Losing a high-paying corporate job overnight can completely change a person’s life, and that is exactly what happened with Delhi-based entrepreneur Gaurav Kawatra. His recent LinkedIn post about being suddenly fired from a senior role in 2018 has gone viral online, with many professionals relating to his story of layoffs, financial pressure and mental stress. What started as one of the worst phases of his life eventually pushed him towards entrepreneurship and a different way of looking at career security.
Sharing a copy of his termination letter on LinkedIn, he recalled how the company informed him that his services were being ended with immediate effect due to performance-related concerns. According to the letter, he was given only a three-day notice period and did not receive any severance package.
“I was 37. Director at a Chinese MNC. ₹5 Lakh/month salary. ₹2 Crore home loan. 3 days notice. You're terminated,” he wrote. In another part of the post, he described the moment by saying, “I walked out NAKED. Zero package. TERMINATION stamp.”
Kawatra later said that although the dismissal felt devastating at that point, he now considers it the “greatest blessing” of his life because it forced him to rebuild himself from scratch.
He also spoke openly about how unemployment affected his emotional and physical health. According to him, he spent nights unable to sleep and developed a heavy smoking habit during that period. “Neighbours watched me sit at home. My daughter asked a question I couldn't answer. I thought I was buried,” he wrote.
He added that he smoked “12 to 15 cigarettes a night”, and said it took him years to quit the habit completely.
Kawatra admitted that shame and fear made the situation harder. Looking back, he said one of the biggest lessons he learnt was not to let professional setbacks destroy personal health.
“Talk to your wife. Talk to your mother. Cry as much as you can. But do not let shame destroy your health at any cost. Money can be recovered. Your body cannot,” he wrote.
He said losing the job eventually pushed him to focus on practical skills like sales, marketing and people management instead of depending only on a corporate role for stability. “Degrees expire. Skills compound forever,” he added.
Kawatra also shared how he stopped taking rejection personally after some time. He explained that most calls during job hunting may lead nowhere, but one opportunity can completely change a person’s future. “Track every call. 70 will ignore you. 30 will sympathize, but offer zero help. 5 will open a door. 1 will define your next decade,” he wrote.
According to Kawatra, the years after his termination slowly helped him rebuild his professional life through entrepreneurship and consulting work. In his LinkedIn post, he claimed that he has advised projects worth Rs 6,500 crore, worked with corporates across 19 states and built a completely new career path after leaving the corporate sector. “Termination was not my end. It was my forced rebirth,” he wrote.
Fired from a Rs 5 lakh-a-month job
Kawatra said he was working as a director at a Chinese multinational company and earning around Rs 5 lakh every month when things suddenly changed. At the time, he was 37 years old and was also dealing with a home loan close to Rs 2 crore.Sharing a copy of his termination letter on LinkedIn, he recalled how the company informed him that his services were being ended with immediate effect due to performance-related concerns. According to the letter, he was given only a three-day notice period and did not receive any severance package.
“I was 37. Director at a Chinese MNC. ₹5 Lakh/month salary. ₹2 Crore home loan. 3 days notice. You're terminated,” he wrote. In another part of the post, he described the moment by saying, “I walked out NAKED. Zero package. TERMINATION stamp.”
Kawatra later said that although the dismissal felt devastating at that point, he now considers it the “greatest blessing” of his life because it forced him to rebuild himself from scratch.
Panic attacks, sleepless nights and rejection
The months after losing his job were not easy. Kawatra said he struggled with constant anxiety, financial uncertainty and repeated rejection while trying to find new work opportunities. “108 cold calls. 108 rejections. 3 AM panic attacks,” he wrote.He also spoke openly about how unemployment affected his emotional and physical health. According to him, he spent nights unable to sleep and developed a heavy smoking habit during that period. “Neighbours watched me sit at home. My daughter asked a question I couldn't answer. I thought I was buried,” he wrote.
He added that he smoked “12 to 15 cigarettes a night”, and said it took him years to quit the habit completely.
Kawatra admitted that shame and fear made the situation harder. Looking back, he said one of the biggest lessons he learnt was not to let professional setbacks destroy personal health.
“Talk to your wife. Talk to your mother. Cry as much as you can. But do not let shame destroy your health at any cost. Money can be recovered. Your body cannot,” he wrote.
Lessons he says layoffs taught him
The entrepreneur also reflected on how much importance he had once attached to corporate designations and academic qualifications. According to him, the experience made him realise that relying only on a degree or company title can become risky over time. “I built a 12-year career on a degree that stopped earning by year 8. I was a complete slave to a corporate logo,” he wrote.He said losing the job eventually pushed him to focus on practical skills like sales, marketing and people management instead of depending only on a corporate role for stability. “Degrees expire. Skills compound forever,” he added.
Kawatra also shared how he stopped taking rejection personally after some time. He explained that most calls during job hunting may lead nowhere, but one opportunity can completely change a person’s future. “Track every call. 70 will ignore you. 30 will sympathize, but offer zero help. 5 will open a door. 1 will define your next decade,” he wrote.
According to Kawatra, the years after his termination slowly helped him rebuild his professional life through entrepreneurship and consulting work. In his LinkedIn post, he claimed that he has advised projects worth Rs 6,500 crore, worked with corporates across 19 states and built a completely new career path after leaving the corporate sector. “Termination was not my end. It was my forced rebirth,” he wrote.
