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When I decided to attend Harvard Business School (HBS), I knew I was ready to transition from strategy roles into the dynamic world of product development in the tech space. I wanted to build something with lasting impact—something that could truly make a difference in people’s lives. HBS became the perfect launch pad.

I dove headfirst into entrepreneurship, co-founding FirstCrush, a wine e-commerce startup that aimed to be the “Netflix of wine.” My focus was on building the product, forging partnerships with wineries, and navigating the complexities of scaling an early-stage startup.

HBS played a critical role in supporting this venture. The i-lab was more than just a workspace—it was a thriving community of founders exchanging ideas, accessing resources for company formation, and learning directly from VCs and experienced entrepreneurs. Being surrounded by people taking risks and building companies reinforced my belief that I wanted to work at the intersection of business, technology, and impact.

Climbing the Ranks

After graduating, I transitioned into product management, starting at Thumbtack, a Series A startup. My time at McKinsey and Cisco pre-MBA had given me a strong foundation in solving complex problems, but HBS helped me develop additional critical skills—finance, corporate governance, and markets. The case method trained me to make decisions with limited information, a skill that proved invaluable as I took on product leadership roles.

My career progressed quickly, from Product Manager to Chief Product Officer in just 13 years. I thrived in roles that combined strategic thinking with high-impact execution. For example, I led the Feed & Profile teams at Instagram, where our product decisions influenced billions of users globally. The weight of those decisions—and the opportunity to shape how people communicated, connected, and shared their lives online—was both exhilarating and humbling.

Navigating Leadership and Mentorship

As I took on more senior roles, I faced higher stake challenges in both technical projects and workplace dynamics. As an Asian woman in predominantly male-dominated spaces, I had to develop my own leadership style. I learned to navigate the fine line between expectations of warmth and trust in competence, confronting stereotypes that often positioned Asian professionals as “hardworking” but not necessarily vocal leaders. At times, I felt stuck—unsure of how to advance or where to find role models who had faced similar barriers.

As I built and led teams of talented people, I naturally found myself acting as a mentor. I sought to be a great manager as much as I was a great product leader—to be the kind of role model I wish I’d had. These experiences drew me to coaching. When I reached a point in my career where I had more financial flexibility, I made the leap to launch a coaching business focused on empowering women and minority leaders.

Recalibrating Impact

With this change, I shifted my career focus from one of broad impact to one of deep impact. As a product leader, I influenced the lives of millions—sometimes billions—through technology. Now, I work closely with individual clients on some of the most meaningful and urgent challenges in their professional lives. It’s a different kind of impact, but one that feels personal and lasting.

Looking back, I realize that my career has always been about impact, whether through building products that shape global digital experiences or helping individuals unlock their leadership potential. The goal of this next phase is to pave the way for more women and minority leaders to have their own impact: to break through barriers, navigate challenges more smoothly, and ultimately thrive in leadership roles.

Yue Zhao is a former Chief Product & Technology Officer turned executive coach. She is the author of The Uncommon Executive, a newsletter and book where she offers insights from her own leadership journey. She leads an executive accelerator program, equipping rising women and minority leaders with foundational skills in executive presence, self-advocacy, and influence-building.