To reach the crest of a wave, one needs to be determined enough to brave the unfortunate while not losing oneself in the process. Esha Shukla, product manager at instant messaging app WhatsApp, has seen several ups and downs. However, she stayed determined on her path.

Having worked in the startup as well as corporate space, Esha has vast experience ranging from finding a company to working at technology giants such as Facebook and WhatsApp

Reflecting on her journey as a product manager, Esha says, “While product management, as a profession, has become pretty popular in the tech industry, and there’s more awareness for the role and responsibility, back when I got into the role about seven years ago, there was not as much awareness about it. As a result, there was no direct path that you could take to get into a product management role.”

Hailing from Mumbai, Esha pursued computer engineering for her undergraduate degree. Her eventual interest, fascination, and research in the realm of technology and the intersections of other fields like business and technology are what led her to examine prospects beyond traditional software engineering roles.

After completing post-graduation in Engineering Management from Duke University, North Carolina (United States of America), Esha worked as a product manager at CitiBank.

While recollecting the initial stages of her professional journey, Esha states she was lucky to have a woman as a manager and mentor at the beginning of her career at CitiBank. One of the biggest lessons she learned from her mentor was the need to advocate for oneself and work efficiently with a team.

“She taught me that if I want a job, I should ask for it because if you don’t advocate for yourself, no one will know what you desire and why you are the right fit. I have carried that lesson with me throughout my career,” she recalls. Adding to the same, Esha says, “You have to be your own champion for your career growth.”