A Personal Introduction: Ritesh Chand
My journey with Talanoa Consulting
Merewalesi Nailatikau & Ritesh Chand
5 December 2025
Ritesh Chand, a Consultant with our team, sat down with us for a quick talanoa about his journey with Talanoa Consulting. Due to Ritesh’s self-deprecating nature, it took some months to get him to sit down for this conversation, and as you will see, it was more than worth the wait. We are honoured to work with such an enthusiastic, knowledgeable, and committed colleague in Ritesh, and his unexpected trajectory into consulting holds many gems for us. We trust it will for you too, as well as anyone considering entering the world of consulting.
About me
I’m a Fijian, born and raised in Fiji – a Navua boy. I went to the same school, Rampur College, from preschool until high school, and the same university, The University of the South Pacific (USP), from undergrad to my Master’s.
Where I am today has never been planned. It has always been about taking up different opportunities that came at unexpected times, which helped shape my current trajectory. I think this “can-do” attitude came about when I entered high school. When I first entered, I wasn’t the brightest; I used to be in the bottom five students and was eventually put in a special needs class in Form Two (Class Eight).
From there, I really started to focus on studying, learning different skills, and helping my parents on the farm. I was transitioning into adolescence and becoming more responsible, realizing that if I didn’t take things seriously, I would end up being someone who wasn’t happy with their life.
When did you first hear about Talanoa Consulting?
Talanoa Consulting came into my life during my studies at university. Marita Manley came in to present a case study on Talanoa Treks. That was when I first heard the terms “social entrepreneurship” and “social enterprises,” during a Sustainable Tourism course delivered by Stuart Gow in 2018 or 2019.
Later, when I was doing my postgraduate studies, Marita approached my professor, looking for rapporteurs for a tourism-related event. My fellow classmate, and now good friend, Eleanoa, and I provided those services.
How did your relationship with the organization develop from there?
It was a learning workshop discussing the impacts and learnings from COVID-19. It helped us understand current gaps not just at the policy level but at the academic level, which then went on to shape our research topics. My friend Elenoa pursued Agritourism, and I pursued research focused on tourism social enterprises and their contributions towards the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Fiji.
Once I designed my research topic, I reached out to Marita with a very sweet, long email [laughs] asking if Talanoa Treks would be willing to be a case study. Social entrepreneurship is a subject matter that isn’t well understood, but Marita had a good sense of it. I did my interviews, including interviewing her, and she told me, “I’ve had so many interviews with different people, but you’re the first person who knew more about my organization than me at the present time.” I had been referring to the website and blogs, really trying to do my research. I think that was a key point where she identified that I might be a good person to work with.
How did you end up joining the Talanoa Consulting team officially?
After I submitted my Master’s, I was at home for one month in 2023. I was bored; I felt like a couch potato, just eating and taking up space at home [laughs]. I started actively applying for work.
I approached Marita, and concurrently, I was talking to a hotel property in the Mamanuca’s, where I did my undergrad internship, regarding a potential finance role as a night auditor or income auditor. Marita wanted to meet me on a Thursday, and the Human Resources Director from the hotel property wanted to meet me on a Friday. The role at Talanoa Consulting was a short-term, 60-day subcontractor role as an intern. The hotel offered a full-time role with prospects for career progression.
I was reluctant to make a decision. I took my time, and on Monday, I called Marita. She advised me that the tourism industry would always be there, but the work I’d be doing with Talanoa Consulting – supporting the National Sustainable Tourism Framework (NSTF) and the SPTO Geoparks project – was a unique opportunity for someone at the entry level. So, I made a stern decision: I said no to the hotel’s HR Director to try out this 60-day consulting role with Talanoa Consulting.
What was your first day like, and what has your experience been like since then?
My first day was a Thursday in September. The office was quiet with only a small number of people. I sat at a different desk for the very first week because there was no intern workdesk setup yet.
It was all about learning the organization and Google Workspace. Although I knew how to work with shared drives, the new systems were very different; there were folders everywhere that I had to familiarize myself with! It was exciting but scary.
Can you share a bit about impactful colleagues or partners who have made an impression on you?
Being part of the organization for over two years now, I’ve come across dynamic people – full-time employees, subcontractors, and clients. There is a real sense of community.
I’ve met many people who taught me that age is just a number. Experience can be a hoax at times; all you need is sheer determination, the will to do the work, and an open mind to learn from others, whether they are younger or older than you. I’ve had three interns work with me and under me, whom I’ve learned from, and I’ve worked with older colleagues who showed me how to make stakeholder engagement more interesting and fun. I feel like I’ve seen the whole spectrum of characteristics that I want to adopt and others that I would maybe take a different direction.
What would be your advice to others pursuing a similar career?
It’s not always about the pay; I came in for the experience. That experience has landed me in a position where I am now working with multiple organizations that I once would have considered my preferred employers of choice. Now I get to work with a range of them instead of just one.
It is all about taking that hard step of choosing things you aren’t comfortable with.
Sometimes uncertainty is the most certain way to move forward.
I once dreamt of becoming a lawyer, but then I did hotel management. COVID-19 struck and I realized I needed to pivot, so I applied for scholarships. Now, here I am working as a consultant. This path has given me the opportunity to learn things outside my discipline, like the nexus between climate change, gender, tourism, and business development. At this point, my CV looks amazing, and looking back, it’s because I took the most uncertain path.
Vinaka vakalevu, Ritesh!