A senior Microsoft director has inspired thousands online by sharing the raw and unvarnished story of her professional climb, a path defined not by instant success but by repeated rejections, financial hurdles, and profound self-questioning.
An Unconventional Start: Setbacks and Self-Doubt
Priyanka Vergadia's journey began with a significant personal setback: failing the coveted IIT entrance examination not once, but twice. At the time, she described the experience as devastating. While peers moved forward on more traditional academic tracks, Vergadia pursued her engineering dream at a non-IIT college, an early lesson in forging her own path.
Her challenges intensified after graduating in 2009. Moving to the United States for postgraduate studies, she grappled with student loans and the immense pressure of building a life in a new country. As friends easily secured internships, she struggled, finally landing an opportunity at a small startup, which later converted into a full-time position.
She started her career as a quality assurance engineer, a role accompanied by persistent self-doubt. "I questioned whether I even belonged in tech," she recalled, noting a period where her career growth felt painfully slow compared to others. This phase, however, set the stage for a crucial pivot.
The Pivot to Purpose and Major Career Leaps
The turning point arrived when Vergadia transitioned into customer-facing engineering roles. Here, she discovered her purpose: solving real-world business problems with technology. This shift unlocked new opportunities and aligned her work with a tangible impact.
Her perseverance paid off in 2017 when she was hired by Google. She ascended to lead developer advocacy for North America at Google Cloud. During this time, she embraced "learning out loud," a philosophy that led her to author best-selling books, launch products, and even speak on the TED stage.
In 2024, she took on a new challenge, joining Microsoft to lead developer strategy for go-to-market initiatives. Demonstrating relentless commitment to growth, she added an MBA from the Wharton School to her credentials in 2025, all while managing teams with multi-billion-dollar impact.
Resilience Over a Linear Path: The Core Message
Reflecting on her 25-year odyssey, Vergadia stresses that her success is not rooted in being the smartest but in persistence and self-belief. "Failing IIT twice felt like the end of the world," she wrote. "But it wasn't my destination—it was just the beginning."
Her message, resonating deeply with professionals facing non-linear careers or delayed timelines, is one of ownership and vision. "Your timeline is your own," she urged, advising others not to let fear of failure dictate choices. "Dream big. You can only achieve what you can imagine."
The viral post stands as a powerful testament that in competitive fields like technology, career trajectories are rarely straight lines. It underscores that resilience and the courage to continue often matter far more than early or easy wins.
