Why You Can Look for A Career at Any Age!

There is no right or wrong age to start your career or look for a career change, and I say this based on my personal experience as well as my professional experience as a career counsellor. In the last year alone, I have met many men and women who wish to start their entrepreneurial venture at the age of 40, re-start their career after a sabbatical in their mid-30’s or wish to change their job profile after working for more than a decade in a particular industry. 

 

Most people who come to me for career guidance are fearful of change and I always tell these people that a change can be exciting as well. I made a change, and it has so far been a stimulating experience. One needs to do inner work when looking for a career change and the first thing is to prepare oneself by understanding that beginning your career, or a career change, is possible at any age. 

 

What does it take to begin afresh

 

As an entrepreneur or someone looking to change from a day job to their own business, several factors would help you succeed. 

 

One, the conviction in one’s unique offering. You should know your product or service well. Merely looking for the latest trends to cash in on would not be useful unless you are passionate and knowledgeable about your product. I have been looking at many success stories on e-commerce platforms in recent times and I will talk about them in detail later in the article.

 

Two, having a pulse on the best ways to optimise your business. Saving costs on warehousing and having a seller platform where you don’t need to invest in developing a supply chain are some ways to reduce your costs. An e-commerce platform such as Flipkart helps tremendously here. 

 

Three, knowing the market. You would need to know the market, search trends, demand and supply data for your product. Again, choosing to partner with Flipkart would help you with these. 

Four, partnering with an e-commerce platform that gives you support such as training and development. If you are struggling to understand how to digitise your business or make use of online payment options, get trained. Flipkart helps its sellers with not just financial growth but the development of their skill set as well. 

 

Your business needs exposure

 

Having an excellent product may not be enough. You will still need time to catch up to market trends and also compete with larger, well-established brands. 

 

An e-commerce platform like Flipkart helps immensely. As part of the Flipkart Samarth-NULM partnership, many artisans and craftspersons have got the exposure their businesses need. 

 

Speaking of inspiring stories, here are a few Flipkart seller stories that inspired me.

 

Navrang Handicrafts by Dhaval Patel:

Dhaval Patel runs Navrang Handicrafts. Before partnering with Flipkart, he used to sell his products in the local market. YouTube videos of Flipkart Samarth helped him understand the benefits of selling online and the journey has been amazing, he says. 

 

Sunmoni Kalitha’s Water Hyacinth baskets:

Sunmoni from Assam used to play with water hyacinth flowers as a child and when she grew up, little did she know that this could turn into an art. She got training via Flipkart’s DAY-NULM and now these baskets are a thriving business with products available across India.

 

Farsan to epitomize festivity made possible by Rashmi:

Rashmi Manojbhai Wagerah has made the most of e-commerce with Flipkart. She began selling in 2018 with 50 orders a day and now sells no less than 800! What does she sell? A very popular kitchen appliance- the sev machine, without which the delicious farsan during festivals wouldn’t exist! Her company has now made a name for itself by manufacturing and procuring kitchenware, household appliances, décor fittings, etc. The business has increased by 1000% over three years, she says!

Rahul Kumawat’s Kathu Crafts:

He started his journey with Flipkart in 2013, selling pharmaceutical instruments. In 2014, with the help of his family members, he began to sell décor. Earning Rs. 3000 in a medical shop after his 12th std hardly helped him meet his expenses. He had dreams of having his own house and a car. His 8-year journey with Flipkart has helped him make his dreams come true and believe in the power of entrepreneurship.

 

Such initiatives are truly empowering and encouraging for people who want to start or change their careers. It gives us the motivation that one can start at any age, anytime. All we need is to hone our skills and find a platform that believes in our potential. 

 

 

Do you have a career story to share? I would love to know more about it, do share it in the comments. 

 

Source: https://storiesflistgv2.blob.core.windows.net/stories/2021/01/FINAL-Press-Release_-NITI-Aayog-and-Flipkart-collaborate-to-enhance-Women-Entrepreneurship-Platform.pdf