The Career Edge THE UNWRITTEN RULES OF SUCCESS By KAUSHIK MITRA

In a market flooded with career books promising instant success, quick promotions, and life-changing hacks, The Career Edge by Kaushik Mitra offers something rare, written not by theorist, but by a senior corporate leader who has actually gotten his hands dirty. PepsiCo isn’t just a part of Mitra’s resume, it’s the framework for strategies and lessons that shape The Career Edge. He isn’t speculating about success, he’s reporting from the front lines.

Kaushik Mitra spent nearly 20 years at PepsiCo, one of the most performance driven and competitive companies. His career spans geographies and cultures, from working with Indra Nooyi’s leadership team at PepsiCo to leading cross-functional teams in Vietnam. Unlearning old habits, he steps onto what he calls “the balcony” to gain perspective beyond the daily grind. Each chapter is a blend of anecdotes and hard-earned lessons that speak directly to professionals at every stage of their journey.

Mitra doesn’t pretend to be a guru. He doesn’t instruct or preach, but rather participates alongside the reader. He writes with a rare vulnerability that defies textbook definition of leadership and success. That is the quiet power of The Career Edge, it’s not a manual for perfection, but a practitioner’s guide to navigating the messy, nuanced, and high-stakes world of work, grounded in the expectations and standards of a Fortune 500 powerhouse.

Mitra takes the reader behind the scenes for some of the most well known household staples like Kurkure and Pepsi, revealing the thinking, challenges, and cultural insights that shaped them. This blend of relevance and reinvention is exactly the kind of thinking that The Career Edge teaches,  grounded in reality, but always looking forward.

The Career Edge isn’t about getting ahead at all costs. It’s about building your edge: slowly, intentionally, and with integrity. Kaushik Mitra uses his story to remind us that your imperfections, when handled with awareness and intention, can help you develop a fulfilling career that’s rooted in authenticity, not appearances.

“Written in an anecdotal style and illustrated with his observations about the leaders he’s worked with, the book makers for easy reading, and career tips at the end of every chapter provide useful takeaways…I would urge all future leaders to always work on these traits”

“A must read for anyone who wants to navigate corporate life with clarity and confidence”

“Full of stories, his own and those of others, the book packs a treasure trove of learnings for the young and the experienced. Pick up the book, internalize the lessons and get ready to turbo charge your career”

“The book decodes what really matters in the workplace—beyond performance reviews and job titles. It’s a masterclass in understanding people, power and perception”

Kaushik Mitra is the VP & CFO at PepsiCo India. With over 30 years of experience, he was in multiple roles across several industries and companies such as RPG group, Tata group, GE, Reckitt Benckiser, and PepsiCo. Kaushik is an alumnus of St. Xavier’s Kolkata, an MBA in Finance from the Indian Institute of Management Kolkata and a qualified Chartered Accountant from The Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.  He has authored two Fiction Novels “Crossing Over” in 2017 and “A Hundred Days of Summer” in 2021 and is a regular contributor to the IMA CFO connect magazine with more than 15 articles ranging from Leadership to Travel.