The ‘future of work’ is changing in India. Linear career paths, working up to retirement age and full-time employment are becoming passé. Organizations and professionals alike are seeking flexibility and diverse options for their business and career respectively. IndusGuru Network Partners, an online curated business network, assisting businesses to identify and engage with experts and consultants and enhance growth and performance is at the heart of this long term trend. The company under experienced leadership endeavours to create an impactful difference to the opportunity landscape available for qualified and accomplished professionals.

In conversation with Shanu Malkani, Co-founder of IndusGuru Network Partners.

Take us through the offerings and how indusguru network partners have embraced success.

With IndusGuru, a curated online platform for Independent Consultants and Experts we aim to ‘uberise’ the fast growing but fragmented world of senior independent consulting by building a marketplace that is transparent and efficient. We have built a network of 600+ expert consultants, curated by invitation, referral and professional references, with a combined professional experience of 12,000 man-years.

Our clients get deep professional expertise that is the best fit for their needs and their budget – without having to pay the large overheads of big Advisory firms. Whenever clients post a project requirement, they are given a range of curated expert options and the flexibility to engage and choose the expert consultant they want.

“An expertise network - we are an online curated platform to access the best-fit experts and consultants for your business needs”

How has your prior industry experience shaped you as a business leader and entrepreneur?

I started my career as a SAP technical consultant, and then played numerous roles in SISL, including functional consulting, project management, business development and ultimately the Lead for SAP Application Services delivery and Customer support.

I learnt the ropes of client engagement and customer-service at Siemens, working with senior leaders in many leading Indian and global clients. I also learnt the importance and value of taking care and standing up for my team and I try to bring the same learnings to bear at IndusGuru both for my clients and the team. I look for sincerity, dedication and persistence in my team, the right attitude makes all the difference.

What role do you play for Indusguru network partners?

At IndusGuru, I don multiple hats as is necessary in a boot-strapped start-up that aims to build a sustainable business. I engage and manage some key clients directly, guide my Business Development team and effectively manage the Finance and HR functions for our company.

My focus at IndusGuru has been to bring a strong customer service mindset and a sharp execution focus. As a gig-economy start-up, I rely on my small core team and a network of external service providers and have to multi-task with multiple roles every day from engaging with clients and my expert network, to managing finances and cash-flows.

In IndusGuru, we have a flexible and entirely Work-from-Anywhere approach for our Team. We are a largely women-led entrepreneurial team, and I depend on my team for inputs, ideas, brainstorming, decisions and actions.

How do you keep yourself well aligned with every change taking place within the industry?

Amidst the new normal, businesses worldwide are undergoing huge transformation. The trend towards freelance or gig-workforce will only accelerate as businesses learn to leverage remote-workers for many projects and activities.

We have an empanelled network of expert professionals across several industries. My team and I interact regularly with these expert professionals which keeps us in touch with the latest trends and changes. We have also started an initiative called “Through the Looking Glass” to curate and publish the latest insights and thought leadership from our Experts that assist them to express their views on the key trends in the post-Covid world.

What roadmap have you set for yourself as a business leader in the days to come?

We aspire to make IndusGuru as a platform of choice for senior independent consultants, to access interesting, relevant and value-adding projects and roles. We would like to become deeply relevant to diverse client segments and nurture key client relationships for the long term.

We have worked with several entrepreneurial firms and SME’s along with large corporations, to provide high quality skills & professional talent and advice to support their growth aspirations. Over the next 12 months, we would like to expand our client base to include Advisory and PE firms, and Social Sector firms. We are also building a strong recruitment capability for senior-level roles that we can offer to our long-standing clients.

What would your advice be to women looking to foray into the technical and business consulting field?

The gig economy and technology enabled platforms are fields that are very well suited to women. The world has moved digitally and this industry is digitally enabled too. Our industry allows women to juggle their responsibilities and aspirations – and yet ensure that all needs are balanced to the best of their ability. Thus women should be confident and must aspire for their goals without fear of losing.

Shanu Malkani, Co-Founder, Indusguru Network Partners

Shanu Malkani is an engineer by education, a software consultant by vocation and an entrepreneur by choice. She has gained her unmatched experience in about 20 years by working for leading Technology services companies including Siemens Information Systems and Accenture, and niche application technology provider firm, Blue Ocean Systems, before co-founding IndusGuru.

Company: IndusGuru Network Partners

Location: Mumbai, India

Management: Shanu Malkani, Co-founder

Description: An online curated business network, helping businesses to identify and engage experts and consultants and enhance outcomes