Inspiration and empowerment come alive with Freshworks Women 360

A world full of possibilities. 

That’s what Payal Patel, senior manager of enterprise solution engineering at Freshworks, sees when she looks out into the world, and she’s not afraid to say yes to all of them. 

Reflecting on her start in the tech industry, Payal relates that despite her background in computer science, she quickly found that her outgoing personality made her better-suited for people-facing roles. In her own words: “I couldn’t be behind a computer, coding all day. I like solving problems and finding solutions. Tech just excites me. Even when I was figuring out my major in college, tech was something new and innovative.”

Growing together

Payal doesn’t just stop at saying yes to opportunities for herself. She brings others along with her to help them grow too. Throughout her illustrious career in technology spanning 15 years, Payal remembers feeling like “the only woman in a sea of men.” 

It wasn’t just an empty feeling. 

When she walked into the orientation for her first job, there were 49 men on the team and one woman: Payal. 

Once Freshworks doubled down on the effort to recruit more women, Payal and her colleagues knew it was time to launch Freshworks Women 360. 

What started as a networking event has since evolved into a successful women’s employee resource group and commonly referred to as a "well-oiled machine." With a mission to inspire, empower, and nurture a diverse group of women within the organization, the leadership team hosts networking and social events, sponsors a mentorship program, engages in community service, and increases the visibility of women’s successes at Freshworks.

On top of an already demanding role, some might wonder why Payal has such a deep commitment to ensuring the success of this group but for her, there’s an easy answer. “I just find it fun. There’s nothing else to it. I enjoy it, I love getting people together, even in my personal life. And if it’s for the betterment of someone or to help someone succeed in their career—why not?”

Inspiring leaders for a better tomorrow

Payal’s leadership hasn’t gone unnoticed by other women leaders either. Freshworks Chief Marketing Officer, Stacey Epstein, recently nominated Payal for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Visionary Award. “I reached out to Stacey when she joined Freshworks because I have a lot of aspirations for myself here, and one of the things I realized is that I needed more mentorship.” Mentorship is what she was seeking and it’s exactly what she received. 

One of Payal’s aspirations at Freshworks was to move up into a management role, and she was open about this, even during the interview process. Only a year into her tenure, she did just that. “You have to ask for it. Have those valid conversations with your leaders about where you see your career going. If you’re not vocal, nobody knows what you’re aspiring to do. I had this conversation from my first meeting with my manager at Freshworks. Be honest,” she shared.

Now that she’s in that leadership seat, Payal takes all of her drive and supportive energy and applies it to empower her team. As a hands-on leader, she’s not afraid to roll up her sleeves and be involved in deals as much as her team requires. As no surprise to her colleagues, her favorite part of the deal is hearing about what problems customers need to solve – what their challenges and pain points are. “I’m a very curious person and my curiosity drives me,” she says, “Hearing about how our software can solve a customer’s problem- that “aha” moment- is something I enjoy.”