Rajeev Gupta is honest while admitting that his journey on the path to success was initiated with just $100 in capital when he started his career in Dubai in 1993. Today, Rajeev can afford to look back at the early days and reflect on his achievements with justifiable pride. Winning the coveted title of Global HR CEO of the Year, Rajeev’s company, Lime Source Consultancy was also recognised as the Best Global Talent Search Consultancy at the Global Excellence Awards UK in 2018.
Rajeev has since spurred his firm on to achieve even higher benchmarks while providing employment opportunities to millions not just in the UAE and in Asia, but untapped foreign markets such as Uganda, Kenya, Ghana, Zimbabwe, South Sudan, Myanmar, the Philippines, Vietnam, Canada and North America.
It was a conscious choice on Rajeev’s part to build his business around providing livelihoods, for in his words, “When we offer jobs, we also give people the chance to make their families believe in a better future and in doing so help reduce poverty and contribute to the betterment of society.”
Mantra for success
Such has been Lime Source Consultancy’s impact that the brand was recognised by King Oyo of Toro, Uganda (a UNAIDS Ambassador and the youngest reigning monarch as acknowledged by Guinness World Records) and the Queen Mother of Toro, Best Kemigisa, for providing employment to thousands across Africa.
On being asked to share his mantra for success, Rajeev says, “Dream big, learn the magic of empathy, and follow your passion.” He also strongly believes that never giving up is essential to success, as “winning is not about never failing, but about rising and learning from your mistakes to eventually achieve your goals.”
Page-turner
Amidst the chaos brought about by the pandemic, Rajeev made time to pen his insights and the lessons he learned while building his empire. It resulted in the publishing of his highly successful book, 50 Secrets of Success, in 2020, today an international bestseller, and made available on Amazon and other leading content retail platforms.
The book, a page-turner has Rajeev answering some of life’s biggest questions including why only few make it to the top, and the best education from top universities not always ensuring success. “I had this deep inner calling to reveal those secrets that make just 1 per cent of leaders possess 96 per cent of the world’s wealth, having personally experienced the entire process myself of creating an empire from scratch,” he says.
“I have been getting positive reviews and feedback from people around the world,” says Rajeev, thrilled at the overwhelming success of what he believes is his modest effort to inspire people to achieve great things.
Recognising the immense success of his book and his global impact, the UAE government has offered Rajeev the coveted Dubai long-term residence Golden Visa, reserved for those who have contributed immensely to enriching the cultural diversity and economic development of the UAE, and the advancement of human society.
A family that inspires
Among the milestones in his life, Rajeev considers meeting his life partner, Neetu as the most important and coveted. “She not only changed my life for good but also infused new levels of energy to our Lime Source family,” says Rajeev, adding, “she is blessed with huge reserves of talent and with immense creativity. With Neetu stepping into my life, I learned the art of touching people’s lives and building long-term business relationships.”
Rajeev also attributes his success to his parents - to his mother, who taught him to convert adversity into opportunity through sheer hard work and passion, and to his father, who helped Rajeev foster the twin values of honesty and humanity, the pillars he believes his achievements are founded on.
Though his legacy is established, Rajeev continues to aspire towards bigger contributions to society. “I want to be remembered as one who has impacted the lives of millions and who helped create a better future for aspiring leaders across borders, and the generations to come.”
