From Architectural Designer to Sustainable Business Development with Carlos Hechanova
Hi, I’m Carlos, the Co-Executive Director for Development at Makesense Asia. I lead fundraising and business development activities and I co-lead the growth of the organization and its programs.
Before this, I worked as an architectural designer for a year. I actually graduated with a degree in Architecture. Later on, I shifted fields and worked in sales and business development for a multinational company to satisfy my desire to grow my skills in business.
Even before my sustainability job, caring for people and the environment were already deeply rooted in my values. When I was in architecture, I learned to learned to design with intent to serve people, and its impact in the community that affects their environment and sociocultural situations.
Pursuing a green job was the best way to align my values and work. And actually, shifting to work in sustainability was easier than I thought it would be.
I used to think that I had to spend 5 years or more working in corporate to have a green job and significantly contribute to the sector. In reality, I shifted in less than half that time because of my abilities and knowledge that I gained early in my career that were immensely of value.
At the start, my big trouble was that I had no network and I didn’t know what it was like to work in the industry. I remember scouring online almost every day for any free events I could join so that I could begin meeting other professionals and learn more about the different kinds of work happening in the industry.
Now that I’m here, I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m grateful for all the opportunities and lessons I’ve learned along the way.
In particular, I’m grateful for the opportunity to work across diverse causes from social enterprise incubation to public healthcare, circular economy, youth employment, renewable energy, and more. I’ve learned that change starts with you: where you are, with what you have, and alongside the people and organizations that align with your values and visions.
If you want to enter the field, I advise you to be curious, always learn, and get comfortable with uncertainty! The industry has several fields and niches that are developing.
If you want to work in sustainability or have a green job, my advice would be:
- Ask thoughtful questions from a multidisciplinary perspective
- Adapt and navigate challenges without relying on easy status quo answers.
These are really valuable in the industry.
👉🏼 Explore self-paced programs to prepare your transition