“Climbing Ladders, Not Pulling Others Down: Redefining Professional Success as a South Asian Woman”
In the race to “make it,” South Asian women often find themselves in two roles: the one trying to climb the ladder — and the one secretly wondering if there’s only room for one at the top.
We’re taught to be ambitious, but not too ambitious.
To work hard, but not outshine.
To lead, but only if we do it quietly.
And somehow, through all the mixed messages, we’re subtly conditioned to compete with each other — not collaborate.
But what if we flipped that script?
Success Isn’t a Solo Sport
Growing up, I saw professional success framed as a limited resource.
One girl’s achievement meant another had to settle for second place.
If she got the promotion, if she started the business, if she got noticed — it somehow meant less space for me.
This kind of scarcity mindset was never spoken out loud — but it showed up in hushed auntie comparisons, in the jealousy wrapped up as advice, and in the cold silences between women who could’ve been allies.
But the truth is: there’s more than enough room for all of us.
My Professional Turning Point
There was a time I kept my wins quiet.
I felt guilty celebrating milestones around other South Asian women — like I was rubbing it in.
I hesitated to share opportunities, thinking, “What if she does better than me?”
But one day, I looked around and asked myself: If I make it to the top alone, what’s the point?
That question changed everything.
Now? I cheer. I share. I recommend. I uplift.
Because success isn’t sweeter when you hoard it — it’s sweeter when you bring others with you.
Rewriting Our Definition of Power
Power doesn’t have to be cutthroat.
Power doesn’t mean dimming another woman’s light.
As South Asian women, we can build a new kind of professional culture — one rooted in:
✨ Mentorship over rivalry
✨ Community over comparison
✨ Celebration over silence
We don’t have to compete for crumbs. We can bake more bread — together.
Practical Ways We Can All Uplift
- Share job leads without hesitation.
- Recommend your peers in rooms they’re not in.
- Correct outdated narratives that say South Asian women can’t lead with grace and grit.
- Speak their names in spaces of opportunity — because if you’re at the table, you can make space for more.
We’re not just chasing promotions — we’re shifting culture.
Be a Ladder, Not a Gate
If we want the next generation of South Asian girls to grow up believing they can be bosses, leaders, visionaries — we have to show them it’s possible without losing our sisterhood along the way.
Because when one of us rises, it opens the door for more.
So here’s to climbing — not alone, but together.
Here’s to being Boss Betis in boardrooms, break rooms, and everywhere in between.