When I quit my job to become an entrepreneur, it felt a bit weird, but not for the first time.
Years earlier, to do my GMAT and MBA prep, when I took a transfer from the post of Trivandrum Police Commissioner to a low-key role in Kerala police, I had the same feeling.
Till then, you never had to explain to anyone what you do — the job role got instant recognition. But in the new role, while I was very relieved and happy, I used to wonder ‘How will I explain to people what I do?’
Similarly, in McKinsey, brand recognition was instant. During a project, I cold-called a banking expert in Texas and he spent an hour answering my questions without any fees!
Even as a private equity investor, CEOs and entrepreneurs would promptly reply to your cold emails.
And then when I quit my job, all that changed — now I was my own man.
People lament the loss of salary, but the loss of ‘business card’ bothers people just as much.
It took me some time to get used to it, but it was liberating.
Good jobs are truly valuable. But at the end of the day, what is truly yours is your skill, knowledge, and personal brand. No human being or economic recession can take that away from you.
Everything else is reflected glory.
– Rajan