Be fearless and change domains

“You’ll take up consulting assignments in the telecom domain?”

I had decided to start my own consulting practice after 32 years in the corporate sector, of which 28 years were in telecom. Concerned friends connected me with senior colleagues who had also embarked on similar journey years earlier. This was a question most of them asked me after I told them about my work experience.

I responded, that whilst I would be happy to work in the telecom space, I would also like to take up clients in other domains. Most often the response would be discouraging, questioning why someone from another industry would engage with me.

Whilst I did engage for a short period on OFC laying, my main experience has been outside the telecom domain, including a company in the polymer compound manufacturing space.

On being questioned on how I would be able to operate in different domains, my response is that when you apply your mind to a given situation and draw from your experiences, the domain becomes irrelevant.

I would now continue to take up assignments in different domains as this would make it challenging, and the journey enjoyable.

Hence, I advise people to be fearless about crossing industry domains when taking up new roles or setting up their own practice.