Back in 2016, I Googled "EMS" before an interview — thinking I was about to join something related to emergency medical services. Spoiler alert: I was very wrong.
That little moment of confusion kicked off a journey I never could’ve predicted—one that’s taken me from a startup gamble to helping lead a global software company that’s changing the electronics supply chain industry.
Before CalcuQuote, I was living in New York City and looking to move to Dallas. Through a friend of a friend, I got connected with someone at the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. I casually mentioned I was open to something new—and she said, “There’s this startup looking for someone. It’s early days, but maybe you should talk to them.”
That’s how I met Chintan, the founder of CalcuQuote. I flew down to Dallas, we grabbed coffee, toured a one-room “office” with a couple of IKEA desks, and he offered me a job.
To be honest, I wasn’t sure. I’d worked in startups before and loved the energy, but this one was different. I didn’t know a thing about electronics manufacturing. I barely knew what the company did. But Chintan had a passion for solving real problems in the EMS space—and that passion was contagious.
I figured: let’s do this.
In those early days, “customer success” basically meant doing everything. Onboarding, training, support, renewals, account management—you name it. We were a tiny team, and we all wore way too many hats (mine didn’t always fit, but I made it work).
But what kept me going was the customers. I love solving real problems with real people. And every time someone told me, “This software just saved me hours,” I felt like we were onto something big.
By 2018, things got intense. We lost a couple of team members—one in product, one in sales—and suddenly it was just Chintan and me on the front lines. We were working 80-hour weeks, juggling everything, and hoping the wheels stayed on.
And weirdly… I kind of loved it.
I had to learn fast—about our product, our customers, and most importantly, the industry. One project in particular stands out: an ERP implementation with a customer that pulled me deep into the complexities of electronics manufacturing, including ITAR compliance, document handling, data flows—stuff I had no idea about before.
That project opened my eyes to how intricate this industry really is. And it showed me that the value CalcuQuote brings isn’t just about speed or automation—it’s about understanding how every small process tweak can make a huge impact. Sometimes, a change that saves five minutes becomes something that can change a company.
As the company grew, so did I. I’d worn almost every hat on the customer side, so when we started building out the team, I moved into a leadership role.
One of the first things I realized? Onboarding new team members into this industry is hard. The learning curve is steep. So I tell everyone the same thing: it’s going to take time, but if you’re curious and committed, you’ll get there.
And we’ll help you get there.
Let’s be honest—startups are messy. Growth isn’t linear. Not every customer journey is smooth.
But what’s always kept us moving forward? The people. Our customers.
Even on the hardest days, I’d get off a call where someone said, “CalcuQuote helped me make sense of my chaos,” and I’d feel re-energized.
We don’t sugarcoat things. We’re upfront about the work, the timelines, and the effort it takes to implement real change. Because the truth is: change management is hard. Especially when it’s not the executive, but the person in the weeds every day who feels the friction.
One thing we always say:
“The software is powerful—but only if you’re ready to use it.”
And when customers are ready, we’re right there with them. One that sticks with me? A team in the Pacific Northwest that was struggling—not just with our software, but with their whole process. We flew out, rolled up our sleeves, and figured it out together. It wasn’t “part of the contract,” but it was the right thing to do.
That’s what CalcuQuote has always been about.
When I started, we had about 30 customers in a few states. Today, we serve over 300 across the globe.
Of course, that kind of growth means we’ve had to scale—more structure, more documentation, more process. But one thing we’ve worked really hard to preserve is our customer-first mindset. Whether you’re our first customer or next, we want you to feel like we’ve got your back.
Internally, we joke that working with us should feel like getting an ice cream cone—unexpected, delightful, and just what you needed that day. This was something Chintan would say when I first started, and I’m happy to say that throughout these years and the growth, it hasn’t changed.
We mean it.
I never expected to be at the same company for this long. But here I am—nine years later—still energized, still challenged, and still proud of what we’re building.
Today, I lead our commercial team. I get to work with people who care deeply about our customers, about this industry, and about getting the work done. We hire people who want to learn, grow, and make a real impact.
CalcuQuote didn’t just survive the startup stage—we evolved into a leader in the electronics supply chain space. And now, with David Sharp stepping in as our CEO, my excitement continues about what’s ahead. He’s got over 25 years in this industry, knows our customers inside and out, and shares our vision for what’s next.
CalcuQuote started with a bold idea, some IKEA desks, and a handful of people who believed we could build something better.
That hasn’t changed.
We're still growing. Still learning. Still showing up when it counts. And we’re just getting started.
If you’re part of this industry, you should know: we’re here to help you win. No fluff, no ego. Just people who care about making things work better.
I’m really happy to be here. So let’s do this.