Sales is not for the faint-hearted. It’s high-stakes, fast-paced, and relentless. Now add gender into the mix — and the stakes get even higher if you happen to be a woman. 

Shilpa Thakur knows this all too well. For the last two years, she’s been leading modern trade across North India for Godrej Consumer Products. “Modern trade is tough. It demands long hours, constant travel, and hard decisions. But I love that my work directly drives revenue. It makes me feel powerful.” 

Still, the pressure runs deeper than just numbers. “Sometimes, you start questioning yourself,” Shilpa says. “You feel like maybe you’re getting these opportunities because you’ve been supported — by your family, or by the organisation. And then you feel like you can’t say no. You struggle to set boundaries.” 

But the expectations don’t slow down — and neither does life. This feeling is amplified as responsibilities grow, both at work and at home. “You’re managing on both fronts. And it’s hard to find that perfect balance.” 
 
It was that balance that Shilpa struggled to find when her mother was diagnosed with a heart condition and had to undergo an emergency procedure. “It felt like a boulder hit me. We’re so caught up in our hustle and career, we don’t imagine something like this happening to our parents,” she says. But the support Shilpa received from her manager and team was immediate.  “The moment I told my manager; he reminded me of the elder care policy. I was given two weeks off — even though it was quarter-end.” Her team stood by and held the fort when she most needed them.  

For Shilpa, support isn’t just about policies — it’s about the freedom to show up fully, at work and at home. “We always talk about maternity or paternity leave. But this was something different. When my family needed me most, I was there. That’s what real support looks like.”