In May of 2012 I started on one of the most amazing adventures of my life- working at a then teeny tiny start-up, Sprinklr. I had just moved back from London and that the first week I slept in the office. I had to hit the ground running; there was no time to spare for apartment hunting.

Visiting South Korea with Sprinklr CEO, Ragy Thomas

Over the last 5+ years I have worn many hats. I’ve been a strategic advisor, teaching brands why social media is important and how their business needs to change to support it. I’ve been a webmaster, building the first company website with my CTO over 4 very sleepless days and nights. I’ve been a builder, helping to open offices in London and France. I’ve been an explorer, attending meetings in 15 different countries, often held in a language different than my own. I’ve been a problem solver, fixing issues and finding new ways to do old things, but better. I’ve been an innovator,  product managing the future of Sprinklr’s technology. Most importantly I’ve been a friend, building amazing relationships with my coworkers all over the world.

Raising lanterns to celebrate Diwali in Gurgaon, India with Sprinklr developers + designers.

Leaving Sprinklr was not an easy decision. When you are employee twenty-something at a company that grows to just under 2000 in 5 years- it doesn’t feel like work. It feels like family. I used to call our CEO “Papa Ragy” and our then COO “Mama Murali”  (because he was the one that would cave if you needed something). Sprinklr’s technology wasn’t our job, it was our baby. So how does one abandon their child?

Too short to ride with a Sprinklr co-worker In London

What I realized was for the first time in my life I was ready to create my own “baby”. It is time to go out on my own. Sprinklr taught me how to be tough and deal with hard situations head on. It taught me to be flexible and “make it work”- you have to do that to survive in a start up. It taught me to be confident- allowing me to present and advise c-level executives all over the world. When I asked myself what’s next?  I realized I was ready to stop building someone else’s dream and start building my own.

Bonding in the Hamptons with Sprinklr’s Product Management Team

I will miss seeing my boss and work-husband, Paul, daily the most. I owe much of the rational, kind thinking I’ve developed due to his diligent mentorship. He is part therapist, part genius with a touch of sass and a heaping spoonful of bougie. He taught me you can succeed through patience, understanding and kindness. I hope everyone is able to learn from someone like Paul in their career.

Attending a co-workers wedding with early day’s Sprinklrites

There are so many memories I’ll never forget from my time at Sprinklr. I’ll remember getting our first real office and having to roll our desk chairs through the middle of Herald Square because we didn’t have a budget for movers. I’ll remember finding our first UK headquarters on google as a foreigner in a new country. I’ll remember head-banging with my Indian coworkers so hard I gave one of them a black eye (sorry Chinmay).  I’ll remember our CEO after a particularly hard meeting, giving me $600 out of his wallet and telling me spend all of it in the next 24 hours enjoying myself (that is also the story of how I bought every single karaoke session at Silver Linings in San Francisco one night) . I’ll remember saying uber over and over with my French team- because it sounds delightfully ridiculous with a Parisian accent. I’ll remember the company award that was created to acknowledge my hard work one holiday season,  that’s now a symbol of excellence in the company. I’ll remember the interns I mentored and watched as their careers flourished. I’ll remember what it felt like to do the impossible simply because you supported each other and believed you could. Sprinklr taught me that passion and hard work really can change the world.

Dancing it out on stage at Sprinklr’s “Happy Together” Party at SXSW 2014

What I’ll remember most is that they let me do it all as me- weird, silly, sing-songy, dancing, dog-toting, me. As evidenced by the photo above at a company event and the terrible (and hopefully lost for good) animated gif of me drunk dancing that was once dubbed everyone’s “favorite part of SXSW 2014.” Finding a company that gets out of your way, lets you be your true self and watches you flourish is incredibly rare. The people I have met here have changed me for the better. The things I have experienced have taught me just how much I am truly capable of. Thank you for preparing me for my next big adventure, Sprinklr. Thank you even more for letting me be me. 

Taking Sprinklr conference calls in the Pool in Miami