Push Pull Podcast

Today I interview my cousin Shalini Chander, Director of Product at Align Technologies. Shalini shares her journey from consulting in pharmaceutical manufacturing to becoming a software product leader. We track her career progress through process, storytelling, relationship-building, and advocacy. Shalini also emphasizes the importance of building visibility and sharing learnings within a company...

In this episode, I interview Rajan Trivedi, a seasoned product leader who has made significant transitions across various industries. Rajan shares his unique framework for career transitions, focusing on the utility of making switches focused on either industry or function. He delves into his journey from consulting to the public sector, a startup in Kenya, and finally to product management roles...

In this episode, I interview Theresa Freet, a Strategy & Operations leader with over 12 years of experience in the ed-tech field. Before her rise as an operator, she traveled internationally and immersed herself in the food industry, exploring the world and ruling out alternative career paths. Theresa emphasizes the importance of finding the right overlap between personal fulfillment and caree...

In this episode, I interview Samir Jain, Sr. Director of Product at Medidata Solutions, discussing his career journey and key transitions. We discuss how relationships, sales skills, and increasing levels of responsibility factor into career growth. We also explore what informed Samir's transitions: emphasizing the importance of mission alignment and finding the right kind of ownership (i.e....

Introducing the Push-Pull Podcast!  I'm Varun Rajan, a Product Manager and Career Coach. I'll be interviewing mid- to senior-level professionals about their careers to share their stories. If you’re looking to make a meaningful change in your professional life — contemplating a switch in your role, company, or industry — or if you’re just curious about how others chose their paths… I hop...