Harvard and IIT alum Charmie Kapoor quits corporate grind, embraces flexible life

Charmie Kapoor, who holds degrees from Harvard and an Indian Institute of Technology, spent a decade working for notable firms including Razorpay, Microsoft, Dunzo and Unacademy before deciding to quit her full-time job. She explained that having savings and the privilege to pause her career gave her confidence to make the change, noting that this break feels different from previous sabbaticals. Adjusting to the lack of a regular salary notification was challenging, yet she found the absence of a rigid calendar liberating.

In the weeks that followed, Kapoor devoted time to unfinished personal projects, assisted founder friends with design work, exercised daily, and launched a modest mango-toast delivery operation. Although a top global startup later reached out, she felt less excitement than she would have years ago, preferring to create on her own terms. Her current routine includes swimming at 2 p.m., pickleball at 5 p.m., and long conversations, reflecting a shift toward a self-directed lifestyle.