May 25, 2020
Aparna and I recorded this interview before the corona virus pandemic took over and Zoom became a way of daily life for millions and millions of people around the world. Originally from Michigan, Aparna set out to become a technology lawyer after graduating from Harvard Law School. She comes from a family of engineers and entrepreneurs, who she has leaned on throughout her career for advice. She shared inspiring stories of conversations she has had with her role models, including her Aunt, who was an executive at HP and told her as a lawyer - you must direct your client, give them the recommendations they are searching for, and be in the trenches with them. Aparna’s evolution in law began as a corporate and securities associate at Wilson Sonsini then she went on to be an investment banker for technology companies, and now she is the CLO of a global, powerhouse company -- Zoom Video Communications. Her perspective was humble, honest, and to me as a young lawyer, comforting. Aparna’s journey gives me the confidence to know things will work out how they are supposed to in my career if I value my relationships, be a productive and agile communicator, and don’t sweat the small things. She taught me it’s ok not to know what your next move is going to be and for your long-term goals to be more of about WHO you want to be and less about checking things off your checklist. She was absolutely wonderful and I’m thrilled to share her insight.