About Manni
About Manni
Hello, I'm Manni Chopra. If you're here to learn about me and how I can help you achieve financial freedom, you've come to the right place. But before we dive into that, I'd like to share a bit about myself. I've penned this brief biography for a couple of reasons. Firstly, to document my journey—it's easy to lose sight of where you started amidst the pursuit of future goals.
More importantly, the second reason is to foster a personal connection. The only emails I truly look forward to are from people I feel I know personally. In the future, I hope to send you emails that resonate with you on a personal level.
Let's start by fixing the fact that I might be a stranger in your inbox right now.
I grew up in Mumbai, the bustling commercial capital of India, formerly known as Bombay. This densely populated city is a hive of activity and opportunities.
On the bright side, Mumbai is home to:
Bollywood, the largest film industry in the world by volume
Mukesh Ambani, one of the top ten richest men globally
The remarkable Dabbawalla (tiffin) system, studied by Harvard's business school
However, the city also has its contrasts:
Dharavi, Asia's largest slum
Notorious underworld mafia gangs
Scenes reminiscent of "Slumdog Millionaire"
Despite its complexities, Mumbai is a city worth visiting. It's a land of entrepreneurs, from cobblers and sweet corn sellers to rickshaw drivers and corner shop owners.
I was the firstborn in a family with three younger siblings. We all lived together in a one-bedroom apartment, and my dad even ran his office from there. So when people in the UK complain about not having enough space in a three-bedroom house, I think they should realize how privileged they are. Despite the cramped conditions, we made the most of what we had.
School and College
I attended an all-girls convent school run by strict nuns, with class sizes of 60. School was mostly about work and little play. I was a bit of a tomboy and grew up reading Enid Blyton books like Famous Five, Secret Seven, and Nancy Drew. During school holidays, we would form our own secret clubs and invent mysteries to solve, playing in large groups of 10-15 kids.
One of my childhood friends was Aishwarya Rai, who later became a famous Bollywood actress. We played games like Queen of Sheba together, and she always wanted to be the Queen because of her green eyes. Back then, she was just a normal kid.
I worked hard for my 10th-grade exams and got good grades, which earned me a spot at N.M. College of Commerce and Economics. College life was a mix of missing lectures and daytime socials, as we weren't allowed out at night.
Family Challenges
My dad had a troubled working life. He once owned three shops that burned to the ground in the 1970s, a time when there was no insurance in India. He never recovered from this loss and struggled to find his footing afterward. Despite our financial struggles, my mum managed to keep a roof over our heads and food on the table.
One of my dad's projects was a directory of doctors, which he couldn't complete. My younger sister and I, still in our late teens, took it upon ourselves to finish it. This was my first taste of being a businesswoman.
Early Career
I also tried my hand at fashion design and got into S.N.D.T., one of Mumbai's best fashion design colleges. However, I left the course a few months later due to misguided advice that experience was more important than formal education. I joined my aunt's boutique but earned very little money.
To supplement my income, I trained as an aerobics instructor, teaching classes in the mornings and evenings. Despite my efforts, I faced pressure from my parents to get married. They introduced me to men who were not my type, and I was determined not to marry someone just for the sake of it. It was an emotionally stressful time as I fought to stand my ground.
Finally, I got my ‘get out of jail’ card when I met Romey. He was handsome, charming, and most importantly, had a secure job as a pharmacist in London. He swept me off my feet, and I had to pinch myself to believe he was real! I moved to England in 1996. The only other foreign country I had visited before was Dubai when I was 13. So, coming to London was a shock to my system. I didn’t know anyone here apart from Romey and his family (my in-laws). It felt like starting over, building a new network of friends and colleagues.
The first thing I did was join the YMCA’s ‘Exercise to Music’ teacher’s course and started teaching aerobics. It was a tough market to crack, and although I got some work, it wasn’t enough. I soon realized I needed a job to earn decent money. I met another girl from India who was learning computers, and since it was a booming industry, I joined a degree course at Brunel University, dedicating myself to achieving good grades.
At the same time, I started temping as a PA during the day, earning about £8 an hour. I was settling in quite well at this point.
In 1998, while pursuing my degree in the evenings, I managed to land a good IT job in Kensington. Earning £30k a year felt like a substantial amount for me at the time. In 2000, I graduated from Brunel University with a First Class Honours degree, making both myself and Romey very proud.
Fueled by ambition, I decided to move forward in my career and joined another IT company, CMG, now known as LOGICA, in 2000.
During this time, I was always thinking about how I could start my own business, a dream I've always had. While on maternity leave with my daughter Rhea, I went back to Mumbai for a few months to escape the depressing winter months in the UK. While there, I decided to take a course in studying diamonds with the aim of selling diamond jewelry in London.
I found a wholesale jeweler who agreed to supply me with goods on the condition that if I couldn't sell them, I could return them at the original price. It seemed like a low-risk strategy, so when I returned to London, I started my own business. I participated in a few jewelry exhibitions and did well for a startup. However, I was juggling too many responsibilities and couldn't give the business the attention it needed.
In hindsight, I gave up too quickly. A year later, I returned the unsold goods and closed down the business.
The Start of My Property Journey
As the years passed without a pay rise, I grew increasingly frustrated with my job. Despite my dedication and best efforts, the company always found reasons to withhold raises. Feeling disillusioned with my career and seeing no growth prospects ahead, I didn't want to spend another decade in stagnant IT jobs with the same salary.
Throughout this time, I held onto my dream of starting my own business. During my maternity break with Rhea, I went back to Mumbai to escape the gloomy winter months in the UK. There, I took a course in diamond studies with the goal of launching a diamond jewelry business in London.
In 2010, Romey attended the National Achievers Congress where Robert Kiyosaki's presentation left a profound impact. Inspired to take massive action, he encouraged me to read Kiyosaki's book, "Rich Dad Poor Dad". Like countless others, this book became a life-changing revelation for me.
I persisted in persuading Romey to support my decision to leave my job and start a business, though unsure of what exactly to pursue. With the influence of "Rich Dad," I seized the opportunity to delve into the property business. Taking a bold step, I embarked on an 8-month sabbatical to immerse myself in learning everything about property.
And that's where I am today—making history from that pivotal decision onwards.