How Padma Hariharan’s Retirement from Tech Led to a Second Act in Travel Advising

Image courtesy of Padma Hariharan

Growing up in Chennai, India, Padma Hariharan was curious about other cultures but never considered travel as a career. She pursued degrees in electrical engineering and business management in India, eventually landing in California with software giant Oracle.

Padma spent years climbing the proverbial corporate ladder, but what she found as her career progressed was that she wasn’t satisfied, even as she received more recognition and promotions. 

“I did climb the corporate ladder […] wanting to be somebody, you know, get that title,” she said. “I very quickly realized that I didn't actually want it by the time I got it.”

So after decades in the tech industry, she was already considering a change when Fora caught her eye. Even though she was still working at her tech role, she submitted an application with Fora and was put on the waitlist, thinking she would eventually hear something when the time was right.

How loss inspired the intention to retire early

Images courtesy of Padma Hariharan

Although Padma Hariharan and her husband always intended to retire early, she didn’t exactly stick with the plan. 

“We made a pact that we would both retire at 55 because life just gets too hectic,” she said. 

She said that the decision was inspired by losses that reminded them both of how short life is.

“We both got hit by some early losses,” Padma said. “My mom passed when she was 62, and my sister-in-law passed when she was 37.”

“The job is just a means to an end,” she continued. “It is not the end. And there's so much more to life, and we need to spend more time together as a family.”

Her husband did retire when he was 55 years old. But when it was Padma’s turn, she began to wonder if being home full time would be boring. So she started a new position at Deloitte.

“I needed something that gave me that people connection,” she said.

Months into the job, she realized that the position wasn’t fulfilling her need for relational connection, and she couldn’t see the purpose in it. 

“Deloitte was actually awesome. I just felt I was there too late in my career,” she explained. “It was just too close to where I wanted to exit and just didn't seem like all that work was worth it.”

Then a chance encounter reminded her to follow up with Fora. Padma and her husband were in San Diego when they began chatting with another couple at their hotel. The wife happened to be a travel agent, and after getting to know each other, the woman encouraged Padma to pursue travel advising, noting her personality and background made her a perfect fit.

So in fall of 2022, Padma reached out to Fora again — this time with success — and began her travel agent certification. Within a year, she reached Pro certification. (Learn more about our travel agent training). 

Pursuing a fresh start through Fora

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After joining Fora as an advisor, Padma discovered the fulfillment and connection she’d been looking for while also implementing her career skills.

“The bulk of (my career) was spent in customer management and partner management, so it's all about building relationships and getting work done through those relationships,” Padma said. “That's what I thrive on, […] so what better way than booking travel, making sure (clients) have a great experience.”

From the early touchpoints with Fora headquarters to getting plugged into Fora’s advisor community on Forum, Padma discovered the value in being part of a collective rather than pursuing travel advising on her own.

“You're not just on an island by yourself; there’s this whole sense of community,” she said. “That really resonated because I think there's more power in people sharing their knowledge than in somebody trying to […] reinvent the wheel.”

And the growth in her travel knowledge has been eye-opening. Although travel advising uses similar relationship-building strategies and organizational skills as her corporate roles, Padma notes how much she has learned about the travel industry.

“I’m learning constantly every day,” she said. “There is so much behind the scenes that is important to know, whether it's different partners or just different ways of booking somebody.”

How moving has influenced travel style

Image courtesy of Padma Hariharan

Having grown up in India and moved several times with her family, Padma appreciates getting to know the culture of a destination, allowing for ample time to explore – a sentiment shared by both her husband and her daughter.

“My daughter once said this to me, ‘I'm so glad we moved the number of times we did because I would have been a completely different person if I'd just grown up in one place,’” Padma shared.

Fueled by curiosity and the desire to soak in the local culture, Padma and her family like to build in plenty of time to explore when they travel, remembering that when she used to travel for work, she would visit locations but never actually experience the culture.

“We don't like to do the rush trip,” she said. “We go to Paris and stay there for 10 days or 12 days, just walking around experiencing the place more than seeing the sites — absorbing it.” 

One favorite recent destination was Morocco. She and her husband splurged on a few nights at Dar Ahlam, an incredible desert oasis property with stunning views of the Atlas Mountains. 

One particular evening, she requested an activity that would take them to a remote place to enjoy the scenery. With no other direction, the staff created a magical evening, complete with a hilltop view, chilled wine and not a soul in sight. And to top it off, they returned to the hotel to a private, lantern-lit dinner.

“It was a real treat, and I'm dying to send clients there,” she said, noting that curating special experiences for her clients is the most rewarding part of her role as a Fora Advisor.

“When someone goes on a trip and comes back and says, ‘Padma, that's the best trip that my family and I have ever taken together’ — it gives me so much joy.”