In this episode, Lola speaks with Mamta Jain Valderrama, born in Memphis, TN, and raised in southern California. She is the youngest of three and her parents are immigrants. She grew up in a duality - navigating her American identity and her Asian-Indian background. Mamta and her sister are identical twins (Mamta is 11 minutes younger. It counts!), Society around her constantly bundled her and her twin into one identity. Mamta was eager to cultivate her own sense of self so at her first opportunity, she moved to the East Coast while her family stayed in California.
From a young age through early adulthood, Mamta's father told her she wouldn’t amount to much. The upside of an otherwise painful childhood was that it fueled her ambition. Not to disprove her father, but to validate her value to herself. Traveling to Africa, Asia, Europe, and Australia in her 20s and 30s gave her a lot of confidence. Earning promotions at work and making decisions helped her believe in herself.
It took Mamta a long time to be comfortable in her own skin. Once she got there, her career accelerated, and she took on more and more responsibility as a global operations leader. She has turned around two companies (1 startup and 1 nonprofit) and scaled three companies (1 Fortune 500, 1 tech startup, 1 nonprofit). She wrote a bestselling book and toured across America. The most common feedback is “I stayed up all night reading. I couldn’t put it down.” Rewarding and humbling. She is married to a man who encourages their daughter. Her past direct reports say they want to follow her wherever she goes next.
In this episode, we explore into:
- How a non-linear career journey, from journalism to healthcare sales and operations, pursuing an MBA, and writing a novel during a career break.
- Embracing being "the only" in professional settings, owning unique perspectives, and building and maintaining professional relationships.
- What workplace improvements shifted the dynamic for immigrant professionals and allowed for more people to step into and own who they are.
- Using practical tools like CRM software and LinkedIn for managing professional relationships and personal branding.
- Combining intentional networking, balancing assertiveness in self-advocacy, and LinkedIn strategy to grow your career.
If you are ready to join a community of immigrant professionals just like you, be sure to join our membership:
https://www.immigrantsincorporate.org/become-a-member
Connect with Mamta:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mamtavalderrama
Website: https://www.mamtavalderrama.com
Connect with Lola:
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/428192995622965
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lolaaadeyemopm/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/immigrantsincorporate/
Apply to be on the podcast: shorturl.at/dnyEO
More about Thriving in Intersectionality Podcast:
Welcome to the “Thriving in Intersectionality” podcast. A podcast created to help you learn from professionals in the workplace who have multiple intersectional identities; from ethnic minorities, veterans transitioning into the workforce, individuals with disabilities, parents, and so many more.
Hosted by Lola Adeyemo, who is the CEO of EQI Mindset and the founder of the nonprofit Immigrants in Corporate Inc, her mission is to work with organizations to build more inclusive workplaces.
This podcast was built to amplify the voices of leaders and immigrants in the corporate workplace and to give insights and guidance so people can move past their “barriers” and advance in their professional careers.
Through interviews and solo episodes, Lola will examine this global world of work. We hope that you can learn a thing or two from our guests, who have a range of experiences and stories to share. Join Lola as we meet new people who are successfully navigating the corporate space.
For more information and additional resources, please visit www.immigrantsincorporate.org and www.eqimindset.com
23 mins
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45 mins