The Project Nobody Asked Me to Build That Helped Me Earn a PPO
Shrushti Zaveri | MICA (2025–27) | Corporate Affairs Intern, AB InBev
Before Day 1, I pictured AB InBev as a laid-back, beer-chugging, chill environment. Instead, I walked into a room of highly driven, perfection-oriented professionals with a deep passion for what they brew.
Their philosophy is simple: brew talent into leaders by throwing them directly into the deep end. You work within functions you’ve never touched, on problems you’ve never imagined. Sink, and it's tough luck; swim, and you reach the island with a Corona in hand.
But my defining experience wasn't about the project I was assigned. It was about the one I wasn't.
A Challenge Over Happy Hour
It all started during orientation week at one of the company's "Happy Hours" sessions where teams actually drink the portfolio they sell.
I had a Hoegaarden Nectarine in hand when I found myself debating the non-alcoholic beer market in India with Kartikey Sharma, the BU President. Half-joking, half-serious, he threw down a challenge: find a way to crack this market by your final review.
I wasn't sure if it was the beer talking or a genuine test, but I couldn't let it go. Alongside my actual corporate affairs project, I silently began building a second one. I poured over research, interviewed sales teams, and consumed copious amounts of coffee.
The Mid-Review Wake-Up Call
Meanwhile, my actual assigned project was hitting a wall. My biggest mistake was jumping straight into execution. Coming from a marketing background, I treated the mandate like a straightforward two-month deliverable.
During my mid-review, I got a harsh reality check. The problem I was trying to solve wasn't isolated; it was a symptom of a much larger, systemic issue involving multiple teams and dependencies I hadn't even mapped. I hadn't fully grasped the rigid regulatory landscape AB InBev navigates in India.
I had to scrap my early work and go back to the drawing board. I started talking to stakeholders I had skipped, realizing that corporate affairs demanded a wider management lens that crossed into compliance, sales, and governance.
The Last Five Minutes
When the day of my final review arrived, I presented my rebuilt, assigned project first. Then, with five minutes left on the clock, I pulled out the non-alcoholic beer strategy: the project nobody officially asked for.
The entire room was audibly surprised.
Whether or not the strategy gets executed exactly as pitched, the leadership appreciated the initiative and the follow-up on a passing conversation. That extra effort, combined with my course correction on the main project, led to a pre-placement offer, and I will be joining them full-time next year.
If I had to rate the summer, it’s a solid 9/10, though I honestly wish I'd chugged a bit more free beer.
The biggest takeaway? Don't walk in with a narrow view of your function.
Say the unpopular thing. Chase the sideways opportunity. You never know which Thursday-night conversation will turn into your career.