Entrepreneurs Today reached out to Dhara Shah, Vice President at Bonanza Portfolio Limited, a wealth management firm where we cater to clients’ investment needs.
With a degree in Product Management from IIM Lucknow, Dhara is also a graduate in Accounting and Finance and holds a globally recognised certification as a Certified Financial Planner from FPSB India.
She has been actively involved as an alumna and was recently recognised as one of the top women entrepreneurs, receiving awards in the “Under 40” category. This recognition came, in part, due to her achievements in projects during Dhara’s IIM curriculum.
At Bonanza, Dhara caters to the HNI and Ultra-HNI segments, aiming to provide tailored roadmaps for their investment journeys.
Starting Early
Before joining Bonanza, Dhara worked at My Financial Advisor, an independent financial advisory firm, where they focused on creating financial plans based on clients’ personal goals. Dhara asserts,
“The concept of financial planning is vital because it prevents advisors from selling anything solely based on their interests.”
She was there for about two and a half years. Right after graduation, Dhara joined a smaller firm to gain experience and then moved to My Financial Advisor before joining Bonanza
Interviewer: What is your current role at Bonanza?
Dhara: “I started my journey with Bonanza as an entry-level employee. I’ve now been here for nearly 10 years. I began as a financial planner and then moved up through various roles. Now, as VP, I lead the product division, bridging the gap between our products and the end clients. I also lead a team of about 15 to 20 members.”
About Bonanza
Established in 1994, Bonanza is a financial powerhouse, with a presence in over 600 cities and more than 1,000 outlets across India.
Catering to a wide range of financial needs, the group offers a full spectrum of services, whether clients seek fixed-income products or other investment solutions. Bonanza is grounded in a client-centric approach, ensuring the offerings align with clients’ needs.
Bonanza’s portfolio management services (PMS) began around 2003-2004, and they currently manage about ₹250 crores in the PMS segment. Dhara reveals,
“We aim to grow this to over ₹1,000 crores in the next couple of years. Recently, we launched a mutual fund PMS product. Many clients invest in mutual funds but often fail to monitor and review them; our product helps clients optimize these investments for better returns. We’re also entering the Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) space as part of our expansion in wealth management.”
Navigating Challenges
Even though there have been many obstacles on the way, Dhara wouldn’t necessarily call those challenges. All it required to overcome them is the right management with careful scrutiny.
Dhara believes that working with a diverse team and clients means adapting to different personalities and expectations. For example, in a down market, some clients may worry about losses, while others are more understanding.
“I always emphasise that trust is foundational in client relationships. I train my team to proactively communicate and build trust so clients feel secure.”
Interviewer: What is the key to mastering client handling, especially when the clients are difficult?
Dhara: “I find it helpful to put myself in their shoes first, to understand their perspective. If portfolios are down, we explain the actions we’re taking to recover losses. My management always encourages us to proactively communicate with clients rather than waiting for them to reach out with concerns. This approach builds confidence and trust in our relationship with clients.”
Celebrating Feats
“There are about 350 PMS providers in India. It’s gratifying that Bonanza is often ranked among the top five to ten in this space, given our 10-year journey in PMS. While many competitors are doing well, our performance and commitment to client returns have built our reputation.”
For Bonanza, the journey started in 1994 with a focus on broking services. Over time, they’ve won awards such as Best Wealth Management Company and Promising Wealth Management Company. Their portfolio management Services (PMS) have also been awarded a three-star best rating scheme, owing to the quality of stocks they carefully select.
Bonanza has also been honoured under the BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) segment.
Personally, aside from the “Under 40” and Women Entrepreneur Awards, Dhara takes great pride in her journey from financial planning to portfolio management services, and now working with institutional clients. She expresses,
“The greatest sense of achievement I get is from helping people and families reach their goals, providing guidance, and setting them on the right path. Whether they invest with Bonanza or not is secondary; my goal is simply to encourage them to invest wisely. At the end of the day, I’m genuinely happy knowing that, in some way, I’m helping people accomplish what they aspire to.”
Plans Ahead
A few years down the line, Dhara hopes to be part of the management team. But beyond that, her bigger aspiration is to build a team that can create more individuals likeherself, who can serve this industry effectively and with greater impact. She notes,
“I want us to be able to reach and support all those investors who struggle daily, especially in regions that are still untapped, where people may not be fully aware if they’re on the right path with their investments. So, if you ask about my vision, it’s to grow tenfold, so that we’re truly able to guide and support them.”
Major Takeaways
One thing Dhara has learned over the years is that women are born with certain blessings within, be it multitasking, intuition, and a natural tendency to save. However, some often face challenges in turning these qualities into professional strengths.
Dhara mentions that here are many independent women and entrepreneurs who have taken that step, and she often follows and recommends others to go through these portals and blogs where one can read about their journeys and successes.
She also adds,
“What I would advise is to have confidence in yourself. Don’t question whether you’re capable or worry about potential failures. Failures are a part of success—they are stepping stones on the path forward. It’s all about having the passion and interest to keep moving forward without focusing too much on the immediate outcome. Based on my experience, results will come as you take each step forward. Every step guides you to the next, and that’s how you progress.”
She reminds everyone to listen to their heart and keep going. Lastly, she signs off saying,
“In my journey, I didn’t worry about the outcome. I just kept going, and that led me to where I am today. So, try not to worry too much about the results.”
