P × Q = Revenue. It Also Applies to Your Career.

Everything I learned in business school can be summed up in one line: P (price) × Q (quantity) = Revenue.

Every business is trying to optimize either P or Q, or both. Back then it felt like it only applied to businesses. But I now realize this equation applies to careers too.

P is Performance. Q is Reach.

Performance is how well you work. Reach is how far your work travels and who knows about it.

You can be the best analyst, designer, or engineer in the room. But if the right people don't see it, you will get stuck while others move past you.

Like many immigrants, I grew up believing the path was simple. Put your head down, grind, and let the results speak for themselves. Talking about your accomplishments felt like bragging. We were taught to be humble. But corporate America doesn't work that way.

Your work doesn't speak for itself. People speak for your work.

I once got passed up for a promotion because I relied only on my work to tell the story. I wasn't making sure the right people knew what I was doing or what I wanted.

None of this came naturally. It still doesn't.

Performance matters. But if you only focus on being technically great, you are limiting how far you can go. The people who grow consistently do both. They improve their craft and they make their work visible.