212 | Michael Rudzki | How to Pivot in Times of Massive Uncertainty

Ever wondered how successful entrepreneurs and professionals manage to pivot in times of massive uncertainty? And how do they broaden their horizons and gain some enriching experiences while they are at it?

On today’s show, we interview Michael Rudzki, Application Sales Manager, Oracle who shares his thoughts on entrepreneurship, grit, and persistence. He shares with us his different work experiences, and reveals some of the most important lessons that he has learnt along the way.

Michael is a second-generation immigrant with Polish lineage. After moving to Canada, Michael’s father and uncles ventured into real estate and construction. And this turned out to be Michael's first exposure to business as he eagerly lent a helping hand to the family business. 

When Michael came across the Student Works internship, he saw it as another opportunity to build his foundational base. Particularly, Michael learnt how to research new markets and discover hidden opportunities during his internship.

Michael’s Student Works experience led him to his next business – a Service Master franchise. One of three partners, Michael built an extremely profitable commercial cleaning in Waterloo over the next three years.

During this period, Michael got exposed to the technology industry while working on some projects in the start up hub in Vancouver. Inspired, he decided to pivot and get his MBA in his late twenties. This was certainly not an easy decision, and Michael shares how he eventually decided to put up with the short-term pain and income loss for potential long-term gains.

Upon graduation, Michael worked in start-ups like Mobify and Procurify before working in some larger, established organizations like Egencia and Oracle.  

While large organizations have greater resources at their disposal, Michael shares how working in the start-up space was an equally enriching experience that allowed him to greatly broaden his horizons.

In November 2020, in the aftermath of the pandemic, Michael was laid off from Egencia (an Expedia company) barely three months after his marriage. Fortunately for him, an ex-colleague from Oracle reached out to him to offer the role of an Application Sales Manager.

This show is loaded with some great nuggets guaranteed to inspire you forward.

Enjoy!

What You Will Learn In This Show

• Biggest lessons learned after working in the startup space
• How to successfully pivot in the times of massive uncertainty
• What are some of the biggest benefits of working in larger, established organizations?
• How to research new market opportunities
• And so much more…

Resources

Student Works 

Chris Thomson LinkedIn

Chris’s Email