Three years ago I made a decision to move on after 14 years in a company. I have shared how difficult it was to make the decision, but now I want to talk about what happened after that.
Whilst I was going into a similar industry, mobile business was something I never did seriously before, especially when it is core business. I knew little else beyond the mobile phone I had in my hands of which I wasn't even paying for. I just knew it worked when I needed it to.
Stepping into my new place, I had a lot to learn and extra effort to make, for my fresh perspective to be heard (at least I thought they were), to speak with credibility on a business I have limited experience in, amongst the many experts who have slept, ate and breathed mobile most of their working life. And by experts here, I don't mean only locally, they were also global multi market experts.
There were moments I got inspired. There were moments I got frustrated. Sometimes, I was scared. But I was focused on learning, leveraging all my past experience and market understanding into this new area and contribute. Then I was slowly given more projects within the mobile business, not just postpaid but also partnerships involving prepaid business. I gained the trust of a boss who saw the potential in me.
Long story short, here I am today, presenting in a room full of media and press representatives on our latest mobile offering. I am also now responsible for the product development, management and marketing of mobile business in the Enterprise segment which has an annual turnover of more than RM1billion. As cliche as it may sound, I feel this is an accomplishment for myself. I still have plenty to learn as this industry hardly stops evolving thanks to our friendly competitors but I believe the challenges ahead just promises more excitement!
So to you out there contemplating a change, don't be afraid. Reinvent yourself. The worst that could happen is you discover yourself and move on.
Good luck!
