A former intern at JPMorgan, the Indian man made a dramatic career change, leaving behind a huge salary to join a startup — a move that eventually led him to build his own business. After years of working, he decided to take a risk by leaving a job where he felt “robotic” and pursue a more fulfilling and flexible lifestyle.
Semlani said the idea of quitting his job first occurred to him when he attended a 10-day meditation retreat organized through the bank.
“I was two years into my time at JPMorgan when I realized how let down I was with my life. It felt robotic,” Semlani said. Business Insider.
He studied business and economics at Sydenham College of Commerce & Economics in Mumbai before moving to the US on a temporary work visa.
“I started working at JPMorgan in 2015 as an intern on a US visa. Later I moved back to India and became an associate in the asset management department. My focus was on climbing the corporate ladder,” he said.
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At the age of 26, he realized that his 9-to-5 job no longer satisfied him. As the friends aspired to reach the level of vice president by the age of 30, Semlani found himself increasingly disillusioned.
“At 26, I felt the same every day. I was in the office until 9 o’clock, going to the same meetings, doing the same events and leaving at 7 p.m. During that time I lost friends and relationships,” he said.
Why did Semlani decide to leave the corporate job?
Semlani says he signed up for the meditation retreat “on a whim,” hoping for a short break from work and screens. The ten-day silent retreat, he said, gave him unexpected clarity.
“On a whim, I signed up for a 10-day silent meditation retreat with the intention of doing a digital detox and came back with the clear idea that it was time to quit,” he said.
What made it difficult to leave JPMorgan?
Although he felt it was time for a change, Semlani admits that leaving a stable job was scary.
“I didn’t see a future for myself at JPMorgan. I just got used to the status, the validation and the money it provided,” he acknowledged.
In addition to the high salary, the JPMorgan name carried weight.
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“If I went to an event and said I worked at JPMorgan, it meant something. People seemed more curious about me when they found out where I worked. I liked the validation and I didn’t want to give it up,” he told Business Insider. He added that he was also put off by the thought of giving up a good salary.
What gave him the courage to resign?
The meditation retreat helped him slow down and realize he needed a break. Finally, he asked himself what the worst outcome would be to quit—and realized that no matter what happened, he would still be able to rebuild his life. This realization calmed him.
When he returned, he was sure it was time to leave, even if he didn’t yet know what his next chapter would be. He informed his manager and left JPMorgan in February 2018.
Why did he cut his salary significantly?
Semlani joined the startup in a customer service role helping Indian students study abroad, though the job came with a huge pay cut.
“I took a 70% pay cut to work for a startup that fulfilled me,” he said.
Living with his parents took some of the pressure off, but he still had expenses and had to cut back on his lifestyle. At times he wondered if he should return to JPMorgan, but the fulfillment he found in his new role kept him going.
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How did losing his job lead him to start a business?
At the end of 2019, Semlani was released. Soon after, the Covid lockdown unexpectedly gave him the time and space to think about building something of his own.
“As a co-founder, I decided to take full advantage of my startup idea,” he said. “The first few days of raising money and building were tough. After about six months, I went to bed crying every day thinking, ‘When is this going to end?’ But I woke up the next morning and remembered that’s what I signed. This is what I wanted to do.”
Where is his start now?
This journey began five years ago. His company, Tartan, has since raised $6 million in funding.
“I left my corporate job and moved to the cities to join a small startup to understand the business. With the Covid lockdown, I was able to focus on this idea and create a business plan around it and finally launch Tartan,” said Semlani in an interview with the Mountbatten Programme.
