Vikram Deshpande, Director of Product Management at Amazon. Vikram started his career with a coveted consulting job at BCG—and then walked away from it to join a then seed-funded startup called Flipkart as one of its first 120 employees. In this episode, Vikram shares: Why he left a safe, prestigious job for a risky bet and how he knew it was the right rocketship to rideHow he turned down Flipkart’s first offer andupskilled to lead an entirely new function at the time, Digital MarketingWhy ownership is the mindset that shapes the right behaviours for early career growth If you’re wondering how to grow your career with AI changing everything—this episode is for you. In The Career Clinic, Vikram responds to your careerqueries with mindset shifts like: Leadership reviews aren’t exams—they’re a way tosurface your toughest problems to leadership and get more hands-on deckTough feedback isn’t judgment on the past year—it’sinput to help you grow for the next 20Escalation isn’t blame—when done responsibly, it’sabout problem-solving…and more shifts you can actually use at work Some takeaways 1. Take smart risks early—when the downside is low Vikram left a dream job at BCG to join a then-up-and-comingFlipkart. His bet? A strong trend (eCommerce), a product that solved a real problem and founders he connected with. 🗣️ “It’s important to take a bet on a trend when you have conviction that it’ll play out. Worst case, you course-correct. Early in your career, the risk is limited—and thoseexperiences really stand out.” 2. If you don’t know something, learn fast and show upanyway He turned down Flipkart’s first offer but returned two weekslater, having taught himself digital marketing. 🗣️“I said: I don’t know this. They said: Take two weeks, come back and tell us what you’d do. And so I did. I picked up everything I could, came back two weeks later, presented the plan – and that’s how I got the role.” 3. Act like it’s your own business—and you’ll grow faster An ownership mindset drives all the right behaviours forgrowth. 🗣️“Am I just doing the job, or am I also looking around the corner to what we can do better? Ownership means you run it like it’s your own money deployed. That focusses you on the right problems, you’ll care about the user and you’rewilling to make short term trade-offs, and stay the course to see the goodness in the long term.” 4. Career growth isn’t just promotions—it’s also aboutlearning Early in your career, success feels obvious: the salary, theDay Zero job, the next promotion. But over time, the people who grow fastest are often the ones who take the time to build new skills that pay off big later🗣️“The path to promotion is fastest if you build one muscle and prove that you are better than anyone else on that vector. If you take time to pick up that extra skill, it may slow you down for a cycle; but cut to 2-3 years later, you’ll be better placed for that next big opportunity.” 5. The one-way vs. two-way door test for making decisions Before taking a decision, pause and ask yourself: Can I reverse this later? If yes, it’s a two-way door—walk through, learn quickly, and adjust as needed. If the cost of reversal is high, then pause, prep, and proceed with care.🗣️“Two-way doors are easy to reverse. You can test and learn. If it’s a one-way door, you deliberate a whole lot more before deciding.” 6. Want to learn something new? Bake it into your job If you want to learn something, the sure-shot way is toraise your hand for an extra project or assignment. Instead of carving extra time, carve learning into your current scope.🗣️“If I want to learn ML—I’ll sign up for the project, find a mentor, and made it part of my goals.” Where to find VikramLinkedIn: Vikram Deshpande More from The Career Starter Kit Subscribe to Newsletter Follow on Instagram Follow on LinkedIn Production & Editing: GreyLabs Media Venue: Crukces Studio
