Her Story
About Meenu
I have been working in the fintech industry for 5-6 years, most recently spending 3 years at JPMC before taking a short break. Throughout my career, I've always been drawn to roles that involve people. I work as an Agile Coach, which means I'm like a life coach for work - I support teams and look out for them to make sure they're not being taken for granted or misused. I work right in the middle of product and engineering as a neutral third party, taking care of both sides and ensuring they collaborate effectively. My role involves bringing team concerns to leadership meetings they don't normally attend, identifying blockers, and resolving issues. I believe that if the team isn't taken care of, our work doesn't get done. The biggest challenge and opportunity in my field is building relationships, because once you have trust, people open up and share information they wouldn't otherwise share.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Meenu
01What do you attribute your success to?
I think a lot of my success is due to my mother. She's a very strong lady who never stopped moving or learning - she just continued growing, and she's been a big pillar of strength for me. The other part is definitely my own curiosity to continue learning and growing. I also attribute my success to not being afraid to ask questions. I think everybody's afraid of asking questions because nobody wants to look stupid, but most people have the same questions you do, so they appreciate you being brave and courageous enough to ask.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I've ever received is, first, don't be afraid to ask for what you think you're worth. And second, if a stakeholder doesn't care, then it shouldn't be our problem - don't worry about it. When it comes to compensation and what you're looking for, you need to be able to speak up based on your skill set. If you're worth a certain number, you should ask for it. Most of the time, women are scared and will put themselves down, saying they can do with less, but maybe you're worth much more. The more you put yourself down, people are not going to say 'oh no, but you're worth more, we're gonna give you that much.' You have to advocate for yourself.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
One thing that girls don't realize is that we have a lot of power - we just have to learn how to use it. So never be afraid to ask for what you're worth. Know what you're worth and ask for it, because the worst answer you're going to get is 'sorry, we can't do this for you.' Second, continue to learn - never stop learning, because anything you learn is never going to go to waste. I've continued to learn till this day, and everything I have learned, even from things we were taught in high school, have helped me in one form or another. I've been able to use that information, so no knowledge ever goes to waste. And be curious. Also, don't be afraid to ask questions, because everybody has the same questions you do, and they appreciate you being brave and courageous.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I see challenges more as opportunities. Because my job is working so closely with people, the biggest challenge is building the relationships, and that's what's important in any job - that's another great career advice. Once you have the trust, people open up to you and they will share information with you that they don't otherwise want to share. Building those relationships is key to everything I do.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Empathy and courage are probably my two most important values.
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