When people ask me how I make and take decisions so fast and have developed an entrepreneurial mindset, they often expect stories of business school case studies or startup incubator experiences. But mine started quite differently—inside a large corporate building, as a trainee at LG Electronics, barely out of college and completely green. I wasn’t the smartest person in the room. I didn’t have a grand plan. What I did have, though, was a manager who gave me something very rare at that stage in life: trust.
Even as a trainee, I wasn’t treated like someone who needed micromanagement. Instead, I was given the freedom to make decisions, to take ownership, and most importantly, to learn by doing. I was allowed to try, fail, ask questions, fix my own mistakes, and try again. That freedom, and the responsibility that came with it, gave me a sense of ownership that shaped the way I approach work even today. It was my first taste of autonomy, and I quickly learned that with trust comes accountability. That’s where my entrepreneurial mindset took root, long before I even understood what the term really meant.
Chapter 1: Learning by Doing—Even When I Didn’t Know How
Early Autonomy Builds Confidence
My early days at LG Electronics taught me one of the most valuable lessons of my career: that confidence is built when someone believes in you before you believe in yourself. I wasn’t expected to be perfect. I was expected to learn. And more importantly, I was encouraged to take initiative. Most people think of trainees as interns who observe quietly in the background, but my experience was different. I was in meetings. I was analyzing data. I was being asked for input.
There were plenty of moments when I didn’t know what I was doing—but that was exactly the point. I was learning faster because I was being trusted to figure things out. This was real-world learning, not just theory. No multiple-choice questions. Just real decisions and real consequences. I was responsible for the procurement of “C” Class components for TV manufacturing, which means the production line could halt if I failed to get the material on time. Imagine the trust someone was putting on me. I am sure someone was keeping a check, but it was unknown to me.
What I began to understand was that this kind of growth only happens when someone gives you the space to try. That autonomy was like oxygen for me—it allowed me to take ownership of my work from the start. And over time, that built not just skills, but a mindset: act like an owner, not an employee.
Lesson: If you’re given a little freedom early on, don’t play it safe — take bold decisions. That’s how leaders are born.
Chapter 2: Building from Scratch—The Videocon Chapter
Think Like an Owner, Not Just an Employee
After LG, I joined Videocon—a name known then more for television manufacturing than anything else. But soon, the company made a bold decision to enter the PayTV industry. I was given a pivotal role: developing the set-top box that would become the technological foundation of what later became Videocon d2h.
At that time, there was no roadmap. No established team. I was expected to figure it out. And I did, one piece at a time—selecting chipsets, managing hardware development, negotiating with manufacturers, and understanding the delicate balance between product design, cost, and customer needs. I wasn’t just engineering a device. I was building a business line.
It was during this time that I truly began to operate like an entrepreneur inside a large organization. I had to move fast, think cross-functionally, and align different teams and stakeholders toward a single goal. Every day came with new challenges, but they were the kind I thrived on. Slowly, the PayTV business moved from idea to reality. Watching the product launch and seeing customers use it was incredibly fulfilling—because I had built something tangible, from scratch.
This experience changed how I saw my own potential. It wasn’t just about executing tasks anymore—it was about creating something meaningful, end-to-end. That’s when I realized: entrepreneurship doesn’t always require a startup—it just needs ownership, vision, and action.
Lesson: Ownership isn’t about having a stake in equity — it’s about having a stake in outcomes. Think like the company is yours, and you’ll make better decisions for everyone involved.
Chapter 3: The Visionary Manager Who Changed Everything
Vision Needs Execution — and a Team
At one point in my journey, I had the chance to work under a manager who didn’t just push boundaries—he encouraged me to break them. He wasn’t interested in playing it safe. He wanted to build futuristic, high-quality products that could compete on a global scale. And instead of micromanaging, he gave me the most powerful tool of all—freedom to create.
He trusted me with decisions that many would reserve for senior leadership. I got to select the SoC and chipsets, engage with OEMs directly, and lead discussions around product costing, profitability, and manufacturing feasibility. These weren’t theoretical decisions—I had to defend them with logic and data. I was expected to think like a business owner, not just an engineer. I followed with him in my next three companies – BBCL, Hinduja Group and Reliance.
Even more exciting, he asked me to build and lead an entire R&D team from scratch. That’s when things got real. I hired over 40 people—a full-fledged team of industrial designers, software engineers, hardware specialists, and testing professionals. Some came from India, while others were hired from Korea. It was a multicultural, multidimensional setup, and managing such a diverse group pushed me to grow in ways I never imagined.
Lesson: Entrepreneurs don’t do it alone. Learn how to hire well, delegate smartly, and align people to your mission.
Cross-Functional Skills Are Your Superpower
Leading that team gave me more than just managerial experience. It taught me how to translate vision into reality, how to manage people from different backgrounds, and how to hold a product together from concept to delivery. It was one of the most empowering phases of my life.
Lesson: The best entrepreneurs are generalists with depth — capable of wearing multiple hats without losing focus.
Chapter 4: A Working Style That Became My DNA
Trust Is a Two-Way Street
Looking back, it’s clear that all these experiences shaped the way I work today. My working style is built on trust, freedom, and high accountability. I thrive when I’m given the space to operate independently—not because I want to “do my own thing,” but because I’ve learned to take full responsibility for outcomes. That sense of ownership has stayed with me throughout my life.
Now that I’m in my 40s, I find it a bit difficult when someone tries to dictate how I should work—especially if they don’t understand the depth of experience I bring to the table. This isn’t arrogance. It’s clarity. I’ve spent years navigating ambiguity, leading teams, and building products from scratch. I know how to convert vision into deliverables and how to align teams toward execution.
This style may not work for everyone, but it has worked for me. And it has consistently delivered results—whether I was building a set-top box, managing a product launch, or driving an innovation initiative.
Lesson: If someone trusts you, over-deliver. And when you lead, trust your people the same way, give them space to grow.
Chapter 5: Lessons Young Professionals Can Learn
If you’re early in your career, you may be wondering how to grow faster, make better decisions, or prepare for leadership. I’ve been there. And while I’m still learning every day, here are a few lessons that I believe can truly change your trajectory.
The first is this: take ownership, even if it hasn’t been officially assigned to you. Don’t wait for a job title or permission. If you see something that needs fixing, fix it. If you see an opportunity, speak up. When you act like an owner, people start trusting you with bigger things.
Second, seek autonomy—but also be fiercely accountable. Freedom without results leads to mistrust. If someone gives you space to work, earn it by delivering outcomes. Don’t just say, “I need time.” Show what you did with it.
Third, don’t box yourself in. Your job description is just a starting point. Be curious. Learn what adjacent teams are doing. Understand the full picture—from design to delivery, from customer support to supply chain. The more you understand, the more valuable you become.
Another big one: find mentors who empower you. Good managers give you tasks. Great ones give you the stage. If you find someone who believes in you, stay close to them. Work hard. Show loyalty. Those people are rare—and they can accelerate your growth tenfold.
And here’s something we don’t say often enough: It’s okay to fail. Just don’t fail the same way twice. Every setback is a lesson. Just make sure you apply it.
Finally, understand this: entrepreneurship is not about starting a company—it’s a mindset. You can be entrepreneurial inside a large corporation, inside a government agency, or inside a school. All it takes is initiative, ownership, and the courage to build.
Chapter 6: The Human Side—Lessons for Life, Not Just Career
All these experiences have taught me more than how to be successful at work—they’ve taught me how to be more resilient in life. Trust, I’ve learned, is more than a managerial tool. It’s how people grow. When someone believes in you, it helps you believe in yourself.
Ownership, too, is more than a professional skill. It teaches you how to face challenges head-on, how to take responsibility without blame, and how to stay calm under pressure. These qualities help not just in the workplace—but in relationships, family, and personal development.
And finally, working on purpose-driven projects has taught me something profound: When you’re building something that matters, work becomes joy. Long hours don’t feel draining. Challenges don’t feel overwhelming. Because you’re not just clocking in—you’re building something you believe in.
Epilogue: Who I Am Today
Today, I’m still building new ideas, new products, and new teams. The scale may be different, the technologies may have changed, but the principles remain the same: trust people, give them space, lead by example, and always take ownership.
To every young professional out there, my advice is simple: Don’t wait to be told what to do. Don’t chase titles in the beginning of your career (but later do else you are taken for granted), chase experience. Don’t worry about being perfect—focus on being useful. And most importantly, don’t be afraid to believe that you can be the one who builds what others only dream about.
You don’t need to be the smartest. You just need to start.
I did. And I’m still doing it!
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I have written another post on leadership based on amazon leadership principles. I used them religiously. If you are interested, here is the link – https://www.aboutamazon.com/about-us/leadership-principles
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