Mentorship Month Alumni Feature: Ashima Sharma ’14, CEO, Dreami

In celebration of National Mentorship Month, the USC Career Center is highlighting alumni stories that demonstrate the power of connections. Read more about Ashima’s mentorship story!

January is National Mentorship Month! In celebration of National Mentorship Month, the USC Career Center is highlighting alumni stories that demonstrate the power of connections. USC Alumni exemplify how one conversation or connection can positively impact Trojans’ personal or professional life.

This week we are featuring Ashima Sharma, CEO at Dreami. Ashima received her Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering in 2014 from the USC Viterbi School of Engineering.

Ashima Sharma, Founder and CEO of Dreami, poses for a portrait at Alviso Marina Park on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, in Alviso, Calif. Dreami is a mentorship platform dedicated to making mentorship scalable and accessible.(Photo by Jim Gensheimer)

We hope Ashima’s mentorship story inspires you to connect with other Trojans and leverage the power of the Trojan Family!

Q: List four words you would use to describe your mentorship.

Ashima: Empowering. Fulfilling. Goal-oriented. Limitless.

Q: What opportunities has this connection moved you towards?

Ashima: Ironically, I didn’t have many mentors in the start of my career until I started researching the power of mentorship. Once I took the leap to start my own company, I found a wealth of support in the form of startup mentors. They have been invaluable in being my support system, patching knowledge gaps and making key introductions. Dreami would not be where it is today without the power of mentorship.

Q:  How did this connection help you face a challenge, obstacle or roadblock?

Ashima: I leverage my startup mentors when I feel like I am at a low point and don’t know the next step–startup life is challenging, but the encouragement I receive from my mentors has been the fuel I needed to keep pushing.

Q: When you think about this connection, what is the first thing that comes to mind?

Ashima: Gratitude and empowerment. I feel so thankful that there are people out there who want to pay it forward and share their lessons and mistakes with others. I have reached new levels of confidence due to the time and energy my mentors have poured into me.

Q: What advice would you give to USC students as they look for prospective mentors?

Ashima: Build your personal board of directors as soon as you can. Be intentional about what support you are looking for, be genuine about building your support ecosystem around you and don’t be afraid to ask for help. I had a misconception that I had to figure out my career by myself to prove to everyone what I could achieve on my own, and that is a big mistake I’ve learned from. There is power in seeking out guidance and paying it forward along the way. The term “mentor” is very fluid–at any point we all can be mentors or mentees, no matter what our experience level is. Be mindful of building your personal board of directors throughout your education and career, and you will see how incredible that can be for your growth.

Want to hear from more alumni? Read our previous Mentorship Month Alumni Features:

Patrick Becker ’08, Senior Producer, CBS Evening News

Kevin Elzie ’11, Program Analyst, U.S. Department of Energy

By Career Center
Career Center