Turning Financial Complexity Into Opportunity: The Amita Goyal Story

Amita Goyal’s journey with Glasba Services began with a simple observation about the MSME financing market. Many business promoters were unable to access the right funding, not because their businesses lacked potential, but because they did not always have the knowledge needed to understand financial products, funding structures and the requirements of different lenders. Amita saw a gap between promoters and the right financial institutions, along with the complexity that often comes with documentation and financial requirements.

With more than two decades of association with Mumbai, Amita chose the city as the base for Glasba. Mumbai brings together banks, NBFCs, AIFs, fund houses, investors, corporates and entrepreneurs within one financial environment. For a financial advisory business focused on funding, it was a natural place to begin.

The name Glasba has its own story. Glasba means “music” in French. For a promoter, funding can feel like music to the ears because capital keeps a business moving and gives it the ability to grow. Whether the requirement is working capital, growth capital, structured finance or project funding, the right funding at the right time can change the direction of a business. That belief became part of the thinking behind Glasba Financial Advisory.

Glasba works across six major areas of financial services, including government scheme backed lending, unsecured lending, off balance sheet lending, discounting of sales and purchase bills, construction finance and structured funding. Yet Amita does not see funding as simply arranging a loan. Her team first studies the promoter and the company to understand where the actual financial difficulty lies.

The firm carries out detailed due diligence and studies financial records, including five years of balance sheets and profit and loss statements. Amita believes that choosing the wrong financial product can create funding difficulties again after two or three years. Her focus is on finding a financial structure that fits the company’s requirements and future cash flows rather than offering a short term answer.

The Real Estate Advisory division has handled some particularly complicated funding assignments. Glasba has worked on both on balance sheet and off balance sheet funding and has assisted promoters with restructuring their debt profiles. In certain cases, unsecured funding has been raised at single digit interest rates through multinational companies and structured fund houses. For corporates seeking growth capital, Glasba has also worked with NCDs, OCDs and customised funding arrangements.

One real estate assignment involved a joint venture project with 21 shareholders and 19 landlords. The complicated ownership structure required considerable work before the required approvals and funding could be secured. Glasba worked with the promoter through the complexities and obtained a substantial funding sanction from an NBFC. Cases like these have shaped Amita’s belief that complicated financial requirements need patience, financial knowledge and close attention to detail.

Her leadership style is based less on managing people and more on continuous learning. The team has a combined experience of around 20 years, and Amita encourages members to educate each other and keep learning from practical situations. She has seen that promoters respond well when the person sitting across the table understands finance and the realities of their business.

Glasba also maintains strict and transparent client contracts from the beginning. Amita believes that terms, responsibilities and professional fees should be understood clearly before a transaction starts. When large amounts of funding are involved, clarity between both parties becomes especially important.

Her ambition for Glasba extends beyond India. The company is looking at ways to bring international capital into India and help Indian promoters access funding from markets such as Japan, Singapore, Bahrain and the United States, subject to applicable regulations. Glasba also plans to expand through a franchise model, allowing finance professionals to build the business in their chosen cities while receiving backend financial expertise and transaction assistance from Glasba.

Amita’s personal philosophy remains simple: “Never stop from storms. Storms don’t last forever.” She also believes in staying calm during difficult situations and values knowledge deeply. For her, knowledge is something nobody can take away. With these beliefs guiding her work, Amita sees Glasba Financial Advisory Private Limited growing across India and eventually building a strong international presence, connecting promoters with suitable sources of capital for growth, real estate funding and complex financial requirements.