Sushumna Roy Jalajam With Softpath System LLC

Intro: [00:00:04] Broadcasting live from the Business RadioX Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, it’s time for GWBC Radio’s Open For Business. Now, here’s your host.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:18] Lee Kantor here. Another episode of GWBC Open For Business, and this is going to be a good one. Today on the show, we have Sushumna Roy with Softpath System. Welcome.

Sushumna Roy: [00:00:31] Thank you. It’s a pleasure to be here with you, Lee, today.

Lee Kantor: [00:00:34] Well, I’m so excited to learn about Softpath System. Can you tell us a little bit about how you’re serving folks?

Sushumna Roy: [00:00:41] Absolutely. Softpath is a 24 year old global award winning technology consulting and talent management company catering to commercial and government clients. Since we started our business, we’ve been providing our customers with the technology, guidance, and services to facilitate a successful lasting business transformation.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:04] So, what was the genesis of the idea? How did it get started?

Sushumna Roy: [00:01:08] So, opportunity presented itself, and I’m a second generation entrepreneur, and I saw there was a need for people, always. There’s always a need for people and decided to embark on that journey.

Lee Kantor: [00:01:21] And then, how has the industry changed over the years? I would imagine it’s changed quite a bit.

Sushumna Roy: [00:01:27] Absolutely. It has changed tremendously over the years. I think, you know, change is always constant and industry always presents opportunities for innovation. And where we were just meeting the clients directly and just delivering resumes for hiring, now it is integrated with cutting edge AI technology, machine learning, there’s a lot of data analytics in the process. We are harnessing that power to find the candidates, enhance our ability to identify the most qualified candidates swiftly, accurately. So, it has changed a lot, the talent market has changed a lot.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:10] Are you finding that the talent market is growing fast enough to meet the demand that the organizations and the enterprises need?

Sushumna Roy: [00:02:20] Not really. And there’s been a lot of changes, especially in the technology space, there’s a lack of talent. Even in the healthcare industry that we do cater to, in the pandemic, there was a severe kind of need that was there just to hire those healthcare workers. There was an immense burden on companies like us to fulfill the talent and the most qualified talent in a timely way, so that the healthcare organizations could service our communities. And we’ve seen a lot of difficulty.

Lee Kantor: [00:02:53] Is this something that you almost have to help your clients train that next employee? Like, do you get involved in that side as well or is it something that you’re having to go out and find people who really have jobs already?

Sushumna Roy: [00:03:08] So, it works both ways. We do find people from outside. It’s all time based, and their organizations are deeply invested because they know that retention is the key. There is an ROI in retaining your employees and training them. And a lot of organizations that we work with do see that, and they do invest in employee training. And it helps a lot to retrain them with new technologies or new skills. And we do also assist in some training programs, reimbursement fees, they fulfill their educational obligations. We do provide financial assistance so they can continue to stay and perform.

Lee Kantor: [00:03:50] Now, how do you, as an organization, kind of stay ahead of the curve? Because I would imagine you have to be a little bit ahead of all your clients in order to have the right fit for them. How do you know kind of which thing that’s maybe in the news is really the thing that’s going to be needed as opposed to something that might come and go?

Sushumna Roy: [00:04:10] So, you know, as an organization, we have our own pursuit of excellence. We are dedicated to expanding our footprint. Now, the business landscape is increasingly interconnected. We recognize the importance of being a part of that vision. And we have a vision to have strategic partnerships and collaboration that will enable us to serve the clients and candidates on a global scale, actually.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:36] Now, what trends are you seeing? Where is the area of the most growth of people requesting talent? Is it in AI? Is that an area that is blossoming?

Sushumna Roy: [00:04:47] Yes. AI, blockchain, it’s all digital transformation right now.

Lee Kantor: [00:04:52] So, when it comes to AI, do you have any advice for maybe that person that is working out there now that maybe doesn’t have the skills but would like to have the skills, what are some of the things they can be doing to be proactive so they can be kind of found by people like you that are looking for that kind of talent?

Sushumna Roy: [00:05:09] Absolutely. So, AI is no longer artificial, right? It’s as real as it can get. We know that artificial intelligence is going to change the way we do our business, change the way we work, even, in fact, some basic things, such as how we even run our homes, AI is taking over. And the fact that we get on that boat and understand AI is going to remove some jobs, but also create additional opportunities. And I think that is where the candidate should place a focus on, how AI is going to affect or impact their role or their job responsibilities, and what are the strategic advantages of that effect, and then how can they be viable and still be able to contribute to that particular work that they’re doing.

Lee Kantor: [00:05:59] So, get involved and maybe get some certifications and get some education and credentials and that’ll give you the skills that you need.

Sushumna Roy: [00:06:06] Absolutely. Absolutely.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:06] Because like you said before, I mean, change is the only constant, right? You have to always be kind of pushing your limits when it comes to education and acquiring new talents.

Sushumna Roy: [00:06:20] Yes. Business landscape is always ever evolving. It may not be as slow as the industrial revolution, but this is going to be at a faster pace and we have to stay ahead. We must embrace change and leverage whatever technologies, emerging technologies are out there. We have to set those standards.

Lee Kantor: [00:06:39] So, now why was it important for you to get involved with GWBC in a leadership role?

Sushumna Roy: [00:06:46] Since 2008, I think, I’ve been a certified women-owned business and I was a part of the organization. And then, at one time there was an opportunity in the boat to serve in the Technology Committee. And our business is in the technology space, we do a lot of technology consulting. And I thought when the opportunity presented itself, my vision and my mission and values aligned with the vision and mission of GWBC, so I decided to take on that opportunity.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:25] Was that the first time you were on a board?

Sushumna Roy: [00:07:28] Oh, no. I have served on other boards before that, and I’ve served on multiple nonprofits.

Lee Kantor: [00:07:32] So, what’s your advice for someone that is maybe a founder or an executive in order to get the best out of their experience on a board? How would you choose a board to get involved with? And what are some of the things that a person should be doing in order to have a productive time on the board?

Sushumna Roy: [00:07:52] Absolutely. And I can speak for GWBC board, it’s a very active working board. If somebody is interested, the board committee, the colleagues and the board are extremely collaborative. There’s a lot of teamwork. There’s a lot of things that you can learn. And when I joined, I had a lot of enthusiasm and I’m going to contribute to the growth and success of this organization. And over the period of time, I have learned myself a lot. There was a lot of shared wisdom. I’ve had the privilege of working alongside some dedicated colleagues and they’ve been very visionary leaders. And I have developed some leadership skills along the way. I’ve made some great friendships that will stay with me forever.

Sushumna Roy: [00:08:38] And I think this is a great board to join and to develop your skills to grow your business. And you can actually see how the organization functions to enhance its mission or how they are aligned with the mission of empowering women, business enterprises with education, funding, be it technology guidance or innovation and networking opportunities. There’s a lot to get from this board. But I think time commitment is very crucial. This board is an active working board, I reiterate that, and it does take some time from your side and you have to be committed.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:19] So, what’s one of the most impactful lessons learned from being involved with GWBC?

Sushumna Roy: [00:09:27] Oh. Like I said, I’ve learned a lot from this organization. I developed some leadership skills and some great friendships.

Lee Kantor: [00:09:36] Now, is there any story that you can share, maybe, that you feel that your work kind of has benefited one of the maybe the WBEs or one of the folks involved in the organization, something that you can share.

Sushumna Roy: [00:09:52] Of course. Of course. So, I spearheaded the Technology Committee. It was instrumental in providing support to GWBC staff in assessing the technology requirements and needs. I have analyzed and recommended technology or cybersecurity resources to support daily operations. And during the pandemic, I was also instrumental in hosting some cybersecurity webinars, and that was very helpful.

Sushumna Roy: [00:10:18] And by not just being on the board, but being a part of the organization, I’ve had the opportunity to collaborate a lot with women business enterprises. We’ve had relationships that led to some business transactions and mentoring. So, I’m extremely proud of those opportunities that presented by being a part of this organization.

Lee Kantor: [00:10:41] Now, do you have any advice for maybe a woman-owned business that isn’t certified? Can you share some of the kind of key benefits for that person that is out there battling but hasn’t gotten certified yet?

Sushumna Roy: [00:10:55] Oh, yes. And I’ve always been an advocate for certification. Again, to just set the theme, certification does not give you an access to contract, but it’s a great conversation starter, you have a conversation. So, with the organizations like GWBC or the WBENC overall, they are on a mission to empower women business enterprises. They’re always looking out for opportunities to help you secure that conversation or that meeting with these corporations.

Sushumna Roy: [00:11:27] There is a level playing field, and so you have other women business owners that you’re competing with. But as long as you have your differentiators and you are able to provide your value, you’re able to secure business on your own merit. But this will give you that opportunity to showcase your talent, to showcase your business. And more than business, again, to develop your leadership skills, ample networking opportunity, great friendships, that women business enterprises can work with women business enterprises because it’s not always going to be easy getting the work from the corporation. But there are so many other tier two opportunities that present themselves.

Sushumna Roy: [00:12:13] And every organization, and include companies like mine, who are primes to some of the companies are looking to work with certified women-owned businesses. Because we all have our goals and our metrics and we are very comfortable because we know this organization certification has a lot of impact. It is very valuable. It is well recognized in the industry. It is not taken for granted. So, you add some things to yourself as a collateral to your own business, it authenticates that you’re a certified women-owned business, that you have some ability, some scalability to provide services to these organizations that are in the network.

Lee Kantor: [00:12:58] So, if you were to look in your crystal ball, what do you see for GWBC’s future?

Sushumna Roy: [00:13:05] Well, GWBC has been growing immensely. And if you have seen, even during the pandemic, there was an overall growth. We were host to the national conference here, host council to the national conference. There are about 700 or 750 members, certified women business enterprises when I got on the boat. And this year, I think it was over 1,200. So, you know the organization is growing. They’re doing a lot of programming. They’re constantly engaging women business enterprises. And they’re true to their mission to empower and educate women business enterprises. It’s for us to be a part of that pool, a part of that network, and take advantage of the opportunities that exist there.

Sushumna Roy: [00:13:51] For me, personally, I did not know there were so many opportunities before I got certified. Even after I got certified, it took me a couple of years to join and realize the full potential. So, you have to be willing to invest your time once you get your certification to harness that potential that’s available there.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:08] Yeah. I can’t emphasize enough that that’s the magic, the secret sauce, is to not just get certified and go about your business. You have to kind of lean into the organization and be active, volunteer, get on committees and volunteer for activities. You got to immerse yourself if you really want to get the most value.

Sushumna Roy: [00:14:30] Right. And I’m really excited about the future of our organization. It is making great strides. I mean, we’ve survived the pandemic. We’ve shown what collaboration can do within the organization, the staff, the board, and the members that are involved, and the resilience that this has shown. So, I think there’s no looking back.

Lee Kantor: [00:14:51] Yeah. And I think the pandemic really made it seen that you really have to be part of a community if you really want to survive something like that. It takes everybody.

Sushumna Roy: [00:15:03] Right. It does. It does.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:05] So, if somebody wants to learn more about Softpath or connect with you, what is the best way to do that?

Sushumna Roy: [00:15:11] So, our website is www.softpath.net. I’m also there on LinkedIn. We have a page on LinkedIn. Either look us up online, reach out to us, we’re happy to help.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:23] So, what do you need more? How can we help you? Are you looking for more talent? Is that something that you never get tired of doing?

Sushumna Roy: [00:15:31] We’re always short of talent. We can take as many as we can, you know, send them our way. We welcome everyone to apply. And we encourage more diverse candidates to apply because DEI is at the core of our heart in the way we do our business. And we want to be a sustainable organization so we have a lot of emphasis on hiring diverse candidates, finding diverse talent for our corporation.

Lee Kantor: [00:15:57] Well, thank you so much for sharing your story today. You’re doing such important work and we appreciate you.

Sushumna Roy: [00:16:03] Thank you so much, Lee. It was nice talking to you as well.

Lee Kantor: [00:16:04] All right. This is Lee Kantor. We’ll see you next time on GWBC Open For Business.