I doubled my income at Microsoft after starting my career in a factory. I only had enough money for 1 semester of school, but I was determined.

• Nandita Gupta became an accessibility product manager at Microsoft after starting her career in a factory.
• Inspired by her grandfather's loss of sight, she returned to school and paid her way with scholarships.
• After connecting with a Microsoft recruiter, she landed a job paying double what she used to make.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Nandita Gupta, an accessibility product manager at Microsoft in Redmond, Washington. It has been edited for length and clarity.