Aatik Chopra: From Strategy Consultant to TKS Director

Aatik Chopra 's story is one of transformation, from Strategy Consulting at Deloitte to becoming an Associate Program Director at The Knowledge Society (TKS) . I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Aatik to explore his background, his experience in management consulting, and how he leveraged his skills and values to pursue a career at TKS.

How did you start your career?

Management consulting. Like almost every undergraduate business student, I was convinced that either consulting, venture capital, or capital markets…was the path to success. I landed my first role in management consulting at Deloitte, thinking it was the dream corporate job.

However, after a few months, I realized that I couldn't see myself building a career in consulting. I felt like a "shit disturber" because I questioned the status quo - a trait inherent to me. Unconventional thinking wasn’t exactly incentivized nor welcome in the consulting space. I didn’t feel like I could be my authentic self in my career, yet I knew that my authenticity was what set me apart.

I briefly considered pursuing my career at a top-tier strategy firm, but then realized that pursuing this or any other form of a conventional corporate career would move me further away the aspects of life that I value the most and make life worth living. And so began the journey of aligning my daily actions, including my career, to my core values.

What factors lead to you deciding to join TKS?

The culture.

I remember reading that there was “no BS & no politics” at TKS, at the bottom of the job application for the Associate Director role. Seemed to good to be true, but as I got to interview with various Directors and the Co-founders of TKS, it became more and more apparent to me that this was real. The team at TKS is a genuine one. Everyone’s quirky self is not just accepted, but celebrated.

The leadership is highly selective of who is part of the team, and the result is a tight-knit group that thrives off of each team member’s unique interests and skills. I honestly don’t feel like I’m working since joining TKS - it feels like a bunch of friends working on an important project that is leading to a big impact.

Working with the smartest kids from around the world.

TKS is not a kids program. Yes, the program is for young people aged 13 - 18, but the outcomes are comparable to leading tech accelerators for humans who are double or triple in age, which really impressed me. Before joining TKS, I heard stories about students and alumni who were publishing their research in Nature, speaking at huge conferences like Web Summit, and launching their own social impact start-ups, raising capital from known VCs.

However, after joining TKS and leading my first cohort — now seeing some of my own students launching their own ventures — I not only know it’s possible, but I also learned it’s incredibly rewarding to see their growth trajectory.

Walking the walk.

The philosophy behind the financial aid distribution to TKS students was particularly appealing to me. Not gonna lie, if TKS didn't distribute financial aid the way they do, I wouldn't have joined TKS. It's great to be part of an organization that is dedicated to making education more accessible to everyone, regardless of their financial background. The tuition support distributed to hundreds of students each program year made it very clear to me that the TKS Founders are genuinely on a mission to radically improve education.

What do you enjoy most about your current role?

1-1 coaching calls.

Having conversations with ambitious teens that are seeking guidance on how to advance their projects, their learning in advanced topics, and especially how to live happier, more holistic lives is a part of the role that does not feel like work at all.

Freedom and autonomy.

I was able to self-start certain things, like my own sub-community all about metaphysical philosophy and mindfulness, as well as organizing 25 students to attend an AI conference in Montreal for a couple of days. All of this is possible because of the trust that the entire team has in each other’s abilities to get things done effectively.

Getting paid to do things I was already doing for fun.

Another big piece is being paid to do stuff I was already doing - reading books and articles ranging from metaphysical philosophy to the latest developments in emerging tech and science, listening to podcasts like Tim Ferriss Show and Lex Fridman Podcast, and journalling on frameworks of how to best stick to habits or unlock human potential. All of this directly makes me a better coach for my students but is stuff I was doing prior to the role. I’m lucky to have found a role where all of these activities are seen as valuable and can create transformative moments for the youth we work with at TKS.

What does a typical week look like for you?

Yet another awesome aspect of the Director role: you are the master of your schedule. Other than a couple meetings with the Director team during the week, I’ve designed my schedule completely around maximizing effectiveness.

What does that look like?

I get to go rock climbing Wednesday mornings, have coffee chats to build my network or to simply catch up with friends, and go for walks/runs/bike rides when I need to. I work between 40-45 hours/week, and where I plug in those hours during the day is largely up to me. I choose to take coaching calls and run workshops after dinner because it’s easy and fun for me to find the energy for conversations in the evening.

I do work on Saturday and Sunday for a few hours to run weekly sessions for my cohorts of students, but it doesn’t really feel like work. Plus, I still have majority of my day to do my thing on weekends.

The result? I’m at or near 100% whenever I’m working. Less time working, higher output per hour. This is an example of how you walk the walk so you can talk the talk when coaching students in how to unlock productivity and effectiveness in their lives.

What skills are transferrable at TKS from your experience as a consultant?

As generic as it sounds, the organization, prioritization of tasks, and strategic thinking have gone a long way already in my first year at TKS.

My previous consulting experience has helped me approach problems at TKS from multiple angles and identify creative solutions that are often outside the box. On top of that, I’m able to communicate my ideas really clearly and concisely, enabling TKS students to consider problems from different perspectives.

A big chunk of the Innovate Program at TKS is actually coaching students through Challenges, where they help multi-billion dollar companies come up with innovative solutions to real problems they’re facing today. The way my consulting experience wired my brain has definitely helped me add value to students during the Challenges at TKS.

What are you learning about right now?

This changes depending on the week and what my students are pursuing. Being a Director at TKS is a forcing function to immerse yourself in the bleeding edge of technology and science. At this moment in time, I’m very fascinated with the real possibility of superintelligence coming to fruition through AI, and the real threat of our survival as a species. Related to this is my studying of David Deutsch’s philosophy, particularly how disobedience is a key trait to human beings and how we need to promote and cultivate disobedience in children in the truest form of the concept in order to keep ourselves relevant in the face of superintelligence that can do many other things better than us.

That being said, if you asked me a few months ago, I would’ve said I’m obsessed with Brain Computer Interfaces, particularly what Synchron is up to these days.

Last question.

What’s your most memorable moment at TKS to-date?

For me, it’s all about the personal development side of coaching teenagers, when you can see the “unlock moment” on their face and you know that their sense of who they are or how to live life has just changed forever.

Interested in joining our Director team? Check out our open roles.