Joyce Isaac is the founder of Providence Education Advisory (PEA), and is a certified career coach. He has a rich and varied corporate experience, is a management graduate from Symbiosis and has studied economics and Hospitality as well. In his 20+ years of industry experience, he has worked in several Service and Retail organisations and consultancies, and has led teams in brands offering niche products and services. Some of the organisations that he has worked with are Reliance retail and Future group. He is also a certified Global Career Counsellor(UCLA), Certified Psychometrician, and a certified Career and Life coach. He offers realistic and actionable strategies and helps transform limitations, to help you take the right step towards the career of your dreams. He is also empaneled to counsel students in Mumbai region and has counselled hundreds of candidates till date. He also conducts online counselling and coaching.

In an exclusive interview with CEO Insights, Joyce Isaac talks more about his professional journey and how Providence Education Advisory is helping individuals.

Give us a brief detail about your educational background and professional background? how has it helped you in your journey so far?
I started out as a hospitality professional having done my Hospitality management and I have had the opportunity to work for some of the top brands in the industry.I have primarily worked in the hospita lity and retail space and have more than two decades of corporate and related experience. As of now, I have been working as a career coach and Over seas study consultant for the last five years. Having worked in the corporate arena, it has given me the perfect experience that I can share with my young clients as to how to prepare for the future that they are looking for and how to recognize the pitfalls, the skills to be developed and others. A deep understanding about the way different organi sations work makes it easier to explain the many facets of career success with my clients.

What inspired you to establish Providence Education Advisory? What are some of your key learnings?
Even when I was working with different organi sations, I was always trying to help my team to improve and perform better. And when I decided to take a break from working for others, Career Coaching and Counselling seemed a natural progression for me. In addition to that I did an assessment myself to better understand what my interests are and my thoughts were validated. There fore having a clear idea of what you want to do is the key, I think. And everything that you are not an expert in you must outsource. Business is like your baby you have to nurture it, and be around always to ensure it is well taken care of. And it takes time. I also believe that the most important aspect is to work on oneself and instead of

comparisons with others, if one can plan for incremental improvements every day, then one has understood the pathway to success.

Tell me about one particular case where your candidate was able overcome his/her issues with your help?
A case recently that I was involved in was about an extremely intelligent and hard working computer engineer, who was unable to get much growth in the organization that he was working in. I was able, through the various sessions, to get him to become more visible and proactive. It has led to growth opportunities and promising interactions with senior leadership that never happened earlier.My interactions are also very holistic and I do not restrict the interactions to one session. My promise to my clients is that I will be withthem till they reach a decision, no matter how many sessions are required.

Even when I was working with different organisations, I was always trying to help my team to improve and perform better

What is your take on the mental health issues that's been rising due to lockdown in the country?
The mental health issues due to the Covid-19 related lockdown are just beginning to emerge. Because of the lockdown and resultant losses both lives and lively hoods these issues are going to play out over the next few years, maybe a long time to come. Keeping the issues to oneself is the biggest concern, people need to talk about it. We have to create an environment for them to feel safe in discussing their issues, which are so personal in nature.

Who do you look up to for inspiration or mentor ship? What would your advice be for the upcoming younger generation who aspire to be future leaders?
Ratan Tata is a person I highly admire. The values TATA organization stands for is the real reason for that. They have stuck to it through everything, some thing so difficult to do in the best of times. Advice for the younger generation is that you guys are entering a very complex and disruptive age. Being prepared for this future requires you to be aware about yourself, first of all, and accordingly make plans in advance. Continuous learning, Collabo ration and Creativity will be the key for success.

Joyce Isaac, Founder, Providence Education Advisory
In his two decades in corporate life, Joyce has interacted with a large number of people looking to further their careers, and has come to realize that many of them have literally wandered into their jobs and careers careers that are not fulfilling for them, and therefore leading them to unhappiness and frustration.It is better to prepare than to repair.