Soma Adiga

Why this persona fits the audience

She is part of a 4-person operations team in Bengaluru that updates sales, inventory, and courier reconciliation files in Excel every day, combining Shopify exports, warehouse sheets, and ad spend reports while switching between desktop at work and a phone on commutes.

• Age: 29
• Location: Bengaluru, India
• Occupation: operations lead
• Income: INR 18L
• Education: B.Com and diploma in operations
• Company size: Small DTC team (4 people in operations)
• Years in role: 3

“Every number has a story, and my job is to make sure those stories add up correctly, no matter how many spreadsheets I have to read.”

Soma Adiga, 29, is an E-commerce Operations Lead based in Bengaluru, India, earning INR 18L annually. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree and a diploma in operations management, a solid foundation for her current role. She lives with her parents and younger brother, a common arrangement that allows her to save diligently towards her goal of owning her own apartment. Her career trajectory has been focused on the operational backbone of e-commerce, driven by a desire for efficiency and accuracy. She joined her current company three years ago, quickly rising to lead the small, four-person operations team. Her daily reality is deeply intertwined with Excel, where she meticulously manages sales, inventory, and courier reconciliation. This involves a constant flow of data from Shopify, warehouse systems, and ad platforms, all needing to be combined and verified. Soma is acutely aware of the time pressure and the potential for errors in such manual processes. She's recently been exploring ways to streamline these workflows, looking at different tools and techniques to reduce the manual effort without compromising accuracy. Her personal finances are managed pragmatically; she prioritizes saving and investing a significant portion of her income, viewing financial stability as a key component of her long-term security. She sees her role not just as data management, but as a critical function that directly impacts customer satisfaction and the company's bottom line. Her adaptability is tested daily as she juggles tasks on her work desktop and then switches to her phone during her commute, ensuring no operational detail is missed. She is driven by a strong sense of accountability, understanding that her team's output is crucial for the business's smooth functioning.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Soma's day begins around 7 AM with a quick check of urgent emails and sales figures on her phone before heading to the office. After a brief commute, she's at her desk by 9 AM, diving into the day's Excel updates: Shopify exports, warehouse inventory logs, and ad spend reports. She spends a good chunk of the morning reconciling these, flagging any discrepancies. Lunch is a quick affair, often at her desk. The afternoon involves more data consolidation, preparing reports for the marketing and fulfillment teams, and troubleshooting any operational hiccups. She often uses her commute home to catch up on industry news or listen to a podcast, reviewing her to-do list for the next day.

Lifestyle

Soma lives in a comfortable but not extravagant apartment in Bengaluru with her parents and younger brother, a typical arrangement for young professionals in her city. Her income allows for a good standard of living, but she's mindful of saving for future goals like a down payment on her own place. Her days are structured around work, but she prioritizes her health, hitting the gym or going for a run most evenings. Weekends are for family time, catching up with friends over coffee, or exploring new cafes. She enjoys regional music, often playing it softly while working or during her commute.

Work life

As the operations lead for a small DTC e-commerce team, Soma's days are a constant juggle. Her core responsibility involves meticulously updating daily sales, inventory, and courier reconciliation files in Excel. This means pulling data from Shopify exports, warehouse management sheets, and ad spend reports, then consolidating and cross-referencing them. The team of four operates lean, so everyone wears multiple hats. The pressure is on for accuracy and speed, as any delay impacts fulfillment and customer satisfaction. She navigates this by switching between her work desktop and her phone during her commute, trying to maximize every minute.

Relationships

Soma is close to her family, living with her parents and younger brother, who she often helps with his studies. Her friendships are a mix of college mates and colleagues, with whom she shares professional challenges and social outings. Her direct manager, the Head of Operations, is a key professional influence, valuing her diligence and problem-solving skills.

How they decide

Soma is generally pragmatic and research-oriented when it comes to work-related tools or processes. She values evidence of efficiency and reliability, often looking for case studies or testimonials from similar businesses. While budget-conscious, she's willing to invest if a solution clearly demonstrates a significant return in time savings or error reduction. She tends to discuss significant decisions with her immediate team or manager.

How they sound

Soma speaks clearly and professionally, with a slight South Indian accent. Her tone is generally calm and measured, but can become more animated when discussing operational challenges or solutions. She uses standard professional vocabulary, avoiding excessive slang, but might occasionally use a common Kannada phrase if speaking informally with close colleagues. She's direct and to the point, valuing clarity in communication.