Community is the foundation on which success is built. A strong support network opens opportunities and helps us overcome even the most challenging adversity.

In this episode, I’m joined by Sonalee Parekh, Chief Financial Officer of RingCentral, a large software company. Sonalee has held leadership roles at Hewlett Packard, served on several boards and has over a 20-year career on Wall Street.

About Indianness:

Indianness is a vibrant community for Indian Diaspora changemakers. We aim to foster engagement, collaboration, and mentorship through our platform. Our mission is to capture the inspirational stories of our community while creating opportunities for all our members through their involvement.

Key Takeaways:
00:00 – 02:28 Introduction
02:29 Growing up in a mixed-race household.
05:32 Visiting India for the first time was a culture shock.
12:30 The influence of her resilient grandmother.
17:17 How her father’s forward-thinking nature shaped her.
35:25 Achieving early success in her career.
37:22 The impact moving to London had on her career.
45:47 The importance of stepping outside your comfort zone.
46:10 The value of pushing oneself to be uncomfortable.
47:32 The strategic selection of mentors.
50:59 Feeling at home in the Silicon Valley community.

Resources Mentioned:
Sonalee Parekh –
https://www.linkedin.com/in/sonaleeparekh/
RingCentral | LinkedIn –
https://www.linkedin.com/company/ringcentral/
Hewlett Packard Enterprise –
https://www.hpe.com/us/en/home.html
RingCentral | Website –
https://www.ringcentral.com
Goldman Sachs –
https://www.goldmansachs.com
Barclays Capital –
https://home.barclays

About your host
Sanjay Puri is a recognized authority on US-India relations. He serves as the Chairman of the US-India Political Action Committee (USINPAC), a national, bipartisan political action committee representing Indian-Americans. He is also the founder of the Alliance for US India Business (AUSIB), an organization dedicated to strengthening economic ties between the US and India. He is also a successful technology entrepreneur, mentor and investor.

Thanks for listening to the Indianness podcast. If you enjoyed this episode, hit the subscribe button and never miss another insightful conversation with leaders of Indian origin. And be sure to leave a review to help get the word out about the show.

#Indianstories #IndiaBusiness #indiannesspodcast

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