Name: My Life in Full
Rating: 4.1 (118 reviews)
Author: Indra Nooyi

What’s in it for me? The challenge of trying to do it all.

Indra Nooyi grew up in India, but she’s also a US citizen. She’s a mother, wife, and former CEO of PepsiCo. Throughout her life, she’s had to find a balance between these dualities, across cultures and conflicting responsibilities. How do you run one of the biggest companies in the world and still find time for your family?

This is the story of how Nooyi tried – and mostly managed – to do it all. But as she reflects on her career success, she realizes that a change is long overdue, both for women in business and for working parents in the US.

In this Blink, you’ll learn

why Nooyi came close to spending a night in jail;
how she revolutionized PepsiCo; and
some practical suggestions for transforming the world of work.

Nooyi’s excellent support network helped her to succeed in her studies and early career.

One day in 2009, Indra Nooyi, the CEO of PepsiCo, was at a meeting in Washington DC. Also in attendance were the president of the United States, Barack Obama, and the prime minister of India, Manmohan Singh.

When Nooyi was introduced to the group, Prime Minister Singh said, “Ah, she’s one of us.” With a smile, Obama replied, “She’s one of us, too.”

This encounter sums up Nooyi’s life, career, and sense of identity. As an Indian woman who’s had a successful corporate career in the US, she truly belongs to both worlds.

And while she’s now a proud US citizen, Nooyi is equally proud of her roots in India. After all, it was her family and mentors in India that helped to make her the person she is today – one of the most influential women in business.

Even as a child, growing up in Chennai – then Madras – in the 60s and 70s, Nooyi knew that she was going to aim high. And she certainly wasn’t going to be held back by her gender.

You see, Nooyi grew up in a Hindu Brahmin family. This is a culture that values self-discipline and prioritizes education for both sexes. Also, at the time, many women in India were being encouraged to study. Yes, they were still expected to become wives and mothers, but they could also pursue an education.

Although Nooyi’s mother didn’t work, she was determined that her daughter would have a college education and get a good job. The rest of Nooyi’s family were equally supportive. Right from the beginning, she was expected to work hard and get good grades.

Luckily, this is something that came naturally to Nooyi. She loved school. Every morning, she hopped on the back of her father’s scooter and headed to her all-girls Catholic school, excited for another day of learning and . . . freedom.

For Nooyi, school meant freedom, away from the strict rules and close monitoring she experienced at home. At school, she got to read what she wanted, join the Girl Scouts, and learn all kinds of new things. After class, she’d literally run down the corridor from one activity to the next.

Her love of learning continued throughout school and college. Afterward, she went on to do a master’s degree at the prestigious business school IIM Calcutta.

Nooyi’s classmates and professors were nearly all men. She was part of a new generation of Indian women entering the world of business.

But fortunately, Nooyi and her female classmates felt respected and supported by the men they worked with. And there was also a sense of excitement – they were on the cusp of something special.

After graduating, Nooyi enjoyed getting stuck into her first jobs in product management. But in 1977, while she was working for Johnson & Johnson in Bombay, she found herself thinking about opportunities abroad.

More specifically, America. So many of her college friends were heading there for postgraduate programs in California, Illinois, and Texas.

Many of the best business students in India flocked to the US for further education and then went on to have super successful careers.

So as her friends went off, one by one, Nooyi found herself wondering. Was that the way to move ahead with her career? Did she have a future in the US?

Despite the initial culture shock, Nooyi soon settled into her new life in the US.

Fast-forward a year. Nooyi found herself sitting alone in a dorm room at Yale. She’d just arrived with a suitcase full of saris, a bag full of books, and not much else. She was early for her orientation at the Yale School of Management, and there was no one else around. For the first time in her life, she felt scared and lonely.

While focusing on building her corporate career, Nooyi worked long hours and relied on family support.

After graduating from Yale, Nooyi focused on climbing the career ladder. She loved her job as a consultant at BCG in Chicago, but it meant working hard – really hard.

After joining PepsiCo as a senior vice president, Nooyi continued to juggle work and family commitments.

From day one, Nooyi was thrilled to be working for such a fun, ambitious, and optimistic company. Here was an organization that was just as upbeat as she was.

As she progressed in her career, Nooyi reflected on the difficulties for women in the workplace.

Years later, Nooyi still thinks about this conversation. Was her mother right to tell her to leave the crown in the garage? In a way, yes. Nooyi agrees that her role in her family is important and irreplaceable, whatever her job title.

During her 12-year-tenure as CEO of PepsiCo, Nooyi was able to implement real change through the Perform With Purpose program.

Still, at least there was no question of Nooyi being unprepared for the job. She’d been working for PepsiCo for more than a decade.

Real societal change is needed to allow women to prosper in the workplace.

When Nooyi stepped down as CEO, it was partly because she was feeling a little burnt out, and ready for a change. But it was also because she felt she’d achieved her goals. She was proud of what she’d accomplished and felt PepsiCo would continue to do well without her.

When it comes to balancing work and family, there are no secrets, but there are some clear solutions.

We also need a shift that integrates work with family life.

My Life in Full summary

Brief summary