A career is a long-term investment, says Epsilon India MD Pratik Nath

What was the problem you were grappling with?

There were several moments in my career when I chose to step away from a smooth path to pursue something different. One such instance was my transition from an organisation’s leader to an individual contributor (IC) architect to lead a high-stakes technology modernisation project. 

Whom did you approach for Advice and why?

My manager and mentor supported me through the transition. As an engineer at heart, I’ve always been inspired by technical disruptions and the visionaries behind them. My mentor, a distinguished architect at the organisation, was someone I deeply respected. So, I sought his advice-along with my manager’s.

What was the advice you received?

We discussed how a career is a long-term investment and that the key to success lies in taking the first step. Taking on an IC role was the best path to staying future-ready. We also spoke about the waves of opportunity and how catching the next one often requires stepping out of our comfort zone.

How effective was it in resolving the problem?

Looking back, it was one of the best decisions of my early career, allowing me to build end-to-end expertise across our product portfolio, master new technologies and, most importantly, gain a deeper understanding of our clients. The successful delivery built unprecedented trust with stakeholders and ultimately created an opportunity for me to lead the entire business.

 

—Team BT