Introduction
They say hindsight is 20/20, and few people embody this better than Yatish Parshotam, Managing Director of Entelect Australia and New Zealand. In February 2026, Yatish celebrated two decades with Entelect – a milestone that coincided with the company reaching 2,000 employees globally. From joining as one of fewer than 10 employees to leading our expansion across the Asia-Pacific region, Yatish's journey offers valuable insights for anyone navigating their career path. Here, he shares the lessons learnt along the way.
By Yatish Parshotam, Managing Director, Entelect Australia and New Zealand
Last month marked 20 years for me at Entelect, pretty much half my life. And yes, it's the only company I've ever worked for. Coincidentally, this month we also passed another huge milestone: 2,000 employees globally. Mind-blowing, considering I joined when there were fewer than 10 employees.
Did I expect it to go this way? Definitely not.
I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life. I studied High Voltage Electrical Engineering, Charles (our founder) was my lecturer, and he offered me a job. Entelect was meant to be a stepping stone... an easy route into the job market.
Two decades later, here we are. I want to share a few lessons I've had the privilege of learning, often the hard way.
1 | Luck Matters, But You Can Create Your Own
I started as a fumbling grad who happened to join the right team, at the right company, at the right time. But was that just luck?
I think luck plays a big role. But you also create your own luck by putting yourself in positions where good things can happen.
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." (Wayne Gretzky)
Take chances. Get involved. Work hard. There are seasons in your career where being the first in and last out really matters.
See your job as a long-term investment. You won't love every task, and that's okay. There's always a learning opportunity hiding in the tough or boring bits.
2 | Execution is King
One of the biggest lessons I've learnt from our CEO, Shashi Hansjee, is this: Ideas are cheap. Execution is everything.
Everyone has visions, strategies, and big dreams. But none of that matters without world-class execution. Keep strategies simple. Nail the basics before worrying about bells and whistles.
Entelect's journey illustrates this:
First building block: Make Entelect a great place to work. Put culture first. Attract great people. When you have motivated people, customers follow.
Next: Become known for high-quality delivery. Great people + great customers → consistently great delivery.
Next: Go global. Today we're in the UK, Netherlands, Australia, South Africa, Zimbabwe, India, New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea.
Simple foundations. Big outcomes.
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3 | Adopt a Growth Mindset
Believe that you can become better.
Everything is a learning opportunity: the tasks you love, the tasks you hate, and especially the mistakes. I've made some big ones. They've shaped me more than the successes.
You can reinvent yourself.
In my career I've played many contrasting roles: Software Engineer, Team Lead, Head of Product, HR, MD, Sales... Every role gives you career capital. Look for it. Use it.
4 | Build Relationships, and Have Fun Along the Way
Go to the office. Greet people. Make an effort to get to know the people you spend a third of your life with.
This is coming from an introvert.
People remember how you made them feel long after they forget what you said or did. Relationship-building is a skill: transferable, valuable, and worth investing in.
5 | Be the Man in the Arena
The critics don't matter. The people who do the work do.
Look up Theodore Roosevelt's "Man in the Arena" if you haven't. I have it printed and on the wall at home.
Grit, resilience, and tenacity are learnt skills. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. Do hard things. Prove to yourself that you can push through.
It sucks whilst you're doing it, and it never fully stops sucking, but it's worth it.
Here's to the Next 20
It's been an amazing, challenging, fulfilling journey. I've learnt a lot. I've grown heaps. I've had fun. Most importantly I've met and worked with some amazing people all over the world.
Thank you to everyone who shared, supported and helped me on this journey.
Here's to the next 20 years.
