Building a large investment portfolio takes time, discipline and the ability to invest more as your income grows. There is no single formula for becoming a crorepati. Some investors start with small SIPs, while others build wealth by increasing investments as their salaries rise.
In this piece, we look at how three professionals from Pune built their wealth through different financial decisions but worked towards a similar goal.
Mayuresh Jadav, 35, started investing through a Rs 2,500 monthly SIP and has built financial assets worth around Rs 1.03 crore. Sudhir Dandotiya, 32, has accumulated assets worth around Rs 9 crore, although his net worth is lower after accounting for liabilities. Shubh Patil, 35, has built a portfolio worth around Rs 4 crore and is now thinking about early retirement.
Their stories are part of Financial Express Digital’s ‘Everyday Crorepatis‘ series, which looks at how ordinary financial decisions, career choices and investment habits shape real-life wealth journeys.
Their incomes, family responsibilities and financial circumstances are different. Yet, there are several lessons that other salaried professionals can learn from their experiences. Here are 10 of them.
1. Your first SIP does not have to be big
When people think about investing, they often worry that they do not earn enough to start. A monthly investment of Rs 2,000 or Rs 3,000 may seem too small to make a difference. But waiting for a bigger salary can also mean losing valuable time.
Mayuresh Jadav started his investing journey with a monthly SIP of Rs 2,500. Over the years, he increased it to around Rs 70,000 as his income improved. Today, he has built financial assets worth around Rs 1.03 crore.
His journey shows why the first step matters. You do not need to begin with a large investment. You need to begin with an amount you can afford and then increase it as your financial position improves.
2. Growing your salary can be as important as choosing the right fund
Investors often spend hours comparing mutual funds, studying returns and looking for the next outperformer. But they sometimes overlook a more important question: how much money can they invest in the first place?
Mayuresh’s salary increased significantly over his career. Sudhir Dandotiya also saw his annual salary rise from around Rs 4.5 lakh in 2017 to Rs 52 lakh in 2026. Shubh Patil’s annual package grew from Rs 3.9 lakh in 2013 to around Rs 40 lakh.
These income increases gave them greater capacity to save and invest.
A higher salary does not automatically create wealth. Someone who spends every additional rupee may have little left to invest despite earning well. But when income growth is accompanied by disciplined saving, it can accelerate wealth creation.
3. Do not let every salary hike disappear into lifestyle expenses
A salary increase can make life more comfortable. You may want a better home, more holidays, a new car or more expensive hobbies. There is nothing wrong with spending on things you enjoy. The problem begins when every pay hike leads to a similar increase in expenses.
All three journeys highlight the importance of controlling lifestyle inflation.
Mayuresh increased his SIP as his earnings grew. Sudhir built a large investment portfolio while committing substantial amounts towards mutual fund SIPs and a home loan. Shubh, despite earning around Rs 40 lakh annually, continues to invest around Rs 70,000 a month while spending on travel and hobbies.
Their approaches are different, but the underlying lesson is the same. Higher income creates an opportunity to build wealth only when a part of it is saved and invested.
4. You do not need to find the best mutual fund to become wealthy
Many investors believe that wealth creation depends on identifying the best-performing mutual fund. They keep switching schemes in search of higher returns and worry about missing the next big opportunity.
Sudhir’s story challenges this thinking. Despite building assets worth around Rs 9 crore, he does not attribute his wealth to exceptional mutual fund selection. His approach has relied heavily on regular investments, rising income and staying invested.
Shubh’s experience also offers a similar lesson. His wealth has come from several sources, including mutual funds, Indian and US stocks, company shares, retirement savings and other assets. No single investment explains his entire financial journey.
This does not mean fund selection is unimportant. Investors still need to consider costs, risk, portfolio overlap and whether a fund suits their goals.
5. Family responsibilities do not have to stop you from investing
Personal finance advice often assumes that an investor can put most of their income towards building wealth. Real life is rarely that simple.
Mayuresh has supported his parents and contributed towards his sister’s wedding. He has also managed loan repayments and household expenses while continuing to invest.
His experience is a reminder that people do not always have the luxury of investing without other financial commitments. They may have ageing parents to support, children to educate, medical expenses to meet or family events to fund.
The answer is not necessarily to postpone investing until all responsibilities disappear. That day may never come.
6. Do not buy a financial product you do not understand
Mayuresh’s investing journey was not free of mistakes. One of his biggest was buying an LIC policy on the recommendation of someone he knew without fully understanding the product.
He eventually realised it was not suitable for him. After holding it for around eight to nine years, he exited and received only about 70% of the amount he had invested.
The experience taught him the importance of understanding a financial product before committing money to it.
This lesson applies to insurance policies, mutual funds, stocks, property investments and other financial products. Before investing, understand the risks, charges, lock-in period, exit conditions and what you are trying to achieve.
7. Look at your entire portfolio, not just mutual funds
Mutual funds often receive most of the attention in discussions about wealth creation. But a person’s financial position can include several other assets.
Mayuresh has built a significant EPF corpus alongside his mutual fund investments. His experience shows how regular retirement contributions can quietly become an important part of long-term wealth.
Shubh’s portfolio includes mutual funds, Indian stocks, US stocks, company shares, EPF and NPS savings, gold, silver and cash. His journey illustrates how wealth can accumulate across different asset classes over time.
For investors, this means looking beyond the performance of one SIP or one mutual fund. It is important to track the value of all investments, outstanding loans and other financial obligations to understand the overall position.
8. Diversification matters even when your portfolio is large
Building a large portfolio does not automatically make an investor financially secure. The way that money is invested matters too.
Shubh’s wealth includes a substantial holding of US technology company shares through restricted stock units, or RSUs. He also owns US stocks and has worked in the technology sector. This creates a concentration risk because his investments and employment are linked, at least partly, to the same sector.
If technology stocks face a prolonged downturn, the value of some of his investments could fall at the same time that his career prospects become less certain.
This is an important lesson for employees who receive company shares as part of their compensation.
9. Property decisions should be judged by their purpose, not just returns
Property can play an important role in a person’s financial life. But its value cannot always be judged only by how much its price has increased.
For some investors, a home provides security and reduces uncertainty about future housing costs. For others, a rental property generates income or helps support family members.
Mayuresh’s property investment is an example of why context matters. His Pune flat has appreciated from its purchase price, but its capital appreciation has been modest compared with his equity investments. The property also generates rental income that goes towards supporting his parents.
This does not mean property is always a better or worse investment than mutual funds. Property comes with its own costs, including maintenance, taxes, transaction expenses and the possibility of periods without rental income.
10. Financial freedom is about having enough, not just accumulating more
The final lesson comes from Shubh Patil’s wealth journey.
At 35, he has accumulated around Rs 4 crore and wants to build a Rs 10 crore corpus over the next five years. His plan is to leave salaried work, move to a smaller city and spend around Rs 12 lakh a year while continuing to travel and pursue his hobbies.
His situation raises an important question. Does someone need to reach a particular round number before they can consider financial independence?
There is no universal answer. A person with no dependants, no EMIs and relatively modest expenses may need a different retirement corpus from someone supporting parents, raising children or repaying a home loan.
The bigger lesson from three wealth journeys
Mayuresh, Sudhir and Shubh have reached different financial milestones through different routes. Their incomes, investment portfolios and personal circumstances are not identical, and their outcomes cannot be replicated by following a fixed formula.
But their experiences offer a common message. Wealth creation is not just about finding the right mutual fund or making one exceptional investment.
It is also about improving your earning capacity, saving a part of your income, increasing investments as your finances improve, managing risk and staying focused on long-term goals.
Disclaimer: This article is based on the personal financial journeys and information shared by the individuals featured. Their financial circumstances, investment choices and portfolio values are specific to them and should not be treated as a guide to expected returns. Mutual fund and stock investments are subject to market risks. Readers should assess their own financial goals, risk appetite and investment horizon before making investment decisions.
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