Uncomfortable Pivots

In this deeply personal Season Finale of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with her husband, Akshay Jawharker. While many know Akshay as a Product Management leader, a rock climber, and a coffee lover, this episode strips away the resume to reveal the man underneath. Akshay opens up about the "subtle yet internal" moments that fundamentally changed him, including...

In this episode of The Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with Jabeen Merchant, an accomplished Indian film editor whose work spans across the mainstream film industry. Jabeen built her career in one of the most demanding creative industries, shaping stories behind the scenes through the craft of film editing. In this conversation, she reflects on her pivotal career shift—m...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Amey Londhe, a musician whose career path began almost by accident but eventually became his calling. Amey shares how he found himself choosing music over the conventional 9-to-5 path, and how what started as an unexpected opportunity slowly evolved into a profession. He reflects on the moments of uncertainty, the risk...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Christine Biancheria, whose journey spans psychology, law, personal loss, and a deep commitment to social impact. Christine began her academic path studying psychology before pursuing a law degree and building a successful legal career. But one of the most defining moments in her life came with the loss of her law part...

In this episode, Adobe Vice President Mala Sharma joins Madhuri Murlikrishnan to discuss her 20-year journey from India to Silicon Valley. She reflects on the resilience needed to thrive in tech and how she turned a corporate career into a global mission for creative equity. The turning point was a "Moon Moment" at a Mumbai street school. After watching a young student create something e...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with Siddarth Nayar, whose career path reflects a deep curiosity and a willingness to explore beyond traditional boundaries. Although he studied law, Siddarth’s professional journey has taken him across multiple industries, including technology, HR, and other fields — each step driven less by titles and more by a desire...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with Jas Kohli — the co-writer, editor, and director of the acclaimed movie 12th Fail — to explore the creative journey behind one of India’s most compelling true-story films. Jas takes us through the twists and turns of his career in film and storytelling — from early beginnings to becoming a filmmaker who knows how to...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Farah Yasmeen Shaikh, an internationally acclaimed Kathak artist, educator, podcaster, and Founder & Artistic Director of Noorani Dance. Farah’s journey is one of deep devotion and courageous evolution. She spent nearly 20 years training under her guru, the legendary Pandit Chitresh Das, immersing herself in the di...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with Kristy Junio, a marketing executive, tech leader, dance instructor, and now an executive coach, whose career path proves that growth rarely follows a straight line. Kristy began her journey in the tech industry, building a strong foundation as a marketing leader. But along the way, she made bold moves, stepping away...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with Naitik Shah, a marathon runner who turned personal loss into purpose. After losing his mother to cancer, Naitik made a quiet promise to keep her memory alive through action. What began as grief slowly transformed into a mission: running marathons across the world to raise funds and awareness for cancer care. Today,...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Mary Sheehan, Senior Manager of product marketing leader at Adobe and creator of Propel Yourself, a growing platform. While Mary continues to thrive as a product marketing leader, her most meaningful pivot has been reclaiming agency as a working mother and building a community that empowers women to do the same. In thi...

In this deeply personal episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Natasha Masand, a Principal Scientist at Gilead, about a life pivot that reshaped everything - grief. Natasha grew up in Mumbai, India, before moving to the US to pursue her master’s degree in Los Angeles. While building a demanding scientific career, she and her family faced one of life’s most difficul...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan talks with Stefan Martyres, who transitioned from a high-pressure corporate role at The Times of India to become the founder and CEO of Social Aviator, a fast-growing entrepreneurial venture which was a key organizer and digital partner for the Miss World 2025 pageant held in India, in 2024.Stefan opens up about what it really tak...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Marcus Kosena, whose journey spans global careers, major pivots, and a shift from corporate consulting to personal and leadership coaching. Marcus began his career in management consulting at Accenture and then moved on to Slalom consulting where he spent over 16 years as a senior leader making an intentional pivot into exe...

In this episode of Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan speaks with Jackee Chang, an engineering leader at Adobe and Documentary Filmmaker who chose to embrace both careers. Jackee shares what it’s really like to face the fear of the unknown, navigate self-doubt, and move through the challenges that come with choosing an unconventional path. The conversation explores identity beyond jo...

In the very first episode of The Uncomfortable Pivots, host Madhuri Murlikrishnan sits down with Patrick Palmer, who spent years at Adobe before making a bold pivot into music with School of Rock. Patrick opens up about what it really feels like to walk away from a stable corporate career, step into uncertainty, and listen to the quiet internal voice that asks for more. This conversation explores...