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The CEO of Destimoney, a Mumbai-based financial services firm, describes his company’s journey to success. After joining the equity brokerage services firm in 2011, he explored ways to make the business more viable and sustainable. Capital markets were in a downturn, retail investors were deserting, and global markets were near crisis — outside-the-box thinking was needed to survive. Costs had to be kept under control and the business needed growth. A focus on high net worth individuals and traders was decided on. Destimoney created a franchise network, which was more suited to a nation with many languages than setting up branches across the country. On the product side, the firm focused on bringing out options strategies based on the risk appetites of clients and market conditions, and might have been the first company in India to do so in a big way. The firm spotted an uptrend in commodity markets, acquired commodity brokerage licenses, and built a flourishing commodity brokerage business. Destimoney grew exponentially in 2011, despite the year being among the worst for Indian financial markets. It then developed an outsourcing model for non-core activities and diversified into third-party products like life insurance, focusing on the tier 2, 3, and 4 cities, where penetration was especially low. The firm also launched a small wealth management business in seven leading cities across country. As the article shows, penetration of financial services in India is very low, and business models that cater to the needs of the masses carry the potential for success.