CEO Stories: Five things we learned from Mahirs Experience chief executive Harvir Sahota
Harvir Sahota, the chief executive of award-winning catering and events company Mahirs, was the latest guest on CEO Stories – a podcast from Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce which delves into the minds of the region’s best and brightest business leaders.
The podcast, hosted by GBCC chief executive Henrietta Brealey, is available in full on all major listening platforms such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Harvir has successfully scaled up his family’s business, which began life as a small Indian delicatessen. The original company was founded in the 1970s by Havir’s father and uncle.
It is now a multi award-winning firm which caters to around 100 venues nationwide and has been utilised by a string of A-List clients.
Here are five things we learned from Harvir’s chat Henrietta...
1) Sweet beginnings
Mahirs Experience evolved from a family business, founded in the 1970s, which served Indian sweet treats.
Harvir took over and rebranded the firm in 2005.
He explained: “It was established on the back of another family business, which was a small Indian delicatessen on the renowned Soho Road in Birmingham.
“Two brothers - one of which was my father, Mahir - founded the original business, Quality Sweets Centre, and that was a small eatery serving the local community with freshly made authentic Indian sweets and savouries.
“The business that they started developed a cult following and orders flowed as the reputation for the quality of the cuisine spread across the local community.
“As the business flourished I came into the business, we rebranded and Mahirs Experience was born.”
2) The Tony Robbins effect
Being in the presence of a serial entrepreneur, business strategist, philanthropist and best-selling author was a turning point in turbo-charging Harvir’s success.
He said: “A good friend of mine handed me a ticket to a Tony Robbins event called ‘Unleash the Power Within’.
“Believe it or not, at that time, I didn't actually know who Tony Robbins was and what the event was about.
“I attended the event and it certainly seemed to do exactly what it said on the tin.
“The consequences were, for me, a new sense of purpose, belief, clarity and strategy. I was hooked.”
3) From kitchen porter to CEO
Having implemented new systems and processes since joining the business, Harvir’s progression to the CEO position was a natural one.
But not, as he explains, until he had fulfilled every other role within the company.
Harvir said: “The title of CEO or managing director was more or less there or thereabouts when I founded the business.
“But only really after I served in every other role and position - from being a kitchen porter, van driver, sales executive, serving tables, managing events, bookkeeping.
“It's almost like I served an apprenticeship in my own business. I made sure that I fulfilled every other role so I could fully understand how the business operates at all levels.”
4) Cookery school
Harvir revealed that Mahirs are in talks with regional and national government to establish what is believed to be the UK’s first Indian cookery school.
He said: “The idea is to put something back into the community. We’ve got Artisan chefs working for us, we've got family members who have been doing this for years, and they’re happy to put back in.
“They want to bring on the next generation.”
5) Catering for Klopp?
Mahirs’ services have been used by a string of illustrious names including the Dalai Lama, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games athletes and Bollywood singer songwriters Diljit Dosanjh, Satinder Sartaaj, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Atif Aslam.
However, as a Liverpool FC supporter and season ticket holder, there is one famous name in particular who Harvir admits he would love to cater for.
“In a bittersweet way, it would have to be the current Liverpool manager, Jürgen Klopp and his leaving party,” he said, in reference to the German boss who will leave the Premier League club this summer after nine years.
“Jürgen is an inspirational leader for me and all I'm going to say is we're going to miss him when he leaves.”
