In the little over a year since leaving Atomic, I’ve looked back and reflected on what made our work in the sports market successful, coming from a typical Managed Service / Data Center space. There are moments when someone teaches you something, you sit down to listen and learn, and suddenly everything becomes clear. Other times, the change happens slowly, day by day, as you’re gently chiseled into a better version of yourself. Working with Jim was that kind of experience. Part by part, he created lasting impact and made me far better than when he first met me. As Mahatria says, I can close my eyes even now and still hear Jim’s voice guiding me. Here is one such reflection from my time with him — and the critical lifelong lessons I carry forward.
Relationship
People like to work with others they can relate to — I heard this from Jim. They need to see some part of themselves in you to feel comfortable. I cannot be a total stranger and still expect people to partner with me just because I can solve problems. This was a huge lesson.
I’ve always been a hard worker, eager to learn, deliver results, and make a difference. But I’m not from here. I lived in India for over three decades, and much of what I grew up with was different from life in the USA. My movie and music choices (still Ilaiyaraaja and A.R. Rahman), the seasons I knew (hot, hotter, hottest), my vegetarian diet, and never having tasted alcohol were few things that set me apart. Even my one attempt at golf looked more like cricket. So I wondered: what could I possibly have in common with the partners and clients I was working with?
That’s when it clicked. Inherently, people like to work with those they feel comfortable around. It didn’t matter that I wasn’t eating steaks with them — I could enjoy my cauliflower wings while talking technology, soccer, sports, stadiums, family, kids, and diverse background. Soccer was the only football I knew growing up, so it was easy to relate. I love technology and infrastructure, which helped immensely. I could understand many “languages” — network engineering, AV, low-voltage cabling, architecture — and translate them into plain English. After one 30-minute presentation, a leader turned to me and said, “Tell me what he just said in a way I can understand to make decisions.”
My Commerce and Accounting background also helped me speak the language of budgets, forecasts, revenue, profit, sponsorships, and contracts. The South Indian vegetarian Hindu somehow built deep, genuine relationships with people from here. I didn’t know every one of my client / their kid’s birthday, but I remembered when they overlapped with my family’s so I could reach out and wish.
I once sat for hours with Jim and one of his friends in a cigar shop. Two people with completely opposing views on politics, business, and life — yet the conversation was filled with respect, care for each other’s families, and genuine love as people. That showed me how relationships can be built.
When soccer games were on, Jim would text CEOs and owners about plays and results. At first I thought it wasn’t the best time to talk business, but shared interests made it natural. It led to real connection and genuine interest in client success and not just as a vendor. My Guru said success in business relationships depends on how much time you spend outside the business. I saw that magic working.
Trust
Great relationships are a wonderful foundation, but without trust they remain social hangouts rather than strong business partnerships. This is where trust made the difference. We didn’t just build relationships — we delivered on commitments. We removed long-standing, small but annoying pain points for clients. We thought about their future and showed thought leadership by highlighting potential issues and solutions. We understood their business and proved we were exceptional in ours.
More than being there when things went well, we showed up when there were slips or mistakes. There were nights we stayed on calls until 3 a.m., then get ready and offered to board a 6 a.m. flights to stand in front of leadership and take accountability — even when the problem wasn’t entirely ours. We challenged not only vendors but also our own internal teams when situations demanded, always representing the client. They saw that we held ourselves to the same high standard. We could wear multiple hats and switch quickly to do what was right for them. This built the trust for them to know we always had their back and will do what is right for them.
Technical Solutions / Expertise
After roughly 50% success attributed to relationships and 30% to trust, I attribute about 20% to the technology solutions themselves. There are many Managed Service Providers, IT-as-a-Service companies, and CSPs in the market. Clients can choose anyone. Eighty percent of what everyone will offer will meet their needs in some form. Products and implementation may differ, but the core problems are similar.
We differentiated ourselves through these pillars. When relationship and trust weaken, all that remains is technology. Even doing 110% better on that front only covers 20% of what clients truly seek.
Why is this section so short and with fewer words? Remember — it’s only 20%. Also, understanding these three things effectively knows when to relate and provide solutions and when to take a step back and let the client come to us. It differentiates between a vendor and a trusted partner.
I am now carrying these extraordinary lessons with me as I expand and grow in the next chapter.
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