Elon students and faculty had the opportunity to hear from Sajjan Agarwal during the most recent Lessons from Leaders event hosted by Elon’s Business School.
The Martha and Spencer Love School of Business welcomed Sajjan Agarwal, chairman and CEO of GreenHawk Corporation and founder of Sigma Electric Corporation, to share his story and insights with students, faculty and staff in the LaRose Digital Theatre.
The event on Oct. 8, facilitated by Professor Robert Moorman, the Frank S. Holt Jr. Professor of Business Leadership, provided an inside look at how Agarwal built and led successful companies across multiple industries. President Connie Ledoux Book and Dean Raghu Tadepalli of the Love School of Business were in attendance.
Agarwal founded Sigma Electric Corporation, which became a leader in offshore manufacturing and supply chain management, providing electrical components to major corporations worldwide. In 2007, Goldman Sachs acquired Sigma Electric.
“Building a business is more than just creating profits,” said Agarwal. “It’s about creating opportunities and maintaining integrity and humility.”
Today, Agarwal leads GreenHawk Corporation, a real estate company based in Raleigh, NC, with a focus on creating residential and commercial spaces.
“I wanted to give back in a meaningful way, and real estate provided the opportunity to create spaces that foster community and support the needs of the people living there,” Agarwal said.
During the Q&A session, students asked Agarwal for advice on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
“I sometimes got too consumed by the business, and if I could go back, I would be more intentional about creating that balance,” Agarwal said. “It’s important to remember that success is not just what you do in business, but how you nurture your relationships and enjoy the journey along the way.”
Earlier in the day, Agarwal’s senior leadership team joined him for a panel discussion with the Elon Real Estate Club, Business Fellows and Elon student entrepreneurs. Agarwal was joined by Vaibhav Dhawan, vice president of commercial real estate; Jeff White, chief operating officer; Woody Jackson, chief financial officer; and Bob Mills, senior vice president of commercial development. Together, they shared insights into the real estate industry and their experiences as business leaders.
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Haya Ajjan
Associate Dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and Professor of Management Information Systems
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Robert Moorman
Frank S. Holt, Jr. Professor of Business Leadership and Professor of Organizational Behavior
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Raghu Tadepalli
Dean of the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business and Professor of Marketing
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Connie Book
President