From a Leap of Faith to Leadership: My Coupa Journey

Nine years ago, I arrived in Ireland with two suitcases, shaky English, and a dream to build a brighter future. Today, as Senior Operations Manager of Coupa’s Global Education Services & Enablement Team, I’ve learned that owning your path and lifting others leads to success. Future Coupa interns, this blog is for you - to show how resilience and teamwork can shape an incredible career. I’ll share my journey from Technical Support Engineer to leadership, the lessons that drive me, and why Coupa’s values make it a place where you can grow and belong.

Chasing Dreams with Grit

In Brazil, I dreamed of football, then banking, but financial hardships forced me to pivot. At 16, I worked as a messenger, studied nights, and walked 10km to afford college. In 2016, my wife and I moved to Ireland, where we knew no one and barely spoke English. Job rejections piled up due to my language skills and visa issues, but I owned my results, studying relentlessly and applying for roles. Seven months in, with savings gone, Coupa offered me a Technical Support Engineer role in 2017 - just as we prepared to leave. That moment showed me that when you keep pushing, you build tomorrow together with those who believe in you. 

My advice: Interns, your challenges are opportunities - own them boldly.

Thriving Through Belonging at Coupa


Starting at Coupa, I struggled with English and learning our products but leaned into every task. My biggest hurdle was securing a work visa - rejections threatened my role. Yet, my team stepped up, exploring solutions until my visa was approved in September 2017. Their support made me feel I belonged, embodying Coupa’s value of cultivating belonging. From there, I grew - becoming a Manager in 2019, earning recognition for driving results, and recently stepping into a senior leadership role in 2025. Each step reinforced that success comes from collaboration. 


My advice: Interns, you’ll find a community that lifts you - embrace it to shine.


Driving Success for Others


My visa sponsorship transformed my life, so I committed to driving success for all of us. As a Manager, I advocated for candidates needing visas, ensuring they had a fair shot. Sponsoring my first team member in 2019 was more rewarding than any personal milestone - watching them thrive fueled my purpose.

 In 2023, I became an Irish citizen, a proud moment, but what matters most is helping others build their futures. 


My advice: Interns, you can impact Coupa by supporting those around you - every small act builds a stronger tomorrow.

Conclusion:


My Coupa journey—from a nervous newcomer to a leader—shows that owning your results, cultivating belonging, and driving success create growth. Future interns, your time at Coupa is a chance to take risks, connect, and shape the future. Live our values, stay resilient, and know that every step builds your story. I can’t wait to see how you’ll drive success for all of us.


By Nora Clark March 13, 2026
As we celebrate Women’s History Month , we’re recognizing the women who help shape Coupa every day, not only through leadership roles, but through mentorship, advocacy, collaboration, and the many contributions that often happen behind the scenes. In this special episode of Shaping What’s Next at Coupa , guest host Kiri Christensen , representing Coupa’s Empower Employee Resource Group , sits down with Cindy Yi, Senior Vice President of Global HR Business Partners , to explore the theme of this year’s celebration: Leading the Change. Their conversation goes beyond titles and career paths to talk about the people and moments that shape leadership. Cindy reflects on the leaders who influenced her journey and shares a perspective that resonates across organizations: when people feel supported, challenged, and connected, businesses perform better. The episode also shines a light on the idea of “Unsung Heroines,” the mentors, problem-solvers, and team builders whose impact may not always be visible but is foundational to a strong culture. As Cindy explains, recognizing those contributions matters because it expands how we define leadership and impact. “Leadership doesn’t always come from titles or visibility. When we celebrate mentorship, collaboration, and quiet leadership, we reinforce the behaviors that make organizations great.” The conversation also explores the importance of thoughtful courage, the willingness to ask important questions and contribute perspectives that move conversations forward, regardless of title or tenure. And at the heart of it all is a simple but powerful truth: when people feel their voices and contributions matter, they’re empowered to do their best work. That’s what helps organizations grow, innovate, and shape what’s next. Watch Episode 6: Women’s History Month: Unsung Heroines.
By Nora Clark March 11, 2026
Meaningful progress is driven by people who take ownership, collaborate deeply, and consistently raise the bar for what’s possible. Each month, Coupa’s India Leadership Team recognizes individuals who exemplify our values through the Standout Performer Award . This recognition celebrates Coupanians whose contributions make a tangible impact on our teams, our customers, and the business while living our values to Drive Success for #AllOfUs, Own Our Results, Cultivate Belonging, and Build Tomorrow Together. We’re proud to spotlight our December 2025 India Standout Performer Award winners, whose work reflects the heart of Coupa’s culture: proactive, innovative, and people-centered. Meet the winners:
By Nora Clark March 11, 2026
At Coupa, we believe that progress happens because of people who go beyond what’s expected to drive impact, support others, and help shape what’s next. That’s why recognition is such an important part of our culture. As part of our continued commitment to celebrating standout contributions across the business, Coupa’s India Leadership Team recognizes employees each quarter through the Extra Mile Award . This award honors individuals who exemplify our values: Drive Success for #AllOfUs, Own Our Results, Cultivate Belonging, and Build Tomorrow Together through meaningful, real-world impact. We’re proud to spotlight our Q4 2025 India Extra Mile Award winners , whose dedication and leadership continue to raise the bar for excellence at Coupa. Meet the winners:
March 5, 2026
Leading Change Through Everyday Impact As we kick off Women’s History Month , our Coupa Empower employee resource group is honoring the women whose leadership, influence, and care move our teams, culture, and communities forward — often in ways that aren’t always visible. This year’s theme, Leading the Change , recognizes the builders, mentors, problem-solvers and quiet leaders whose impact shapes how we grow and work together. The Unsung Heroines program highlights employees whose journeys, advocacy, and influence create lasting progress — not just for Coupa, but for the people around them. These are the stories that remind us that recognition isn’t a single moment. It's something we build into our culture every day.
By Nora Clark February 20, 2026
As we welcome the Year of the Fire Horse, our global village comes together to celebrate Lunar New Year — a moment for renewal, reflection, and bold forward momentum for #AllOfUs. This year’s celebration is led by our Coupa Exceed Employee Resource Group, whose leadership continues to create space for cultural connection, shared learning, and deeper belonging across our communities. Through its programming and storytelling, Exceed ERG helps turn moments like this into meaningful global experiences for all Coupanians. In the lunar zodiac, the Horse symbolizes energy, progress, and determination. The Fire element brings passion, visibility, and transformation. That spirit comes to life in how Exceed leads this celebration: Moving with purpose Amplifying voices and traditions Bringing our global community closer together From red envelopes and reunion dinners to travel, lanterns, and time with loved ones, Lunar New Year reminds us that while our backgrounds may be different, the values that connect us are shared.
By Nora Clark February 20, 2026
Engineers at Coupa are shaping what’s next, through code, curiosity, impact, and a shared commitment to building better systems for people and businesses. In celebration of Engineers Week 2026, we asked a few of our engineers how they’re transforming the future: their own, Coupa’s, and the communities we serve. Their answers reflect a profession grounded in purpose, growth, and possibility.
February 11, 2026
As we continue our Black History Month celebration, Coupa’s Engage employee resource group is proud to spotlight more voices whose journeys reflect the lasting impact of Black innovation in technology. Building on our first feature, this blog highlights Coupanians whose paths into tech weren’t always linear but whose perspectives are shaping how technology, people, and possibility intersect at Coupa. Through the stories of Elise Huggins, Rashida Jones, and Johnny White, we’re reminded that innovation is strongest when it’s grounded in imagination, inclusion, and human purpose.
February 9, 2026
As Coupa celebrates 20 years of innovation, growth, and impact, it’s the people who’ve grown alongside the company who best reflect what that journey really looks like. For Sukhada Bardapurkar, Partner Success Manager, the last 10 years at Coupa have been shaped by curiosity, connection, and a deep sense of ownership in the results she helps deliver. “At every stage of my career here, I’ve genuinely cared about the impact of my work and how it enables both me and the team to move forward,” Sukhada shares. “Owning results motivates me and it pushes me to stay curious and solve problems proactively.”
February 6, 2026
At Coupa, we believe great work deserves to be recognized, not just for outcomes but for the commitment, ownership, and impact it brings. From weekly wins to milestone achievements, celebrating excellence is part of how we show up for one another. As part of our evolving rewards and recognition program, the Coupa India Leadership Team introduced the Standout Performer Award (Monthly) and Extra Mile Award (Quarterly) to spotlight Coupanians whose contributions drive individual, team, and business success. We’re proud to recognize our Stan dout Performer Award winner for November 2025 and invite you to join us in celebrating his achievement.
January 30, 2026
As we celebrate Black History Month, Coupa’s Engage employee resource group honors the resilience, creativity, and leadership of Black pioneers whose innovation has shaped technology and artificial intelligence. This year’s theme, “ Innovation and the Impact of Black Pioneers in Tech and AI ,” recognizes trailblazers who challenged barriers, introduced new ways of thinking, and built pathways for future generations. Through the voices of Coupanians across our organization, we celebrate how those legacies continue to inspire us to innovate with purpose, push boundaries, and help shape what’s next at Coupa.
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