A techie from Bengaluru has walked away from a nearly 10‑year career at Google in Hyderabad and Ireland, with a salary of about Rs 2 crore per annum, to pursue content creation full-time.
Srigeeta Shrinivas, a former principal account manager at Google, told Moneycontrol that she was driven by a desire to build something of her own, even though the job offered financial security and global exposure.
She added that the decision wasn’t impulsive. “I made the decision to quit Google in June 2025. It came after a lot of reflection,” the 35-year-old said. “I had reached a point where the kind of growth I was seeking was no longer vertical, but expansive. I wanted to build something of my own and develop a variety of skills beyond a defined corporate role.”
Srigeeta said her last drawn compensation at Google was “roughly €200,000 (about Rs 2 crore) annually,” making the decision particularly difficult.
“It was a financially comfortable role, which is exactly why the decision was difficult,” she said. “But over time I realised that financial security alone wasn’t enough and I wanted to explore building something of my own.”
She quit Google in December 2025, ending a nearly decade-long stint that included roles in Hyderabad and later Dublin, where she managed one of Google’s major European fashion clients.
Content creation long before quitting
Srigeeta said content creation was not a sudden pivot. She had been creating content alongside her corporate role for nearly five years. “Through it, I discovered strengths I never fully explored – speaking on camera, storytelling, audience and brand building. Last year, I realised that if I didn’t give it a genuine shot, I would always wonder ‘what if’. So yes, I quit to build my own brand in public, and this has been both exciting and challenging,” she told Moneycontrol.
When asked if being a former Google employee gives her more traction on social media, Srigeeta said a reel announcing her decision to quit the tech giant— initially meant to update friends and family — unexpectedly went viral, significantly increasing engagement on her Instagram account.
‘That video unexpectedly resonated with many and went viral, taking my account from around 900 followers to over 3,000 within a month,” she said. “That response showed me that people are deeply curious about unconventional career decisions – especially when it involves leaving what many consider a ‘dream job’. The engagement has been meaningful because it’s not just about quitting a job. It’s about courage, finding freedom and overcoming limiting beliefs.
Srigeeta now documents her transition through a content series titled “Rebuilding life after quitting Google” until she hits 100K followers.
She, however, clarified that the 100K milestone is symbolic.
“It adds boldness and accountability to my journey. But the real goal of this series isn’t the follower count,” Srigeeta said. “I want to normalise ‘choosing differently’. Particularly in India, where success is often defined by a predictable sequence – degree, job, marriage, mortgage, children… If I can help even a small percentage of people feel seen and expanded in that process, I’d consider that a meaningful impact.”
Early monetisation through brand collaborations
Srigeeta said she has begun monetising her Instagram account, working with a few travel‑related brands.
“Some of these collaborations are travel and lifestyle content and visual assets for brands,” she said.
Her current focus, she added, is on building meaningful content while gradually developing paid brand partnerships. “Over the next month, I expect to close a few additional paid collaborations as I continue to grow my audience and refine my content style,” Srigeeta said, adding that her long‑term goal is to establish a personal brand centred on travel, adventure and unconventional life choices.
Speaking about whether she would ever return to a corporate job, Srigeeta said that she is focused on building her creator-led business and wants to dedicate the next few years to it.
“I’m thoroughly enjoying the process of travelling, creating and understanding the commercial side of the creator economy,” she said. “That said, I’m not rigid about career choices. If a job opportunity aligns strongly with my values and long-term vision, I would evaluate it thoughtfully. For now, my work is a combination of content creation, influencing, and UGC (user-generated content) production,” she said.