Meet a Veevan: No Job Too Small in Business Consulting
Meet a Veevan is a series that looks at the employees who bring us life. We spoke to Ankit Prasad, Business Consultant in Commercial Analytics, for this edition. Ankit has gotten up to speed in a new industry, quickly becoming the “hype man,” energizing a growing BI practice. Ankit believes being coachable and willing to dig into grunt work are keys to a successful career at Veeva, where new things happen every day.
What is your personal and professional background, and how did you get to Veeva?
Ankit: Before joining Veeva just 15 months ago, most of my career had been in the Aerospace industry. I studied Economics in college and hold a Master’s in Industrial Engineering from the Rochester Institute of Technology. This led me to work for some of the biggest names in the industry — Honda, GE, Boeing, and Meggitt Aerospace. I lived in four states and abroad in just four years, where my work involved moving factories around to different locations. I worked in a traditional manufacturing environment with a relatively predictable pace where my responsibilities included production, P & L, monitoring our industry benchmarking and KPIs.
I learned about Veeva from a good friend I had interned with at GE. I knew that the tech space was where I wanted to be, and he shared that his group, focused on Commercial Analytics, needed to expand. When I interviewed, the only clear thing was that this was a new and growing area; the role would be vague and changing constantly. The end goal was to create and sell the new commercial analytics product now called Veeva Pulse, a Business Intelligence product for industry benchmarking. Although I had no background in the life sciences industry, I did have some relevant knowledge and experience in this function.
Coincidentally, after I had interviewed with the Veeva panel and completed the hiring exercises, my previous employer asked me to move to San Diego. Veeva was able to act quickly and hired me during Covid. As is true of the entire Veeva consulting group, we can Work Anywhere. I was grateful to be able to maintain my home base in Miami. Most of my team is in New York, and I meet up with them as needed.
The transition to Veeva required my complete engagement. I went from a relatively predictable environment to a tech company where things move quickly. Everything was compressed from idea to proof of concept to delivering the end product and decision-making. The Pulse team had just seven people and two customers when I started — so you could say no job was too small, and to this day, we all pitch in to make it work. The team is nicely balanced, and we each have our strengths. I am often called the “hype man” for the energy I bring to the job! I balance work intensity with my outside activities — travel, tennis, biking, and cooking. Being active keeps me prepared for whatever comes my way at work. Our area at Veeva is growing fast. In just 14 months, we have 16 customers, and our team has also grown considerably.
What’s unique about the work environment and culture at Veeva?
Ankit: It’s no secret that the pharmaceutical industry has traditionally moved slowly. Veeva is determined to provide the tools to help it move fast and faster, which alone makes Veeva’s role incredibly challenging and unique. Veeva can impact everything from R&D to analytics. The business consulting arm is growing as we embrace more offerings in the data sphere. Veeva’s biggest challenge is to bring on enough people to deliver the tools and technology into the hands of our customers.
Personally, I am getting much more than I ever expected out of my Veeva experience. When I look at what I have done in just 15 months, I can hardly believe it. I did not have a background in the pharmaceutical industry, but with the tools and team supporting me, I learned this aspect of the job within the first few months. Following that, I focused on translating my knowledge of KPIs into this industry. At the 5-month mark, I felt I could really begin to put it all together, but I never imagined leading multi-million-dollar engagements with pharma companies around the world in such a short time. I stepped up to the plate, and the supportive environment and subsequent success in leading complex engagements furthered my confidence to do more.
A key success factor at Veeva is to come in with an open mind and an attitude that no job is beneath you. Whether you are digging deep into a spreadsheet, slogging through a presentation deck, or doing research to back up your project, everyone does grunt work regardless of their title. In return for this, you will get the support, guidance, and know-how from colleagues on whatever you are missing.
This plays directly into another aspect of the culture; the leadership is flat. You can talk to anyone you want, and your boss has an open door.
How will Veeva help you grow?
Ankit: One of the essential things I learned early on is that talent only gets you so far. Being “coachable” is just as important. In high school, at a young age, I played varsity football for three years. I had to learn many skills and tricks to compete with more experienced players. I have found this to be critical in my work at Veeva. Learning from peers, adapting, and fine-tuning my skill sets has been especially important for me to transition to life sciences. I had to adapt to be able to provide value to our customers.
Going forward, I want to learn how to be a good people manager and coach to others. I anticipate this will happen the way most things happen at Veeva — I will be given the responsibility or the position when the time is right, and I will rise to the occasion! Of course, I fully expect there will be plenty of opportunities to learn from those around me along the way. I place a high value on mentorship. Although we are encouraged to “captain our own ship,” I hope to see more mentorship available as we continue to embark on a path of unprecedented growth.
What would you say to someone who was thinking of working here?
Ankit: If you are looking for a fun, exciting company where no day is the same, Veeva is the place for you! At Veeva, your career will not be stuck in the hamster wheel! It’s a place where your professional development will increase at pace with the tech industry. I invite you to “come and play” with Veeva. It’s hard to call it work when it’s so full of excitement. Join us with an open mind, raw hunger for hard work, and self-improvement, and you will find many growth opportunities.
