Transporting a business

Treading a solo road on her father Jal’s demise in 1996, Yasmin Mistry has chosen to put into high gear Mistry Transport Service, a trucking enterprise founded by her paternal grandfather Minocher more than half a century ago. "My father was only 53 years old when he died. He had not been keeping well and so had considerably reduced the level of our business,” Yasmin states.

His early death threw his family — consisting of wife Arnavaz, noted social worker, and young daughters Yasmin and Mehroo — into a dilemma. Should the business be shut down or should the family try to make a go of it? "Managing a transport company is a trying task even for a man,” asserts Arnavaz. Yasmin was only 22 at that time, but "with her grit, undaunting spirit and astute judgment,” she self-started the business, even bringing back many old clients, commends the mother. "We had absolutely no knowledge of the business as Dad would not let us come anywhere near, believing that it was not a job for ladies,” remarks Mehroo (now Turel). "It was my personal decision,” adds Yasmin. "I decided to give it a shot. If I were successful, well and good, if not I would have taken it in my stride.”

Within three years, she had set up two business operation units with a working force of 20 office employees and 100 on her fleet payroll, elucidates Arnavaz. Running a company with around 50 trucks (including trailers) and tankers which convey a variety of freight from the docks to different destina­tions in Bombay, Yasmin is reportedly the only Parsi lady sole proprietor of a trucking business. Transportation to upcountry destinations is under consideration as a future possibility, specifies Yasmin.

Igniting the positive spark, Yasmin dismisses the difficulties associated with the running of the enterprise. Yes, of course there are day-to-day problems, she says. "The business environment we are in is somewhat different. Drivers/cleaners are not educated people, so one has to be realistic and practical.” Being a woman employer does not make a substantial difference, she believes. "I do supervize personally, but I delegate as well. Ours is a combined effort. I would say I’ve been lucky. If the people around you are nice, things fall into place. At the end of the day there is no difficulty that cannot be surmounted. It has to be smooth sailing,” she declares.

Mistry Transport Service (far left) and proprietor Yasmin Mistry; Zenobia Davar (inset)

An ex-student of J. B. Vachha High School at Dadar, Yasmin did her BCom from Sydenham College and her MCom from Bombay University. Her range of interests included being captain of the Dadar Parsi Colony volleyball team, playing badminton and other indoor games. Starting off by taking part in intercollegiate beauty contests, Yasmin took to ramp modelling and her career gathered momentum when she was selected for prestigious advertis­ing campaigns for Godrej’s Fresca soap, Hindustan Lever’s Sun­silk, Raymond, etc. She was on the verge of signing up for two movies when her father’s demise decelerated all these activities. "My father always wanted me to be an IAS (Indian Administrative Service) officer. I wanted to be a lawyer!” laughs the lady who says she loves to read astrology and believes in the stars, and who likes making good friends. "Yasmin made a lot of personal sacrifices, giving up modelling and spending a lot of time understanding the business,” remarks Mehroo, a Tata Administrative Service officer, now with Tata Interactive Systems.

"I have absolutely no regrets,” Yasmin maintains. "If you sit down with regrets, you’ll never move forward. I live with the present.” Challenges mold people into becoming stronger, she avers, citing the example of her mother who chooses to go out of her way to perform magnanimous ministrations when there is no compelling reason for her to do so. "It is very easy to sign a donation cheque. It is very difficult to execute the charity and to do the kind of work she voluntarily does at the Parsee Ward at the J. J. Hospital, the Ackworth Leprosy Home, the Don Bosco Shelter for street children, the Kamala Mehta blind school, the Jai Vakeel School for children in need of special care, the Young Rathestars where she is currently president, etc. I am really proud of her,” states Yasmin.

Yasmin can be contacted at Mistry Transport Service, tel: 4139206 at Dadar.