If you're sending 100+ job applications and getting zero interview calls - or dreaming of consulting independence but terrified you won't find clients - the problem isn't your qualifications. It's your strategy. 🔥

Most professionals in India are stuck in two traps: the "application trap" (endlessly applying online while the best opportunities go to people with relationships) or the "expertise trap" (believing that being good at your work automatically makes you a successful consultant).

Here's what I know about your frustration:

You're qualified. You're experienced. You deserve better. But if you're job hunting, you're competing with 3,000+ applicants while 90% of the best roles never get posted. If you're considering consulting, you're worried about steady income, finding clients, and whether your corporate experience will actually translate into consulting success.

Meanwhile, your family is watching, your confidence is dropping, and you're starting to wonder if something's fundamentally wrong with you. There isn't. You just need the right system.

From Corporate to Consulting - and Back to Helping You

In 2014, after 22 years in corporate India with Unilever, Nokia, and Cargill, I made the leap into consulting. My biggest fear? Would I get a steady stream of clients?

I de-risked my transition by converting my former employer into my first client and tapping into my network. Within 2 weeks, I landed my first new client. After that, I've built a thriving practice serving PVR INOX, Mother Dairy, Cargill, Voltas, Plantronics, and Altudo.

I Help Professionals on Two Paths:

Career Transitions: Through my N.E.X.T. methodology, I help professionals land roles with 30-80% salary increases by becoming the person companies actively recruit.

Consulting Pivots: I guide experienced professionals (especially those 40+) to build profitable consulting practices that monetize decades of corporate expertise. Whether you're seeking independence, facing a layoff, or planning post-retirement income, I'll show you how to attract ideal clients who respect your expertise and pay accordingly.

After 22 years in corporate and 11 years coaching professionals, I've seen what separates those who thrive from those who struggle.

Ready to stop being invisible and start being irresistible? 

Let's connect: hello@vikramanand.com 🤝

Vikram Anand

Three months into consulting, I sent my client Sandeep a proposal for ₹5 lakhs. He called me the next morning.

"Can we meet for coffee?"

My stomach dropped. Here it comes. The "you're too expensive" conversation. 

Maybe I should've charged ₹3 lakhs. Maybe I should've—

We met at DiGhent Cafe - a nice coffee shop in Gurgaon. 

He slid the printed proposal across the table.

"I already signed it. Payment's being processed."

I tried to look calm. "Great. So, what did you want to discuss?"

"I need to understand why you only gave me one option."

Wait, what?

"If this project is worth ₹5 lakhs, shouldn't the bigger version be worth more? 

Shouldn't there be a smaller version if budget is tight?"

He wasn't complaining about the price.

He was disappointed I hadn't shown him more ways to work together.

That conversation changed everything.

I'd been so scared of looking "greedy" that I'd actually limited what I could do for him.

Since that day, I always offer three options. Always.

The cheapest one might be ₹2 lakhs. The premium might be ₹8 lakhs.

And you know what? 70% of clients pick the middle or top option.

If you're pivoting from the corporate sector to consulting in your 40s or 50s, remember this: your clients aren't looking for the cheapest consultant.

They're looking for someone who understands their problems well enough to offer real choices.

Stop slashing your fees. Start giving options.

#CorporateToConsultant

I Help Professionals Thrive With Well-Paying Jobs & Pivot Into Their Second Innings As Profitable Consultants | Former CXO at Cargill & AkzoNobel

I had just left Cargill in April 2014 to become a marketing consultant.

My consulting "business plan" was permanently work in progress.

I spent three weeks obsessing over my website colours. Should it be corporate blue? Or that trendy gradient design everyone was using?

Meanwhile, my savings account was having its own anxiety attack.

Then one morning, my wife asked a simple question: "Why haven't you called Ramesh yet?"

Ramesh. My old colleague from the marketing days. Now heading sales and marketing at a mid-sized FMCG company.

"I'm not ready," I said. "Website isn't done. I don't even have a proper deck."

She just looked at me.

So I called him. Awkward small talk. Then I mentioned I was starting something new and could use his perspective.

"Oh thank god," he said. "I've been sitting on this marketing problem for months. Can you come in next week?"

That "not ready" call became my first project.

Turns out, nobody asked for my website. They wanted my 22 years of experience.

If you're in your 40s or older, sitting on years of expertise but waiting to be "ready" – you already are.

Your network knows what you can do. 

They're just waiting for you to pick up the phone.

#CorporateToConsultant

I was chatting with a friend last week in his mid 50s who's been laid off as a CXO and has spent a year trying to find a new job.

The uncomfortable truth - most senior professionals build careers, not economic engines.

They rely on one employer at a time.

They optimize for stability, not optionality.

Corporate roles hide a hard truth: your employability declines faster than your capability.

Start planning your second innings in your late 40s before the first one ends at 60.

What do you think? Do we need to plan a Second Innings?

#VikramWrites #SecondInnings

Last month, I met an ex-colleague from my mid-management years at a virtual networking event.

52 years old, now. MBA from a top B-school. 25 years in IT services.

He'd been passed over for a VP role. The feedback? "We're looking for someone with a longer career runway."

Career runway. As if we're planes about to crash.

Here's what's funny:

The average millennial changes jobs every 2 years. Most professionals switch every 4-5 years.

But a 50-year-old who could give you 10-15 quality years doesn't have "enough runway"?

That's ageism dressed up in corporate speak.

But here's the twist. Sometimes we invite this discrimination ourselves.

I've seen talented professionals treat their last decade like a countdown to retirement. They stop learning. Stop updating. Stop caring.

Same resume format from 2010. Talk about "the good old days" in interviews. Clothes that scream "I stopped trying."

Then they wonder why 28-year-old hiring managers see them as outdated.

Think of it like this. Would you buy a 2010 car with no GPS, no Bluetooth, worn seats, and expect to pay 2025 prices?

That's how the market sees you if you haven't upgraded.

You can't control ageism. But you CAN control your health, energy, skills, and attitude.

Update your LinkedIn. Learn current tools. Dress like it's 2025, not 2005. 

Stop talking about "how we used to do things."

Most importantly? Stop thinking about the next 10 years as a countdown.

Start thinking about them as your second innings.

Because here's the reality: You're likely working into your 70s anyway. The retirement dream at 58? That's gone.

So make the next 20 years count on YOUR terms.

What do you think? Is "career runway" legitimate or just age discrimination in disguise?

#SecondInnings #VikramWrites

It's Saturday. You're reading this with your morning coffee, thinking about the week that just ended.

How many times this week did you think: "Just 5 more years and I'm out"?

I know this feeling. I've heard it from dozens of people I've coached.

Anil, 48, VP at an MNC in Gurgaon. "I'm just keeping my head down till I hit 55."

Mitali, 52, HR Director in Mumbai. "I'll ride this out. What else can I do at this age?"

Pradeep, 46, IT Manager in Pune. "Better to play it safe than take risks now."

Here's the uncomfortable truth.

Playing it safe IS the risk.

That "safe" corporate job you're clinging to? It could vanish tomorrow. 

Automation. Restructuring. Your entire department outsourced to the Philippines.

The company you've given 20 years to doesn't owe you the next 10.

But here's what nobody tells you or me.

The most valuable skill for the second half of your life isn't on any job description.

It's learning to CREATE opportunities instead of WAITING for them.

Think about it. You've spent decades being excellent at what someone else told you to do.

What if you spent your weekend thinking about what YOU could create?

Not a full-blown business plan. Not quitting Monday morning.

Just one question: What problem could I solve that people would actually pay for?

Maybe it's consulting in your area of expertise. Maybe it's training. Maybe it's something completely different that's been sitting in the back of your mind for years.

If you're in your 40s or early 50s, please start thinking of your Plan B - before your organization forces you to do so.

#SecondInnings #VikramWrites

80% of consultants are really professionals in between jobs. 

Given half a chance, they will go back to a stable 9 to 5 job any day.

15% of the others go through periods of feast and famine. They are usually very good in their domain, but don't know how to monetize it as a business model.

5% crack the code to a growing & stable recurring revenue, scalable business models, hedged risks, and a diversified pool of happy clients.

What do they have that others don't?

1. A proven pipeline of current leads

2. A clear idea of where future leads will come from

3. A personal brand that attracts the right clients who will resonate with them

4. A strong network to tap into, in the initial years

5. A pricing model that is premium and attracts high-ticket clients. 

6. (Optional) A paid lead acquisition model that is > 3 ROAS (return on ad spends) 

Solopreneur consulting is hard to start, but incredibly satisfying once you learn the ropes.

#corporatetoconsultant

Allied Vision Group Of Companies

Working in Renewable energy services - Solar PV field for business development, contract management, design, planning, execution, billing, collection, revenue generation. Brings add on value to the table being business oriented subject matters. Savings to estimated cost while working with team for various parameters. Completing the project in time with quality & safety. "Time is the essence of contract"

Chief Executive Officer

Greencells Group

Job Profile: - 
	Spearheading multiple projects/ sites together at a time effectively
	Executing solar power projects/ Structure agreements with OEMs to supply equipment and services 
	Implement KPIs and divisional objectives 
	Technical coordination for business plan preparation/ project estimate and budget 
	Analyze and highlight gaps between the planned vs actuals
	Implement cost control / risk management  strategy 
	Prepare bid packages and procure materials and services
	Create project budget; track project costs
	Prepare CEMP, HSE and Quality Plans 
	Coordinate with the SCM (Supply Chain Management) team 
	Give inputs to the channel partner in Nigeria for NSIA (Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority) project
	Identify prospective clients  
	Develop a strategic framework for tendering 
Achievements at Green cells:-
•	Resolved multiple challenges of quality as well procedural aspects during pre-commissioning because of varied country specific requirement – made a  protocol and ensured that the pre-commissioning activities became a regular hassle free activity 
•	Ensured effective working within strict Government rules and regulations during Ramadan period for 1177MW Sweihan project in Abu-Dhabi project – recovered 70% of productivity loss  
•	Saved material like cable, consumables, while planning of cable cutting schedule  for major cost saving
•	Ensured zero LTI/ High safety standards  in all the projects
•	Received Appreciation from senior management for quality deliverables as well handling the long duration project without diluting the margins
Projects:- 
Mall of Muscat - roof top solar project 5MW
Sohar China Downtown, Oman- 2MW solar roof top project 
10MW, 35MW ground mounted solar power plant in Bangladesh
4MW Solar Power Plant (an EPC contract)
Grid-connected 10MW Solar Photovoltaic Power Plant in Nigeria (EPC contract), value 7.7 million USD
3 MW Funab Project, Federal University of Agriculture & Teaching Hospitals, Abekuta, Nigeria

Construction Project Manager

Self-employed

	Work with clients who are having the solar/electrical works with TRANSCO department for SITC (Supply Installation, Testing and Commissioning) of EHV (Extra High Voltage) cable and ancillary substation equipment
	Liaison with CEIG, Fire Inspector, State Electricity Department for sanctioning of load, project closure
	Interaction with Architect/Client/Consultant for designing, execution & clearances for executing the works 
	Develop Vendors/Sub Contractors, Material & Man power management 
Projects:-
	Supply, laying/erection, testing & commissioning of 220KV 1200 mm2  XLPE UG Cable from CTT of 220 KV Narsapur - Bowrampet DC line to 220/132 KV SS Bowrampet RR district Telangana, India
	Supply, laying/erection, testing & commissioning of 132KV QC UG 1x630 mm2 cable D.C. line : 1.6 KM for TST-19 Uppal project, in Hyderabad, Telangana State, India
	Supply, laying/erection, testing & commissioning of 132KV QC UG cable line 1x630 mm2 cable D.C. line. : 4 KM for TST – 30 Miyapur project, in Hyderabad, India
	Supply and erection of 220KV, 1000 mm2 XLPE cable end terminations of 220KV, 1000 mm2 XLPE single core cable at 220KV/11KV Markook SS under package-14 of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation scheme in Siddipet District on Turnkey basis in Hyderabad, India

Bids made as a pre tendering Consultant:-
	Pre-Tendering Bids for 2.1GW Al Dhafra, Project situated in Abu-Dhabi
	Al Quadra Project, Dubai (capacity 600 MW)

Freelance Consultant

M/s. Sterling & Wilson Middle East Electromechanical (L.L.C.)

Projects
1177 MW Sweihan Solar project, Abu Dhabi 
Successfully handled ~80% of execution works activities, achieved hot commissioning of the project within 13 months
Suryodaya Energy Pvt. Ltd., 34 MW ground based(& partially single axis tracker) solar PV project in Telengana, India Coordinated with CEIG for commissioning approval
Narasimha Swamy Solar Generation Pvt. Ltd-5.2 MW Single Axis Tracking Solar plant in Thadipatri VillageAPSynchronized with 33KVsubstation of APEPDCL on a separate feeder 
Pragati Resorts Solar Power Project - 0.5 MW for power generation&in-houseutilization
1177MW project Details:- The SWEIHAN Power Project (UAE-Abu Dhabi) is a 1177 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) independent power project (IPP) in Abu Dhabi, UAE. It is expected to offset approximately seven million tones of carbon emissions a year Plant is having 201 blocks. (App. 5.8 MW / Block).The construction  began in May 2017 and commercial operations started in April 2019The solar power project features high-efficiency mono-crystalline PV modules by Jinko Solar The modules are mounted on fixed-tilt ground-mounted supporting inventive structure.
1strole,Zone 2: 300 MW Solar PV Execution Works:-
-In this we had the following activities-String cabling and Labeling, String Combiner Box Installation and Termination, RMU, MC4 Connector, Inverter Erection & Termination, Inverter Earthing. 
-The PMV (Project Metric Velocity) system was used to monitor daily progress.
2nd role, Screws Piling / Installation: -
-Screw piling, drilling of 750 MW of entire 1177 MW plant was taken care of. The total screws in the entire plant is approx. 627 K.
-It is a process-oriented works such as marking of screws in the ground by use of laser marker which was installed on the OEM’s machine. 
3rdrole,HV / MV / LV Cable Laying and Termination Works: -
422KM of MV cable laying was performed,20 KM of HV cable laying in the entire plant, retrofit works of bay extension at existing220KVSweihan TRANSCOGridSubstation.

Senior Construction Manager – Projects 

Sterling and Wilson Electrical  Private Limited 

Spearheading the end-to-end Project Management & Advisory, Construction Operations, Strategic Planning, Contract Management, Cost Optimization, P&L Management, Resource & Site Management, Billing & Payment, Materials Management, Compliance Management, Escalation Management, Revenue Generation, HSE, Logistics Operations, Risk Mitigation, Quality Management, Training & Development and People Management, Anchoring on-site project/construction activities to ensure completion of project within the time & cost parameters and effective resource utilization to maximize the output 
 Liaising with Architects, Client and Consultant regarding designing, execution & clearances for executing the works 
 Preparing & reviewing method statements, work specific project quality plan & quality control plan as per specifications of contract document 
 Spearheading engineering, procurement, construction, pre-commissioning, commissioning, start-up and performance warranty activities  
 Formulating operating budgets and developing project baselines, monitoring & controlling projects with respect to cost, resource deployment, time overruns and quality compliance to ensure satisfactory execution of projects 
 Conducting cost benefit analysis of the projects including feasibility studies and assessment of project requirements 
 Tracking engineering progress, identifying delays and ensuring timely, efficient & profitable project execution 
 Implementing value engineering during various stages of projects; recommending policy and procedure improvements 
 Analyzing & developing alternate vendor source for achieving cost-effective purchase of equipment, accessories & timely delivery to minimize project cost

Deputy General Manager

Rohini Industrial Electrical Ltd (Voltas group)

•	Leading as Manager (Projects) consisting of 90 subordinates in Projects.
•	Project Handling including of HT, LT & Erection of Panels, Transformers.
•	Internal Electrification of Plant as well as Utility Building, Office area with interior works.
•	Material & Man power Management for the day to day activity.
•	External Electrification such as Flood Lighting, Panel Erection & Street Lighting.
•	Making report to the G.M., Vice President, H.O. Preparing MIS of the work done at site.
•	Making of Measurement of work done. Billing as per Measurement Sheet.
•	Making Sub-Contractors Bill for Different part of job.

Project Manager

Impex Project Enginee

•	Erection testing & commissioning of Sub Station Equipment, HT/LT Cable work, Feeder Pillar/panel & Internal Electrification work with billing to the clients/consultant.
•	Working for Tendering, quoting & negotiation with client/consultant. 
.        Consultancy on Execution of the project with value addition in design aspects.

Consulting Engineer

New Adarsh Electrical Works

•	Erection of Transformer, HT/LT Panel, Laying of HT/LT Cable for 11KV/22KV in Railway & another Reputed govt. Organization viz. NBCC LTD., MSEB, MTNL.
•	Erection of Sub – Station in Railways (MTP, Central, Western Railway) along with Erection of Transformers.

Project Engineer

Electro med equipment Co., Mumbai.			

Installation, Testing, Commissioning of Bio Medical Equipment's at Hospitals, Doctors Clinics Etc.
Maintenance & Servicing of X-Ray Machine, Image Intensifier, C-Arm.
Testing of HT Cable & Phase Transformer.

Service Engineer

Overview
•	Senior Accomplished  Engineering Professional, PMP certified with extensive experience in  leadership positions in  Electrical & Solar Power Projects with P&L accountability in India, , Bangladesh, Nigeria and UAE
•	Successfully directed various critical and challenging hi-value projects from inception to completion, ensuring effective resource deployment and utilization, and completion within scheduled time and budget parameters
•	Experienced in construction management devising strategic plans & schedules for project activities, monitoring & controlling projects with respect to cost, time over-runs and quality compliance 
•	Provided strategic, innovative and operational leadership for all functional operations of project management, overseeing all aspects of procurement, vendor & contract management, construction and government liaison   ensuring all deliverables are achieved 
•	In depth expertise in providing timely, accurate and operational recommendations to stakeholders and clients  and leading  high performance multifunctional teams, driving higher margins, ROI and sustainable growth

A versatile, accomplished & goal-oriented professional with over 28 years of experience in Construction
Operations, Electrical, MEP & Solar Power Project Execution, 
-Sustainable Architectural Planning, Contract Management, Design Development, 
-Interior Designing, MEP Operations, Risk Assessment & Mitigation, Material Planning, 
-Vendor Management, Cost Optimization, Training & Development and People Management with a proven track record of executing prestigious projects of large magnitude within strict time schedules, cost & quality.

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Vikram Anand

Anand Bhagwat (PMI-PMP)®

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