We were lucky to catch up with Vyoma Gandhi recently and have shared our conversation below.
Vyoma, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How do you think about vacations as a business owner? Do you take them and if so, how? If you don’t, why not?
I am a big advocate for mental health, and I love traveling, so vacations are a must. The way I look at it, I work so that I can take vacations to reset. Life and work get busy, and we tend to ignore the toll it takes on our emotional and mental health. Vacations are a great way to break out of the routine, explore new realms and give us the much-needed self-care that is usually ignored in daily hustling. You can only help your business if you are good yourself. If you don’t take a break, you will break.
Vyoma, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a woman who was born and raised in a small village (now a city) in India which brings to mind a lot of cliches, and I enjoy breaking cliches. I was raised to live life to the fullest and no dreams were too big; you only miss the shots you don’t take. All credit goes to my parents and the values they instilled in me, for the person I have become! I am a serial hobbyist! My joy lies in the exploration of uncharted territories, novel experiences and daring escapades; the unknown is my comfort zone. My curiosity has led me to dive headfirst into a multitude of passions, whether it’s delving into diverse cultures, learning new skills, or advocating for causes. Just to give you an idea, I am a biker who has supported and raised money for charities and who enjoys yoga, dance, cooking, baking, reading, meditation, fashion, and more. I study and learn new things for fun!
Professionally speaking, I am a Lead Sales Engineer with NetScaler covering the US Public Sector for Cloud Software Group, a Professor at Florida International University and I am the CEO of The Gig, which is a Real Estate Syndication. I also work with the Missionaries of Mother Teresa to help raise money and provide food for the hungry and homeless. My focus is to try and understand problems and come up with solutions that make most sense to the entities involved. I love having and helping get to the “lightbulb moment”, with anything that I undertake. I believe in Einstein’s – Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination gets you everywhere!
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
My reputation within the market can be attributed to a combination of factors that have contributed to my growth and recognition. I have an unwavering commitment to delivery and execution which has helped me establish a strong foundation of trust and reliability. One of my priorities is open and transparent communication, fostering strong relationships with people, be them friends, family, clients, partners, and/or stakeholders. Additionally, I’ve invested time in continuous learning and innovation, which has enabled me to grow as a person and help offer solutions. Lastly, active engagement in networking events, industry conferences, and thought leadership initiatives has allowed me to showcase my work, ethic and connect with key players in the market.
How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?
My career began working in the field of computer networking which is what I had studied. However, the market where I live doesn’t really have a lot of tech firms, so when it was time to change and grow, I realized that my expertise needed an upgrade to stay relevant.
Recognizing the need to pivot, I moved to working at startups and small firms. The amazing part here is that I could learn a lot of new skills, languages and don many hats. So, I learnt marketing, graphic design, technical writing besides computer networking.
With time, I saw the potential for specialization and found a new passion for entrepreneurship. I decided to go back to school so that I could focus my skill set better. Today, everything I have learned and am learning between all of my jobs, helps me become better in my field.
Looking back, I can see that my willingness to recognize the changing landscape and adapt my skills accordingly was pivotal in shaping the trajectory of my career. This experience taught me the importance of continuous learning and being open to change, both of which are essential in a rapidly evolving professional world. As one of my professors used to say, “Pivoting is not an end or a disruption, it is the beginning of the next leg of your journey”.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @vyo_mania
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vyomagandhi/
- Twitter: vyomania