Meet Ampcus CEO Ann Ramakumaran
Fostering Inclusivity Through Passion and Collaboration
Ann Ramakumaran is not only the founder of a Virginia-based tech and business consulting and staffing firm that supports 80 of the Fortune 100 companies. She is also an indispensable asset to WBEC NY & DMV’s inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. Through program participation, mentorship, thought leadership and support, Ann is one member of our network whose entrepreneurial success and community input have served as a catalyst for success among countless others in the network. Her leadership has helped in fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem where people from diverse backgrounds feel supported and empowered to start, grow, and sustain their businesses.
We spoke with Ann to hear more about Ampcus as well as her own story, the future of the tech industry, advice for aspiring entrepreneurs, and her perspective on fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem. With a nod to Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, we spoke about celebrating the community’s successes and, importantly, reflecting on all the sacrifices that Asian Americans before her have made so that others like herself can succeed in the marketplace today by using resources like WBEC NY & DMV.
How it all started
Previously working for a headhunting and a consulting company, Ann started her entrepreneurial journey in 2004. She realized that within the tech industry, there were a lot of businesses that either focused on providing business consulting services, technology consulting services, or staff augmentation. However, there weren’t many that did all three: solving business problems by bringing in both technology solutions and the right talent. This is the realization that planted the seed for Ann to set up Ampcus.
Today, Ampcus is a global business and technology consulting and staff augmentation company celebrating its 20th year in business in June this year. It is providing solutions and services to banking, financial services, insurance companies, healthcare, life sciences, pharmaceuticals, utilities, telecommunications, and automotive — as well as federal agencies, state, local, and non-profits and MSP clients. With a global workforce of over 2300 employees, customer support offices in the US, global delivery centers and innovation labs, Ampcus group continues to bring positive impact in the lives of over 80 of the Fortune 100 and 121 of the Fortune 1000 companies and agencies.
Success driven by passion and innovation
Under Ann's leadership, Ampcus has received numerous accolades, including being listed as one of the 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Owned Businesses. Ann credits this success to Ampcus’ emphasis on building teams in an inclusive, creative, and innovative way to ensure the “perfect mix of folks” who collectively cover the experience needed to solve problems across sectors.
“All 2,300 employees are passionate about what they do. They have an innovative mindset and strive to make a positive impact on our customers and our communities we live, serve and operate.”
A guiding light within the uncertainty
Planning and aspiring toward the future are important for any business. But for a tech company, with technology changing so rapidly, Ann is conscious that reskilling and retooling are crucial to keeping up the pace.
It is undeniable that AI will be a huge part of this, Ann says. It's going to change the way we work and operate on so many levels, so Ampcus is making continuous investments on that front. But with the excitement that comes with this development comes a need to be vigilant. During the pandemic, cyber attacks across the globe across industry segments increased by 300,000%, and that threat is only growing as technology advances hence there will be an increasing demand by companies across industry segments for Cybersecurity, Governance, Risk and Compliance.
We also increasingly live in an age of automation. As a result, helping customers in their customer retention journey is (and will continue to be) essential for Ampcus.
Since data has become a whole new currency, she says, how our data is managed and shared is also a huge driver of Ampcus–and the entire tech sector’s–mission.
The Power of Many: Collaboration and Partnerships
WBEC NY & DMV is celebrating the theme of "The Power of Many" this year for our 25th anniversary, emphasizing the importance of collective action and collaboration. From a business perspective, Ann is adamant that as entrepreneurs, we simply can't do it all alone, stating:
“It takes a village to move the needle from where you are to where you need to be. The power of many will help you to get to where you need to get to.”
According to her, this must involve 1) empowering and fostering relationships with employees, and 2) building relationships with customers.
“Relationships, both internal and external, are essential for business success because employees and clients need to know where the company is heading.”
This is reflected in Ampcus’s equally impressive client and employee retention rates.
Some advice for aspiring WBEs
The primary piece of advice Ann gave for aspiring entrepreneurs based on her own experience is to remember that:
“It's not just about yourself when you embark on that entrepreneurial journey. It's about your people: It's about the communities, clients, colleagues... Be part of an ecosystem comprised of advisors, mentors, business leaders, and your customers. ”
Secondly: “Focus on investing and reinvesting, because the goal is to build an enterprise, and this must involve bringing in suppliers, and adding those entrepreneurs as part of your community.”
Thirdly: “Surround yourself with others that have a growth mindset and a positive attitude. Not all days are going to be glory days; There are inevitably going to be ups and downs.”
And finally: don’t forget that nobody is perfect or knows everything. In light of this, Ann recommends:
“Rather than hold back until we feel like we know it all, let's march forward with the intent to learn and grow.”
Fostering inclusivity through passion and collaboration
All being considered, technology is just a tool for us to take advantage of. In Ampcus’s case, it’s a tool to solve business problems: helping customers increase efficiency, increase productivity, and, most importantly, provide better customer service: something fundamental to all industries. For that to happen, it is crucial to focus on teamwork and collaboration between teams. This is how Ampcus strives to tackle the problems not only of a particular client, but of the whole industry they’re a part of.
In the past 20 years, we’ve seen government shutdowns, economic downturns, and the pandemic. And in the years to come, challenges will continue to arise. Reflecting on this, Ann encouraged us that there are two things to bear in mind, no matter what difficulties emerge:
1) The belief that you're here for the greater good: to bring a positive impact in the lives of your clients, your employees, your colleagues and the communities that you live, serve, operate, and support.
2) Remember that you are not alone and you don’t have to do it alone: You can collaborate, team up, co-create, and co-innovate because that's the way of the world today.