Humans of Lob: Ritu Kapoor

Humans of Lob is a project dedicated to getting to know our Lobsters on an individual level. We sat down with our CMO Ritu Kapoor.

Tell me about yourself.

I grew up as an expat kid in Kuwait, in the Middle East. For the first 18 years of my life, I lived in Kuwait and I went to school there. Except during the 1990 Gulf War when we moved to India for a year and then moved back. Now that I look back at my childhood - we never locked our doors, we always felt very safe - I'm so glad for that experience, it gives me a view into that side of the world.

When I was 18, I moved to India to study computer engineering at IIT Varanasi. Then back to Kuwait for a couple of years to work with Toyota, and then moved to Houston to get my MBA. Since then, I’ve lived in Singapore, and now my two kids and I call California home. Somewhere in there, I managed to develop a crazy love for great coffee and great products.

How did you get into marketing?

It's interesting, we were on an expat gig in Singapore for five years. Then after we left Singapore and moved to California, I started working for a small company where I managed both product management and product marketing. While the company did not work, I realized that what I find most interesting was trying to understand the consumer, and the product market fit. It’s what keeps me up at night and excited to get to work in the morning. I remember counting once, I've launched maybe 30 products across companies, and it’s always exciting and motivating.

What's a scent that makes you feel nostalgic?

The smell of barbeque. Not kidding. Anytime I smell charcoal, it immediately sends me back to Delhi. I love that.

If you could share a piece of advice with your younger self, what would it be?

The path to success is never a straight line. Often you speak with people, look at social media, and you get the highlights of their day or their journey. Somebody's highlight reel shouldn't be your measure of success. Everybody has their own path to take. Realize that those meandering points are where the growth really lies. That’s where you learn and where you evolve as a person. You learn when you think you're failing. That's what I hoped somebody would have told me.

What's something that's bringing you joy lately?

My 15-year-old! We've had many challenges. Typical teenager - she cries one day, and we're very happy the next day, and our emotions are all over the place. I think we finally hit a really good space, the two of us. The other day, we went shopping together. We obsessed about her homecoming dress, picked out each other's clothes, and relaxed without needing to be somewhere else. She is bringing me a lot of joy lately.

What's the most memorable piece of mail you've ever received?

The most memorable pieces I can think of are wedding invitations. Every time I get one of those it's almost like the beginning of something magical. You get a piece of mail to start a wonderful time in someone's life and be a part of that. I like those.

And I always look forward to my Bed Bath & Beyond coupons! I just ran out of my stack.

What do you love most about Lob?

The people at Lob! The energy here is amazing. This is a set of people that are self-motivated, super easy to get along with, and this team spirit that people embody is quite something. Our people come together to take Lob to phenomenal YoY growth, and also around causes close to their hearts, like the Diversity and Inclusion Group. I haven't seen this kind of culture anywhere else. It's teamwork-based and there’s genuine empathy and care for each other. I appreciate that very much.

What energizes you outside of work?

Walking. Just being outside walking, to the point of exhaustion. I also hike with my girlfriends, all of whom live close by. They're wonderful people, people whose lives I'm so grateful to be part of. We'll share most things over a hike, and sometimes a glass of wine.

How did Lob come into your life?

I got a call from a recruiter when I was very far along in another opportunity. But I got this call. I remember thinking, "direct mail?" Thankfully I took the call with Leore. The next thing I know, I’m excitedly trying to schedule another call at 8:30 p.m. to finish the conversation. After that I probably spoke to 17 to 18 people in two weeks, it was nuts! I was just breathing Lob for those two weeks and I was so sold. Still am! So glad it worked out.

Curious what it's like to work alongside people like Ritu Kapoor? Learn more about life at Lob by visiting our careers page.