How do you build a career when the path you planned keeps changing?

In Part 1 of my conversation with Sai Natarajan, Global Head of Brand at Genpact, we trace a career journey that began with a strong interest in marketing but moved through software, pre-sales, statistical modelling, consulting and inside sales before eventually leading back to marketing and brand leadership.

Sai speaks openly about choosing marketing, studying for an MBA, dealing with rejection, becoming a manager at 25, learning unfamiliar skills, returning to work after motherhood and creating opportunities by volunteering before feeling fully ready.

We also discuss why you do not always need to discover one clear passion before choosing a career, how introverts can build confidence in public speaking, what an MBA really teaches beyond academics, and why building skills can matter more than constantly chasing the next promotion.

This episode is especially relevant for students, MBA aspirants, young professionals and anyone trying to make sense of an uncertain career path.

Part 1 ends with a question that leads directly into the next episode: what is the difference between sales and marketing?

In Part 2, we explore careers in sales, marketing and brand in greater detail, including what these roles actually involve, the skills they require and how to decide whether this field is right for you.

Chapters

00:00 – Meet Sai Natarajan, Global Head of Brand at Genpact
02:34 – Why She Chose Marketing
11:12 – Do You Need to Find Your Passion?
12:50 – What an MBA Really Teaches You
20:18 – How an Introvert Becomes a Confident Speaker
26:47 – Her First Marketing Internship
30:00 – Career Rejection and Landing the First Job
38:50 – Joining Genpact and Learning a New Skill
43:23 – Becoming a Manager at 25
47:04 – The Power of Volunteering for Opportunities
49:58 – Build Skills, Not Just Promotions
52:22 – What Consulting Really Involves
57:09 – Motherhood, Career Breaks and Returning to Work
1:00:24 – Finding Her Way Back to Marketing

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