“In a world of constant change, the learners inherit the future.” — Eric Hoffer. This is the mantra that Sonam Ludhani, a Dubai-based strategy and AI leader, lives by. It perfectly captures her outlook on life and work; a deep belief that continuous learning, curiosity, and adaptability are the keys to thriving in any environment.
Sonam’s career journey is anything but linear. She began in supply-chain management at FMCG giants like Unilever and Beiersdorf, climbed the ranks, and then at the peak of her career took a bold leap into the world of tech and strategy. “Leaving supply chain was risky,” she admits. “I had so much to lose. But I wanted to wake up excited about what I do. I didn’t want to just do well, I wanted to thrive.”
That pivot set the tone for the rest of her journey. She went on to complete her MBA at London Business School, splitting her time between Dubai and London during the pandemic. The experience opened her world – connecting her with mentors in AI, including senior leaders at Microsoft, and giving her the confidence to enter a field traditionally dominated by men.
Optimizing What You Have
Today, Sonam helps global companies scale smarter. Her expertise lies in Revenue Operations (RevOps), a discipline that aligns sales, marketing, and operations to ensure every dollar earned actually counts.
“It’s not about chasing more leads or hiring more people,” she explains. “It’s about maximizing the impact of what you already have.”
For small businesses, this practical approach is transformative. Instead of buying expensive software, Sonam encourages entrepreneurs to start simple. “Sometimes, your single source of truth can be an Excel sheet,” she says. “The tool doesn’t matter as much as the process behind it.”
Her focus is always on plugging revenue leaks, improving visibility, and empowering lean teams to make data-driven decisions. She often reminds founders: “If you can’t see it, you can’t scale it.”
Using AI as a Thoughtful Partner
Sonam’s fascination with AI and automation grew out of solving everyday inefficiencies. “A couple of years ago, I realized I was spending too much time doing repetitive tasks. So I thought—why can’t I make my own ChatGPT to help me?”
That curiosity led her to build her first AI agent using N8N, an open-source platform. The agent scrapes competitor websites, flags changes, and even provides an impact analysis, saving hours of manual research. “It doesn’t sound like much,” she says with a laugh, “but even saving 20 minutes a week can make a big difference for a small team.”
Still, Sonam is clear that AI isn’t a magic bullet. “A lot of companies rush into AI without understanding what problem they’re solving,” she cautions. “You have to approach AI the same way you’d train an intern—delegate tasks that free up your time, but keep the critical thinking for yourself.”
To her, the real power lies in strategy powered by AI, not AI for AI’s sake. It’s about leveraging tools intelligently while preserving the human element especially empathy, judgment, and relationship-building.
People, Processes and Tools – And In That Order
When advising small businesses, Sonam always starts with people. “Growth doesn’t always mean doing more—it means doing better with what you already have.” She believes talent and training should take priority over tools. “A good team with clear goals will always outperform a fancy tech stack used poorly.”
Her RevOps philosophy rests on three pillars: people, processes, and tools—in that order. She’s seen too many startups invest heavily in automation while neglecting team alignment and visibility. “If your sales and marketing teams don’t talk, no amount of software will fix that,” she says.
For Sonam, sustainable growth also means knowing when to stop the leaks—whether it’s unnecessary discounts, inefficient workflows, or customers who don’t fit your ideal profile. “The fastest way to improve profitability isn’t always increasing sales. Sometimes it’s stopping the revenue you’re already earning from slipping through the cracks.”
Send The Elevator Down
Outside her corporate role, Sonam lives her values through her love of yoga, padel, travel, and food, activities that help her reset and reconnect with herself.
She’s equally proud of mentoring women who aspire to break into tech. “In many rooms, I’m still the only woman at the table,” she admits. “Sometimes you say something and it’s ignored until a man repeats it. It’s called ‘sunflowering,’ and it’s real.”
Her response is not frustration, but action. She makes it a point to “send the elevator down”—helping more women enter and rise within male-dominated spaces. Whether through one-on-one mentorship or LinkedIn connections, she believes every woman deserves access to opportunity.
Don’t Diminish Your Value
When asked what she’s most proud of, Sonam doesn’t cite a title or milestone. She says simply, “My ability to adapt, persevere, and find the best shortcuts.”
That adaptability has served her well across continents and industries. From engineering to FMCG to tech strategy, she’s continuously reinvented herself while staying grounded in a learner’s mindset. “Whatever work you’ve done is never wasted,” she reminds others. “You’ve built transferable skills that any employer would be lucky to have. Don’t diminish your value just because your path doesn’t look like everyone else’s.”
To women in Asia navigating traditional industries, her advice is both practical and inspiring: take the risk. “It may not make sense to others, but believe that your experience counts. There’s always something you bring to the table that’s uniquely yours.”
Growth as a Mantra
For Sonam Ludhani, growth is not just professional—it’s deeply personal. Whether she’s optimizing revenue operations for global clients, mentoring women in tech, or mastering a new AI tool, her guiding philosophy remains the same: keep learning, keep adapting, and keep growing.
In a world of rapid change, it’s not the strongest or the smartest who thrive – it’s the learners.
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This episode is sponsored by Redbox Studio.