Behind the Builder: Khushbu Shaikh, Technical Account Lead

Behind the Builder: Khushbu Shaikh

In this #BehindTheBuilder post, Khushbu Shaikh shares her career journey from handling tech support at Bosch to leading impactful technical projects at Twilio. Khushbu’s path is a testament to growth, learning, and the power of seizing opportunities. She talks about the projects she's working on, how Twilio has shaped her career, and the personal milestones along the way.

Every Twilion has an origin story. Khushbu, what’s yours? 📝

My path to Twilio has been shaped by a mix of experiences. I started in tech support at Bosch in Bengaluru, then moved to Cisco Systems as a Technical Consultant, specializing in Unified Communication Applications. After moving to the U.S., I earned my master’s in Information Systems while interning at Copart, where I built a compliance automation tool that cut review times by 80%.

After graduation, I joined Voxai Solutions as a Cloud Application Engineer, working on IVR solutions and API integrations — including a project for DFW International Airport that pulled real-time flight status data. Around that time, I noticed a former Cisco colleague had joined Twilio as a Technical Account Manager, and it caught my attention. Twilio’s programmable communication capabilities felt like the perfect fit for my background in networking, VoIP, and programming.

Nearly five years (and three promotions) later, I’m still excited by the impact Twilio has on global communication.

Twilio is a company of builders. What’s the key thing you’re building? 🏗️

As a Technical Lead, Principal Technical Account Manager (TAM), my job is all about bridging the gap between technical and business needs. But it’s more than just support—I work directly with developers, diving into their code to help them seamlessly integrate Twilio APIs. I identify pain points, troubleshoot complex challenges, offer architectural guidance, and find ways to make implementations more efficient and scalable.

Building trust is a big part of what I do. I’ve worked closely with many global customers to ensure they’re getting the most out of Twilio’s products. And it doesn’t stop there — I take those real-world insights back to our Product and Engineering teams to help improve our offerings.

Beyond that, I’m passionate about knowledge sharing. Whether it’s mentoring new Twilions, contributing to technical documentation, or engaging with the developer community, I love helping others grow and succeed.

Describe a time when your team really showed what they’re made of. ​​⚡

The Technical Account Manager team isn’t just about support — we’re builders. We develop solutions, automate processes, and drive product innovation that helps customers succeed.

When I was promoted to lead the global TAM team for emerging products, I saw an opportunity to strengthen how we work together. With 155+ TAMs across regions, we built a global network of subject matter experts (SMEs), creating a self-sustaining support system where team members step up to guide peers, handle escalations, and share knowledge across time zones. We also spearheaded a product roadmap initiative to improve how TAMs communicate product updates with customers — an approach so effective that it’s now used across business units. 

It all goes to show that when a team is well-supported and empowered, it doesn’t just solve problems — it drives meaningful change for both customers and Twilio.

How has remote work shaped the way you connect, collaborate, or ..caffeinate 😂 ☕?

I joined Twilio during the Covid pandemic, which meant my first experience with the company was remote. At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d integrate into a team I’d never met in person, but Twilio made it easy. The onboarding experience was smooth, and little things — like our Friday game hour — helped build real connections.

One moment that really illustrates how well Twilio supports remote work was when I returned from maternity leave. I was on a critical escalation call for one of our biggest enterprise clients while also juggling the care of my 7-month-old daughter, and I had to go off-screen to feed her. When I had to go off-screen to feed her, my team didn’t miss a beat. A colleague jumped in, I guided him over chat, and by the time I got back, the issue was resolved.

It reminded me that at Twilio, remote-first work goes beyond flexible schedules—it's about having a supportive team that truly has your back, allowing us to balance life and drive meaningful impact.

What’s a Twilio perk, tradition, or program that’s really stuck with you? 🤭

One of my favorite elements of Twilio’s culture is the team events — whether they’re remote or in-person offsites. These meetups are designed to help us connect, collaborate, and feel like we belong.

For remote events, Twilio even sends personalized kits to make virtual gatherings engaging and interactive. But the in-person offsites are the real highlight. I’ll never forget our Austin offsite — it was a great mix of learning, bonding, and fun. I had the chance to lead a session on account best practices, and seeing my colleagues leave with actionable strategies was really rewarding. We also had a scavenger hunt around Austin, which was a blast! It was all about teamwork, strategy, and having a good time, and my team ended up taking the win.

Which Twilio Magic value do you love so much that you’d consider getting a tattoo of it? 😂 💪

The Twilio Magic value I live by is "We Are Positrons," which is all about spreading positive energy, learning continuously, and collaborating to lift those around us. Whether writing technical blogs, or sharing insights with fellow TAMs to help them serve our customers better, I make an effort to live this value every day. I also connect with my LinkedIn community, TechXplorationHub, where I mentor people going through career transitions. Seeing the community grow has been incredibly rewarding, and it’s a reminder that positivity and knowledge-sharing go hand in hand.

One of the proudest moments in my career so far was when I was honored with the 2024 Twilio Magic Owl Award. Only six people out of over 5,000 employees received this recognition, and it really reinforced my belief that authentic leadership is about empowering others to reach their full potential.

Being a Positron isn’t just a value for me — it’s a mindset that’s shaped my journey, and I’m excited to continue living it here at Twilio and beyond.