PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE
The principles that guide an investor are often shaped long before the first investment is made. For Ankit Patel, Co-Founder & Partner at Arunasset Investment Services, those principles were forged through an unconventional journey that began with door-to-door laptop sales before evolving into a career in personal finance and investment management. Those early experiences continue to influence his investment philosophy rooted in patience, measured decision-making and relationships that outlast market cycles.
Patel reflects on what inspired him to pursue a career in finance, the lessons he has drawn from cricket, books and fitness, and the principles that continue to shape his approach to investing, leadership and life.
· Every successful career has a defining starting point. What attracted you to finance and investing, and why did you choose it as a career?
My interest in finance began with a simple realisation – money influences almost every major decision in a person’s life, yet most people are never formally taught how to manage it well.
After completing my BBM from Christ College in 2007, I began with door to door laptop sales. That early role taught me lessons that remain relevant even today—how to be honest, work hard, take no shortcuts and earn trust over time.
After a couple of stints, my father persuaded me to enter the world of personal finance, economics and investments. This brought together several things that interested me: economics, markets, business, psychology and long-term decision-making. More importantly, it offered the opportunity to make a measurable difference in people’s lives.
I spent the five years employed at an investment advisory firm building experience in financial services. In 2016, my father and I founded Arunasset. Our objective was to build an advisory practice centred on clarity, transparency and long-term relationships rather than product selling or short-term performance. In 2023, I started 18 months of personal tuition with one of India’s finest economics professors.
What attracted me to finance was the intellectual challenge of understanding market cycles. What made me stay was the responsibility that comes with being trusted with someone’s financial future. Even today, that responsibility remains the most meaningful part of my work.
· Since you enjoy cricket, do you see any parallels between the sport and the world of investing? Whether it is patience, reading the game, or knowing when to take calculated risks, how has cricket influenced your approach to leadership and decision-making?
Cricket has taught me three things that apply equally to investing and leadership: never forget the basics, keep things simple, and do not be afraid to aim high. Keep your head still, watch the ball and hit it hard. At the same time, calculated risks matter—if you never buy the ticket, you cannot win the lottery.
· Two books you’ve often spoken about are The Intelligent Investor by Benjamin Graham and Mastering the Market Cycle by Howard Marks. Beyond investing, what life or leadership lessons have these books left you with, and do you find yourself applying them outside the boardroom as well?
Both books reinforced the importance of humility, discipline and perspective. The Intelligent Investor taught me to always leave a margin of safety—not just in investing, but in business decisions and life. Mastering the Market Cycle taught me that nothing, good or bad, lasts forever. Success can create overconfidence, while difficult periods can make people unnecessarily pessimistic. Try to stay balanced through both. The larger lesson is to avoid being carried away by the mood of the moment, remain patient and make decisions based on intelligence.
· You’ve maintained that both fitness and investing are long-term commitments rather than quick wins. In your experience, how do the habits that build physical fitness mirror the mind-set required to build lasting wealth?
Fitness and investing both reward consistency more than intensity. One great workout will not transform your body, just as one successful investment will not create lasting wealth. Progress comes from following the basics repeatedly, even when results are not immediately visible. Both also require patience, discipline and the willingness to stay committed through setbacks. You cannot constantly change your training programme or investment strategy because of short-term disappointment. The most important lesson is that meaningful results compound quietly over time. Show up regularly, manage risk, avoid shortcuts and trust the process.
· Every entrepreneur develops a personal philosophy over time. Is there a belief or principle that has consistently guided your decisions, especially during moments when the right choice wasn’t necessarily the easiest one?
My guiding principle has always been to choose what is right for the long term, even when it is uncomfortable in the short term. There is no greater currency in business than trust—build it consistently, and people will come to you.
· If you could spend a day with your younger self at the very beginning of your career, what advice would you offer and what lessons would you deliberately let your younger self learn the hard way?
My younger self would probably have more advice for me than I would for him. He would remind me that praise and success can make us comfortable, while difficulty makes us stronger. I would want to keep his enthusiasm, hunger and willingness to work hard without overthinking everything
