Redefining Leadership: Why Titles Don’t Matter with Divya Divaakaran

Pathfinders Podcast: Navigating Your Career Map with a Personal Board of Advisors

In this inspiring episode of Pathfinders, host Pete Schramm sits down with Divya Divakaran—award-winning HR strategist, author, fashion designer, and unapologetic champion of people-first leadership. Together, they explore how mapping your career journey and building a personal board of advisors can transform your professional path. Divya shares her unconventional leap from aspiring finance professional to HR trailblazer, reflecting on the power of curiosity, lateral learning, and strategic mentorship. She breaks down her approach to building high-performing teams, scaling impact in both startups and enterprises, and helping organizations design career pathways that actually retain talent. You’ll also hear the story behind her book From Paper Pushers to Strategic Partners, her take on why HR belongs in the boardroom, and why she believes leadership has nothing to do with titles—and everything to do with action. Whether you’re an HR leader, business executive, or curious career climber, this episode is packed with insights that will challenge how you think about growth, culture, and people strategy. Tune in to learn how to turn talent into traction—and HR into a strategic superpower.