Neha Sampat
Co-Founder and CEO, Contentstack
📍Austin, United States
What qualities do you think leaders need to have in today’s world?
Clarity, empathy, and courage. Clarity to cut through noise and focus your energy on what actually matters. Empathy to remember that while you’re building, people are walking that path with you. And courage to step into uncharted territory and create the path instead of waiting for one to appear. Pioneers don’t look for paved roads, they build them.
If you had to describe your leadership style in one word, what would it be and why?
Focused. I’m pretty disciplined about what we say yes to, and even more disciplined about what we don’t. A lot of leadership is just protecting the team from unnecessary noise.
How does your company’s Pledge 1% program help shape the kind of workplace culture you believe in?
I’ve always believed business can be a force for good. Pledge 1% turns that belief into action. It reminds our team that growth and generosity can scale together.
This year marks the 7th year of Pledge 1%’s #WomenWhoLead campaign. How can companies champion and support female leadership?
Recognition is powerful. To build on it, companies need to pair visibility with opportunity: real decision-making authority, access to revenue-driving roles, and executive accountability for advancement. When structure supports ambition, leadership diversifies naturally.
If you could write a note to your younger self on her first day of work, what would it say?
Learn the business. Not just your role, the whole business. The sooner you understand how decisions get made, the sooner you’ll be ready to make them.
