The Village That Helped Me Build My Career
How the support of family, friends, and mentors shaped my path from physiotherapy to data analytics.
The Village That Helped Me Build My Career
When people look at my career today, they may see a Senior Business Data Analyst, years of experience, a master's degree, and a professional journey in the United States. What they may not see is the village of people who helped me get here.
My career journey has not been a straight line. I began my professional life in physiotherapy, later moved into management, and eventually found my path in data and analytics. Along the way, I moved from India to the United States, returned to university, built a new career, and became a mother while navigating significant changes in my personal life.
There were moments when rebuilding my life felt overwhelming. But I was fortunate to have people around me who reminded me that I did not have to do everything alone.
I come from a culture where marriage carries significant importance, and I had an arranged marriage. When I eventually realized that my marriage was not working for me, making the decision to move forward was difficult. It required courage, but it also required support.
My parents were that support.
They stood by me when I chose to rebuild my life and continue my education. They supported my decision to pursue my master's degree in the United States and helped me financially with my tuition. More importantly, they gave me something that was even more valuable: the confidence that I could start again.
Their support taught me that sometimes the people who believe in you before you believe in yourself become the foundation for everything you accomplish later.
Then there was my daughter.
Being a mother while pursuing higher education and building a career brought an entirely different set of challenges. There were classes to attend, assignments to complete, exams to prepare for, and a child who needed me.
I remember those years vividly.
There were times when I couldn't simply leave my daughter with someone and go to class. My friends stepped in. They babysat her so that I could attend my classes and continue my education.
Those moments may have seemed small to them, but they were enormous to me.
Every time someone watched my daughter so I could attend class, every time my parents encouraged me to continue, and every time a friend reminded me that I could handle one more difficult day, they were helping me build the future I was working toward.
That is why I don't think of my career as something I built alone.
I built it with a village.
Today, as I work in business data analytics, I carry those experiences with me. My professional journey has taught me the importance of adaptability, but my personal journey has taught me something even more important: success is rarely an individual achievement.
Behind many successful women are people whose contributions may never appear on a résumé.
Parents who make sacrifices.
Friends who show up when you need them.
Teachers and mentors who open doors.
Children who become a source of motivation.
And communities that remind us that asking for help is not a weakness.
My daughter has been one of my greatest motivations. I wanted her to see that life does not always follow the path we imagine, and that changing direction does not mean failing.
Sometimes, starting over is an act of strength.
My own career is an example of that. I moved from physiotherapy to management and eventually into data analytics. I had to learn new skills, adapt to new environments, and continually prove to myself that I could succeed in a field different from where I started.
And I am still learning.
Technology continues to change rapidly, particularly with generative AI and Agentic AI. As professionals, we have to keep learning and adapting. But the qualities that helped me navigate the biggest changes in my life—curiosity, empathy, honesty, perseverance, and the willingness to keep moving forward—are just as important in my career today.
If there is one lesson I would share with another woman who is facing a major transition, it is this:
You don't have to have your entire life figured out before you take the next step.
Take the next step.
Find your people.
Accept the help.
Keep learning.
And don't underestimate the example you are setting for the people who are watching you—especially your children.
I often think about the people who helped me during those difficult years. They may not realize how much their kindness changed my life.
My parents supporting my education. My friends caring for my daughter while I was in class. My daughter giving me another reason to keep going.
These people are part of my story.
So when I look at my career today, I don't see just my accomplishments.
I see a village.
And I am deeply grateful for every person who helped me build it.
