Becoming Deepti Busireddy: How She Found Her Path To Do What She Loves At T-Mobile

This was originally posted in February 2019 on LinkedIn

Deepti Busireddy uses her background in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and business to connect the world together in the telecommunications industry.

For Deepti Busireddy her father was an engineer, so she grew up wanting to be just like him — a builder and creator who makes humans lives easier. Originally born in India, Deepti’s family moved to Austin, Texas. At an early age she began her path to pursue the world of technology. She remembers reading her assigned textbooks with her father. He broke down complex physics or calculus questions she had.

“It wasn’t always easy to have your father be your tutor or teacher but looking back I appreciate his support and guidance so much.”

The support she received at home led her to major in Computer Engineering as an undergrad at Texas A&M University. Directly after, she pursued a Master’s in Electrical Engineering specializing in Digital Signal Processing at the University of Texas Arlington. After her master’s degree she entered a technical role at AT&T where she pursued device quality and automation work. During the start of her career, she wasn’t sure if engineering was her true calling. Throughout her life, she felt like the technical side of things was her destined path just like her father’s path. But what if it wasn’t? She started to question her next steps, would those next steps be in the engineering space, tech or business field? The answer to her questions was transitioning to a part time role at AT&T and pursuing her MBA at The University of Texas Austin to strengthen her understanding on other possibilities in the industry with a business lens.

From there she combined her background in computer engineering, electrical engineering, and business to pursue full-time Product Manager roles at Polycom, Travelocity, Allen Technologies, and T-Mobile. She remained as a Product Manager for eight years, realizing that being a Product Manager differs from company to company. However, what remained the same across companies was being surrounded by cutting edge technology.

Her favorite product she built was focused on a healthcare IT interactive patient system. There she built a UI and software that displays patient’s stats, medicine, and provide educational videos for patients on their diagnosis.

“ This product goal was to reduce the hospital readmission rates and empower patients more control in their recovery. The impact on building and launching this product were immediate and gratifying.”

Today, Deepti is based in Seattle, Washington and is a Senior Engineer for Device Services and Technology at T-Mobile. She is doing what she loves with people that enable her to do what she loves. It’s been 12 years since she first started her career and its full circle doing purely technical work which was what drew her in initially.

The one piece of advice she wants to share with others — “we have lot of perceived notations on what roles do. But you don’t know until you try. Seek opportunities to try something new. What my future holds is an endless amount of opportunities, I don’t know what path I will choose. But I will always choose a path that is a representation on who I am.”

Deepti, thank you for being a mentor, friend, and role model. You took a chance on me during my first ever internship in summer 2017. To being there for me on the first PM call I led to accompanying me at intern events and providing feedback on how I can grow. Thank you for showing me how to become the best version of myself.

This article is part of a short series called becoming. With only two quarters left as an undergrad student, I will be showcasing stories of remarkable individuals I have met during my four years.

“becoming isn’t about arriving somewhere or achieving a certain aim. I see it instead as forward motion, a means of evolving, a way to reach continuously toward a better self. The journey doesn’t end.” -Michelle Obama, Becoming