Made Redundant, Moved Countries, Became a VP | Kate Gandhi

Now, if I, if we start with the early foundations of your career.

So you've ...

Um, you could say you've had a squiggly-ish career.

You've worked in Africa, Europe, Middle East, in broadcasting, startup, so many different things.

But I think I'm right in saying that you actually missed out on your first choice of a graduate career or graduate scheme.

So le- let's start with the early sliding doors moments and how it all got started for you.

Yeah.

Uh, uh, exactly that.

I mean, I ...

So I actually did a law degree to, to begin with.

So if you'd asked me as my younger self, I was absolutely convinced I was gonna be a lawyer, and began my career as an analyst in a consultancy.

So very different from, from marketing.

And I did a master's in international management, so that was great 'cause you got a, a range of ops, marketing, finance, and spiked in marketing strategy and operations, which felt generic, which was why I went into being an analyst.

But you just know when something just doesn't feel quite right, and I was doing the rounds with the, you know, the open days for graduate schemes.

And I went to the Diageo open day, and they ...

You know when you've just got that feeling in your, there's just like this fire or this visceral-

Yeah

... emotion, and I, I, I went for that graduate scheme, and I remember leaving after that open day just thinking, "I just have to get that job."

Yeah.

I just think those brands are incredible.

Like, I felt my values were aligned to the business.

And I went through the graduate scheme process and didn't get the role.

And I remember that feeling when, you know, I felt that everything was aligning and I had a direction and, and the door shuts and it's a no.

And then, you know, get on with your life and-

What do you mean the door shuts and it's a no?