CA Sankaranarayanan Sathiavageeswaran: How a Second-Generation CA Built Opulence? The Real Story Behind

Can you tell us about yourself and your background?

I am CA Sankaranarayanan Sathiavageeswaran, a second-generation practicing chartered accountant and law graduate (LLB). I started my career in India working in my Father’s CA firm, where I was heavily involved in taxation, auditing, and advisory services. Not only did I join his practice, but I eventually took on management of it as well.

My quiet dream has always been to establish my own company overseas. My father agreed to one strong condition when I told him about this: I had to continue managing his practice in India.

That one requirement changed my entire perspective. I had to figure out how to manage one practice in India while establishing another in the UAE long before the terms “remote offices” and “virtual teams” became popular.

Therefore, I was essentially carrying two responsibilities when I first arrived in the UAE in September 2017 to investigate opportunities prior to the implementation of VAT in 2018:

• Start a new business in the United Arab Emirates, and
• Maintain and grow my father’s practice in India.

Many of the challenges my father faced when starting his own practice from scratch were brought to life for me during the entire start-up process in the United Arab Emirates. Not only did that experience help me launch Opulence in the United Arab Emirates, but it also made me much more deliberate and successful in running and expanding the practice in India.

How did the name “Opulence” and the idea for the business come about?

Surprisingly, the term “Opulence” was not my personal choice. As a family, we were travelling, and I proposed a name for the new company. My brother and my wife quickly turned it down. They posed a very simple but essential question:

“What is the idea behind it?”

I said, “It is about wealth – it is about the correct way of dealing with wealth.”

They turned to a thesaurus, began to look for a word that would represent the ideas of prosperity, abundance, and the proper manner of handling money, and finally arrived at the word “Opulence.” That’s how the name came into existence, through a discussion about the firm’s deeper purpose.

The business idea was conceived at the time when VAT was going to be introduced in the UAE in 2018. I realised that SMEs were going to face the problem of the new compliance requirements and would need urgent, structured accounting and tax support.

I started calling small and medium industries in Umm Al Quwain from India, using nothing but the Yellow Pages. I would set up the appointments, print a simple brochure and visiting card, and personally walk into the factories to explain VAT and compliance in simple terms. The Yellow Pages calls, factory visits, and basic brochures were the actual beginnings of Opulence.

What is your business about today?

Today, Opulence Accounting & Bookkeeping LLC is a Dubai-based financial partner for businesses across the UAE. We provide end-to-end services in:
• Accounting and bookkeeping
• VAT and Corporate Tax registration, filing and advisory
• Corporate tax and compliance
• External and internal audit support
• Risk-based reviews and financial reporting aligned with IFRS
(opulence.ae)

We have built a reputation for stepping in when things are already in trouble. We specialise in:
• Accounting backlog clean-up and repairing messed-up accounts
• Monthly bookkeeping and IFRS-aligned financial reporting
• VAT and Corporate Tax registration, filing and advisory
• External and internal audit support and risk-based reviews
• Making “troubled audits” smooth by streamlining books and compliance before the auditor walks in (opulence.ae)

If a company’s accounts are in a mess or their audit is stuck, that’s where we come in. We reconstruct records, align them with regulations, and make sure that compliance becomes seamless instead of stressful.

Throughout this journey, my Dubai team, Mr Radul and Mr Kiran, have been the execution engine. I may bring the ideas and strategy, but they are the ones who convert them into systems, delivery, and client trust.

How did your UAE journey actually begin on the ground?

My journey in the UAE began in September 2017 with:

• No office
• No car
• No ready-made network

From India, I had used Yellow Pages to set a few meetings in Umm Al Quwain. It was only me on the ground with a laptop bag, a formal suit, and a strong will to make this happen.

One day, I went to the wrong address. By chance, instead of the person I was scheduled to meet, I met a Syrian accountant. I could have just said sorry and walked away. But I took the other option and sat down with him to explain the VAT law step by step. 

That “error” turned out to be beneficial. That Syrian accountant finally brought me to my third client and to my first decent-paying retainer: AED 5,000 a month. Thanks to my network in Kerala and Tamil Nadu, I met many businessmen in Dubai and eventually Mr. R. V. Krishnan of Indiga Group. He shared one simple advice with me:

“Do not limit yourself to Umm Al Quwain. Create your Image in Dubai.”

Then he introduced me to Mr Balaji (CA), who was a great help during my initial launch stage.

During incorporation, my CA friends Sarfaraz Nawiwala and Rahul Mehta introduced me to Mr Habib Kalwani, whom I now hold as a godfather figure. Through his mentorship and that of his son, Mr Shoaib Kalwani, I was able to navigate Tasheel and the whole process without having to resort to a PRO company.

On the ground, life was simple but tough:
• Travelling by Dubai Metro
• Carrying my laptop bag
• Wearing a full suit in the heat
• Walking into offices to talk about VAT, accounting and compliance
In 2018, Shoaib’s car did not even have an air conditioner. Yet he would insist that I wear a coat for every meeting. We would drive around in 45°C heat, in a non-AC car, both of us in formal wear. Looking back, those days – sweaty rides, metro journeys, and cold calls – truly defined my startup journey.

How long did it take from idea to formal launch?

The idea started taking shape around mid-2017, and I began serious market exploration in September 2017.
For several months, I worked informally:
• Meeting prospects
• Explaining VAT and compliance
• Onboarding a few assignments
All this happened before the company even existed on paper.
The formal incorporation of Opulence Accounting & Bookkeeping LLC was completed on 4 March 2018. The company was funded largely by my mother, who pledged her jewellery so that this dream could take shape.
From idea to formal launch, it took around 6–8 months of groundwork, learning, and proof-of-concept.

What were the biggest early challenges, and how did you overcome them?

Some of the key challenges in the early days were:
• Limited capital – Every dirham mattered. This was family money, backed by my mother’s jewellery, so I was extremely cautious with expenses.
• No PRO support – Instead of paying a PRO company, I learned the system myself, with guidance from Sarfaraz, Rahul, Habib and Shoaib.
• No established brand – On day one, I was just “a CA from India” with a brochure, a visiting card and a concept.
I handled this by:
• Staying frugal and disciplined
• Meeting clients face-to-face and explaining VAT and compliance in simple, non-technical language
• Leaning heavily on the support, networks and advice of Mr Krishnan, Mr Balaji, Mr Habib, Sarfaraz and Rahul
• And once the company was incorporated, it relied on Radul & Kiran to deliver consistently high-quality work in Dubai so that each new client became a long-term reference point for the next one

Who were your earliest clients, and how did you get them?

Our earliest clients came through a mix of cold outreach, relationships and pure serendipity:
• Finishes and Beyond (RAK Free Zone) and Sachitel Telecoms (Dubai) – They entrusted us with accounting and VAT support at a very early stage, when we were still finding our feet.
• The Emirati client via the Syrian accountant in Umm Al Quwain – The “wrong address” visit I described earlier turned into my third client and first high-paying retainer (AED 5,000 per month).
• A facility management company – They urgently needed audits for two years. I brought in Kiran, my former intern, on a visit visa to handle the assignment. He managed it smoothly, which built enormous trust in our capability as a team.
• The Arabic sweets manufacturer and distributor in Latifa Tower on Sheikh Zayed Road – I went to Latifa Tower to explore a potential workspace for Ejari. While there, I casually walked into the neighbouring office, a sweets manufacturer and distributor. I told them, “We will be your neighbours soon.” The following week, their accountant left, and they offered to outsource their accounting to us for AED 6,500 per month, making them our second-highest-paying client at that time.
• Mr Vinod, Finance Director at Seven Seas Petroleum Products LLC, Oman – I got his contact through my father, as he had once worked as a trainee in my father’s firm years ago. I told him I had launched a company in Dubai and requested some time to meet. We met at Yellow Chilli Restaurant in Burjuman Mall, where I simply asked him to consider us for any suitable future engagements. Within two weeks, he called me for a six-month accounting engagement in Oman. To deliver this, I needed someone trustworthy on board. At that exact time, Radul Prakash, who was in Saudi Arabia, expressed his wish to join us in Dubai. We onboarded him and assigned him to this Oman project.
Over time, word of mouth and referrals started doing the heavy lifting. Today, a significant portion of our new work comes because an existing client or a professional contact says,
“If your accounts or audits are in trouble, talk to Opulence – Radul and Kiran will sort it out.”

Who are some of your key clients now?

Over the years, we’ve had the privilege of working with a wide mix of clients across manufacturing, trading, healthcare, hospitality and services. Many of our relationships were not built overnight. They were built slowly, through trust, delivery, and the on-ground ownership consistently displayed by Radul & Kiran.

What exactly do you do differently for clients whose accounts or audits are in trouble?

This is one of our strongest and most distinctive areas.
When accounts are messed up, we:
• Dive deep into past records and reconstruct or clean up the books
• Identify gaps in documentation, controls and processes
• Align the books with IFRS, UAE VAT and Corporate Tax rules as applicable (opulence.ae)
When audits are a problem, we:
• Streamline the accounting, prepare proper schedules and reconcile balances
• Put in place basic internal controls and SOPs where none exist
• Coordinate actively with auditors so the audit becomes smooth and structured, not confrontational
In short, we don’t “just do bookkeeping”.
We repair, reorganise and build systems so that:
• Compliance becomes seamless
• Management gets clarity, confidence and control
(opulence.ae)

How important has your team been in building Opulence?

In one word: crucial.
After incorporation, Radul and Kiran became my core Dubai team. Both had started their journeys with us as interns in India. They understood my working style, my standards, and the type of ownership I expect.
In the UAE, they:
• Took full ownership of assignments
• Handled audits, VAT filings and backlog clean-ups
• Coordinated with clients on a day-to-day basis
My primary role was to:
• Bring in business
• Build and nurture relationships
• Design solutions and overall strategy
They were the ones who executed relentlessly.
Alongside them, senior Chartered Accountants from India – especially from the Big Four – played a major mentoring role. Mentors like my father, late CA S.Sathiavageeswaran, CA C. R. Rajagopal (my father-in-law), CA S. K. Subramanian,CA Nijas Hassan, Mr Habib Kalwani, Mr Ramesh Rajagopal, Mr Sanal Kumar K S and my partners & my team in India have continuously advised, guided and connected us.
Without this ecosystem, Opulence would have been just my individual practice. Because of them, it became a company.

Was there a particular turning point where you felt, “Now we are truly growing”?

Yes, there were a few clear inflexion points:
• Securing multiple monthly retainer clients (like the Emirati client and the Arabic sweets manufacturer) gave us predictable cash flow and confidence.
• Successfully completing company audits, especially under time pressure, built our reputation as a firm that can handle messy situations and deliver.
• Getting opportunities with larger names like Classic Fashion Apparel Industries, Cipla, Seven Seas Petroleum Products LLC, and Zam Zam Mandi made it clear that we were no longer just a small startup serving micro-businesses.
In all these moments, it was always a combination of:
• The leads and relationships we could generate, and
• The ground execution by Radul and Kiran
that turned one opportunity into many.

How do you usually get new business now?

Today, almost all our new work comes from:
• Word of mouth from existing clients
• Referrals from professional networks, including long-term relationships built through BNI
• Repeat work from clients whose accounts we once “rescued”, who then introduce us to their friends and associates
We don’t rely heavily on mass marketing or aggressive sales.
Our best marketing has always been quiet, consistent delivery and the reputation that:
“If your accounts or audits are in trouble, call Opulence – Radul & Kiran will fix it.”

What is your proudest moment so far?

There are a few moments that stand out for me:
• The day Opulence was incorporated on 4 March 2018, fully backed by my family’s sacrifices, especially my mother pledging her jewellery.
• Watching Kiran&Radul grow from interns in India to trusted professionals who can independently handle complex assignments in Dubai.
• Hearing a client – whose accounts and compliance were once in a complete mess – say after our intervention:
“Now we sleep peacefully; our audit went through without issues.”
And personally, seeing respected brands like Classic Fashion, Cipla, Seven Seas Group, and Zam Zam Mandi place their trust in a firm that started with Yellow Pages calls and metro rides is deeply satisfying.

What would you do differently if you were starting today?

If I were to start today, I would:
• Invest earlier in systems and automation – workflow tools, dashboards and documentation from day one.
• Build a strong digital presence much sooner, in parallel with the organic word-of-mouth growth.
• Be quicker in setting clear pricing and engagement boundaries, so that we stay focused on the right kind of clients and sectors.
But I would not change the fundamentals:
• The importance of mentors, and
• A strong core team like Radul & Kiran.
Those two pillars remain non-negotiable.

What advice would you give to someone starting a business in Dubai/UAE?

My advice would be:
• Respect compliance – VAT, Corporate Tax, ESR, labour laws… don’t treat them as an afterthought. They can make or break your business. (opulence.ae)
• Start lean – You don’t need a big office or high overheads on day one.
• Build genuine relationships – Mentors and peers who guide you, challenge you, and open doors are invaluable.
• And finally, take care of your accounts from day one. If you don’t, you may eventually need a firm like ours to repair and rebuild everything later, which is always more expensive than doing it right the first time.

What keeps you motivated during tough times?

There are three anchors that keep me going:

I remember that my mother pledged her jewellery so this company could exist. That sacrifice cannot be taken lightly.

I lean on the trust of my Dubai team – Radul & Kiran – and the mentors who have stood by me from the beginning.

I draw strength from my faith in God.
On difficult days, I remind myself that our work directly impacts jobs, families and businesses. I think back to the early struggles and the effort it took to launch Opulence. My family and my friends motivate me during challenges.
When worry creeps in, I open my laptop and prepare a realistic projection for my own business. I always start with the worst-case scenario and then plan how to run and grow from there. This exercise:
• Grounds me
• Calms me
• Gives me a clear action plan

What makes Opulence unique in this crowded market?

A few things make us stand out:
• We are problem solvers, not just processors – especially when accounts are messed up or audits are stuck.
• We combine deep technical expertise in accounting, VAT and Corporate Tax with a hands-on, personalised approach. (opulence.ae)
• We stay discreet and Dubai-centric, with a clear focus on delivering clarity, compliance and confidence to the client. (opulence.ae)
• Above all, the way Kiran&Radul own client work – backed by the strategic guidance and networks built over the last 7 years – makes clients feel that we are their own finance team, not an external vendor.

How do you see your business evolving in the next 2–3 years?

In the coming years, I see Opulence:
• Becoming the first name people think of in Dubai when they say,
“Our accounts are a mess, our audit is due, who can fix this?”
• Further strengthening our Corporate Tax, internal audit and risk management verticals, while continuing to be very strong in VAT and bookkeeping. (opulence.ae)
• Building a larger yet close-knit team around Radul and Kiran, with the same culture of ownership, discretion and client-first thinking.
We want to remain boutique in feel, but strong enough in capability to handle complex, multi-entity and cross-border assignments.

How can people reach or support Opulence?

The simplest ways to support us are:
• Refer us to any business whose accounts are behind, whose VAT/Corporate Tax compliance is worrying them, or whose audit is becoming a headache.
• Connect us with entrepreneurs and families who want a clean, compliant and well-structured finance function without building a large in-house team.
People can reach us through our website, Opulence.ae, or via our listed UAE contact details. (opulence.ae)

Do you have a guiding motto?

Yes. My guiding motto is:
“Treat every client’s business as if it were my own.”
This is how I work, and this is how I expect our team to work. It means:
• Taking ownership, instead of just “doing a file”
• Protecting every dirham as if it were our own money
• Being honest, even when the answer is uncomfortable
• Fixing problems in accounts and audits as if we are repairing our own books
Behind this motto, my inner anchor is simple:
My family’s sacrifice, my team’s trust, and my faith in God.
These three remind me that if we do the right thing for the client, growth and “opulence” will follow in their own time.

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