On this special occasion of Father’s Day, we pay tribute to the enduring bond between fathers and their children, especially within the realm of cargo and logistics. As a celebration of this unique connection, Apace Digital Cargo reached out to S L Sharma, Chairman, Skyways Group and his son, Yashpal Sharma, Managing Director, Skyways Group who shared their remarkable experiences of working side by side in their company. Through their insights, we aim to explore the profound impact of these father-child relationships on the legacy and success of their businesses. Here are the excerpts:

How has your shared passion for the logistics industry influenced your decision to work together?

S L Sharma : When I joined the Logistics industry in 1968, it was more of a financial stability seeking decision. However, over the years I saw this industry to be so unique and progressive that my interest grew manifold, leading to a passionate relationship with this sector. There has always been a strong urge in the morning to get up from the bed and head to office and remain actively charged to do more.

I am most fortunate to have a wonderful family, especially my wife and children, who observed and supported me in these many years. Somewhere, a connect was made with my children to join the logistics Industry on their free will and carry forward the business.

Yashpal Sharma : I explored the garments industry for couple of months after completing my graduation. I was not sure of joining my father’s business but he insisted that I come and get a feel of the industry for few months. As I came in for a couple of hours everyday the buzz of this industry pulled me like a magnet. I loved the vibrance and versatility of logistics industry. In about 12 months of being here I was sure that this is where I wanted to put all my mind and efforts into. I became part of this growing industry and embraced it my with whole heart. During my journey of close to 3 decades, I have seen the company expand into various spheres of logistics in Air Freight, Ocean Freight, Fairs & Exhibition logistics, Express, First & Last mile logistics and more.

What are some of the unique challenges and opportunities you’ve encountered while working in the logistics sector as a father and son team?

S L Sharma : The initial years working with my sons was all about translating and instilling the core values I had for our business to them. The company could only move forward with a good sync between me and the sons. As they got in new energy and ideas to the business but it was important that the same were also in line with our core values. The creation of sync is the biggest challenge that was there. However, there was opportunity for growth with the new and innovative ideas that the sons got to the business. Their fresh energy and fearless attitude is such positive to the business too.

Yashpal Sharma : Overall, working in the logistics sector as a father and son team has presented us with both challenges and opportunities. It has required open communication, trust, and careful planning to deal with the dynamics of a business that was established by my father 40 years ago with a handful of merely 5 people.

When my father started out, then the logistics landscape was very complex and had manual and paper intensive processes. However, the industry has now transitioned over a period of time with the advent of digitization and various paperless solutions.

My father always told me to have a long-term perspective for all actions. As I came into the business, I wanted to build and expand what my father created and hence we ventured into new product segments as well as penetrated into new locations where we have never entered. However, on the other hand our Chairman who is committed to the success and sustainability of the company always gave me his valuable advice to stick to the core and niche markets first and then look out for newer opportunities. According to him, only this can provide stability and a strong foundation for growth and development.

While harnessing the strengths and advantages that come with working together as a team, we have been balancing personal and professional relationships and avoid conflicts that may arise due to the two different 2 eras that we came from. Hence, both of us try and iron out the challenges or issues that we come across in the business, through open minds and respect each other’s point of view and areas of strength to complement each other and grow together as a team.

How do you leverage your combined experience and knowledge to tackle complex logistics issues and deliver exceptional results?

S L Sharma : From management perspective, Logistics Business is very critical and complex, so one cannot move forward without being an all-rounder. A holistic approach is required to channelize the resources required in extending best in class services to the customer. Therefore, Sales, Operations and Financial Planning have to be addressed on the same platform and with the same level of commitment.

With a good support from my sons, we were able to move forward on our growth at a much greater speed. We went into newer markets and different spheres of logistics. Their confidence and energy inspired and pushed me to think bigger and wider. This combined effort of our family and our colleagues made us grow from a single product forwarder and single city forwarder to a multi-product MNC today, with presence in about 40 cities globally.

Yashpal Sharma : I believe in combining the experience and knowledge of team members to get better results and succeed in our industry. By working together, team members can leverage their collective expertise to analyse complex issues, identify potential solutions, and make informed decisions.

Skyways fosters a very open and transparent culture. Team members can openly share their knowledge, best practices and lessons learned to enhance the overall understanding of complex logistics issues. We have been doing this through regular team meetings, workshops, training sessions, or even informal discussions. While the youth brings the energy and power to all our plans it is the experience of my father and other senior colleagues that help us to channelise this energy into right areas. Their timely guidance and reviews make sure we do not make any major errors in our areas of work. Further, complex logistics issues often require a systematic problem-solving approach. Our leadership team and the vertical heads always break down the problem, identify its root causes, and develop creative and innovative solutions.

Can you share any instances where your father/son’s expertise in logistics has impressed or inspired you?

S L Sharma : There are various areas which have impressed me over the last 28 years of working with my sons. The introduction and strong penetration of technology in the group has really impressed me the most. These next generation of leaders (my sons) not only brought in some good IT tools for us but also ensured they were well accepted and used by our team.

Yashpal Sharma : I can definitely provide you with some general instances where the expertise of our father-son duo in logistics could impress or inspire others.

The problem-solving skills of the two of us as a duo during complex situations, such as supply chain disruptions, transportation delays, or inventory management issues have helped us navigate many roadblocks seamlessly. When a father or son with expertise in logistics successfully tackles these challenges and finds effective solutions, it can be impressive and inspiring to others in the industry.

Like my father, I believe in strategic thinking and project management, such as identifying new market opportunities, along with implementing innovative technologies. Lastly, I think when a father or son displays deep knowledge and understanding of the logistics industry, including evolving technologies, regulatory reforms, or market shifts, they can inspire others to expand their own knowledge and expertise as well. Our close collaboration and a very inclusive approach towards our team, vendors, carrier partners and customers have led to the growth of Skyways over the years.