In career conversations, success is often traced back to the moments when someone said “yes.” Yes to the opportunity, the promotion, the relocation, the risk. Those are the decisions that appear visible, celebrated, and neatly tied to milestones.
But behind many leadership journeys lies a quieter, often more difficult choice – the courage to say “no.”
A no to an opportunity that didn’t feel right. A no to expectations that demanded too much. A no that required choosing between ambition and responsibility, instinct and logic, self and circumstance. These decisions rarely make headlines. Yet, they shape careers just as powerfully as the yeses do.
For many women in leadership, these moments often carry an additional emotional weight. Professional ambition frequently intersects with deeply personal responsibilities – as daughters, mothers, partners, and caregivers. The path forward is rarely linear; it is shaped by choices that require resilience, clarity, and sometimes the strength to stand alone in a decision.
This International Women’s Day, Marketing Mind reached out to women leaders across advertising, marketing, media, and entrepreneurship with a single question:
What was the most difficult “no” you had to give – or receive – to get to where you are today?
The responses reveal something profound. Some speak about saying no to expectations of perfection. Others recall difficult moments where family, ambition, values, or personal conviction demanded a tough choice. A few describe turning away from seemingly perfect opportunities in order to pursue something more meaningful.
Together, these reflections show that leadership is not only built on bold leaps forward. Sometimes, it is shaped by the quiet strength to pause, step back, or choose a different path altogether. Because often, the most defining yes to yourself begins with the hardest no.
Below, women leaders from across industries share the most difficult “no” that shaped their journeys – decisions that challenged them, changed them, and ultimately helped define the leaders they are today.
Swati Rathi, Marketing Head, Godrej Appliances
Professional – Saying NO to so many good ideas from the team, because one has to be ruthless in deciding which ideas to pursue.
Personal- Saying NO to my young kid when he came up with a hundred reasons for me to stay back at home after covid, instead of going to office, reasons as cute as ‘the pigeons may damage my plants in my absence’ !
Babita Baruah, Chief Executive Officer, VML India
“The most difficult ‘no’ I have ever had to give was rooted in both love and conviction. A few years ago, I made the personal decision to relocate for a professional opportunity. However, I had to make the difficult choice to say ‘no’ to my daughter relocating with me. I believed it was essential for her to remain in her current environment to complete her education and maintain the stability she needed at that stage of her life.
It was a decision that required immense courage and faith in my ability to navigate the challenges of being apart while ensuring she had the best opportunities for her growth. Saying ‘no’ in that moment wasn’t easy, but it taught me the importance of making decisions that honour both personal aspirations and the well-being of loved ones. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the hardest ‘no’ can lead to the most meaningful ‘yes’- to yourself, your values, and the people you care about.”
Sumeet Singh, Group Chief Marketing Officer, Info Edge India
There are things I think I’ve missed out—some important events while my children were growing up. As a mother, I sometimes feel I wish I had been there for those moments. I don’t think success comes without sacrifices; it comes with a lot of them.
There are times when you feel that maybe if you weren’t doing this, you could have been there more—at certain family functions, or more present even with your extended family. When you have limited time, you end up choosing where you want to go and what you want to do.
So yes, I do feel that there were some important events that I wasn’t able to attend while my children were growing up. You can say you get success and everything else, but you do have to make sacrifices as a working woman. I’m sure men make them too, but women often have to make more because there are so many responsibilities we carry.
Sometimes I even feel that if I had more time, maybe I could have been a better wife or kept a better house. I don’t know—but I’m sure there are some things one inevitably sacrifices.
Chandni Shah, CEO, Kinnect & 22feet Tribal
One of the most defining “no’s” in my journey was learning to say no to the expectation of doing everything perfectly.
As women in leadership, there’s often an invisible pressure to prove yourself constantly. To be present everywhere. To say yes to every opportunity, every responsibility, every expectation. For a long time, I believed that saying yes was the only way forward.
That belief was tested during one of the most intense phases of my life. Around the time we were navigating a major milestone for the business, I had just become a new mother and was also dealing with serious health complications. Suddenly, life demanded that I rethink how I showed up. The company needed leadership, decisions had to move forward, and yet my health and my family needed me even more.
At that moment, I made a very intentional decision to change my pace. Instead of trying to hold everything together myself, I relied on the people around me to step up. Our team took on greater responsibility, and in many ways grew into larger roles through that phase. What started as a necessity turned into a powerful leadership lesson.
Leadership isn’t about saying yes to everything. It’s about having the clarity and courage to set boundaries around what truly matters. Stepping back when needed didn’t weaken my ambition. It strengthened my perspective. It reminded me that building something meaningful, whether it’s a company or a family, requires presence, patience, and the confidence to choose your priorities.
Sometimes the most powerful step forward begins with a quiet, intentional no.
Aditi Jain, Head of Brand and Marketing , SuperYou
One of the hardest parts of leadership is realising that saying no will sometimes disappoint people. Whether it’s turning down an idea or changing direction, it can be uncomfortable because people have invested time and thought into it.
Building SuperYou has made that especially real. When you’re shaping a young brand, there’s always a lot of enthusiasm and ideas in the room. But part of my role is saying no to certain directions so we stay focused on what truly builds the brand and the community around it.
Over time, I’ve realised that clarity is kinder than ambiguity. When you’re building something meaningful, not every decision will please everyone, and leadership often means standing by your judgment while keeping the bigger vision in mind.
Anuja Trivedi- Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer, Shemaroo Entertainment
The toughest “no” I had to say did not come at work. It came at home. About 10–11 years ago, my daughter asked me a simple question: “Mom, will you be there when I get home from school?” I wanted to say yes, but the honest answer was no. I explained to her that her mother goes to work and would be home later in the evening.
That moment quietly shaped our relationship. She grew up understanding that while I may not always be physically present, I am always there for her emotionally. At the same time, she also saw that work and ambition matter to me. She knows she is my biggest priority, but sometimes work commitments mean she gets less of my time.
Today she is my biggest champion. She respects that women can hold multiple responsibilities and that priorities sometimes shift. She respects this about her mother, about every working woman, and equally about women who chose to sacrifice a lot to be stay at home mothers. Hopefully, all of us serve as role models for these young women as they grow up.
In many ways, that early conversation also made me more focused professionally. When you know the time you give to work comes at the cost of time with your child, you make sure it truly counts.
Shradha Agarwal, Co-Founder and Global CEO grapes
This is a very personal story, but in many ways it is also the story of a lot of women. There was a time when my parents wanted me to come back to Calcutta, and I kept telling them, “I’m coming back next week, I’m coming back next week.” Finally, I gathered the courage to say that I wasn’t coming back. At that point, my parents wanted to disown me, my brother didn’t want to speak to me, and the family was extremely upset. But I put my foot down and said I wasn’t returning because I wanted to continue my job in Delhi. That was the biggest “no” that shaped where I am today, because had I not said it then, I probably wouldn’t have been working.
Another significant “no” I had to say was to my team. They often look to me to step in and solve problems, but this time I said I wasn’t available to do their job. I told them it was okay if we lost one or two clients, because I needed to focus on the next phase of work in AI. That “no” helped me prioritise and build what we are now trying to achieve in AI.
Roshni Kavina, National Creative Director, Saatchi & Saatchi India
In my 22-year advertising career, I’ve stepped away from mainstream advertising twice. Ironically, each time I made that decision, I was offered irresistible roles with unexpected designations and significant salary jumps. Both times, the choice to step out of agency life came from a need for a fresh perspective. The first time, I founded my own art studio. The second, I wanted to work directly with brands. Each step was driven by a desire for personal growth, even though saying ‘No’ to roaring promotions meant stepping well outside my comfort zone.
Yet both decisions eventually brought me back to advertising, with far wider experiences and a more nuanced view of our industry. Sometimes, it’s worth following your gut rather than what appears to be the most logical step forward.
Richa Adhia, Managing Director, Eight Continents Hotels & Resorts
Before stepping into hospitality, I was deeply passionate about pursuing a career in acting and was actively working towards building that path. Around that time, my partner suggested that I explore the possibility of joining the hospitality business. I still remember being in the middle of considering an acting project when that conversation happened.
Choosing to step away from that opportunity and say yes to something so different wasn’t an easy decision, it meant pausing a dream I had been nurturing for a long time. But that moment turned out to be a turning point for me. What began as a new direction soon became something I truly connected with. Hospitality gave me a sense of purpose, creativity, and people-centric energy that I deeply enjoy today, and looking back, that one decision shaped a journey I’m incredibly grateful for.
Kruthika Ravindran, Director, Key Accounts, TheSmallBigIdea
One of the hardest “no’s” in my career was learning to say no to my own instinct to constantly prove myself. Early on, as someone growing within the same organisation, I felt like I had to say yes to everything, every brief, every late-night turnaround, every opportunity that came my way. Saying yes felt like the safest way to grow.
But as my role evolved and I started leading larger teams, I realised that always saying yes can quietly dilute impact. The real turning point was understanding that leadership also means protecting focus and sometimes saying no to work that stretches your team too thin, so you can say yes to what truly matters. It wasn’t an easy shift, but it changed how I lead today, with more clarity, more intention, and a deeper respect for the people building the work with me.
For the next generation of leaders, especially women navigating high-growth industries, the courage to decline isn’t about closing doors. It’s about protecting your energy and being intentional about the path you choose to build.
Khushnooma Kapadia, Vice President – Marketing; South Asia at Marriott International
The most difficult “no” I’ve had to say was actually the quiet kind—the one you say to expectations that don’t align with who you are, who you’re becoming, and the values you want to stand by.
Early in my career, like many women, I believed that saying yes to everything was the price of opportunity. But over time, I realized that constant agreement can slowly erode your voice. The hardest “no” was stepping away from the need to please everyone and instead choosing the path—and the people—that truly resonate with my values.
Interestingly, that “no” didn’t close doors; it helped me walk through the right ones. Sometimes the most powerful leadership decision a woman can make is not the opportunity she accepts, but the boundaries she has the courage to draw.
Another important “no” was to the pressure of being everything to everyone. For a long time, I believed leadership meant constant availability and agreement. But as I’ve evolved as a leader and as a person, I’ve learned that clarity of purpose requires courage—the courage to decline what distracts from the impact you truly want to create.
Saying no can feel uncomfortable at first, but it teaches you that leadership isn’t about how many doors you walk through. It’s about having the wisdom to choose the right ones.
Harmeet Singh, Chief Brand Officer, The Body Shop Asia South
One of the most defining ‘no’s in my journey was choosing to step away from opportunities that looked promising on the surface but did not truly align with my values or the direction I wanted to build over the long term. With experience, I have come to realise that leadership is not only about recognising the right opportunities, but also about having the conviction to decline those that don’t feel authentic to your purpose.
That decision became an important, if invisible, turning point for me. It reinforced that true leadership lies in clarity of intent, and that choices guided by integrity often lead to far more meaningful and lasting outcomes than short-term success. Over time, I have also learned to trust that instinct a little more. When your decisions are anchored in what you genuinely believe in, they tend to shape not just your career, but the kind of impact you want to leave behind.
Saloni Anand, Co-Founder of Traya
Difficult no – lots of them . For me ethics is not a blur line but very well defined at Traya . We stand for honesty and efficacy . Customer over revenue any day. And there have been choices in that regard – Not selling on Blinkit or the likes; Saying no to a term sheet because vision was a mismatch; Saying no to customer – we can’t help u grow hair; Reducing pricing because it was possible.
Dr. Shilpa Desai, CEO, Eros Wellness
We often celebrate the “yes” that build careers, but rarely do we acknowledge the courage it takes to say “no.” For me, the most difficult “no” was not just a professional decision — it was a deeply personal one.
I see myself first as a human being, not defined by gender. Yet the reality is that women often carry layered expectations — as daughters, sisters, wives, and mothers — alongside their professional ambitions. We are expected to nurture, to deliver, to excel, and to balance it all seamlessly. When a woman makes a choice, it is never just about her career; it is about the ecosystem she holds together. That weight requires deep internal reflection: Why this path? What value will it add? Who does it serve? And who am I becoming through it
After completing my PhD in Experimental Sciences, I was offered an opportunity to work on an international research and development platform. It was a prestigious and intellectually rewarding path — a dream for any scientist. At the same time, I saw the potential to shape health psychology and translate research into direct community impact.
Adding to this were multiple opportunities to expand as a Health psychologist, to build a large private Wellness Bio hack clinic, and to scale aggressively in that direction. Each opportunity promised growth, visibility, and financial success.
But I was also a mother. My children were at a stage where their academic journeys and emotional development needed my presence. I realized that success without balance would come at a cost I was not willing to pay. I did not want a career that overshadowed my family, nor a family commitment that halted my professional growth.
So I chose balance.
I said “no” to certain prestigious and fast-scaling paths, and “yes” to a model that allowed international engagement while remaining rooted at home. I chose to grow as a wellness researcher and developer in a way that aligned with both my purpose and my responsibilities.
Today, as CEO of Eros Wellness Research and Development, I stand firm in that decision. I did not sacrifice ambition — I redefined it. Sometimes the bravest choice is not chasing every opportunity, but consciously designing a life where both family and purpose thrive together.
Divya Aggarwal, Chief Growth Officer at Impresario Entertainment and Hospitality
As women in leadership, there are countless moments when you’re encouraged to chase the next opportunity, the next title, the next move. But some of the most powerful and invisible turning points come when you realise leadership is not just about moving forward, it’s about choosing to stay, to build, and to nurture what you’ve started with your team. Over time, empathy and compassion begin to shape how you lead, reminding you that what you are building together is far more meaningful than the next role or paycheck.
Chandni Gaglani, Head of Aisle Network
Early in my career, I used to think saying yes was how you earned your seat at the table. A decade and a half in, I know better. The yes’s might open doors — but it’s the no’s that shape the kind of leader you become.
The hardest no I gave wasn’t dramatic. No boardroom showdown, no ultimatum. It was a quiet moment during a promotion cycle — a compensation review with the HR team, the kind of meeting where numbers feel final because they’re already in a spreadsheet. Two people on my team – different genders. Same role, same output, same performance through the cycle. Same percentage increment recommended. But because their starting salaries had been different, the actual numbers they walked away with told a different story.
When I asked why, the answer was essentially — that’s just how the numbers came in based on industry benchmarks, and the corrections are passed gradually. I said I wasn’t comfortable moving forward. The pushback was gentle but firm — budgets, cycles, timing. All legitimate reasons to let it go. And for a moment, I almost did.
But I kept thinking — if not me, then who? I was in the room. I had seen it. That felt like enough reason. It got resolved. Not immediately, not without friction. But it did. Since then I’ve moved organisations — but wherever I’ve gone, pay parity has been non-negotiable. Gender cannot be a variable in a compensation formula.
Swati Agarwal, Owner Radisson Blu Udaipur Palace Resort & Spa
Over the years, there have been moments that quietly shape the way you lead. I remember once having to step back from an opportunity that, while exciting, didn’t quite align with the experience and ethos we wanted to create at the property.
It wasn’t the easiest decision, because saying no often feels like letting go of potential. But that moment stayed with me—it reminded me that leadership is not just about embracing every possibility, but about staying mindful of the direction you truly want to move in. Sometimes, the choices that guide you forward are the ones that help you stay true to your purpose.
Kamini Singh, Chief Business Officer, Solitario
Leadership journeys are often defined by the courage to say no. Early in my career, I chose to step away from an opportunity that looked promising but didn’t align with my long-term vision. It was a difficult decision, but it taught me that growth comes from clarity and conviction. Today, as Chief Business Officer at Solitario Diamonds, that lesson continues to guide my leadership approach focusing on opportunities where I can create meaningful impact, drive innovation, and contribute to building a purpose-driven brand.
Swagatika Das, CEO and Co-founder at Nat Habit
We often celebrate the ‘yes’ that shapes our careers, but for me, the defining moment was a ‘no.’ After INSEAD, I was at Apple, which many would call a dream job. On paper, everything looked perfect. But deep down, I knew I wanted to build something of my own. Saying no to that career path, to stability and prestige, was one of the hardest decisions I’ve made. It meant walking away from certainty into the unknown.
That one decision gave me the conviction to build Nat Habit from scratch into a deeply loved brand. Sometimes, growth doesn’t come from accepting opportunities; it comes from having the courage to decline them.
Taken together, these reflections reveal something that leadership stories rarely highlight – the quiet resolve behind difficult choices. The “no” that meant stepping away from a dream, holding on to one’s values, choosing family in a critical moment, or simply protecting time, energy, and purpose. These decisions are rarely visible to the outside world, yet they shape careers, identities, and the kind of leaders people eventually become.
This International Women’s Day, these voices remind us that success is not only built on bold ambitions or celebrated opportunities. Sometimes, it is built in the quieter moments of conviction – when saying “no” demands courage, clarity, and a deep trust in one’s path. And often, those unseen decisions become the very foundation on which meaningful leadership is built.
