From Consulting to Entrepreneurship: Lessons on Risk and Communication

Nathan Wangliao once thrived in the corridors of McKinsey, but his path led him to embrace the thrilling yet uncertain world of startups. Starting afresh, he had to leave some consulting habits behind.

Venturing Beyond the Familiar

After graduating and lacking the immediate courage to embark on entrepreneurial ventures, I found myself at McKinsey in the UK in 2018. The company motivated early diversifications in career paths after a couple of years, which was enticing.

During my nearly three years there, I encountered an array of individuals with diverse backgrounds. It exemplified that branching out from the conventional was entirely feasible.

The Impact of Working with Inspiring Mentors

One supervisor, a former UK doctor, transitioned to McKinsey, discontented with the healthcare system. Another mentor, shifting from the US Marines to business, showcased varied career paths after completing an MBA.

Such experiences underscored the potential within each professional trajectory.

Pandemic-Induced Reflection and Change

Returning to Singapore amid the COVID-19 outbreak highlighted a decline in what I valued most at McKinsey—the camaraderie. The shift to remote work diluted the experience I cherished, compelling me to ponder a career pivot.

Despite the pandemic-induced hesitations, the idea of staying inert in my role prompted me to act on founding ambitions.

Plunging into the Startup Ecosystem

At 27, in 2021, I stepped away from McKinsey and dived into Singapore's burgeoning AI startup scene, focusing on market strategies.

From opulent corporate settings to basic coworking environments, the transition meant adapting quickly to a sparse team and vast responsibilities.

Facing Startup Anxiety

The initial months sparked uncertainty. The instability of a startup felt daunting, tempting thoughts of a potential return to McKinsey.

Despite knowing our company was sound and well-financed, the leap into the unknown was psychologically demanding.

Launching Havana

When the initial startup got acquired in 2023, I co-founded Havana, which focuses on AI tools to aid educational institutions with recruitment.

The emphasis shifted toward mastering personal discipline and mental resilience—keys to maintaining motivation and overcoming the entrepreneurial hurdles.

Overcoming Consulting Pitfalls

Consulting instilled a deep-seated penchant for order and even speed under pressure, skills valuable when interacting with university clients—large entities requiring adept meeting facilitation.

However, I needed to let go of the compulsive need for data-driven validation, a luxury often unavailable in nascent businesses.

Decisions had to be prompt and courageous—even without full data, embracing a 'learn by doing' mindset.

Practical Steps to Startup Success

Initial product development was fraught with ambiguity. Collaborating with my co-founder, we engaged extensively with potential customers to define our path.

With time, the iterative approach led to clearer insights and customer traction.

Evolving Communication Skills

Previously, McKinsey evaluations urged me to assert myself more. As the sole non-technical founder, these skills became crucial, necessitating daily interactions and definitive viewpoints for client discussions.