Success stories often focus on achievements, milestones and moments of triumph. Yet behind every accomplishment lies a collection of setbacks, failures and difficult lessons that rarely make it into the spotlight. At the Women in Tech Mauritius WIT Talks event held on 26 September 2026 at Middlesex University Mauritius, attendees were treated to an honest and inspiring reflection on leadership, resilience and personal growth by Atul Bhatia, Chief Fintech Officer at blink by Emtel. Bringing together professionals, students and aspiring leaders, the event created a platform for meaningful conversations around technology, innovation and the realities of building a successful career.
At the heart of his message was a simple but profound principle which is motion. “The only one word that comes to mind is motion,” he said. “Think about riding a bicycle. As soon as we stop, what happens? You fall.” This idea formed the foundation of his story. Stability, he argued, does not come from standing still and waiting for certainty. It comes from moving forward, even when the path ahead is unclear.
Learning through Imperfect Actions
Early in his career , Atul was tasked with leading a project to outsource a telecom call centre in India at a time when outsourcing was still in its infancy. Finding a suitable partner proved nearly impossible. After an extensive search, a businessman eventually volunteered to take on the project despite the lack of established frameworks, safety nets or proven processes. The decision was far form risk-free. The launch was not seamless, there were mistakes made and challenges that emerged along the way. Yet the experience provided something invaluable : Knowledge gained through actions.
While other hesitated the team learned by doing. Those lessons later became a competitive advantage when outsourcing expanded rapidly across India. Because he had taken that leap of faith early, Atul became one of the people training others and helping shape practices across the organisation. Reflecting on that experience, he emphasised a lesson that remains relevant in today’s fast changing world: waiting for perfect conditions often means missing opportunities altogether. ” You don’t find your footing by waiting until you feel ready. You find it by moving before you feel ready.
The Danger of Unquestioned Success
Not all of Atul’s stories were about success. One of the most defining moments of his career when everything appeared is going to be exceptionally well. Responsible for service marketing across several regions, he watched as performance dashboards consistently showed positive results. Customer acquisition targets were being met, retention figures looked strong, and senior management was pleased . Then came an audit. The investigation revealed that some of the impressive numbers were not genuine . Loopholes in the commission system had been exploited, creating misleading performance data. What appeared to be a success was, in reality, masking deeper problems. The experience was devastating. Sitting in front of auditors, Atul realised he had failed to question results simply because they looked positive. It taught him a lesson he still carries today: Challenge the green. Dig deeper. Question everything, even if it is going green. The consequences were significant. He lost the trust of senior leaders, saw opportunities disappear and, most painfully, begin doubting himself. Yet, it was during this difficult period that he received advice that would shape the next chapter of his career.
The Fire Within
One of his mentors told him something he has never forgotten. “The fire inside you, only you can bury. No one else can.” Those words, combined with advice from his father. “Just keep walking. Don’t pause. Whatever happens.” This became a source of strength during one of the most challenging periods of his professional life. Rather than making excuses or shifting blame, Atul accepted full responsibility for what had happened. He documented the failures, analysed the weaknesses in the system and developed stronger controls and processes to prevent similar issues from occurring again. The work was painstaking. There were no shortcuts and no guarantees. The reward did not come immediately. He lost a major international career opportunity, forfeited bonuses and spent a year rebuilding trust. However, the systems he created eventually proved so effective that they were adopted at a broader organisational level. A year later, he was promoted.
The setback that once seemed career-defining became the very experience that prepared him for greater responsibility.
Building Relationships Before You Need Them
Beyond resilience and accountability, Atul stressed the importance of relationships and professional networks. Too often, people begin networking only when they are searching for a new job or career opportunity. In his view, that approach misses the point. Networks are not built during moments of need. They are built over time through genuine interactions, consistent learning and being someone others value and trust. “Build relationships before you need them. Success is not a solo game,” he said.
Why Attitude Matters More Than Talent
Another recurring theme throughout the address was the importance of attitude. Talent , skills and qualifications certainly matter, but they are rarely enough on their own. Opportunities often come to those who demonstrate initiative, curiosity and the willingness to step forward when others hesitate. “Any project that lands on your shoulders will not land there because of your talent. It will land there because of your attitude first.” According to Atul, attitude is what transforms potential into achievement. Talent may open a door, but attitude determines how far someone can go once that door is opened.
He also encouraged professionals, particularly women, not to hold back from sharing ideas while waiting for the “perfect” moment. More often than not, someone else will voice the same idea and seize the opportunity. Innovation, he noted, rarely begins as a finished product. Every successful company, technology and breakthrough starts as a rough concept that evolves over time.
Three Lessons to Carry Forward
As he concluded his address, Atul left the audience with three simple but powerful principles:
- Keep Moving. Progress beats perfection every time.
- Fail Forward. When setbacks happen, learn from them and continue moving forward towards your goal.
- Build relationships before you need them. Success is built through people, not in isolation.
His final message was both practical and inspiring. The future does not belong to those who wait for certainty, perfect timing or flawless conditions. It belongs to those who continue taking steps forward despite fear, uncertainty and setbacks.
