Growing up in Bengaluru - the Silicon Valley of India, Naimeesha Murthy was exposed to the world of tech and entrepreneurship from a very young age. She began her career in advertising and marketing but eventually decided to pursue her further higher education in the United Kingdom, which eventually brought her to the United States, where she began building her career. After many years in the product marketing space, making the switch to product management and the tech was challenging.
In 2019, when Naimeesha decided to pivot her career, she found herself in isolation; as a new mother, immigrant, and woman of color, the male-dominated tech space of product management wasn't exactly welcoming. Even though she had been living in the US for over a decade at that point, her personal network was limited, which impacted her career growth.
Naimeesha knew that with mentorship and a community around her, she would excel. However, her inspiration for finding and engaging herself in a community was never really about her own career; it was more about paving a way for other women so that nobody else had to experience the trials and tribulations that she did.
With deep reflection, Naimeesha realized that there was a massive gap in the technology space for women: nobody was focusing on their development through mentorship early enough. It was as if a few women would suddenly find themselves in leadership roles with no one around them, and it was never equitable. Men, on the other hand, seemed to have never-ending lists of mentors, resources, and help when building their product management careers. Like many tech-centric industries, this one too fell victim to being a "boys' club."
Naimeesha's passion for helping other women is reflected in every aspect of her life: her career, her personal life, and even her financial investments. She's a pivotal part of an organic community of women in technology who lean on one another, lift each other up, and of course, help women chase their dreams.
As the Vice President of Product Management at LPL Financial, Naimeesha supports the New Ventures Lab. This team of professionals takes new business solutions ideas, analyzes them, incubates the ideas, and advises LPL Financial on the best moves to make. She has become an expert in her space and a trailblazer for women simultaneously, proving that if anyone can do it all, it's females. It takes a special leader to understand the obstacles they faced and commit to removing them for others, but for Naimeesha, it's a no-brainer.
Naimeesha is the prime example of someone who pursued a career, mastered it, and was ready for a change. Though career changes often come with challenges, Naimeesha's exemplary leadership abilities made the transition smooth. Now, Naimeesha is well-established and respected, despite learning an entirely new side of tech just a number of years ago.
In her personal life, Naimeesha is a devoted mom and a committed angel investor passionate about backing businesses built by women, for women. She serves as an active team member at the Arise Accelerator - StrongHer Ventures, a program for startups focused on women engagement and entrepreneurship, which help empower women to re-enter the workforce, start businesses, and refine their skills.
Not that she has much free time, but when she does, Naimeesha spends every second helping uplift those around her. Leadership is clearly second nature, and her experience just showcases how important it is for women to make space for themselves in tech and other male-dominated sectors. She is the backbone of her own success, willing to do whatever it takes to reach the mountaintops in front of her both literally and figuratively. Just as Naimeesha successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro less than a year after becoming a new mom, she will tackle what's ahead with grace, passion, and determination.
(Author is an articulated writer with 4+ years of experience. specializes in wide range of subjects such as business, blockchain technology, home & lifestyle, and fashion)
