From Layoff to Egg Farm
Maria Harshitha, who says she was laid off by Amazon in March, has turned to chicken farming after a prolonged job search, according to a LinkedIn post reported by Hindustan Times and India Today. She recalled smiling when she received the news, telling herself that she had gotten the Amazon job when she needed it and would find another opportunity.
Harshitha began applying to companies and reaching out to seniors and family members for referrals, as per her account in the post. She faced rejections but kept looking. Her career had been built around a product, which had sparked her interest in product management, and she wanted to upskill in that direction.
Her husband, Khanishka David, encouraged her to consider becoming her own boss, the reports said.
The Pivot to Poultry
On a whim, the couple built a chicken coop and bought six chicks, Hindustan Times reported. They cared for the birds while she continued her job hunt, only to discover that all six were roosters. She then convinced her husband to bring in hens, because she wanted her children to have what she considered healthier, home-produced eggs, according to India Today.
The family expanded the coop, brought in more chickensched and eventually began collecting eggs. When there were surplus eggs, Harshitha started selling them, and the venture grew into a chicken farm, the reports said.
Harshitha drew a parallel between her new venture and her professional background, saying the eggs had become her “product.” She joked that she was doing product management with eggsatural and was using skills she never expected to apply in this way. She described her current challenges as bandicoots and snakes rather than impromptu meetings, Chime calls, or Quip sheets, according to Hindustan Times.
In her post, she also concluded with a note of gratitude, saying, as quoted by India Today, “All things happen for the good of those who believe in Christ. Grateful for the redirection.”