Aakankssha Kaalay, CSM®

Well from a very early age I have been a people’s person and a problem-solver. I was that kid who was outdoorsy, social, a good listener, empathizer, and came up with solutions. As you can imagine, it drove my parents crazy. Even though it was a hassle for my family, this trait worked very well in my career. Months before graduating my bachelor's I was recruited as a Customer Success Manager and paid to talk to people, build connections, solve their problems and it was like living the dream. The job also made me realize that I can help companies increase their Return on Investment, effectively collaborate with stakeholders saving cost and time needed to rework the project, implement cost-effective solutions, and successfully deliver projects achieving the company's objectives. I loved my job as I was able to leverage my passion on a professional level. I realized I could do better, and so I went on to pursue my Master's. What I bring to the team is a strong record in relationship building. At the heart of it, I am happiest when I am engaging with people, learning what motivates them, and then strategizing about how we can help one another. My superpower is establishing more meaningful connections and I have gotten strong feedback in the past about the same. My clients have remarked that I was one of the best Customer Success Manager/Project Manager they have worked with. These sorts of connections fuel my drive to achieve more than just my monthly/quarterly targets and constantly aim to give my best! ACHIEVEMENTS • Leadership and Management - Collaborated with senior management, internal, external stakeholders, developers, designers, and marketing experts. Led and oversaw diverse teams on a daily basis. • Communication and Negotiation - Worked with cross-functional teams including technical and non-technical audiences. I experienced different cultures every day due to global engagement. Negotiated project costs in the company’s best interest. • Targets - Achieved quarterly, yearly targets and contributed to an increase in profit margins • Recognition - Earned Outstanding Performance Award. Recognized among the top 10% performers and mentored 5 new members of the team.