Last week, we had the immense honor of hosting Indra Nooyi, former chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo, for an intimate conversation in celebration of the release of her recent memoir. The conversation was moderated by Neythri’s CEO & Co-Founder, Mythili Sankaran, in partnership with Women @ Google. 

There is perhaps no better role model for South Asian women looking to advance their careers in corporate America than Indra. She has consistently ranked among the world’s 100 most powerful women and was one of few women CEOs of a

Fortune 500 company — climbing the ladder at a time when there was even less support and dialogue about women in the workplace than there is now. 

While Indra’s professional accomplishments are remarkable, it is her humility, honesty, relatability, and sense of duty towards herself and others that have left an indelible mark on me. It’s her reverence for her dear thatha, childhood memories sitting on the floor of Lakshmi Nilayam with her extended family eating off of banana leaves, recounting her mother repeating ‘Maatha, Pitha, Guru, Deivam’ to her as a young girl, starting a women’s cricket team at her college, shopping for her first suit, venturing out of her comfort zone wearing saris to job interviews in the U.S., and more that pull my heartstrings as she honors how these experiences have undoubtedly shaped the incredible leader she is. 

From career advancement to family to caregiving and more, Indra shared many pieces of advice with us stemming from her personal experiences. Below are some of the key takeaways: 

Own Your Otherness

In her memoir, Indra recounts numerous examples where she was the only woman, Indian, or person of color in the room – a feeling that is no stranger to any minority. In her words, “You know you are very different from others, everywhere you go. You think about it all the time. The way I overcame imposter syndrome was to over-prepare for everything. I was able to win on sheer competence…and what happened was people started accepting my awkwardness. They would show up to help and lift me up – of course, they’d be tough on me too!”

Mentorship is a Feeling, Not a List

Throughout her career, Indra found mentors who had a tremendous impact on her, from elevating her position in the workplace to influencing her next career move to being a sounding board through challenging times, and more. What surprised me was that most of her mentors were men who clearly did not look like her and came from much different backgrounds. It’s a testament to the fact that we should all feel empowered to build relationships with leaders who may not look like us, instead of second guessing ourselves on whether we fit in, or shying away from those opportunities that seem intimidating (which I’ve definitely been guilty of). As Indra states, “Mentorship is a feeling, not a list. You can’t simply go up to someone and ask if they will be your mentor. It’s a relationship that is earned and built over time on a foundation of honesty and sincerity.”

Communicate with Scale

If you read Indra’s memoir, you will immediately notice the simplicity of language she uses that simultaneously evokes emotion and imagination. Listen to her speak, and you’ll notice the same thing. She shared some powerful advice with us on how to uplevel your communication style:

1. "Whenever you communicate, you should aim to create 3-4 vivid images in someone’s mind. That’s how you’ll know that your message will land with impact and clarity.

2. Feel from your heart. Let people know that you care about what you are sharing.

3. Share thoughtful answers when you are asked questions. It’s important to show that you care about this person buying into your vision.

4. Show them how you are supporting your agenda. What research are you doing outside of the meeting room? Who are you gathering inputs from? It’s not enough to communicate your vision; you have to do the work to show how you are driving it forward.” 

It’s Time to Rebuild our Care Infrastructure 

Indra shared with us her deep passion and sense of urgency towards rethinking our support systems for women and families. Throughout her memoir, she details the critical help and support she received from her mother who lived with her family for much of her children’s upbringing — and recognizes that most families in the U.S. do not have that privilege. In her words, “Families are the core of society. How do we nurture families while we build a new future of work? Our economy won’t function if we don’t support frontline workers, early-career, and mid-career professionals who don’t have the resources to hire a support system around them. We need to offer paid leave and flexibility. I think of caregiving not as a female thing, but as a family thing. We need to think about it as economists, not feminists. We need to reposition our caregiving crisis to be a business problem that our whole society should care about.”

Lastly, Indra emphasized the need to build your tribe of friends, career contemporaries, and fellow women to support each other: “In my day, women’s clubs just didn’t exist. My friends and I would sometimes feel guilty for taking time away from our families to meet with each other – but we really should not have felt that way. It’s imperative to have a sisterhood to support you as you chase your ambitions.” This is exactly what we aim to achieve at Neythri as we build a global community of South Asian women professionals of all backgrounds and experience who are committed to helping each other succeed.

Thank you Indra, for sharing your life in full with us. We’re so proud to follow your legacy and example you have set for South Asian women around the globe.