Vijay S Paul is a Communications Professional and Ex-Entrepreneur in the field of Corporate Communications and Content Marketing interested in strategic communications for organizations, integrated with creative approaches.
He started off his career as a Graphic Designer at the age of 19. By 21, started IZE Creative as a Social Media Marketing Agency. From 2013, until selling off his stake in the company, built the company as one of the foremost names in the industry in Corporate Communications and Content Marketing. He sold off his stake in IZE Creative in early 2017 to pursue Masters of Communication and Media Studies with Monash University, Melbourne.
He is an active IEEE volunteer for 11 years.
???????? Who is your role model and why?
It is a difficult question for me to answer. I can’t name a single person.
Throughout my life, I have been lucky to be mentored by a great bunch of people – Namith Najeeb (for being the closest person to a role model figure for me), Dr Suresh Nair (for being the prime example of an humble and kind leader), Shahim Baker (for always being my go-to person for any kind of advice), Ranjit Nair (for teaching me what it means to help others selflessly), David Victor (for being the silent guardian/supporter in all of my time in Australia), the list goes on.
Each and every single one of them has played, and still plays a huge role in my personal and professional life.
???? What is your most significant accomplishment so far?
I built a startup, worked on it for 6 years and sold it off to fund my Masters degree abroad.
For me, life is about learning. About experiences. The 6 years building a startup was a huge learning experience. And, using that as a base to move on to my Masters, another learning experience, was just the right result I wanted for myself.
Additionally, I am also really proud of the multiple community outreach programs I have done through IEEE, especially via Young Professional(YP) program, Educational Activities and SIGHT.
???????? Where do you see yourself in a year?
Physically, in Australia.
Career wise, somewhere I am making an impact and being happy going to work every morning.
I have a Bachelors in Engineering and a Masters in Arts, a combination you don’t find very often. In my short career, I have done so many things that I almost find it difficult to explain my exact dream role. All I can say is, am sure it would be something that brings out the best in me, challenges me to better myself further, and something I am excited to do, day in and day out.
????♂️ What has being an IEEE Young Professional(YP) volunteer done for your life/ career?
If you go back to my answer to the first question above, out of the five people I have named, four of them I met through IEEE. I think that itself speaks volumes about the impact IEEE has had in my life/ career.
From providing me the advice an early career professional would need in the beginning stages of his career, to providing support throughout the growing phase, to being the support system an individual needs – IEEE has provided me with all these in the last 11 years. That’s the reason I have a very personal connection with IEEE, and that’s probably the sole reason I continue to be a part of, and contribute back to, the community.
???? Can you name a time you used a YP resource?
have used YP’s event guides, the MGA YP manual, officer reporting portal, funding portals (especially for STEP) and multiple of the graphic templates innumerable times in the past 8 years. In fact, I used the event intro slides only a week back.
???? Best advice for YPs to get involved?
Move forward, but never forget your roots – the community.
Throughout the years, I have seen various instances of people using YP (and IEEE in general) as a platform for personal gains, without doing enough for the community of members, and society at large. I find this disappointing.
As engineers, as young professionals and as the voice of the future, it is very important to understand the value of giving back. The whole society survives on the basis of a balance, where you take something from it and then you give back something. IEEE members, especially the young professionals, should be more involved in understanding the values an organization like IEEE is built on.
When it says “advancing technology for humanity”, it has a lot to do with growth- personal, professional & societal, and at the same time not forgetting where you came from. From where you started.
???? Connect with Vijay,
