Raju Harilela is upbeat about opportunities in China, with WTO entry, Cepa and the Beijing Olympics

Raju Harilela, group executive director of Hong Kong-based Harilela Strategic Group, took little over a decade and just HK$195,000 (US$25,000) in start-up capital to build an international hospitality service empire.

He is in demand as a motivational speaker, and has collected awards for his entrepreneurial prowess. Though his business now has 14 divisions employing more than 200 people, Mr Harilela is always exploring new ideas.

Last November, he responded to the worldwide burgeoning spa industry by launching his latest venture, Pure Spa Asia. Admitting to be "overwhelmed" by the immediate market response, he is already working with 25 luxury spas in some degree or another - all the way from supplying products, to a complete turnkey package.

Mr Harilela says spas are the holistic health solution to today's fast-paced city lifestyle. "They're a place not only to treat one's body, but to enhance the mind," he said. "Today, every hotel at five-star level is coming up with a spa. Spas are no longer something you just enjoy on holidays - they have become a private hideaway where people can pamper and nurture themselves on weekly basis."

An eye for opportunity

After working for several years in the Asia-Pacific region for Hyatt International, Mr Harilela set up his own company in 1990. The most important factor in starting a business is to have a clear vision, he says.

"I really wanted to build a multi-tiered food service company and while certain aspects of the business seemed to flow more than others, I found that, with vision, opportunities presented themselves." This has led to a diverse portfolio of restaurants, fast-food (Saigon Express) and home delivery service (Dial-a-Dinner), hospitality industry supplies and property investment.

Mr Harilela starts each day with the intention to be the best he can be. A deeply spiritual man, he looks within to strive for a higher ideal. "It's always been my philosophy that I don't know it all," he says.

The business environment of Hong Kong plays an important role in his success, Mr Harilela says.

So easy to start a business

"Hong Kong is an incredibly dynamic place where it is very easy to set up and operate a company. It has a simplified tax structure, transparent judicial system, and the rule of law. Hong Kong's location is ideal as a gateway to the Chinese mainland, where in the next 10 years, 400 million people will go into the middle class, bringing with them the desire to travel, buy consumer products, and to excel.

"I feel very positive about opportunities in China, arising from its WTO entry, Cepa (the closer economic partnership arrangement), and the Beijing Olympics. Strategically, Hong Kong is sitting in the most incredible place in the world today."

Another key strength is Hong Kong's pool of talent with its committed work ethic and "can-do" mentality, Mr Harilela said. A winner of the DHL/SCMP Young Entrepreneur award, he says Hong Kong is at the cutting edge for entrepreneurs, who can set up a business in half a day, enjoy sophisticated telecommunications at "astoundingly" low cost, tax incentives (including no sales tax), and world-class trade fairs.

"We are very committed to trade fairs in Hong Kong, which are world-class, professionally organised, and well marketed - and I've seen enough trade fairs in other cities to know the difference," Mr Harilela said.