Rama Krishna Sangem
This is the story of yet another IIT alumni rejecting a corporate job and choosing her passion. Priyanka Gupta, an alumna of the IIT Kanpur, made the bold decision to depart from her corporate job in pursuit of a career as a fitness coach. This inspiring story is carried on Hindustan Times, but for more details, you can see it on her Linkedin.
Many individuals aspire to secure positions at large multinational corporations (MNCs). Despite this common goal, Priyanka Gupta, an alumna of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, made the bold decision to depart from her corporate job in pursuit of a career as a fitness coach. She recently took to LinkedIn to talk about her journey, and her post went viral. She also shared how she failed at her first startup, however kept pushing on.
“I left a big MNC and my IIT pedigree attachment. Now, I help professionals stay fit and live longer. Like many of my fellow IIT buddies, right after graduation, I started chasing that golden ticket to financial stability. I was responsible for supporting my family and this was the most apparent path. After 5 years, when I took my first break from work, I got bugged by entrepreneurship. Don’t know how. I wanted to start a home-cooked food delivery business. It didn’t start. I could not get enough courage. And got dragged into 9-to-5 again,” wrote Gupta in the post. (
She further added, “The comfort of corporate life was cool and all, but there was this itch, you know? The kind that makes you crave something more, something you can truly call your own. 2012, I took the plunge and launched my first startup, IndiaBookStore. Scary as heck, but man, was it worth it! Turns out, passion beats a paycheck any day. Sure, money’s nice and all, but there is nothing like building something from scratch that you truly believe in. How/Why I closed my 1st startup and my journey after that is a story for another day.”
Priyanka Gupta’s 3 takeaways for you:
Passion fuels purpose. Sure, financial rewards matter, but true fulfilment comes from pursuing something that sets your soul on fire.
Embrace the roller coaster. Entrepreneurship has its highs and lows. Learn from your setbacks, celebrate your wins, and enjoy the ride.
Prioritise your health. It’s not just about physical fitness. A healthy body and mind are essential for a fulfilling life.
