Growing Up in Gallup

I grew up in Gallup, New Mexico, a town that sits along old railroad lines and wide desert landscapes. It is not the kind of place people usually associate with global finance or real estate development. But for me, Gallup was the perfect place to learn the fundamentals of life and business.

Small towns teach you things that large cities sometimes overlook. You learn the value of hard work because everyone around you is working hard. You learn accountability because people know each other and reputations matter. Most importantly, you learn resilience because opportunities do not always come easily.

My early years were simple but formative. I went to Cathedral Elementary School and later Gallup High School. I spent time in speech and debate which helped me learn how to communicate ideas and think on my feet. I also worked at McDonald’s where I spent many hours behind the drive-thru window. At one point our location had the highest grossing drive-thru west of the Mississippi. That job taught me a lot about efficiency, customer service, and teamwork.

When you grow up in a place like Gallup, you learn quickly that success comes from effort and persistence.

Education Opens Doors

Leaving Gallup for the University of California at Berkeley was a major turning point in my life. Berkeley exposed me to a much larger world of ideas and possibilities. I studied Chemical Engineering and Finance which may seem like an unusual combination, but it shaped how I approach business today.

Engineering teaches you how to solve complex problems step by step. Finance teaches you how resources move and how value is created. Together they create a powerful way of thinking.

Education is not only about degrees. It is about learning how to think critically and adapt to new challenges. At Berkeley I met people from all over the world who had different perspectives and ambitions. Those experiences expanded my understanding of what was possible.

Years later I returned to school through the Owner President Management program at Harvard Business School. Going back to the classroom after years of running businesses reminded me that learning never stops. The world changes quickly, and leaders have to keep evolving with it.

Early Lessons from the Financial Markets

My career began in the financial markets where I worked in trading and derivatives at institutions such as Lehman Brothers and BNP Paribas. Those years were intense and fast moving. Every day involved analyzing markets, managing risk, and making decisions under pressure.

Working in finance taught me discipline and attention to detail. Markets do not reward guesswork. They reward preparation and clear thinking.

I also had the opportunity to lead teams that operated across global markets including New York, London, Hong Kong, and Tokyo. Managing teams in different time zones taught me the importance of communication and trust.

Even though finance was a demanding environment, it gave me a strong foundation that later helped me transition into entrepreneurship.

Taking the Entrepreneurial Leap

Eventually I realized that my real passion was building businesses rather than simply trading markets. That realization led me to create Raj Holdings and Thakur Enterprises.

Since starting those companies, we have developed more than one and a half million square feet of industrial, retail, and residential properties. Real estate development became a natural extension of my interests in finance, problem solving, and community building.

Entrepreneurship is never a straight line. Every project presents new challenges. Financing must be secured, permits must be approved, and unexpected issues always appear along the way.

But entrepreneurship also brings something unique. It allows you to take ideas and turn them into real places where people live, work, and gather.

Every completed project represents a combination of vision, patience, and persistence.

Thinking Beyond One Industry

One lesson that has shaped my career is the importance of cross-disciplinary thinking. The world does not operate in isolated categories. Finance, technology, real estate, and education all intersect.

Because of that belief, I have continued exploring new areas of innovation. I am particularly interested in how artificial intelligence can improve education, especially during early childhood. The early years of development shape how children think and learn for the rest of their lives.

Technology has the potential to personalize education and make learning more accessible. That possibility excites me because education played such a major role in my own journey.

My interest in technology also extends into areas such as healthcare, property management, and longevity science. Innovation often happens when different fields come together.

Supporting Communities and Entrepreneurs

Another lesson I learned growing up in Gallup is that communities thrive when people support each other. Small businesses are often the heart of local economies.

Today I try to apply that lesson through projects that create opportunities for other entrepreneurs. Whether it involves supporting immigrant business owners, working with local vendors, or building spaces that allow small companies to grow, the goal is the same.

Entrepreneurship should not exist in isolation. When one business succeeds, it often creates opportunities for many others.

Real estate can play an important role in that process by creating platforms where businesses and communities connect.

Perseverance Creates Opportunity

When I reflect on the journey from Gallup to working and building businesses across different industries, one theme stands out above all others. Perseverance matters more than circumstances.

Small beginnings do not limit your future. In many ways they strengthen it. Growing up in a modest environment teaches you to work harder, adapt faster, and appreciate opportunities when they appear.

Education provides the tools, but perseverance provides the momentum.

The world is more connected today than ever before. Technology allows ideas and businesses to scale globally. But the mindset that drives success often begins in very local places.

For me, that mindset began in Gallup. The lessons from that small town continue to guide how I approach business, leadership, and opportunity today.