New Beginnings for Entrepreneurs: How to Do a Career Audit
By Veena Giridhar Gopal, Investor/Operator in the Consumer Goods SectorIt’s a new year, and for many of us, this is a natural moment to pause and reflect on our careers.
Sometimes that reflection feels celebratory. For some, it’s a chance to acknowledge milestones, promotions, projects completed, and challenges overcome. At other times, it can feel more daunting. You may find yourself experiencing dissatisfaction or even a sense of emptiness in your current role. Perhaps the environment feels limiting, or the path ahead unclear.
For many women in particular, a quiet but persistent question often surfaces: How do I know when it’s time to move on?
Photo: Veena Giridhar Gopal
What a “Career Audit” Really Means
One of the most valuable practices I’ve learned throughout my career is to regularly conduct what I call a career audit.
A career audit involves assessing where you are, what you’ve learned, and where you want to go next. It allows you to set goals with clarity and confidence, rather than drifting into the next chapter by default. Most importantly, it helps you take ownership of your professional journey.
I can point to several pivotal moments in my own career where a career audit changed my direction.
The First Turning Point: Knowing When Something No Longer Fits
I began my professional journey in audit with Grant Thornton in Botswana. At the time, it was a strong and respectable starting point. I was building technical skills, discipline, and credibility early on.
However, after a few years, I realised something didn’t quite fit. While I appreciated the rigour of the role, I felt constrained. I didn’t enjoy what felt like “policing” organisations. I wanted to be closer to decision-making, to think strategically, and to contribute more creatively to growth.
That was my first major career audit. I wanted more opportunities to grow, and Botswana - although a wonderful country - was a small pond.
Expanding the Pond: Learning Through Change
That realisation led me to pursue an MBA in France. This became the first major step in what would evolve into a truly global career.
During business school, I was exposed to new perspectives, cultures, and ways of thinking. I met people from all over the world, challenged assumptions, and developed skills that extended far beyond finance. Most importantly, I learned the value of adaptability and curiosity - qualities that have stayed with me throughout my career.
After my MBA, I moved to the UK and joined PepsiCo’s finance division. From there, I deliberately shaped my career across consumer goods companies, SMEs, and startups.
I moved across functions - corporate development, operations, sales, and marketing - to build a true 360-degree understanding of how successful businesses operate. These moves were driven by a series of mini career audits, each guided by the same questions: What am I learning? Where am I growing? What do I want to develop next?
Avoiding Stagnation Through Intentional Choices
This approach helped me avoid stagnation. Even when goals evolved, having direction ensured that every role added something meaningful to my long-term development.
After more than two decades in corporate roles, another career audit prompted a different question: What would it look like to build something of my own?
That curiosity led me into entrepreneurship. I approached it with the same discipline I’d always applied - researching, assessing risk, and doing due diligence. Eventually, I founded my first startup. It was intense, rewarding, and deeply educational, pushing me beyond my comfort zone and strengthening my resilience as a leader.
Where I Am Now and Why Alignment Matters
Today, I’m working towards acquiring an established consumer goods business in the UK or Ireland.
This chapter brings together everything I’ve learned. My aim is not only to grow and internationalise the business, but to build an inclusive and empowering workplace. For the first time, my ambitions, expertise, and interests feel fully aligned — and that alignment brings clarity as well as excitement.
How to Conduct Your Own Career Audit
If you’re questioning whether - or how - to take your next step, I strongly encourage you to conduct your own career audit.
Start by looking forward rather than backward. Define where you want to be at the peak of your career - not a title, but the nature of the work, the level of responsibility, and the impact you want to have.
Work backwards to identify the capabilities, experiences, and credibility required to reach that point. Which are already developed, and which need to be intentionally built?
Only then should you review your past roles. Look for patterns in where you create the most value and the environments in which you perform best. This isn’t about cataloguing wins or frustrations - it’s about evidence.
Next, assess whether your current environment supports progress toward your desired future. Finally, examine your network. Does it reflect where you’re heading - or where you’ve been?
A career audit should conclude with a small number of concrete actions that move you meaningfully closer to your long-term goal.
A Thoughtful Start to the Year Ahead
If your current situation still serves you, a career audit can reignite purpose or clarify timing for growth. If it doesn’t, it may be time to begin shaping an exit - researching options, building skills, and preparing for the next chapter.
Best of luck in the year ahead. I hope this encourages you to take a thoughtful, empowered step in the direction that’s right for your career.
