From Excel to Excellence: How ISB Will Make Me “CEO of One Product”

I’ve always been someone who believes in trying everything once. Maybe it's curiosity. Or maybe it’s the quiet conviction that I’ll figure things out along the way. My undergrad years at LSR were a mix of experiments, including six internships, organising college events, starting a handmade jewellery business during the lockdown (which fulfilled over 500 orders!), and launching a social venture on mental health for children.

So, when I graduated in 2021 with a BCom (Hons), I thought I had clarity. A PPO at JSW Consulting seemed like the obvious next step, which was structured, prestigious, and secure. I paused the jewellery brand, tucked away the reels that had built it, and put on the consultant hat. But six months in, I realised something important: I wasn’t where I was meant to be.

Slide decks didn’t excite me. Excel models didn’t spark joy. But crafting content? Building brand voices? Influencer campaigns? That lit me up. It took me back to my internships at Schbang and Sociolabs, where I’d felt most alive. That realisation became my first real pivot.

ISB: Redefining Success, One Step at a Time

I took the leap and joined Nykaa, where I dove headfirst into influencer marketing and social strategy. Then came Upscalio, where I led creative strategy for three D2C brands. I was building, scaling, and learning fast. Eventually, I moved into the education space with Master’s Union, managing program marketing and strategy. Ironically, I found myself marketing a B-school before deciding to study at one.

Coming to ISB wasn’t about chasing prestige. It was about wanting more from myself. I wanted to grow by being in rooms that challenged me, with peers whose paths looked nothing like mine, but of veterans, artists, engineers, and policymakers. I’d seen the strength of the ISB alum network while working in education. I knew the power of good mentorship and strong communities. And I wanted in.

These first few terms at ISB have stretched me in ways I never imagined. I finally see how finance, marketing, operations, and strategy aren’t silos; they’re gears in the same engine. I’ve also had my own ‘aha’ moment with finance, which was a subject that once terrified me. Thanks to a phenomenal professor, I now understand NPV, IRR, and funding mechanics. More than understanding them, I now feel confident applying them. That’s a sentence I never thought I’d say.

Even the frameworks we’ve picked up in behavioural science and leadership courses are starting to influence how I respond in group settings, lead under pressure, and spot biases in real time. It’s not just academic. It’s deeply personal.

Beyond Comfort Zones: Learning, Leading, Letting Go

The biggest shift, though? I’m learning to lean into the unknown. I could’ve easily doubled down on marketing. Instead, I joined the BATM course and signed up for an ELP project with four techies diving headfirst into product management. I wanted to learn by doing, even if it meant getting uncomfortable. And that discomfort has been incredibly rewarding.

Outside the classroom, I’ve taken on the role of Marketing Coordinator with the Marketing Club. This isn’t just an extracurricular. It's where I’ve had my first taste of true leadership. Helping peers new to marketing build confidence for interviews and case competitions, while managing my own prep, has taught me what it really means to grow with others.

ISB life is chaotic and calming in equal measure. One moment you’re breaking down brand strategy over biryani, the next you’re dodging a peacock on the way to class. But it’s in these 2AM case preps, group project marathons, and late-night chai breaks that I’ve found clarity.

Looking Forward: CEO of One Product

As I think about what’s next, FMCG is where I see myself. I once heard someone describe it as being the “CEO of one product”, a phrase that hasn’t left me since. It’s a role that blends every piece of what I love: marketing, operations, finance, and strategy. 

Through ISB, I’ve built the foundation to step into that role not just with knowledge, but with perspective, resilience, and conviction.
If there’s one thing this journey has taught me, it's that your career doesn’t have to follow a straight line to be impactful. Sometimes it’s the pivots, the uncomfortable and unexpected ones, that shape you the most.

I came to ISB as a creative marketer. I’ll leave with a 360-degree business lens, a deeper understanding of myself, and the confidence to lead, no matter where I go next.

Synopsis:

Ravleen Malhotra, a student of ISB’s PGP Class of 2026, charts her journey from running a viral jewellery business and dabbling in social impact ventures to finding her creative spark in brand strategy. After pivoting from consulting to marketing, she has joined ISB to build a broader business lens. 

She reflects on how ISB has transformed her approach to leadership, collaboration, and career clarity. Her journey is one of saying yes to uncertainty, stretching into unfamiliar roles, and finding impact in every pivot.