Today we’d like to introduce you to Vikram Mehta.
Hi Vikram, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Mpire Events is India’s leading luxury event planning company, celebrated for its meticulous execution, strategic planning, and global expertise. Headquartered in Mumbai, India Mpire has orchestrated exceptional experiences across numerous cities in India while also establishing an elite international footprint spanning Hawaii, Florida, Italy, Greece, France, England, Portugal, Malaysia, Indonesia, Hong Kong, Thailand, Bahrain, UAE, Turkey, Qatar, Muscat and Sri Lanka.
Vikram Mehta, the owner and founder of Red Om Entertainment (back then a popular brand for nightlife, international artist tours and social events), noticed a significant demand for his services in personalization of events. He noted that his clientele valued creativity over cheap clones. Through his own social interactions, Vikram reasoned that soon-to-wed couples in particular were weary of copy-paste events that overlooked individuality and creativity. This slowly shaped into an idea that eventually led to Mpire, in 2012.
Now recognized as a veteran with 20+ years of event experience, when he’s not planning a wedding in some part of the world, Vikram accepts guest lecturing in universities & attends global summits as a keynote speaker. As someone who started at 21, he now strives and hopes to foster young, budding entrepreneurs! He also has founded Institution, a platform to raise, guide and direct young entrepreneurs in the right direction.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has always been bumpy, albeit a joyride. Every year and every season brings about new pressures and challenges right from Covid, to crash of economy to International shores being shut and geopolitical disturbances. Besides the external sources including drama at weddings with erratic weather, challenges from the point of view of large families at big fat weddings with multiple family members involvement are usually the hardest to deal with. It thus becomes imperative to work with clients who are like minded and probably on the same EQ level as you!
Another massive challenge is to identify client budgets and trying to still maintain standards and give them everything that the industry that is in trend without exceeding their estimates. Finding ways to maintain transparent communication through the process and also finding the right fit of service providers is an infinite process and one of the more glaring challenges of wedding planning.
From an internal Mpire point of view – retaining quality staff, training them, building new age leaders and maintaining a certain standard of execution season after season, year after year is a challenge that I thrive on.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
Event Management happened to me by chance. I was preparing for my CAT for post-grad in the U.S.; I attended a couple of social events and I was almost inherently drawn to the line. I saw a massive market for the concept of creating something unique (not so unique anymore), which people dress up and look forward to for hours/days in advance.
At 21, I founded Red Om Entertainment (my first company), and managed India’s finest nightlife destinations – Poison, Prive and Royalty among others. Red Om Entertainment brought the world’s biggest names in entertainment to India for some of the largest high-profile concerts and events that have won both, critical and mass acclaim.
Over time, I noticed a significant demand for my services in personalization of events. I also felt it was time to innovate myself because social events come with their limitations of challenging you as an entrepreneur.
I chanced upon weddings when I managed a friends’ cousin’s big day. Since management came naturally the overall concepts didn’t intimidate me. It was my first tryst with the joys and pressures of working on the biggest day of someone’s life. One wedding led to another and then another and that’s how wedding planning found me.
For Mpire and what sets us apart, it simply comes down to approach. It’s very clear from the very first meeting with the bride/groom/family, that I am a friend, a newfound family member who is here to help you sail your ship through. We have an unconventional approach and it is usually clear to both the parties by the first or second meeting, if we are or aren’t made for each other.
We also are destination specialist – over a season of 6-8 months we tend to do on an average 22-24 weddings, and we rarely have any venue or location repeated. It’s almost a new city or country every week. Over time the ability to handle new locations and acclimatise ourselves to unique venues without being overawed by the occasion has helped us stand apart!
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I personally did not have a mentor but like I mentioned earlier, my biggest learning was through my 20s and my first company. The fact that I had 8 years of entrepreneurship before I started Mpire Events, really helped me take the right steps. I was very much inspired by my brother and Dad who are both successful as professionals in service industry..
In terms of networking, I think the fact that I was in the Mumbai social circuit with my first company helped and one thing led to another. Different groups of youngsters, brides and bridesmaids kept referring to me for weddings. This has even transcended across US and UK with a large network of Non Residential Indians (NRI) now coming to us from New York, London, Kenya, Spain etc through their friends. IF I had to give you one advice on this, whether it’s during a client pitch or at networking events, don’t be desperate for business. It’s quite evident and the energy it gives puts you off a commanding position.
I do mentor a lot of people though who are aspiring planners or people who are half way there! My concentration is on longevity and growing sustainable businesses. We are in the instant gratification era. Swipe right, swipe left, don’t like switch to next reel or the next app. If you want to be successful for a lifetime, you need to start accepting delayed gratification. It is by no means a compromise; it only means you were patient enough to wait to get where you were meant to be.
Pricing:
- 500000 USD and above
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.mpireweddings.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mpirevents
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mpirevents
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/mpireweddings/
- Twitter: https://x.com/mpireweddings?s=21
- Youtube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCHDsOwkUG9Q8kP9kKNUq6qg
- Other: https://in.pinterest.com/vkmpire/
