Episode 65: Career: Making bold moves w/Aditi Sharma

The One Percent Project- Entrepreneurship, Leadership & Resilience

About Aditi Sharma:

Aditi Sharma is the co-founder of Grow Commerce. Aditi started her career as a chip designer, did her MBA, and joined McKinsey. Then, she chose to join Grab. When Aditi joined Grab, not only was she expecting her first child, but Grab was in overdrive to enter and grow across South East Asian markets while competing against formidable competitors such as Uber and gojek. It would have been a super caustic high-pressure environment to drive and deliver consistently. Eventually, Grab acquired Uber's South East Asian business in 2018. So Aditi took a leap of faith by not joining Google, but Grab, which at the time did not even have maternity coverage insurance. That was a bold move, especially for an expecting mother. Women often hesitate to take such steps because they feel unsure about managing their personal and professional lives. Therefore, Aditi's journey matters to all who must make bold moves and walk the unchartered path.

I recently listened to an interview by Ginni Rometty about her journey to becoming IBM's first female CEO in 2012. She is another corporate leader who exemplifies bold and strategic decision-making. She was born in 1957 in Chicago. Ginni grew up in a family that struggled financially, but through her perseverance, she attended Northwestern University and earned a degree in computer science and electrical engineering in 1979. After graduation, she started her career as a systems engineer at General Motors Institute (now Kettering University).

In 1981, Ginni joined IBM as a systems engineer. She quickly rose through the ranks and held several leadership positions in IBM's consulting, services, and sales organizations. In 2009, she was named senior vice president and group executive for IBM's sales, marketing, and strategy division. In 2012, Ginni was appointed CEO of IBM, becoming the first woman to lead the company. She oversaw IBM's transformation from a hardware-focused company to services and software-focused company. Ginni stepped down as the CEO of IBM in April 2020 and was succeeded by Arvind Krishna. Today, she serves on the board of directors of several companies, including JPMorgan Chase and the Mayo Clinic. I recommend reading her latest book, Good Power: Leading Positive Change in Our Lives, Work, and World.

Key Take Aways & Transcript: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/TOP_Career_Aditi

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