Tell us about yourself, your background and what you do currently
As a Chat Show Host, Trainer, Director, Movie Maker and blogger I manage a YouTube chat show, ChetChat. This is a long format chat show providing career guidance and entrepreneur success stories targeted primarily to the country’s youth. With over a 100 interviews, the channel has garnered more than 10,000 subscribers and over 6 lakh views. ChetChat has managed to carve a solid niche for itself in its two years of existence and I have been fortunate to have met over 100 high achievers, each of whom has inspired me in their own way.
I did my post graduate studies from XLRI, Jamshedpur and became a corporate banker. I worked with some of India’s largest MNC banks for the first ten years of my professional career. The birth of my son saw me take a break from the corporate world. I then set up and ran a training company for the next 10 years. This firm trained bankers from more than 10 banks, both within India as well as overseas.
What has been your greatest achievement personally?
I would consider my ability to transition from one field to another seamlessly as my greatest achievement. I am not afraid to pick up brand new skills and master them. I truly believe that if we pursue something relentlessly with all the positive energy, we can achieve anything we desire.
What has been the biggest challenge in achieving your success?
Well, I would say balance. First, balancing family demands and work and second, balancing the desire to help people with the need to monetise my work. The YouTube model has a low revenue structure, so I keep myself focussed on providing the most authentic information to my viewers, without getting distracted by low revenues.
If you weren’t doing what you do now, what would you be doing?
In another life I would have either been a doctor or an actor.
Who has been your biggest inspiration?
I try to learn something from every person I meet, and to name the biggest inspiration is tough. I would say in many ways it would be my son. He has taught me to consistently strive for the best quality, keep learning and challenging yourself, while being kind and humble. He also goads me to live life on my own terms.
What does the future hold for you?
My goal is to make ChetChat the No.1 talk show in India on the digital platform and impact the lives of millions of young people in a positive way. The youth are our biggest asset and I see them struggling to get basic information on their career plans, future goals and jobs. If we can shine a torchlight and set them on the right path, sooner or later, they will discover their own light for the rest of their journey. My goal is to invite every inspirational leader, celebrity and change agent on my show and give them a platform to address the youth of the world to guide them, motivate them and inspire them.
Personally, what gives me the greatest satisfaction are the scores of messages I receive each day from people all over the world writing in and asking me to guide them, thanking me and trusting me with their dreams. No revenue model could ever compensate for this joy! So in the future, I want more messages, more questions and more students from all over the world.
