Bala Selvam is many things: retired Marine, IT master, philanthropist, Focusing Forward consultant, and a bit of a rebel. By way of introduction, I give you his LinkedIn description / life philosophy:
“I make my own rules 100% of the time.”
Hot air? Nope. He just learned from the best: his father.
Bala was a young wonderkind when his education began in earnest. His dad, who was building computational models at the time, found himself in need of a programmer to help write some algorithms. What an opportunity to teach his son to fish (so to speak)! So, naturally, he taught young Bala C and C++ computer programming, and Bala took to immediately, continuing to program for fun throughout his childhood and teen years. When the time came, his parents urged Bala to get a college degree, so he reluctantly chose to study finance (because he thought it sounded fun - and it was!) at the University of Arkansas. Then, degree in hand, Bala began to climb ladders in the cutthroat world of finance.
Just kidding. He joined the Marines.
Why? Bala's still not sure. He'd always admired the Marine Corps, but joining them was never on his bingo card. Call it fate or youthful impulsivity, but whatever the reason, this decision put him on an incredible trajectory. Bala first served active duty as a Communications Officer, and then, despite having no formal IT training, as Chief Innovation Officer for both the 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment and the Special Operations Command, Pacific region (SOCPAC). As CIO, he helped introduce innovative tech to the Marines and proved use cases for their current mission sets. He also helped found three massive enterprise-level systems within the DoD: the Enterprise Tactical Mission Network (eTMN), the Joint Operational Edge (JOE), and the Joint Fires Network (JFN)... all in under one year!
When he entered the reserves, Bala knew it was time to pivot again. He wanted to keep solving tech and operations problems for the DoD, but to do in a more expansive way. Consulting offered him that ability, and what's more - endless novel challenges to satisfy his voracious appetite for learning and growth. Bala's naturally insatiable drive and uniquely-specialized background make him an invaluable resource to his clients. When asked to describe his consulting services, Bala says that he serves as a sort of architect and fractional CTO to a variety of clients in the hardware, software, and startup spaces by helping them simplify problems and develop efficient work environments that can foster scaled growth.
In each of his many incarnations, Bala's tenacious spirit remains constant... because he's always been motivated by the same thing: having fun. Nothing spikes his dopamine quite like an unfamiliar problem set or subject. Thankfully, there's no shortage of either in his new line of work. However, while he won't deny loving a puzzle for its own sake, it's not the thing he loves most about his work. The true prize, he says, is that he gets to be a part of so many clients' individual growth stories.
Consultant Bala Selvam makes his own luck and lives by his own rules, which makes him one to watch - and if you do, you'll probably catch him having a lot of fun.
…………………
Q & A with Bala
As you can imagine, there's a lot I couldn't fit into the article.
These interview questions cover some more fun and personal topics.
What is one quote that inspires you most?
When I was 10, my dad told me that "You can be whatever you want to be in life, just for the love of god, do not be an idiot or a loser". I strive for that every day.
What is the most difficult thing about being a consultant?
The most challenging part is keeping good order and discipline with my schedule and making sure I'm taking time for myself.
What do you like to do outside of work?
I like to read a lot of books, play all kinds of sports, workout, and learn something new! I'm very passionate about a few things. I do a lot of philanthropy work with feeding grade-school children around the Dallas-Fort Worth Independent School District with monthly events all over DFW! I am also very passionate about my university (the University of Arkansas), and I serve as the President of the Arkansas Alumni Dallas Chapter.
What is the one accomplishment you're most proud of?
Starting and exiting my first company at 27!
What great books have you read recently? Any to recommend?
The Leonardo Da Vinci biography by Walter Isaacson has to be one of the best books I've read in awhile, and I would highly recommend it. I also recently read Scary Smart, a really good book that definitely opens your mind to the positives and negatives of AI research.
How does story-telling play into your work?
It factors in a lot. Every time I look to attack a problem, I see myself as a screenwriter and a director. I see how stories or scenarios can be told differently and I seek to tell them that way. If you can tell a great story, you can build an incredible solution and a journey for that solution.
What advice you would you give to your younger self - and to the young people who want to do what you do someday?
Don't sweat the small stuff. Keep working on what you love to work on. Focus more on being dependable and trustworthy, and you'll be fine.
Connect with Bala on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bala-selvam-958a3910a/
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