Listen now:
Vikram Deshpande, Director of Product Management at Amazon. Vikram started his career with a coveted consulting job at BCG—and then walked away from it to join a then seed-funded startup called Flipkart as one of its first 120 employees.
In this episode, Vikram shares:
• Why he left a safe, prestigious job for a risky bet and how he knew it was the right rocket ship to ride
• How he turned down Flipkart’s first offer and upskilled to lead an entirely new function at the time, Digital Marketing
• Why ownership is the distinguishing skill in early career as it shapes the right behaviours for growth
If you’re wondering how to grow your career with AI changing everything—this episode is for you.
In The Career Clinic, Vikram responds to your career queries with mindset shifts like:
Leadership reviews aren’t exams—they’re a way to get more hands-on deck
Tough feedback isn’t judgment on the past—it’s an input for the future
Escalation isn’t blame—when done responsibly, it’s about problem-solving
…and so much more
Some takeaways:
1. Take smart risks early—when the downside is low
Vikram left a dream job at BCG to join a then-up-and-coming Flipkart. His bet? A strong trend (eCommerce), a product that solved a real problem and founders he connected with.
🗣️ “It’s important to take a bet on a trend when you have conviction that it’ll play out. Worst case, you course-correct. Early in your career, the risk is limited—and [those varied experiences] really stand out.”
2. Act like it’s your own business—and you’ll grow faster. Ownership mindset drives all the right behaviours for growth.
🗣️ “Am I just doing the job, or am I also looking around the corner to what we can do better? Ownership focusses you on the right problems, you’ll care about the user and you’re willing to make short term trade-offs, and stay the course to see the goodness in the long term.”
3. Career growth isn’t just promotions—it’s also about learning
Early in your career, success feels obvious: the salary, the Day Zero job, the time to first promotion. But over time, the people who grow fastest are often the ones who take the time to build new skills that pay off big later
🗣️ “The path to promotion is fastest if you build one muscle and prove that you are better than anyone else on that. If you take time to pick up that extra skill, it may slow you down for a cycle; but cut to 2-3 years later, you’ll be better placed for that next big opportunity.”
4. The one-way vs. two-way door test for making decisions Before taking a decision, pause and ask yourself: Can I reverse this later?
🗣️ “Two-way doors are easy to reverse. You can test and learn. If it’s a one-way door, you deliberate a whole lot more before deciding.”
5. Want to learn something new? Bake it into your job The sure-shot way to learn is to raise your hand for an extra project or assignment. Carve learning into your current scope.
🗣️ “If I want to learn ML—I’ll sign up for the project, find a mentor, and made it part of my goals.”
Where to find Vikram Deshpande:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/vikram-deshpande-ab564310/
In this episode, we cover:
(00:00) Introducing Vikram Deshpande
(02:52) From BCG to Flipkart: betting on a Rocketship
(04:00) Acting like an owner: the way to start strong
(06:45) Learning to Think Big at Flipkart
(09:10) How to spot and bet on Macro Trends for career acceleration
(10:30) The one-way vs. two-way door framework for making decisions
(12:00) Operationalizing ownership and thinking long-term
(13:30) What Career Growth looks like: Promotions vs Learning
(15:10) When to consider switching companies vs. switching roles
(16:50) The Boredom test: knowing when it’s time to stretch
(17:50) How to decide which skill to build next
(20:00) The Career Clinic: “The project I want was given to someone else. What should I do?”
(21:30) “We’ve been given a stretch goal with fewer resources. How do I talk about it?”
(23:00) “I don’t want to escalate, but I’m blocked. Help!”
(26:00) "How do I ensure meetings don't get derailed?"
(29:10) "Leadership reviews without the panic"
(33:00) “How do I make time to learn?”
(34:20) Fast Track: Skill that unlocked growth
(34:55) Workplace myth you no longer believe
(35:10) Most underrated early career skill
(36:50) What young professionals should do more of
(37:00) Meeting tip, manager tip, pushing back, and feedback
(39:10) Book recommendations and final reflection
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Referenced:
BCG: https://www.bcg.com/
Flipkart: https://www.flipkart.com/
Leadership reviews aren’t exams: https://thecareerstarterkit.substack.com/p/leadership-reviews-arent-exams
Editing and production: GreyLabs Media
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