At Brilliant Read Media, it is our constant endeavour to identify and share some of the unique and compelling stories from the startup ecosystem. As part of this, we invited Abhishek Sengupta for an interview with Brilliant Read Media. To say further, Abhishek is an Author, Soft Skills Trainer, Speaker and Founder of ASG TRAINERS. Let’s learn more about his background, inspiring journey so far and his advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Abhishek:
Could you please talk us through your background and your journey?
My journey so far has been nothing short of a roller coaster. The early years were both exciting and full of challenges. I began at a boarding school in Mussoorie—The Queen of Hills—a blessing in itself. It was at Oak Grove School (est. 1888), a heritage institution, that I spent eight formative years. Those years shaped my life, my education, and my skills in a truly holistic way.
After my 10th grade, I moved to Siliguri Army School for my 12th. The transition from a boarding school to a day school was difficult, and it took time to adjust. I got through engineering but, due to personal challenges, couldn’t join—a story I’ll share another day.
Instead, I pursued a Graduation in Computers followed by an MBA from NDIM. My professional career began at American Express, and over the next 17 years, I worked with 13 companies across banking, insurance, and retail sales. Yet, something felt incomplete—I wanted work that offered both learning and deep satisfaction.
That’s when I took the leap into entrepreneurship, starting my own retail business, which I still run today. Along the way, I realised that learning is a two-way street—you grow more when you share. This inspired me to start another company focused on soft skills training.
Today, I’m a corporate trainer, having conducted workshops for over 10,000 people across industries—and the journey continues. This, to me, is one of life’s greatest blessings.
God has been kind in choosing me to write my book, “The Better in You”, now available on Amazon, Flipkart, and other platforms. I also run my own YouTube channel, ASG Trainers (youtube.com/@asgtrainers), where I continue to share knowledge and inspire others.
For me, life is meant to be lived in service—working hard, helping others, and growing together.
‘ASG TRAINERS’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
ASG carries a meaning far beyond just being my initials. It stands for Aim – Strike – Grow. That’s the vision I hold for people who look to learn and improve themselves.
I believe that whatever good knowledge exists should reach others—through any medium possible. No matter how big the problem, there is always a solution. And when life tempts you to give up, the only way forward is to stand strong through self-motivation.
This mindset is possible only when we approach life with a problem-solving attitude and an eagerness to grow. That’s what happens when you connect with people. Everyone has unique strengths, and when we come together on a shared platform, we unlock the true potential of learning and self-development.
ASG is that platform—a place where you can build your ability to face life with a better, stronger perspective.
Despite the challenges, what keeps you going when things get tough?
Things will always feel tough when you step out of your comfort zone—and I’ve spent most of my life outside mine. For me, taking on the tough has become a habit. I believe challenges are essential for growth.
As I’ve shared in my book, the moment you start calling problems “challenges,” you change the way you live. The word “tough” is just a barrier in your mind. When you have a goal to fulfil, every tough hurdle becomes something you simply need to jump over.
Some hurdles will make you fall. But each time you get back up, you’ll know what went wrong, and the next time you’ll cross it smoothly. The goal is everything—stay focused on it until you reach it.
What are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
1) Believe in God, and you will believe in yourself.
2) Be open to learning; learning doesn’t come from any particular door but from everywhere.
3) Forgive and forget, be thankful for everything and anything you have.
In your opinion, what are the keys to success?
To me, success is not a destination—it’s a journey. Everything you’ve done so far in life is already a sign of success. We simply measure it according to the goals we set for ourselves.
Success rarely comes instantly. In fact, just having the courage to take the first step toward your dream is already a success. Sometimes things fall into place; sometimes they don’t. That’s okay. What matters is keeping the lessons and experiences—they’ll serve you well in the long run.
Enjoy the journey from yesterday to today, and you’ll realise you are already successful. Each day, you either gain knowledge or complete a task. And that sense of satisfaction? That’s true success.
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
a) Believe in yourself. And if you can’t—borrow that belief from your idol, your mentor, or anyone you know who has succeeded.
b) Don’t stop until you reach your goal. If you stumble or fall, don’t worry. It’s just a hurdle you didn’t see clearly. Get up, dust yourself off, and keep moving forward.
c) And when you do reach your goal, don’t stay there too long—set the next one. That’s life: keep moving. Because stagnation is the end.
Last but not least, what about your journey makes it satisfying/exciting?
It’s both deeply satisfying and exciting for me to look forward to the next thing I need to do. I believe God places each of us where we are according to our capacity, and that we are capable of handling what we take on.
I’m thankful to God for giving me meaningful work, and I will keep doing it with all my heart.
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
