By: Joshua Finley

After nearly two decades as a leader in the corporate world, Rahul Karan Sharma embarked on a new chapter as an entrepreneur and mindset coach. His journey reflects a shift from focusing purely on career success to prioritizing his health, family, and making a broader impact.

Reflection During COVID Sparks Change

Rahul reflects on how the COVID-19 pandemic created an opportunity for self-reflection: “The pandemic made me rethink my approach. It wasn’t just about COVID-19 itself, but what it brought to life—everything revolved around family. I experienced moments of quality time that were truly meaningful.”

Before the pandemic, Rahul’s schedule was dominated by extensive business travel and work commitments, leaving him often mentally absent even when with loved ones. “As I reviewed my career, I realized I was either traveling or so preoccupied that, even when I was with my family, I wasn’t really present.”

This led to profound introspection: “I began to question what I was doing for my health and for those who love me most.” It was during this time that the initial seeds of entrepreneurship began to take root.

Discovering the Entrepreneurial Path

Rahul traces his entrepreneurial spark back to 2016, when he attended a three-day presentation workshop led by legendary motivational speaker Les Brown. Despite being a seasoned Leadership workshop Facilitator, Rahul was eager to learn from Brown.

Reflecting on the experience, he says, “I saw people changing lives through their stories. I began to realize I had many stories and experiences to share, but being confined to the corporate world limited my ability to help only those within my organization.”

Inspired by Brown’s workshop, Rahul began to explore how he could broaden the impact of his experiences to transform mindsets. Yet, he confesses, “The security of a corporate biweekly paycheck kept me content and lacking the courage to seek new opportunities.”

Taking the Leap into Entrepreneurship

When COVID-19 hit, Rahul revisited his entrepreneurial aspirations. He explains, “I started preparing for this day when I will be moving out. I told myself ‘I’m ready.’ But somewhere in my heart, I thought ‘No, I need to be more prepared.’”

Serendipitously, Rahul caught a live video of Les Brown on LinkedIn one Saturday morning. Brown was introducing an upcoming 5-day challenge on monetizing your message with Dr. Delatorro McNeal. Intrigued, Rahul participated in the challenge and then worked with McNeal in a year-long mentorship program.

“He gave me direction on writing the book, and I wrote the book. That’s what started the preparation because I always believe preparation is key to being successful.”

After lengthy discussions, Rahul’s employer requested that he stay one additional year to hire and train his successor. In December 2023, after 19 years with the company, he made the leap.

Key Lessons from Corporate Life

When discussing the significant lessons from his corporate career, Rahul highlights the importance of enhancing his people management skills. “Like many corporate leaders, I wasn’t formally trained in leadership. I started working on the ground, and gradually, without realizing it, I became a leader. I simply saw the opportunity and seized it.”

He also acquired invaluable insights into business operations and processes. “In business, having structured processes, the right people, and well-defined systems is crucial.” Leading global teams exposed him to many cultures, teaching him to unify diverse mindsets toward common objectives.

Building Change Through Mindset Coaching

Rahul dedicates his entrepreneurial efforts to mindset coaching and public speaking. He articulates, “Your mind is the catalyst for action. Without resetting the mindset, lasting change is elusive.”

Having led learning and development initiatives in corporate roles, Rahul noticed change efforts often struggle because they dictate change rather than inspiring it intrinsically. “My experience is people don’t resist change coming from within, they love it! But when it’s told to them, that’s where resistance comes.”

He believes shifting mindsets is the key to sparking lasting change, making it a natural focus for his coaching.

Leadership Through Preparation and Belief

On leadership, Rahul advocates first becoming the leader you aspire to be. “Preparation comes into play. You really need to play with your mind.”

He distinguishes true leadership from simply occupying a management role. “The true leader is developing future leaders, sacrificing his or her own needs for the team, showing passion and positivity.”

Rahul advises leaders to truly believe in the vision before communicating it. “People are very smart, they figure out if it’s coming from your heart or just your mind.” By exemplifying passionate leadership, you can inspire greatness in others.

To learn more about Rahul Karan Sharma, visit his LinkedIn profile.

Published by: Khy Talara