Gender Judo: Raksha Vashishta On The Daily Gender Discrimination Women Face and How We Succeed Despite It
An Interview With Vanessa Ogle
Don’t Dim Your Light to Fit In — Own Your Value
In rooms where men are dominant, you second-guess yourself or silence your voice. I used to get ignored in meetings or skipped chances when I was younger in my career. But once I started coming to the table with data, outcomes, and gentle confidence, it was different. Don’t forget your value, log your successes, and speak confidently, even if your voice shakes.
Despite significant progress, many women still face daily challenges and discrimination in their careers and personal lives due to their gender. However, many women have developed unique strategies to navigate and overcome these barriers while achieving great success. We are sharing their stories and insights to learn how woman can continue to thrive and make a positive impact despite these obstacles. As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Raksha Vashishta. Raksha Vashishta is a payments product expert with over a decade of experience leading fintech innovation through data-driven insights. A successful Indian immigrant who was able to thrive academically and professionally despite facing cultural and systemic challenges, she now mentors aspiring business and professional individuals, as well as advocates for women in finance and technology.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory”? What led you to this particular career path?
When I look back at my journey, I am reminded of something Michelle Obama once wrote about her own life — that we are all a tapestry of our own experiences. Our stories are not straight lines but a series of pivots and detours that ultimately define who we become.
My odyssey began on the busy streets of Bengaluru, India, where my parents instilled in me the lesson that education was less about achieving success and more about living potential. That foundation led to an MHRD scholarship from the central government of India, an achievement that felt more like a duty than a distinction.
The turning point was when I chose to jump oceans to pursue my Master’s in Finance at Virginia Commonwealth University. It was scary and exhilarating all in one — quitting everything I knew to embark on the unknown. What is lovely about such leaps of faith is the way they reveal aspects of yourself that you never realized you had. While finance gave me an analytical mind, I discovered a secret passion for the intersection of technology and human experience, which gradually pulled me toward product management in the payments space.
Pandemic graduation taught me to swerve — that ability to pivot when life puts obstacles in front of you. Being an immigrant working during record-breaking uncertainty, I learned to lead with humility and bravery, finally ending up at Verra Mobility, where I could share my whole self. I have come to realize that my value is not only in my analytical mind but also in my ability to see the whole tapestry, binding technical and financial solutions with human needs in cultural contexts.
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began your career?
There’s a moment that I sometimes remember and reflect upon: we sometimes experience small daily humiliations that shape the way we perceive the world.
Early in my career, my boss was scheduling a key out-of-state meeting. He walked right up to me, asking if I would go for it — a question that momentarily filled me with hope. But before I could even attempt to cobble together a response, he changed his mind in mid-sentence and offered the privilege to my male colleague instead. It was so quick, so casual, that I wondered if I had imagined being asked at all.
What followed was a familiar script that many women would recognize — sitting and watching my thoughts go unheard in conference rooms, only to be applauded when repeated by the voices of men. It wasn’t dramatic or combative; it was that insidious, persistent undertow that slowly eroded your confidence.
The true awakening happened when there was a shift in leadership. My new manager arrived on our team with a radically different philosophy — one in which effort was valued no matter who produced it. This manager would comment, for example, “Raksha made a fantastic point a while ago that I’d like us to keep working on,” leaving a thoughtful space for my voice to be heard and valued.
The contrast had a profound impact on me regarding power and responsibility. Your story is what you have, what you will always have. It is something to own. This experience helped me claim my story and understand that when we enter spaces of power, we have the choice of how we wield that power — to maintain the barriers or dismantle them.
Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?
This is something I look back on as one of my earliest career blunders.
I was still learning the corporate world when I committed the classic email faux pas — hitting “Reply All” on a corporate announcement. My response had a sidebar comment that was only for my manager, such as “Do we need to discuss how this affects our schedule in our one-on-one?” Nothing salacious, but receiving those delivery invoices did create a bodily sensation of fear that I can still feel years later. I sat in awe, wondering whether I could in some way connect through the net and grab those words from a couple of hundred inboxes.
Then, there was the time when I scheduled what I assumed was a 3 PM staff meeting to receive a round of confused messages when my team members received invites for 3 AM. One of the sharper team members wrote back, asking whether I was adding a “moonlight strategy session” or if it was some test of their dedication.
What they taught me was that the gaps between the person we are and the person we present are where we connect. Rather than spending energy trying to build a flawless professional facade, I learned to embrace my journey — that ongoing work of growth that includes our errors and missteps.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?
Circle of strength, the people who raise us and prevent us from falling over when the ground beneath us starts rolling in life. For me, that individual has definitely been my best friend, Joseph Siby, whom I met during my master’s program at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU).
When you immigrate around the world, you don’t just leave a place but a safety net — the familiar shoulders you’ve always counted on. Being an immigrant during COVID brought with it a kind of vulnerability that’s hard to explain to those who have no concept. My visa status, job prospects, and financial security were not just practical concerns; they were existential questions about worthiness and belonging.
I remember sitting on the floor of my apartment, surrounded by rejection emails, the deadline for my optional practical training looming over me like a verdict. The overwhelming reality of possibly having to depart the country and abandon the life I was building crushed me.
Joseph and my other friend Karishma sat with me for hours, editing my resume and, more importantly, reminding me of a self temporarily lost. Always, “This is not a question of if, but when,” and “The right opportunity has not yet caught up with you.”
Joseph and my friend Karishma showed me that sometimes the best thing we can do for someone is to believe in them with complete faith, especially when they’re struggling to see themselves. This is a lesson that has not only affected my profession but also the manner in which I try to show up for others, knowing that we all need someone who sees our potential not as some distant possibility, but as something already true, waiting to be set free.
Is there a particular book that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
Without a doubt, Michelle Obama’s “Becoming” shifted my perspective in ways that I’m still unraveling. I remember getting comfortable with it one Friday evening and waking up Sunday night having barely moved at all, wholly engrossed in her story. What resonated most deeply was her candor about feeling like an outsider, questioning whether she belonged in places not generally designed for someone of her heritage.
I felt a strong sense of identification when she described her time at Princeton and brought out, “I realized that being the first Black First Lady was not a possibility, but a responsibility.”
For years, I had been going out of my way to blend into American corporate cultures — softening my accent, avoiding cultural allusions, and modifying my problem-solving approach to conform to what I had learned was the “norm” for thinking. I had assumed that success was found by making myself less seen, less “other.” Reading Michelle’s story was like having someone hold up a mirror and gently ask me why I was so conscientiously working to eradicate the things that made my way of looking at the world valuable.
When she described, “If you don’t get out there and define yourself, you’ll be quickly and inaccurately defined by others,” it was permission to no longer apologize for the space I occupy. I began to see how my bicultural life experience inscribes data that would otherwise be inscrutable in open settings. Instead of seeing my background as something I had to get over, I began to see it as something to give — a gift rather than a burden.
I started asserting myself more clearly in meetings, showing up with my whole self to solve problems, and advocating for solutions that are inclusive of diverse user experiences. Michelle Obama’s story taught me that authenticity isn’t just self-reinforcing; it’s also how we invite others in who might otherwise think they don’t belong.
Do you have a favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Do you have a story about how that was relevant in your life or your work?
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so that we can have the life that is waiting for us,” by Joseph Campbell, resonates with me deeply.
This philosophy of possibility and release guided me through the most critical decision of my life. In India, I had what many would describe as a well-planned life — a decent job, a loving family nearby, and the comfort of a familiar culture. But beneath the safety, an undertow of questioning ran about what was possible beyond. It wasn’t discontentment so much as a quiet feeling that there was another version of myself out there, waiting to be discovered.
Stepping out and immigrating to the United States meant unraveling that carefully designed plan strand by strand. It meant sacrificing certainty for the possibility of familiarity in the face of change. Those early days were tough in ways I hadn’t imagined — not just the tangible challenges of learning a new culture, but also the psychological weight of doubting whether I had made the right decision. There were times when I’d call home, the distance between who I was and what I was becoming as vast as the ocean between continents.
But gradually, I did come to “inhabit the in-between” — that in-between space where we shed former selves before we’ve yet become new ones. Doors of possibility swung open. I couldn’t have imagined where I was standing then. Career growth, yes, but also so much more, a deeper understanding of what I could actually do, strong, with a fresh pair of eyes on the world.
Looking back, I barely recognize the person who first came here with two suitcases and a head full of carefully laid plans. It reminds me that the most significant growth always happens not when we cling to our plans but when we let go of our hands and allow life to surprise us.
How have you used your success to make the world a better place?
For me, True success is not about individual accomplishment but about how many doors we open for others along the way. Changing one life can change the world forever, creating ripple effects that we can never fully appreciate. From this standpoint, I have devoted significant time to volunteering in mentoring through PCV Mentoring and The Mentoring Club, particularly with professionals from underrepresented backgrounds and small business owners who face systemic obstacles.
What has been incredibly fulfilling is seeing the business models and optimization strategies that I’ve developed being implemented by companies all over the world.
In addition to formal mentoring, I also serve as a mentor to emerging women in finance and technology who face similar challenges. I conduct weekly virtual coffee hour meetings, where employees can freely discuss topics ranging from technical skills to strategies for handling microaggressions in the workplace. These meetings create a safe space that allows for meaningful conversations and mutual advancement. True success is not about individual accomplishment but about how many doors we open for others along the way.
Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Can you share a moment when you encountered subtle or overt gender discrimination, and how did you navigate that situation effectively?
Yes. Early in my career, I noticed a trend that was hard to ignore — when I spoke up with ideas in meetings, they were ignored or not even heard. But when my male counterparts spoke up with similar ideas, they were met with enthusiasm or taken more seriously. It was subtle, but it happened often enough to make me question whether my ideas were being given equal consideration.
I also later discovered that there was a considerable discrepancy in compensation between the others and me doing the same kind of work. That wasn’t easy to take, mainly because I had always been someone who showed up every day, over-delivered, and cared deeply about how my work made a difference.
Getting through this wasn’t straightforward. Initially, I internalized much of it — asking myself whether I needed to “work harder” or “speak better.” But eventually, I came to understand that this wasn’t about my ability; it was about systems and biases that had to be overcome.
So, I started tracking my impact, influence, and worth more deliberately. I had numbers and statistics to back up my contributions. I also sought mentors — men and women — whom I used to assist me in framing my discussions more assertively.
I also asserted myself over time during performance reviews and salary negotiations. I also freely gave credit to others and asked for collaboration, so it became harder to ignore when I presented an idea.
Most importantly, I’ve used those experiences to advocate for other women — especially junior colleagues — by giving voice to their ideas in meetings and pushing for transparent evaluation and compensation systems where feasible.
What strategies do you use to counteract unconscious biases in professional settings and assert your expertise?
Firstly, I’ve become susceptible to how I present information. Placing my ideas with concrete facts and measurable outcomes makes them far more challenging to avoid. When I offer a solution or a proposal, I make sure it is supported by data analysis and research, which moves the conversation away from subjective viewpoints and into rational discussion.
Strategic pre-meeting alliance-building is yet another tactic that has worked effortlessly for me. When I am going to pitch my proposals, I meet key stakeholders one-on-one in advance, gaining their support.
And refining them. This creates several champions in the room and pre-approves endorsement.
I’ve also been more intentional in my communication. Phrases such as “Building on our past success with X.” or “The data shows that.” place my contributions within frameworks that are already accepted. I’ve learned to avoid undermining words such as “just,” “I think maybe,” or “I’m not sure if this makes sense,” which can unwittingly reduce perceived authority.
These approaches aren’t so much about altering my being as they are about making my knowledge visible amidst unconscious biases that would otherwise render it inaccessible.
In what ways have you found support or allyship among colleagues when facing gender-based challenges?
I have been fortunate to find allyship in places that were both expected and unexpected across my working life. Where I faced gender-based challenges — such as being dismissed in meetings or being passed over for identical offers or pay opportunities — I was aided by colleagues who really did have faith in inclusion and equity, regardless of gender.
One of the best types of allyship was from a man on my team who noticed when my ideas were being pushed to the side. Instead of staying silent, he started repeating and assigning my ideas in meetings by saying something like, “As Raksha just said…. That little tweak changed the dynamic and enabled my voice to be heard more often. It also made others do so.
Another moment of encouragement came from a senior female leader who mentored me but also sponsored me. She made sure my work was noticed in places I had not yet entered. Her confidence in me prompted me to stand up for myself even when it felt uncomfortable.
What I’ve realized is that allyship doesn’t have to be loud or performative — it’s often in the quiet moments: a coworker sticking up for you, someone asking for your input, or a manager speaking up for you in difficult conversations. I try to pay that forward now. When I can stand up for someone who’s feeling unseen or unheard, I take it seriously — because I know how much of an impact it can have.
Ok super. Here is the main question of our interview. Can you please share “Five Things You Need to Turn Tribulations into Triumphs”? If you can, please share an example or story for each.
(A) Don’t Dim Your Light to Fit In — Own Your Value
In rooms where men are dominant, you second-guess yourself or silence your voice. I used to get ignored in meetings or skipped chances when I was younger in my career. But once I started coming to the table with data, outcomes, and gentle confidence, it was different. Don’t forget your value, log your successes, and speak confidently, even if your voice shakes.
(B). Bias As Fuel, Not A Blocker
Having been underestimated can be frustrating, but I utilized it to drive my development. I was not dealt with on an equal level when it came to compensation or regard, so I worked twice as hard, learned twice as quickly, and made sure I built a profile that folks couldn’t overlook. Let the prejudice drive you ahead, not hinder you.
©. Create a Personal Board of Advocates
You don’t need to do this alone. Mentors and peers — especially those who actively work on your behalf to advance inclusion — can be game-changers. I’ve had male colleagues rephrase my ideas in meetings and women leaders who gave me my opportunity. Find your tribe. Then, be that person for someone else.
(D) Think Strategically Like a Product Manager — You Are Your Biggest Project
I applied product thinking in my career: know your north star, assess your gaps, move fast, and optimize. Every step, from entry-level positions to six figures in fintech, was intentional. Plot your career with a roadmap — and pivot when needed.
(E). Redefine Strength with Grace and Gratitude
There’s power in humility. There’s strength in kindness. Being thankful doesn’t make you complacent — it makes you choose hope and courage, even when the odds are against you. Gratitude kept me centered in the midst of rejections, visa complications, and financial constraints — and eventually brought abundance.
How do you stay resilient and maintain confidence when faced with persistent gender stereotypes in your industry?
Maintaining resilience in the presence of deep-seated gender stereotypes requires internal effort and external planning. Internally, I’ve cultivated a habit of conscious self-affirmation. I take the time each week to write down particular things I’ve done and contributed, creating an evidence file that combats the self-doubt stereotypes can trigger. When someone assumes my technical ability or leadership potential, I can frame it in terms of tangible examples that prove otherwise.
I’ve also found tremendous power in the community. I belong to multiple networks of women in tech and finance in which we share experience, tactics, and leads. These groups provide not only emotional support but strategic advantages — tips on companies that have welcoming cultures, negotiation techniques that work for others, and connections to sponsors who value diversity. This community reminds me that the roadblocks I’m experiencing are not failures on my part but problems within the system that others have overcome.
Strategic disengagement is yet another resilience strategy. I’ve learned to know when to fight and where you can’t grow. Not all biases need to be battled at the moment — sometimes, the best thing to do is to redirect my energy into environments where my value is appreciated.
Perhaps most crucially, I see breaking through stereotypes as a part of my professional legacy instead of a personal battle. By standing up for myself or refuting a discriminatory assumption, I’m creating space for others behind me. In that way, annoying moments become a contribution to a broader movement towards equity.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good for the greatest number of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.
I would create a movement, “Bridge Builders,” with the goal of democratizing financial and technological literacy across socioeconomic divides. The movement would establish community-based learning centers in under-served communities globally, where finance and tech professionals would commit to teaching real-world skills that provide access to economic mobility.
I envision virtual learning circles where people facing similar challenges across the globe could problem-solve together — whether they’re in rural India or urban Chicago. A grandmother saving for her grandchild’s education in Mexico could share insights with a young professional in Kenya navigating student loans, each supported by financial experts who donate their time.
What distinguishes this movement from others is the emphasis on the long-term relationship rather than the one-shot workshop. Each hub would provide ongoing mentorship connections and microfinancing to members so they may begin small enterprises or career transitions based on skills that have newly been acquired.
Technology would reinforce this impact by way of an internet-based platform bringing together global communities facing common challenges, facilitating knowledge sharing and collaborative problem-solving across borders. Particular attention would be given to empowering girls and women, especially in those regions where their access to education and economic empowerment is further limited.
By removing barriers to financial knowledge, we address countless other challenges that stem from economic insecurity. When people understand how to build stability and make informed choices about their resources — whether modest or substantial — they gain agency over not just their finances but their futures.
We are very blessed that some very prominent names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them.
I would absolutely love to meet Naval Ravikant, cofounder of AngelList, for breakfast. His “escape competition through authenticity” mentality shifted my approach to career building. After listening to his Joe Rogan podcast, I no longer tried to compete on conventional paths. Instead, I leveraged my real strengths at the intersection of finance, technology, and cross-cultural competence. His advice to be “patient with results but impatient with actions” served as a compass for me during the challenging times of my immigration path. I was reminded by this attitude to remain focused on everyday gains while having faith in the long-term process when I was put to the test by professional setbacks and visa uncertainties. Naval’s concepts on focused knowledge and internal metrics over external approval continue to shape how I define success. His ideas have changed the way I view life itself.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
My LinkedIn profile is located at Raksha Vashishta. My posts focus on women in leadership roles, cross-cultural business perspectives, and fintech product management. I also contribute to Medium at Raksha, where I go into greater depth about topics like technological innovation and financial inclusivity.
You can also find me on websites of PCV Mentoring and The Mentoring Club to learn more about my mentoring activities. I am also available for one on one sessions on Topmate.io.
I always like positive chat, so if anything I have posted has had an impact on you, please get in touch with me on my email.You will always hear back from me within a day.
Thank you for these fantastic insights. We greatly appreciate the time you spent on this.
Thanks for this reflective dialogue. It’s been a pleasure to share my experience, and I hope that it will provide some inspiration to others who are grappling with similar challenges. The road may not always be easy, but it is well worth the trip.
About The Interviewer: Vanessa Ogle is a mom, entrepreneur, inventor, writer, and singer/songwriter. Vanessa’s talent in building world-class leadership teams focused on diversity, a culture of service, and innovation through inclusion allowed her to be one of the most acclaimed Latina CEO’s in the last 30 years. She collaborated with the world’s leading technology and content companies such as Netflix, Amazon, HBO, and Broadcom to bring innovative solutions to travelers and hotels around the world. Vanessa is the lead inventor on 120+ U.S. Patents. Accolades include: FAST 100, Entrepreneur 360 Best Companies, Inc. 500 and then another six times on the Inc. 5000. Vanessa was personally honored with Inc. 100 Female Founder’s Award, Ernst and Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and Enterprising Women of the Year among others. Vanessa now spends her time sharing stories to inspire and give hope through articles, speaking engagements and music. In her spare time she writes and plays music in the Amazon best selling new band HigherHill, teaches surfing clinics, trains dogs, and cheers on her children.
Please connect with Vanessa here on linkedin and subscribe to her newsletter Unplugged as well as follow her on Substack, Instagram, Facebook, and X and of course on her website VanessaOgle.
Gender Judo: Raksha Vashishta On The Daily Gender Discrimination Women Face and How We Succeed… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.