Employee Spotlight: Anjali Bharadwa

Anjali Bharadwa, Senior Consultant

What do you like best about working at DMC?

The atmosphere. Everyone at DMC strives for excellence, not only in delivering our services, but also in going out of the way to run things well as a company.  It’s a unique feature of our company that makes DMC very refreshing.

What has been your favorite project at DMC thus far?

I’ve really enjoyed working on the M/R Systems SharePoint portal.  It has been interesting watching something that did not exist in the beginning grow into something that adds tremendous benefit to the organization. In Phase I, we focused mostly on the sales process and were able to adapt to the client’s needs to automate information, making it flow seamlessly. We are now working on Phase II, which involves adding enhancements including dashboarding, so information will be viewable in one place at the same time.

What do you like to do outside of work?

Besides spending time with my 2 girls, I enjoy scrapbooking with my friends. It’s a great way to be productive by documenting memories while getting to hang out together at the same time.  I also enjoy just about any form of dancing. Zumba is one good way to dance while getting in shape, but I like anything with a beat. My daughters are actually taking Indian dance classes right now. I wouldn’t say they are Bollywood stars yet, but we will see.

Decorating is another hobby of mine. I am in the midst of a massive home renovation project which is almost complete, and I also enjoy working with friends and relatives on their decorating projects.

Can you share your top three design tips to anyone who is undertaking a similar decorating project?

- Bring home samples. If they are available, request samples and see how they all look in the space. Living with them for a while will give you a better feel for what works best.

- Be patient. You might be tempted to purchase the first thing you see, but if you wait awhile and keep your options open you may be surprised by what else you come across.

- Don’t let others convince you of what you like. A salesperson’s opinion is helpful in choosing the right treatments for your space, but you are the one who will be living in it. Trust your instincts.

I know you are a fan of traveling, what are some of your favorite destinations?

One of my favorite travel memories was traveling the world with my best friend when we were 14. We went from India, to Hong Kong, to Japan and had an incredible trip. The best part was that we stayed with family in each country, so we had an insider’s perspective in which places to visit.

Earlier this year, my entire family traveled to New Zealand to attend my brother’s wedding. We visited North Island as well as the wineries of Waiheke Island and it was absolutely beautiful. We are also cruise people, and enjoy island-hopping around the Caribbean. Later this year I will be visiting Las Vegas with some friends for my birthday and am really looking forward to it.

What is your favorite place in Chicago?

Well it’s not downtown Chicago, but there is a great restaurant in downtown Naperville that I’ve been enjoying. Tango serves delicious Argentinian food with lots of chimichurri sauce, which I love, and has a wonderful upstairs patio for enjoying the nice weather.

You have a Computer Engineering degree, but have had experience in areas as varied as sales and marketing. Can you tell us about some of your experiences?

I started in the industrial automation industry working in the engineering department, but after about three months I realized I was not meant to sit behind a desk exclusively and moved to sales. I consulted the clients on their needs and recommended the best solution for them, and it was great to use my technical background but be more involved in interacting with the customers. That position required a lot of travel, as much as three cities in one day, so when I had kids I moved into a marketing role. I was able to train our sales staff as well as clients on our software from the office by hosting webinars and information sessions, along with working with publications in advertising efforts.

One thing I have learned is that at the end of the day, all companies want the same thing, regardless of industry. Customers want you to understand their challenges and make their lives easier. It’s helpful to be able to take a complicated solution and explain it in a way that is easy to understand and concise.