TTT #35: "From Consulting to Changemaking" with Joel Alexander

Graduate, work and wait for years: this is the conventionally laid-down route for someone wanting to begin a company and become an entrepreneur.  But, is this really so? What happens when you are so keen to make a change, so passionate about a particular cause that you don’t have the patience to follow this route?

Joel Alexander’s journey seems to give an answer. Co-founder of one of the world’s largest non-profit consultancy, Reshape Co., Joel takes us through what went into beginning his company during his final undergraduate year. He acknowledges some incredible people whom he reached out, those who supported him throughout, and gave their insights. Despite having received no response from numerous people, he speaks about not being afraid of listening to a ‘no.’ According to him, just the possibility of influential people taking a chance can be the encouraging factor, and the fear of being ignored should not hinder one’s confidence.

He talks about life at LSE and the zeal that comes with being surrounded by individuals driven to make an impact. He mentions a shift in perspective that came after having the opportunity to be the head of Project Access India; how ultimately wanting to make a change to his bank-balance transformed into wanting to make a change in somebody’s life. And that’s what he encourages everyone to do: to not give up and work towards a goal that involves creating an impact.

As he says,

To have a meaningful life goes beyond working for a company. It’s about how many people you are working towards impacting.