"Don't wait for permission to grow."
"Don't wait for permission to grow."
That's the belief Eshaa Patnaik has carried through a career that never followed a straight line, and never needed to.
Originally from Bhubaneswar and now in Bengaluru, Eshaa’s foundation is rooted in resilience, empathy, and leadership. Growing up alongside her sister, who is mentally challenged, she became her advocate and caregiver from a young age, developing deep emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills.
Her education moved through Science, a master's in Sociology, and eventually an MBA, but Eshaa is quick to say her real education happened after college, in the workplace, through people, roles, successes, and failures no textbook could teach.
Her career has been anything but linear. She began in Human Resources, learning to understand people, organizations, and trust, before moving into Project and Program Management, and eventually into sales-focused delivery leadership in IT infrastructure.
None of it was planned from day one; it evolved through opportunities and her own willingness to step outside her comfort zone.
Today, her work sits at the intersection of people, technology, customers, delivery, and business growth. Her role extends beyond operational execution to understanding customer priorities, strengthening relationships, managing commercial conversations, identifying opportunities, connecting Sales and Delivery, and building teams that deliver outcomes.
Each transition brought its own challenge, walking into rooms where she wasn't the traditional expert, learning quickly, speaking up before she felt fully ready, and building credibility in unfamiliar territory. Instead of waiting to feel prepared, she focused on staying curious and willing to learn.
Her journey reinforces that staying relevant means continuously learning, not only about technology, but also about customers, markets, people, and business.
Like many women, Eshaa has navigated the intersection of career ambition and family responsibilities. She believes balance is not about giving everything equal time, but about giving the right priority the right attention at the right time.
Looking ahead, Eshaa wants to continue growing as a business-oriented delivery leader, strengthening the connection between technology, customer outcomes, and business growth. She also wants to mentor women navigating career transitions and leadership opportunities.
Her biggest career lesson is: Career growth isn't always about moving up, but about moving across & discovering capabilities you didn't know you had.
Her message to anyone at that crossroad: it's never too late to redefine yourself.
That's the belief Eshaa Patnaik has carried through a career that never followed a straight line, and never needed to.
Originally from Bhubaneswar and now in Bengaluru, Eshaa’s foundation is rooted in resilience, empathy, and leadership. Growing up alongside her sister, who is mentally challenged, she became her advocate and caregiver from a young age, developing deep emotional intelligence and problem-solving skills.
Her education moved through Science, a master's in Sociology, and eventually an MBA, but Eshaa is quick to say her real education happened after college, in the workplace, through people, roles, successes, and failures no textbook could teach.
Her career has been anything but linear. She began in Human Resources, learning to understand people, organizations, and trust, before moving into Project and Program Management, and eventually into sales-focused delivery leadership in IT infrastructure.
None of it was planned from day one; it evolved through opportunities and her own willingness to step outside her comfort zone.
Today, her work sits at the intersection of people, technology, customers, delivery, and business growth. Her role extends beyond operational execution to understanding customer priorities, strengthening relationships, managing commercial conversations, identifying opportunities, connecting Sales and Delivery, and building teams that deliver outcomes.
Each transition brought its own challenge, walking into rooms where she wasn't the traditional expert, learning quickly, speaking up before she felt fully ready, and building credibility in unfamiliar territory. Instead of waiting to feel prepared, she focused on staying curious and willing to learn.
Her journey reinforces that staying relevant means continuously learning, not only about technology, but also about customers, markets, people, and business.
Like many women, Eshaa has navigated the intersection of career ambition and family responsibilities. She believes balance is not about giving everything equal time, but about giving the right priority the right attention at the right time.
Looking ahead, Eshaa wants to continue growing as a business-oriented delivery leader, strengthening the connection between technology, customer outcomes, and business growth. She also wants to mentor women navigating career transitions and leadership opportunities.
Her biggest career lesson is: Career growth isn't always about moving up, but about moving across & discovering capabilities you didn't know you had.
Her message to anyone at that crossroad: it's never too late to redefine yourself.
This story was told by Eshaa Patnaik and published with their permission by the What's Your Story editorial team.
