At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Sakshi Dua for an exclusive interview with us. Sakshi is a Soft Skills Trainer, Image Consultant, Influencer and Change Enabler. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Sakshi:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
I am a Sales Professional turned Soft Skills Trainer. I started my Career in 2013 with a Mumbai based startup. I have worked in the Media Industry for 6 Years with some of the finest brands in the country – Big FM, Disney Star and 9X Media.
After spending close to 8 years into the world of Business as a Sales Professional, I realized that there is no alignment of my job role with my larger purpose in life.
In the year 2020, when the world was under lockdown, I decided to unlock my future self and pursue professional training into Image Consulting and Soft Skills Training.
It’s been an amazing journey so far and there has been no looking back since then. It’s immensely gratifying to be wind beneath people’s wings by wearing a Trainer’s Hat”
How did you discover your passion as a ‘Trainer’?
Originally, being a Trainer was never a part of the plan. In fact, I couldn’t imagine myself quitting a secure job and foray into an uncharted path.
Although there was a constant calling to pursue something that feeds the soul, I couldn’t gather the courage to let go of a career that I have built over the years.
My love for dressing up brought me to the world of Image Consulting and I enrolled myself into a Professional course of Image Consulting at ICBI. It was midway in the course, I realized the true power of Transformation.”
That’s when I realized how being a catalyst in other people’s lives can inspire them and make them realize their true potential. As a trainer, it makes me ecstatic when I am able to role model my learners and shape them into the leaders of future.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
Challenges are a part of everyone’s life. Challenges help you grow; they push you out of your comfort zone.
Without Challenges, Life gets pretty monotonous and predictable. I strive to learn and grow with each passing day. I firmly believe that Learning is an ongoing process and that hunger to imbibe and soak knowledge keeps me going.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
I would say people who did not believe in me initially only made me stronger. I call myself as a highly self-motivated individual but I would credit the source of that motivation to those who had no faith in my abilities and who would pull me down to break my confidence.
I would like to thank them because I took the challenge head-on and the same set of people motivated me to do better. Only now they have more faith in my abilities.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
I wouldn’t call it a strategy but some habits that have kept me on course and have been instrumental to my growth as a person and as a professional.
Sticking to a Schedule: As a freelancer, you don’t have consistent work in the start and it’s easy to fall into the trap of an unplanned day.
I have been self-disciplined throughout, setting aside fixed work-hours, five days a week irrespective of how much “actual” work I have had.
I would build connections on Linkedin, spend time prospecting and also spend time brushing up about the Industry and its trends.”
I would also constantly strive to hone my skillset and make it relevant to the ever-evolving landscape of L&D. There is always some meaningful work to do each day and this habit of discipline has gone a long way in shaping me as a Trainer/ L&D Professional.
Being Present on Social Media: Although there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in this area, being comfortable with LinkedIn and Instagram took some conscious effort and time.
I had to deliberately inculcate the habit of spending time on social media, especially on Linkedin and it has proven to be useful in expanding the professional network.
Acknowledging Feedback: I seek feedback not only from my mentors but also from my learners. They are my audience and I see myself as a performer. I am receptive to feedback and I have actually worked upon my areas of improvement to hone my skillset.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
Success does not come falling into your lap. One has to plan, set goals, measure results, learn from failures and strive to do only better. I would like to broadly lay down three key areas, which in my opinion are fundamental to anyone’s success:
1) Goal Setting: Make them specific and measurable and break your tasks into smaller parts. Track your progress and appreciate your journey along the way.
2) Consistency: Stay right on track and keep moving even if you are not motivated. Discipline beats motivation. Your work and your progress all add up and compound to a bigger win, in retrospect.
3) Resilience: It’s easy to fall into “Imposter Syndrome” and be engulfed with self-doubt. Not all days will give you an adrenaline rush. Keep working, anyway.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
Life unfolds in exciting ways. It takes unexpected twists and turns. Some detours bring a 360-degree change to your life.
Taking risks is not easy. There is a lot at stake but as an old adage says “The biggest risk of life is not to take risk at all “.
What makes my journey exciting and satisfying is the drive to keep going, despite the odds.
Also, the fact that you can’t do enough or know enough. New Learning brings a lot of excitement and I find that growth addictive.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
