Finally, Good Bye and Good Riddance to My 15-Year Corporate Career

Honestly, I was completely burnt out. No, not because I was the quintessential hustler, in fact I have been working lesser hours in 2025-25 compared to any of the past years!!. Sometimes you feel you are done.

I started as in sales in 2010 post-MBA. In charge of an entire state, I kept travelling my ass off for a good four years. Low pay, 24-hours on duty, getting drunk with middle aged channel partners, enough to get fed up, right?

Moved to consulting, even more travel. Changed job, got married, had a kid, did all typical things. Stayed in polluted Delhi, got a break in a startup in another city, moved there. Circa 2018.

Startup life was exhilarating. High energy colleagues, most of them 10 years younger to me. Amazing atmosphere, CoVID strikes.

Working from home as a team lead was exasperating. No physical connect with the team for months, loss of strong emotional bonds at the office. Half of the team left during post-COVID job market boom. New colleagues, new direction for the team.

Challenging business headwinds in 2022. Mass hiring became a burden, strategic layoffs. Lucky not to get fired.

Brief upswing in 2024, market moved on to AI and cheaper competitors. Daily work became challenging, literally a fight with other functions in the company. Should have left in 2023, but had no courage.

Come 2025, more fights - need to fight for other support functions to even move an inch, arguments with the management over team's future growth.

No energy for future fights. Leaving for my own mental well-being.

I have 1 year's expenses saved. Resisted the temptation to buy a house on EMI. Car loan will be paid off next month. No other liabilities.

Will think about what to do next once the burnout heals. Definitely not going back to a job!!

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk!