me. Somebody helped me to change my life. Somebody helped me to shift my paradigms. And one of the mission of my mentor now, Bob Proctor passed away last year in February at the age of 88. So till the age of 88 he was helping people. He has changed millions of lives. Now what he is talking through me now. It is my responsibility to touch more lives. But yes, people condition is they should be willing and they should be prepared to pay the price. Now pay the price is not only money making some habits, helping bringing some disciplines. Those small, small things make a big difference.

Brilliant.

And building financial freedom is the best gift I feel that I'd given to myself and anybody likes it. Now if I was not financially free, I don't think I would be doing this with this much passion.

Absolutely. Yeah. And it's such a wonderful journey, wonderful story that you have. Thank you so much for, you know.

Thank you. Thanks.

Coming on the show and sharing that with us. So, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, that's Deepak Bhadra, the author of Grow youw Money Tree and the founder of Abundant Living. And you've been watching and listening to Be youe Own Boss.