How to dominate in Real Estate | Ft. Karan Virwani, Managing Director and CEO, WeWork
Fri Feb 06 2026
From Grey Cubicles to Global Standards: Karan Virwani on Reinventing India's Office Culture & Real Estate Investing
At 24, Karan Virwani walked into a WeWork in New York and had one thought: Indian offices deserve better than 5-foot cubicles, tube lights, and grey walls.
As CEO of WeWork India and part of the Embassy Group (₹40,000 crore REIT), Karan made a contrarian bet that changed India's workspace landscape.
When everyone told him to make WeWork cheaper for the Indian market, he refused. His conviction? Indians value quality and will pay for it if you don't compromise.
That same contrarian thinking extends to how he believes Indians should approach real estate investing.
In this episode, Karan breaks down:
• Why most Indians are getting real estate investing wrong
• The math behind REITs vs. direct property ownership (7-8% yields, but very different risk profiles)
• Three ways to invest in real estate based on your risk appetite
• How Embassy built an entire ecosystem—apartments, schools, office parks—for HNIs
• The strategy behind scaling WeWork across India without diluting quality
• Why global brands fail when they cut corners
If you've ever wondered whether owning property in your name is the best investment strategy, or how India's commercial real estate landscape is evolving, this conversation will challenge your assumptions.
#CreateWealthPodcast #Dezerv #Embassy #WeWork #RealEstate
Follow Sandeep Jethwani on:
LinkedIn - / sandeepjethwani
X - / sandeepjethwani
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X - / dezervhq
Website: https://www.dezerv.in/?utm_source=You...
300,000+ wealth creators have reviewed their mutual fund portfolios and received an in-depth analysis of their investments. You can get started too - https://wealthcheckup.onelink.me/aenA...
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From Grey Cubicles to Global Standards: Karan Virwani on Reinventing India's Office Culture & Real Estate Investing At 24, Karan Virwani walked into a WeWork in New York and had one thought: Indian offices deserve better than 5-foot cubicles, tube lights, and grey walls. As CEO of WeWork India and part of the Embassy Group (₹40,000 crore REIT), Karan made a contrarian bet that changed India's workspace landscape. When everyone told him to make WeWork cheaper for the Indian market, he refused. His conviction? Indians value quality and will pay for it if you don't compromise. That same contrarian thinking extends to how he believes Indians should approach real estate investing. In this episode, Karan breaks down: • Why most Indians are getting real estate investing wrong • The math behind REITs vs. direct property ownership (7-8% yields, but very different risk profiles) • Three ways to invest in real estate based on your risk appetite • How Embassy built an entire ecosystem—apartments, schools, office parks—for HNIs • The strategy behind scaling WeWork across India without diluting quality • Why global brands fail when they cut corners If you've ever wondered whether owning property in your name is the best investment strategy, or how India's commercial real estate landscape is evolving, this conversation will challenge your assumptions. #CreateWealthPodcast #Dezerv #Embassy #WeWork #RealEstate Follow Sandeep Jethwani on: LinkedIn - / sandeepjethwani X - / sandeepjethwani Follow Dezerv on: LinkedIn - / dezerv-in Instagram - / dezerv.in X - / dezervhq Website: https://www.dezerv.in/?utm_source=You... 300,000+ wealth creators have reviewed their mutual fund portfolios and received an in-depth analysis of their investments. You can get started too - https://wealthcheckup.onelink.me/aenA...