TheCconnects: Vikas, Guardians Group has grown from zero to a ₹60-crore organization in just three years, without external funding. That’s a remarkable story. Take us back to the beginning-how did your professional journey shape the leader you are today?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
My journey has been deeply rooted in understanding people, systems, and discipline. Before Guardians, I spent years observing how security and facilities management were often treated as transactional services rather than strategic enablers. Guards were deployed, contracts were signed, but human potential was largely ignored.
When we founded Guardians Group in 2022, the idea was simple but powerful: build a people-first organization. I believed that if we trained, respected, and empowered individuals-especially youth from economically weaker sections-we wouldn’t just build a company; we’d build a movement. Every phase of my career reinforced one belief: sustainable growth comes from investing in people before processes.
TheCconnects: Guardians is often described as purpose-driven. What personal experiences influenced this philosophy?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Early in my career, I worked alongside people who were highly committed but lacked formal training or opportunity. It made me question why industries like security, which are critical to society, didn’t prioritize structured skill development. Within the Indian physical security industry, demand for integrated, proactive systems is rising sharply, driven by the need for real-time oversight across widely dispersed facilities.
That’s what led to the creation of the Guardians Training Academy. Over 70% of our workforce today comes from economically weaker backgrounds. When someone earns a uniform, a skill, and a sense of purpose, the transformation is profound. That belief drives everything we do.
TheCconnects: Scaling so rapidly without external funding is rare. What were the toughest challenges during this growth phase?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
The biggest challenge was trust-both from clients and from the team. In the early days, convincing enterprise clients to trust a young organization with critical security responsibilities wasn’t easy. We overcame that by being obsessive about quality, compliance, and transparency.
Internally, the challenge was consistency. Growth can dilute culture if you’re not careful. We invested heavily in standard operating procedures, in-house training, Technology and leadership development. Every new site, every new contract had to reflect our core values-Consistency, Commitment, and Country. That discipline helped us scale responsibly.
TheCconnects: The security and facilities management sector is often perceived as commoditized. How do you differentiate Guardians in such a competitive space?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
We provide trained security personnel supported by smart technology ensuring comprehensive, layered protection, crisis response, and deterrence for diverse client. Our differentiation lies in integration-people, process, and technology. From our in-house training academy and 24/7 control room to Guard Monitoring Technology, Quick Response Teams, and Key Account Managers, every element is designed to reduce risk for clients.
We also take time to understand the client’s business. A tech park, a hospital, and a manufacturing unit face very different security threats and risks. Customization is key. That’s why many of our clients see us as partners, not vendors.
TheCconnects: Technology is reshaping every industry. How is Guardians leveraging technology without losing the human element?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Technology should enhance human capability, not replace it. We use tech for monitoring, analytics, and rapid response-areas where precision matters. But the foundation is still the person on the ground.
Our Guard Monitoring Technology ensures accountability, while our control rooms provide real-time oversight. At the same time, we focus heavily on soft skills, ethics, and situational judgment. A well-trained human supported by the right technology is far more effective than either alone. We are here to offer a career and not just another job.
TheCconnects: You’ve expanded beyond security into integrated facilities management. What drove this strategic shift?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Clients increasingly want single-point accountability. Managing multiple vendors for security, housekeeping, engineering, and office support creates inefficiencies and risk gaps. We already had the operational discipline and workforce management expertise-expanding into integrated facilities management was a natural progression.
Today, we offer end-to-end solutions that allow clients to focus on their core business while we manage the environment in which that business operates. It’s about simplifying complexity for our clients.
TheCconnects: With such operational intensity, how do you personally unwind or find balance?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
I believe leadership requires mental clarity. I spend my free time reading-mostly biographies and books on leadership and nation-building. I also make it a point to visit our sites and training centres. Interacting directly with our teams keeps me grounded.
Seeing someone grow from an unemployed youth to a confident professional is incredibly energizing. That, in itself, is a form of balance.
TheCconnects: What key leadership lessons has this journey taught you?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
I practice and preach the 7 habits of Highly effective people by Stephen Covey. Many organizations burn bright and fade; we’ve grown steadily because we focus on fundamentals every single day.
I’ve also learned that leadership is about service. When your team knows you genuinely care about their growth and well-being, they’ll go the extra mile for the organization.
TheCconnects: Looking at the broader business landscape, what do you see as the biggest challenge for brands today?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Authenticity. Customers and employees alike can see through superficial branding. In the digital age, your culture eventually becomes public. Brands that don’t align their internal values with external messaging struggle to sustain trust.
For service brands especially, execution is the brand. One failure on the ground can undo years of reputation-building. That’s why operational excellence is non-negotiable for us.
TheCconnects: What advice would you give aspiring entrepreneurs, particularly those entering service-driven industries?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Start with purpose, not valuation. Service industries are built on trust, patience, and discipline-quick wins are rare. Invest in people, build strong processes, and stay compliant from day one.
Most importantly, don’t compromise on ethics. In the long run, integrity compounds faster than any shortcut. If you build people with purpose, the business will follow.
TheCconnects: Finally, what’s next for Guardians Group?
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Our focus is on deepening impact-expanding training programs, adopting more advanced security technologies, and creating career pathways for thousands more youth. Growth is important, but meaningful growth matters more.
We see Guardians not just as a company, but as a contributor to nation-building. When people feel secure, businesses thrive-and when youth are empowered, the country moves forward.
TheCconnects: Thank you, Vikas, for sharing such an inspiring and grounded perspective. Your journey truly reflects leadership with purpose.
Vikas Kumar Sakhare:
Thank you. If our story inspires even a few people to build responsibly and lead with integrity, that itself is success.
