Slay With Stratos: How a Bartender Landed a Hot Job In Tech
At Stratos, diversity goes beyond gender. Here’s an inspiring story of how Ravikiran Nair transformed his career and went from being a bartender to a Salesforce professional, proving to us that you can achieve just about anything if you put your mind to it!
When his career took a huge hit during the pandemic, Ravikiran leaped at a chance to make a fresh start. After plenty of efforts, sacrifices, learnings, and mistakes, he has successfully orbit shifted to “the Stratosphere” and this is his story.
“Transforming my career from bartending to the tech industry wasn’t easy, but it was all thanks to Stratos Studios and the Salesforce community that has been the most welcoming, providing me with all the guidance, resources, and support that I needed to get here.”
How did you discover the Salesforce Ecosystem at first? Describe your journey up to this point.
Ravikiran: My work in the hospitality industry began in 2015 as an Assistant Bartender and I rapidly advanced to Assistant Restaurant Manager. The only downside to my job was that there was little to no work-life balance and fast growth opportunities. Despite that, I was thoroughly enjoying what I was doing until the pandemic hit and turned my world upside down.
That was when I decided to start my own venture called ‘Ounce & Co.’ a party planning services company for private events. It was while I was building the website for my business, that I realized my love for technology. I built my website from scratch because I wanted to experiment, learn and know more about coding and technology.
My brother, who was working in the Salesforce Ecosystem, encouraged me to pursue the ‘in-demand’ technology – Salesforce. I had no prior knowledge about Salesforce, but my curiosity got the better of me and I started looking up ways to enter the industry. I lacked experience, certifications, or the know-how to crack interviews. But I did not give up, I was determined.
I learned all about Salesforce through self-study. I was also eager to learn the business side of Salesforce. That was when I came across Stratos Studios and it changed my life. I joined the program, learned from the best, got certified, and here I am today a proud Certified Salesforce professional, ready to take on the Salesforce world!
How has your experience been so far at Stratos?
Ravikiran: If I am being honest, the journey wasn’t easy. There were challenges I had to face being completely new to the field, sacrifices I had to make in terms of personal time, and mistakes I made along the way. There were times when I questioned myself about the career switch, and doubted if I would complete the program and get certified. But the team of experts patiently answered my numerous questions and supported me all the way through to the finish. The training went hand-in-hand with the Trailhead badges and projects which were easy for me to understand.
But it was all worth it in the end. This turned out to be the best decision I have ever made.
Working at Stratos has been inspiring and fulfilling– the vibrant culture, the friendly teams, and supportive leaders make every day enjoyable. We push each other to achieve and deliver our best. Today I can proudly say I am a lot more confident and full of energy. I enjoy working with peers that inspire me every day. I particularly enjoy the active exchanges and the wealth of information shared. I still lag behind my younger colleagues, but I’m learning and growing every day.
Where do you hope to be in five years?
Ravikiran: I would like to become a Business Analyst or pursue a Project Management role. And maybe study this platform further to better understand the UI tools and the marketing side of the cloud platform.
What advice would you give to those who are not yet a part of the Salesforce ecosystem or community?
Ravikiran: The Salesforce ecosystem is booming and there are millions of opportunities for professionals to advance their careers. It’s a versatile field that one can excel in irrespective of the background if they are willing to put in the hard work. One can learn and upskill with Salesforce from anywhere.
There is a wealth of knowledge, resources, and support available for those who wish to get certified. Stratos paved the way for me and put me in the right direction.
Once in the Salesforce ecosystem, there are countless opportunities for growth and success now and in the future. So if you want to be a part of cutting-edge technology and innovation, Salesforce is the field to be in.
If you are ever at career crossroads, apprehensive to take the leap, My advice would be “Just go for it! “If I can accomplish it, so can you!”,
P.S: Bartending still remains my hobby even now. Cheers!
Are you ready to launch your future career? Get Salesforce Certified with Stratos to orbit shift your careers to the Salesforce ecosystem. Visit www.stratos.studio more information.
