In a world where professional growth often feels like a race against time, Go Further, Faster by author and branding expert Lulu Raghavan offers a refreshing and actionable roadmap for building a career with purpose, resilience, and depth. In this insightful conversation with Richa Chadda of klib Corporate Library Solutions, Lulu shares the journey behind her debut book—born from years of writing, reflection, and a desire to help others grow holistically.
From the power of emotional intelligence and communication to the importance of starting early and staying adaptable, Lulu’s perspectives are both practical and deeply personal. She speaks candidly about the role of purpose in driving performance, the value of gratitude during career plateaus, and how professionals can thrive amid uncertainty.
Richa Chadda – You have a brilliant and illustrious career. What was the turning point or personal experience that compelled you to write about your learning and share them with the world in Go Further, Faster?
Lulu Raghavan – Just a few years ago, it seemed to me like being a published author was a sign of professional accomplishment. My former colleague and close friend, Pavi, egged me on to write my book before it became passé to be an author! I was advised to create a digital community first, so I launched my website and newsletter. This was around the same time that I was conducting workshops on personal branding and encouraging young professionals to brand themselves to gain competitive advantage in their careers. It was clear to me that writing about personal branding alone would be limiting. That’s where the idea of holistic professional development came to me and “Ideas to Play With” my newsletter was born. I focused on one topic a week related to professional development and wrote continuously for more than 120 weeks delivering the newsletter every Sunday at 6pm. The feedback from my readers was encouraging. People wrote in saying how much my writing resonated with them and how they looked forward to my newsletters on Sundays. At some point after my first year of publishing my newsletter, I gathered my courage and decided to pursue writing a book. I felt the urge for my work to reach a broader audience which the book would serve!
RC – How do you define a “life that matters” in the context of busy corporate professionals who are constantly striving to balancing work and personal priorities, and end up feeling that they are doing justice to neither? How does one stay motivated during such phases?
LR – If your work inspired even one individual to do something more or different then you have lived a life that matters. I want people to get away from only thinking about themselves and their material success and think more broadly about giving to others in whatever small or big way they can. Helping others has to be a priority that is fit into busy schedules! We get carried away by busyness. Staying motivated requires ruthless prioritisation of what matters, saying no more often and making time for the important not just the urgent.
RC – Your book has many actionable strategies. Could you share one or two practices that professionals can immediately apply to accelerate their journey while staying true to themselves?
LR – Learn to communicate better through your writing and your speaking. We underestimate how much power we have with our words to influence others. Build your emotional intelligence. Managing your emotions is a powerful tool for growth.
RC – The book talks about going “further, faster.” In the corporate world, speed often comes at the cost of depth or quality, and competition means you leap before you look. How can professionals balance the need for speed while making sure that the substance does not suffer?
LR – An important concept in my book is picking up a variety of skills at a younger age and
building on them as the benefit of compounding – as you grow in your career – will be exponential. If you do so, then you will be ready for more responsibilities much earlier in your career. Hence the name Go Further, Faster. It has less to do with speed than with starting early and honing knowledge and expertise over a long period of time.
RC – What role does personal purpose play in driving professional performance? What can one do if the two are quite disparate, if not exactly opposites? What does it take for the purpose to be more than an elevator pitch and actually become a growth accelerator?
Purpose gives you inner drive and helps you persist against all odds. You won’t experience Monday morning blues or have difficulty motivating yourself to work hard and give your hundred percent to your work. You would wake up every morning, full of energy for the day ahead. All these things would clearly play a role in accelerating your performance and hence your growth.
RC – The corporate world at the moment is full of unpredictability—layoffs, reorganizations, and rapid industry shifts, not to mention the dreaded-yet-desired AI. How can professionals use the framework you have defined in your book to stay resilient and adaptable in such times?
LR – Self-awareness is key. Do you know how much your skills are valued by the organisation? How can you continue adding maximum value in your role? What areas must you upskill in to continue to stay relevant? Is your industry getting disrupted and should you pro-actively pivot to another industry to safeguard your career? Be an ostrich with your head above the sand!
RC – Many mid-career professionals hit a plateau—at work and personally. A lot of caregivers, esp women, are forced to take sabbaticals and are apprehensive returning to work. What guidance does your book offer to these individuals to find their spark again and hit growth and momentum?
LR – Gratitude is a gamechanger. I didn’t realise just how much until I started practicing journal. Every day I wrote down what I was grateful for. Being grateful forces you to look for the things that are in your favour, even when it might seem like life itself is conspiring against you. For anyone going through a period of difficulty, I would hugely recommend the two practices of gratitude and journaling which can also be combined into one! It helps broaden your perspective, focus on all the good in your life, help you get through each difficult day and allow the passage of time to a better state which arrives sooner than you think and opens new doors.
RC – What has been your biggest learning from writing this book? What is the one message you hope every reader carries with them after reading Go Further, Faster?
LR – I learnt a lot about myself while writing my first book. Importantly, I realised that vulnerability is my superpower and that I should use it as a part of my signature leadership style. The one key message I hope every reader carries is that one has to keep investing in oneself holistically (in all the ways outlined in my book!) in order to achieve professional and personal growth. This is the gift that keeps giving!
