I Am a Student Before I Am an Entrepreneur
The one biggest entrepreneurial lesson I’ve picked up on my journey?
I am, and always will be, a student before an entrepreneur.
My learning began long before my professional journey did.
Inspired by the many mentors around me my whole life, I learned from a young age that it takes more than money to foster success.
My role in HR at institutions like Standard Chartered, Bank of America and Firstsource gave me a solid foundation in business operations, developing raw talent, and organisational leadership.
But deep down, I had a fire that refused to be extinguished until I achieved more.
Paired with my passion for fitness, that fire would lead me to create MultiFit, a fitness studio that scaled into three countries in just four years.
As I now embark on new ventures, I am frequently asked about the biggest lesson I’ve learned. The answer is simple: it was the fact of learning itself.
Would I Pay to Learn? Absolutely
Many entrepreneurs (myself included) talk about how the current workforce is unwilling to learn.
If I had the chance, I’d pay successful entrepreneurs for the privilege of soaking in their wisdom.
The value of firsthand education under an experienced mentor cannot be overstated.
It’s worth more than any business degree and saves a ton of time that would normally be spent learning lessons the hard way.
Books and podcasts are huge time-savers in this sense: You have expert advice and lessons condensed into a few hundred pages that you can access for far less than the price of formal education and in much less time.
Forget Quick Wins—Play the Long Game
After exiting MultiFit, I embarked on a new journey.
Starting from scratch was both daunting and humbling. But it reminded me of an invaluable lesson: the best entrepreneurs are always willing to revisit to the basics.
The lessons I picked up from my MultiFit journey are proving to be big assets for my current ventures too.
One such lesson was that success means playing the long-term game. And that means patient learning.
Too often, people chase quick wins — higher pay, instant recognition, or immediate results. But true growth demands patience. For me, earning has always been secondary to learning.
This philosophy has shaped not just my businesses, but also my identity as an entrepreneur.
To every budding business leader: embrace the long game. Build a strong foundation of skills and insights before chasing tangible rewards.
Rewriting the Script for the Next Generation
I often see today’s workforce prioritising immediate gratification over skill-building. While ambition is admirable and helps chart the path to the goal you want to achieve, I believe the lack of a learning-first mindset can hinder long-term potential.
The shortest route isn’t necessarily the best one.
Imagine a generation of professionals who value competence over titles and growth over paychecks. They’d be unstoppable.
I hope to inspire more young professionals to adopt this mindset. It’s not about slowing down your career; it’s about setting the stage for greater achievements.
Lifelong Learning: The Ultimate Investment
Every industry, every market, and every person I meet offers an opportunity to grow.
My father’s military background taught me the value of discipline, and my corporate roles instilled strategic thinking.
I’ve learned the importance of staying curious, humble, and to never stop pursuing knowledge. The greatest asset you can invest in is tried-and-tested wisdom.
From HR to Entrepreneurship, my journey has been fueled by a hunger for knowledge.
If there’s one principle that has shaped my story, it’s that success is not about what you already know, but about what you discover.
We’ve got to prioritise learning before earning, growth before gratification, and curiosity before comfort. Because in the end, the best entrepreneurs are those who never stop being students.