In her introduction, Nooyi reflects on how she belongs to both India, where she was raised, and the United States, where she moved at age 23 and has enjoyed incredible professional success. She recalls initially feeling isolated as an immigrant and woman of color in business, but she speaks fondly of her time working for PepsiCo, which she calls an “exuberant, optimistic company” (x). Nooyi is impressed with women’s increasing contributions to the world of business but is disheartened that so many women still face unfair pressure to perfectly balance work and family life. She argues that traditional, male-centered models of work and breadwinning are harmful to everyone. Nooyi proposes that workplaces and governments should guarantee that workers have schedule flexibility, paid leave, childcare, and eldercare to ensure that every member of the workforce can fulfill their potential. She reveals that she first intended to write a manual for balancing work and family life, but she later decided to share more about her personal journey and the life lessons she has learned.

Nooyi recalls growing up in a large house in Madras, India with her parents, sister, brother, and grandfather. Her parents had an arranged marriage, after which her paternal grandfather invited them to live in his home.