High-Impact Consulting for Deeply Technical Challenges
Ritvik Punjari – Consultant – Purdue University
Why have you decided to become an Avencore consultant?
I joined Avencore after spending nearly two years in the consulting industry at a medium-sized, suppl. chain-focused firm. I was instantly drawn to Avencore’s distinctive approach of applying high-impact consulting methods to deeply technical challenges and influencing performance across a plethora of business functions. However, what cemented my decision to become an Avencore consultant were the interactions I had with my future teammates throughout the recruitment process—humble, sharp, and impressively diverse in their engineering backgrounds and industry experiences. It was immediately clear to me that this was a team I wanted to grow with.
What do you like most about your job as a consultant and work at Avencore?
I love the generalist nature of my consulting role at Avencore, which exposes me to a variety of complex challenges across several industries and fosters limitless opportunities for growth and learning. I also enjoy the dynamism of developing and delivering truly unique solutions for each and every one of our clients—there is no ‘one-size-fits-all,’ an aspect perfectly accentuated by our client portfolio that ranges from entrepreneurial start-ups to global Fortune 500 companies.
What does a typical day as an Avencore consultant look like for you?
Any consultant will tell you that there is no typical day in consulting. However, if I had to describe common themes I have experienced across client engagements they would be: conducting rigorous analytics on unstructured data, synthesizing actionable business insights, and developing strategic recommendations that don’t just provide an answer to a client’s issue, but rather deliver a roadmap for sustained performance and the confidence to make better decisions.
A day at Avencore doesn’t just end with client work, I have the unique opportunity to be deeply involved in business development work—from proposals to pitches, to impactful industry research and pioneering white papers.
Finally, I would not be an Avencore consultant if I did not uphold the “serious but fun” core value. Planning (and participating in) social and team bonding activities, frequent all team meetups in our New York and Paris offices, and consulting office hours are all part of the Avencore experience.
What is the impact of Avencore’s work on clients from your perspective?
Having had the opportunity to work with a variety of client teams from shop floor staff to C-suite executives, I truly believe we take on the role of a trusted advisor for our clients. I have had more than one instance on a project where a client stakeholder has referred a colleague or team of theirs to reach out for support on a problem they are actively facing or even just for trusted advice in an impending decision. Being recognized as a teammate who can help with the next challenge, and not just a consultant who will solve the current issue, speaks perfectly to the lasting impact and interpersonal relationships we foster with our client teams.
What do you think makes a good consultant?
I think a good consultant can combine structured thinking with adaptability in a fast-paced environment. They can break down ambiguous, complex problems into clear, solvable components—and do so in an efficient manner. The ability to communicate these insights simply and persuasively to stakeholders at all levels is just as important as developing them.
What I think makes a great consultant is having a client-first and collaborative mindset: listening actively, challenging respectfully, and lifting the performance of the teams they work with.