Five Brutal Realities About Investing, According to Ankur Aggarwal
Posted On November 27, 2025
Investment advice is often delivered with caution and optimism. Ankur Aggarwal – chartered accountant, real-estate investor, and chairman of BNW Developments takes a different route. In a recent conversation with Mashable, he offered a series of blunt observations shaped by his own trajectory from Delhi to large-scale property ventures in Dubai. His comments, stripped of polish or pretense, outline what he believes young investors frequently overlook.
1. Risk and return travel together;
Aggarwal argues that caution, while comfortable, rarely produces exceptional outcomes. For him, the willingness to take measured risks is what distinguishes those who act from those who only aspire.
Aggarwal argues that caution, while comfortable, rarely produces exceptional outcomes. For him, the willingness to take measured risks is what distinguishes those who act from those who only aspire.
2. Failure is inevitable; giving up is a choice;
He maintains that setbacks are not signals to withdraw but indicators of how committed one is to long-term goals.
He maintains that setbacks are not signals to withdraw but indicators of how committed one is to long-term goals.
3. Wealth rarely arrives quickly;
According to Aggarwal, financial growth mirrors the gradual rise of real-estate value—slow to show, then noticeable all at once.
According to Aggarwal, financial growth mirrors the gradual rise of real-estate value—slow to show, then noticeable all at once.
4. Guard your money from your own impulses;
He suggests that many young investors undermine themselves by following trends they don’t fully understand, rather than making informed decisions.
He suggests that many young investors undermine themselves by following trends they don’t fully understand, rather than making informed decisions.
5. Relationships precede opportunities;
Aggarwal emphasizes that networks often open doors before business plans do, citing his own collaborations, including one with actor-entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi.
Aggarwal emphasizes that networks often open doors before business plans do, citing his own collaborations, including one with actor-entrepreneur Vivek Oberoi.
Today, Aggarwal oversees BNW Developments as it pursues large-scale luxury projects, yet the tone of his advice remains tied to a straightforward, no-frills ethos. Whether or not one agrees with his approach, the clarity of his views offers a counterpoint to the more cautious guidance young investors typically encounter.