The internet is buzzing after Bengaluru-based product designer Shreya Heda posted a financial bombshell on YouTube that has left the tech community in absolute shock. In a refreshingly honest tell-all, Shreya revealed how she secured a staggering 72 LPA (Lakhs Per Annum) package at just 24 years old, only to find that the “dream” was paved with hidden taxes, brutal 14-hour workdays, and a health crisis that eventually forced her to walk away from the money entirely.
While the 72 LPA figure sounds like a lottery win for any young professional in Bengaluru, India’s tech hub, Shreya was quick to dispel the magic.
She explained that a massive chunk of the “viral” figure was tied up in Employee Stock Options (ESOPs), which she admits she completely misunderstood at the time.
“I assumed they would magically be mine,” she shared, before realizing she actually had to buy the shares and pay a heavy tax on the appreciated value, effectively slashing her take-home pay by lakhs.
The journey to the top was anything but an overnight success. Shreya detailed her humble beginnings, earning just 40,000 rupees a month as an intern after self learning design during the pandemic.
Her rise through the ranks of startups like Jar and Commenda was fueled by what she calls the “contractor path,” a strategy of working as a freelancer first to build trust before demanding a high-stakes full-time role. This approach clearly worked, as she saw her income double and then triple in record time.
However, the prestige of being a Design Lead at a high-growth startup came with a “brutal” price tag. Shreya painted a vivid picture of the mental pressure, describing sprint planning meetings that lasted six hours and the constant anxiety of giving difficult feedback to her team.
The workload became so intense that she was frequently in the office from 7:30 AM until 9:00 PM, even pulling shifts on Saturdays when things got urgent.
Social media reactions to her confession have sparked a massive debate about the sustainability of the “hustle culture” in India’s Silicon Valley. Many followers praised her for being “audacious” enough to talk about money, while others were horrified by the physical toll the job took.
Shreya confessed that she hit a wall multiple times, suffering from constant headaches and waking up in the middle of the night from work-related stress. “My immunity was taking a hit and I was falling sick every month,” she noted, adding that her dreams were literally just her doing more work.
In a move that has inspired thousands of burnt-out professionals, Shreya eventually chose her health over the paycheck. She explained that she is no longer optimising for money but for creativity and a slower pace of life.
Now focusing on content creation and flexible contract work, she admits that even 2 to 3 lakhs a month is “more than enough” if it means having the energy to live her life and visit her fiancé in the US. Her parting advice to the internet? Always ask for more, but know exactly what you are signing up for.
