Meenakshi Venkatramani

I attribute my success to my upbringing and my family. I come from a middle, not conservative family, and I'm the first person to have a degree in the family. My parents were really out of the box - they did not want me to get married, they wanted me to study more and pursue what I wanted. That really gave me the confidence. It's them who constantly put me out in the world and told me to do whatever I want, and that they know I'm not gonna make a terrible mistake, and even if I do a mistake, I know how to fix it. I also attribute it to never giving up. I've had supervisors tell me that you can never tell that I'm going through something - I'll have tons and tons of problems, but you will see a smile on my face. My supervisor told me to be like a swan or duck, struggling underneath the water with legs moving fast, but on top all you see is that smooth, calm sail. That's my strength - I always have a plan. If a project is assigned, I look at how it can fall apart and what the solutions will be. I keep planning and planning, which gives me the confidence that I know there's gonna be a problem and I already know how to handle it.

The best career advice I've received is to look at things from a solution perspective. There are many people who can say this can't be done, but if you are one of the persons who can say how this can be done and what are the other solutions, you will stand out. You can apply this in any situation, whether it's in your life or in your career. If there is a problem or something that's stopping you, immediately look for a solution. Don't look at it like a sign to stop or block or 'I can't do this.' I'm a planner - I have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, Plan D, I'll go all the alphabet. If something happens, in my mind I already know what I'm going to do, no matter how big the problem is. I tell my kids this too - just never stop, keep going. There's always a solution, no problem is too big to find one.

I would tell young women entering this industry, especially those coming from outside the country, that they need to know where they are and who they're talking to, and don't be afraid to ask questions. I was initially hesitant about whether I was pronouncing words right or saying things correctly, and whether I would connect with people here. But I saw that as an opportunity to learn the community and learn different people's perspectives, and I was not afraid to do it. Unless I make a mistake, unless I do something, I'm not gonna learn it. Don't be afraid, ask questions. I kept pushing myself - I can't self-reject myself because I'm from a different country. Let me go out, make mistakes, and it's okay if people laugh. I'm still learning something, so I shouldn't feel humiliated or feel shy about it. As long as I'm saying things that make sense and make a difference in an individual, it's okay. Throughout my career, I've been fortunate enough that people gave me the opportunity and believed in me.

I would say it's more opportunities than challenges. The biggest opportunity is women leadership everywhere, not just in this industry, and having a more diverse array of women in leadership positions. Initially, being a newcomer from a different country and speaking a different language with a different ethical background, I was a little hesitant about whether I was pronouncing words right and whether I would connect with people here. But I saw that as an opportunity to learn the community and learn different people's perspectives. There are multiple layers with me - one is being a woman leader in the industry, which is a challenge, and then being a woman from a different country, different race, different background adds to it. But it's more of a self-push - I kept pushing myself and didn't self-reject myself. I learned that not everyone says the same word the same way, and there are people from different countries pronouncing things differently, so it's okay. Throughout my career in the United States for close to 11 years, I've been fortunate that people believed in me and gave me opportunities. I started as a temporary recruiter and grew up so fast in my career, and I'm now in corporate - that speaks volumes.

The values most important to me both at work and in life are integrity and empathy. Integrity is number one - doing the right things even when nobody is looking at you, questioning you, or telling you to do so. Doing the right thing is definitely very important. The other value I keep, whether it's in personal or in work, is empathy. Clearly don't judge people. You never know what day they come from, what they're going through, and what's happening. Anyone you see, have that empathy. Just don't judge them, see them where they are.