From Pharma to Product: Shalini Chander on Process, Advocacy, and Building Human Teams

Today I interview my cousin Shalini Chander, Director of Product at Align Technologies. Shalini shares her journey from consulting in pharmaceutical manufacturing to becoming a software product leader. We track her career progress through process, storytelling, relationship-building, and advocacy. Shalini also emphasizes the importance of building visibility and sharing learnings within a company for advancement.00:00 Introduction to the Push Pull Podcast03:05 Meet Shalini Chander: Career Overview04:03 Early Career in Pharmaceutical Consulting12:01 Transition to In-House Roles and Grad School16:43 Business School Experience and Lessons19:50 Post-Business School: Consulting and Startups22:41 Challenges in Startups and Learning Experiences30:56 Joining Abbott: Product Management Journey35:21 Navigating Career Changes at Abbott38:15 Balancing Career and Motherhood40:30 Transitioning to Genetics and Startups45:29 Challenges and Successes in Product Management55:00 Advancing in Product Management at Align01:04:44 The Importance of Storytelling in Career Growth01:07:15 Final Thoughts and Career Advice