Imagine waking up to find your work, your schedule, and your sense of direction — gone overnight.
That’s what happened to me.
I’ll tell you what I did through every phase — and what you can do when life suddenly changes course. Recently, a 21-month project came to an end. And once again, I’m preparing to rebuild — stronger and clearer than before.
2014: The First Job Loss
The first time I lost my job was in 2014. It was a completely different phase of life.
I was working with a management institute, and almost three months of salary were pending. With every passing day, I kept wondering what could be done.
A few months before the job actually ended, I got a chance to travel to Patna for institute work. The assignment involved meeting consultants who helped bring in students. Our task was to connect with them, discuss admissions, and they would then send students to our institute. That was how the system worked.
When I met one of the consultants in Patna, I told my institute owner right there, “Sir, I don’t see much value here.” It didn’t materialize either. But during that process — because this was 2014, a restless phase of my life — I was ready to do anything.
Three months of salary were due, and by 3:30 each day, the campus would be empty. Students would leave, and there would be long hours of free time. From 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., my mind kept spinning: How can I make money? When will the salary come? What can I do next?
I used to think so much about my employer that I started analyzing his every move, trying to guess what he was thinking or planning. Looking back now, I realize how much mental energy I was wasting in overthinking.
At one point, I even said to my colleague, “Let’s do one thing.” When you’re stuck in that kind of uncertainty, you start thinking creatively. I told him, “Let’s trade shoes. I’ll bring some from Roorkee — we can sell them here.” I loved the idea, but like many such ideas, it never materialized.
Still, something valuable came out of that Patna trip. After giving a presentation at another institute, I casually asked the owner, “What do you teach?” He replied, “I don’t teach — I get it taught.” That line struck me like lightning. It was a complete bulb-on moment.
Later, when we met a second consultant, he asked me, “Will you teach or will you do marketing?” Those two moments stayed with me. On the train back, I created a company called Topaz Consulting.
A colleague who was with me helped draft the idea in a simple Google Doc. We even printed a few visiting cards — and that was it. Nothing much happened beyond that. But the seed had been planted.
Franchising, a Tough Call — and Losing the Job
After that, I spoke to a friend in Ludhiana who was running a coaching and training institute. I asked if we could do counseling for him through Topaz Consulting — the small company we had just formed. Maybe we could do similar work for him.
It didn’t work out, but he mentioned that he had spoken to his owner and said, “What if we sell two franchises of this?” He asked me, “How would it be if we sold two franchise units?” I replied, “It’s tough, but let me try.”
So we started trying because, frankly, nothing else was working. I was also looking for a job, but that too wasn’t happening. Days passed. Nothing seemed to move.
Then one day I thought, What if I take this franchise myself? I started calculating the cost. I had some funds — part of it invested in stocks — available to me. I told myself, Why not take this up? So, I did.
After taking the franchise, my job was still on. I hadn’t left. But as soon as I began setting things up — a small coaching and training center, a franchise of a well-known company from Jalandhar (focused on banking and training) — things started to change.
Within a week, my employer called me. What he said felt straight out of the movie Guru.
He told me, “Ashish, you’re a very good employee for us.” On the other side was my colleague, now my business partner. My employer continued, “You are very good. We want you fully with us. If you are with us, come fully. We don’t want halves.”
That was the line — We don’t want halves.
Perhaps I had watched Guru around that time; I even had a tie on. I remember thinking I should take it off. It wasn’t as easy as I say now — this was 2014, a very different time.
At that moment, I looked at my colleague and then at my employer — a true entrepreneur-type person. He said, “Ashish, we want you completely. Either go your way — because I know you’ve invested heavily — or come 100% with us.”
I paused for a moment, then physically took off my tie and said, “Sir, okay then, we’ll go there now.”
That day, I lost my job. That was the first time.
You might think it wasn’t exactly a job loss — that I was ready for it. But the truth is, we weren’t ready. I wasn’t ready. It was meant to be something part-time, something to run after college hours — maybe reduce institute time after 3:30 and work on it.
It all happened because things weren’t going well. Had they been going well, I might never have taken that leap.
After that, there was no turning back. I focused completely on what I had started. From 2014 till 2020, I gave it everything — full focus, full commitment. Then COVID came, and I had to close it down.
After 2020: The Second Job Loss (Work-From-Home HR)
After 2020, I moved to Gujarat. Since I had completed my PGDBM and other qualifications, I got an opportunity to work not with a university this time, but with a premium service-based organization — the largest mobile retailer in Gujarat.
Things were going well until COVID hit. I had to return home, and work continued remotely.
One day, while working from home, the salary was delayed. I was in HR, and everything had been smooth for the last four or five months. Normally, salaries were released between the 8th and 10th of every month. That time, it was delayed till the 12th.
Some data sheets didn’t match, and just like that — I was fired. Simply fired.
But that day, I gave a new meaning to the word “fired.”
When someone says, “You are fired,” take it as “Your inner fire should rise.”
Once again, I had nothing in hand. This was the real second job loss. The first one was by choice; this one wasn’t. Within just five months, it was all over.
Still, I wasn’t the same person as before. I had completed my PhD, gained clarity, and knew that university openings were coming up. Three or four months later, I got an opportunity with a university again.
I had lost the job in July — just after my birthday — and by October, I was back in work. Those four months in between weren’t wasted; I used them to work deeply on myself.
31 December 2023: The Third Time (One-Man Show & No Settlement)
The third time I lost my job, I was working in a factory-type setup — again in an HR role. Within just three months, on 31 December, I got a call from my junior. It was a typical one-man company — a complete one-man show. From experience, I’ve seen that in such setups, the day the owner decides your game is over, it’s over.
That day, my junior — who had been with the company for 18 years and was close to the owner — called and asked, “Sir, is there anything in hand?” Then, almost hesitantly, he added, “Owner is saying that from tomorrow, do not come.”
From 1 January to around 18 January, I tried everything. I applied on every job portal, reached out to every contact I could think of. Nothing worked. I even bought paid subscriptions on Monster and Naukri — spent a good amount through my credit card. Still, nothing clicked.
Then came 18 January 2024. That moment changed everything. I told myself, “Enough. No more searching for a job.” Until that day, I had been desperately trying to find one. But from that moment onward, I stopped.
From Job Hunt to Coaching Assignments (21 Months)
A good thing happened on the 31st — as soon as the job ended, an opportunity appeared. Because I had already been involved in coaching and training assignments within the company — and in academics too — it felt natural to continue in that direction.
Since 2017, I had been in and out of the coaching and training space, and that foundation helped me bounce back quickly.
During this period, I worked deeply on myself — gaining niche clarity, refining curriculum design, and collaborating with people. I began focusing on one mission: monetizing expertise.
This is what I now teach others — how to turn what you already know into something of value. I invested a lot of time in understanding it, testing it, and truly living it.
Just two hours after my job officially ended on 31 December, I received a call: “Ashish, are you available? We have some assignments.”
That assignment continued until 30th September 2025.
So, in total, I’ve faced job loss four times.
But this last one wasn’t exactly a job — it was a client engagement that brought consistent monthly value.
For 21 months — almost like full-time work — it provided steady income.
I was grateful for it. It gave me both stability and confidence while I continued building everything else around my purpose.
If Your Job Is Gone: What Now?
If such a job loss happens to you, what should you do?
First, imagine the scene: this job loss has happened to you. It’s real. What next? You might be thinking, “Let’s do this.” Or “What are the options?”
Let’s analyze the options you have now:
- Thinking about the past: Why did it happen? Why me? Everyone else’s job is going on — why only me?
- Wondering what you could have done better.
- Talking to people for advice or sympathy.
Most of the time, when we lose our job, our mind runs toward criticism. You want to prove yourself right.
You replay everything: Why did it happen? Why me? What could I have done better? Maybe I’ll talk to them… maybe something will happen.
But by doing this postmortem, you’re just dissecting the same body. Nothing changes. You’re the same. You’re not moving forward.
There’s a beautiful Jay Shetty video titled “Why Suddenly Losing Your Job Is the Best Thing.” Watch it. It’s true.
Every time I lost something, I realized the universe had already planted the next seed — even before I noticed.
Acceptance First. Then Action.
Your job is gone. Accept it as soon as possible. There’s no other way. Acceptance is the key.
Then comes action. If you simply want another job, go for it. Apply on job sites, connect with people. Keep doing.
But there’s another path — Mission 2035.
Mission 2035: Community, Homeschooling, and Skills
By 2035 it is predicted nearly 70% of today’s jobs will be gone. That’s a big number. But people won’t stop working — they’ll move toward self-employment.
In 2035, self-employment will dominate; only about 30% will be in jobs.
Community will be the new backbone. People will collaborate in smaller, skill-based groups.
Homeschooling will grow, as parents realize jobs no longer come from traditional schooling alone. Degrees will matter less; skills will matter more.
Remember these four essentials:
- Self-employment
- Community
- Homeschooling
- Skill-based learning
The future belongs to creators, coaches, and contributors — not just employees.
Four Questions to Ask Yourself (Ikigai)
If your job has gone today, ask yourself these four questions:
- What am I good at?
- What do I love doing?
- What problem can I uniquely solve?
- What can the market pay me for?
This is your Ikigai — your reason for being.
Example (HR): The RRLIS Model
If you’re in HR and you lost your job, don’t panic. You already have skills people need.
Think end-to-end. You can build a model like this:
RRLIS — Resume, Reach Out, LinkedIn, Interview, Skill.
- Resume — help people write strong resumes.
- Reach Out — guide them on how to connect with employers.
- LinkedIn — teach posting and positioning for visibility.
- Interview — help with preparation and confidence.
- Skill — assist with upskilling.
You don’t need to teach just one thing — offer a full-circle solution.
What Can People Pay You For?
- Interview preparation
- Resume writing
- LinkedIn optimization
- Outreach consulting
- HR compliance advice
- Freelance training
- Career coaching
The world will pay you for the value you create.
Three Broad Niches to Monetize Your Expertise
If you want to turn your experience into income, start with one of these three broad niches:
- Health: Help people become fitter, lose weight, or live medicine-free.
- Wealth: Teach skills like social media growth, stock investing, or building online income.
- Relationships: Help people build better marriages, friendships, and workplace harmony.
These are timeless, high-value markets.
Job vs Self-Employment: Ready-to-Eat vs Build-It-Yourself
A job gives you everything ready-to-eat — the office, clients, tools, salary. You just have to serve.
But in self-employment, nothing is ready. You build everything — your office, your systems, your clients. From zero to delivery, it’s all you.
Once it grows, you can hire people to handle repetitive work. But the beginning is always hands-on.
If Your Job Just Went: Book a Call
If your job has gone, or you feel uncertain about what’s next, I can help you.
I specialize in helping people monetize their expertise — turning what you already know into a source of income.
You can book a short 20-minute clarity call with me, where I’ll help you create a personalized plan.
