If you heard “working in Hollywood” and thought of red carpets and glam, think again. Rupa lived it—and hated every second.
Today she’s leading global nonprofit initiatives, raising hundreds of millions for education, and advising leaders like Emmanuel Macron. So how did she go from tracking celebrity outfits to changing lives?
The Reality of LA
Rupa landed her first job at a Beverly Hills PR firm. Her clients? Celebrities like Angelina Jolie.
Sounds cool, right? Wrong.
“I spent my days zooming into paparazzi photos to check what bracelet Angelina wore and reporting it to my boss. It was mindless. Sure, it was glamorous on the outside, but I was miserable inside.”
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She tried movie production too—working with big names like Michael Bay on Transformers. But the long hours and male-dominated environment didn’t sit right.
“I realized Hollywood wasn’t for me. I wanted work that felt meaningful—not just glamorous.”
Finding Her True North
Rupa’s turning point came when she realized her superpower wasn’t PR or production—it was building relationships.
She loved connecting people, pitching ideas, and creating collaborations. And she realized the nonprofit world needed exactly that.
So she pivoted.
From small roles in LA, she took a leap into fundraising for nonprofits, starting from the bottom again but with a clear mission: to make global change.
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Making Her Mark
Fast forward a few years, and Rupa is now a powerhouse in philanthropy.
🌍 She’s raised over $500M for nonprofits.
📈 Helped scale a nonprofit’s operations by 400% in three years.
🤝 Works with Google, MIT, and global leaders to expand access to education and AI literacy.
The secret sauce? Relationships.
“I realized relationships aren’t about transactions. It’s about trust, value, and staying in someone’s orbit. That’s how doors open.”
The Takeaway for You
Don’t be afraid to pivot. The “dream job” you imagined might not actually fulfill you.
Find your superpower—what feels natural and energizing—and build a career around it.
Impact > Glamor.
“I went from chasing glam to chasing impact. And I’ve never felt more alive.”