This International Women’s Day 2026, we move beyond celebration and into documentation. Women Who Did It Anyway is a curated article series featuring women who progressed not because conditions were perfect, but because they chose to move forward anyway.

Across industries, from entrepreneurship to corporate leadership, these women navigated systems, expectations, resistance, and trade-offs. Their stories are not motivational slogans. They are lived decisions. This series brings those decisions to light, in their own words. 

Sandra De Zoysa 

FBCS, EMBA (UK), MSc (HRM), MSc (Digital Transformation Leadership), CCXP, CLSSBB, Scrum Master Founder, CEx Consulting & Former Group Chief Customer Officer Dialog Axiata & MD Dialog Business Services

1. There is usually a moment when continuing feels harder than stopping. What was that moment for you, and what made you go ahead anyway? 

There wasn’t one specific 'lightbulb' moment; rather, it was a growing realization five years ago that I wanted more than the 'same old, same old.' I didn't want to simply coast toward a retirement where my professional value would diminish or expire. Anyone who knows me knows I’m not built for standing still. I also wanted to own the narrative of my exit from corporate life and do it my way, in my timing, because I realized that leaving a lifelong corporate career wasn't an ending but rather a pivot. I was motivated by a desire to own my time, lead my own path, and finally channel my energy into something I’m truly passionate about.

2. Not all obstacles are loud. Some are structural, cultural, or quietly exhausting. What kind of resistance did you face that people may not immediately see? 

Early on, the resistance I faced was quiet but a constant companion in my career, though it hasn't always been loud. In the early days, it was structural, like the pressure to return to work just four weeks after maternity leave. Other times, it was cultural, being told I wasn't the 'right fit' for roles I had already earned because of my age or gender. These weren't just hurdles; they were attempts to define my limits. Facing that quiet exhaustion taught me that if the seat at the table wasn’t made for me, I’d have to build my own. And that is exactly what I did: from pioneering Service Management in the country and becoming the longest-serving professional in the mobile telco industry, to being appointed the first Chief Customer Officer in the APAC region and the first female chair of SLASSCOM. I’ve learned that when people tell you that you aren't a 'fit,' it’s often because they can't envision the future you’re already building. I stopped trying to fit into their boxes and focused on building my own legacy - which I did.

3. You didn’t just progress, you navigated systems along the way. What did you have to learn, unlearn, or negotiate to move forward? 

To navigate these systems, I first had to unlearn the idea that I needed permission to lead. Early on, you’re taught to wait for your turn or for your results to speak for themselves, but I learned that you have to narrate your own success. I had to negotiate for my boundaries, especially as a mother returning to work so early, and learn that 'flexibility' isn't a favor, it’s a requirement for high performance. Most importantly, I learned to negotiate for the future, not just the present. One time, I recall asking my boss why I didn't get the promotion that I very well deserved; I was always negotiating to build functions, departments, systems, and processes in Service Delivery Management from the ground up in order to showcase the value and importance of the profession. I was never good at trying to 'fit' into the corporate machine; I started to redesign it.

4. Doing it anyway often comes with trade-offs, personal, emotional, or professional. What did this journey cost you, and what made it worth paying that price? 

Every trailblazing career comes with a price tag. For me, that cost was time, as my journey was never as a young, carefree woman, and it required a series of very conscious, and sometimes difficult, tradeoffs.

Professionally, I was pioneering industries, but personally, that meant I often neglected myself. There was rarely enough time for family and friends, and that is a quiet weight I carry to this day. Perhaps the biggest trade-off was the decision to have only one child. I knew that to build the career I envisioned without compromising my role as a mother, I couldn't divide my attention further. I chose to pour everything into one child and one career. Was it worth it? Yes, because the legacy I’ve built isn't just for me; it’s a blueprint for my daughter and for every woman who follows, proving that while we can’t do everything, we can be extraordinary at what we choose to do!

5. Has your definition of success changed since you began this journey? What does success look like to you now? 

After 36 years in the arena, my definition of success has undergone a radical transformation, evolving from 'achievement' to 'alignment,’ and now I realize that my priorities were often out of balance. For over three decades, I measured my worth by my output, my reach, and the next milestone, often placing work at a pinnacle that left self-care in the shadows. In hindsight, I’ve realized that self-care isn’t a luxury; it is a necessity that I too often traded away. Today, success looks like tranquility. It is the luxury of enjoying the simple things without a ticking clock, and the hard-won freedom to exist without a schedule dictated by targets and deadlines. I’ve traded the 'constant run' for the ability to finally stop and simply be. I am no longer running; I am finally enjoying the true value of my freedom.

6. The quiet message. If another woman is standing at the edge of a difficult decision today, what would you want her to know, not as advice, but as truth?

Context is everything, and every woman’s 'edge' is different, so I avoid offering blanket advice. However, 36 years in the arena has taught me one undeniable truth: clarity rarely comes in a rush. When you are standing at the edge of a difficult decision, take the emotion out of the driver’s seat and let rationality lead. My rule is to never let the 'noise' - the targets, the expectations, or the pressure of the 'same old, same old' force my hand. Give yourself the grace of time. Sleep on it, pray over it if you are spiritual, and wait for the dust to settle. A decision made in the heat of emotion is usually a reaction; a decision made in tranquility is a choice. Your future self will thank you for the path you chose when you were calm, not when you were tired

Curated by FireCircle by G