Team Member Spotlight: Ajay Pattani

Drumroll, please. It’s time to put a spotlight on Ajay Pattani, Perfect Search’s CEO & Founder. You may already know his obsession with white wine and ping-pong, but it’s time to learn something new.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

1) What's your favorite work task? What's your most challenging work task? 

My favorite responsibilities all revolve around teams and culture. Spending time brainstorming and executing on ways to improve our culture is always extremely rewarding.    

Generally, challenging responsibilities involve receiving bad news like a client requesting to disengage or a team member leaving us for another opportunity. These scenarios are difficult in part because it’s tough to decide how and when to deliver news to our team and maintain our strong level of transparency. 

2) What's one way you hope to see the digital marketing industry change in the next few years?

I’m always excited about change. That’s why the digital marketing industry is so fun to be part of—it’s always changing.

I believe the current landscape of digital marketing is focused on a few primary brands like Google, Bing, Amazon, Facebook & other large social media channels.

I'm hoping that other smaller and growing brands can become large players in the space. That way, they’ll offer more competition within advertising. 

I’m also looking forward to seeing how the growth of mobile advertising and the rise of virtual reality will affect the industry and if smaller brands will take advantage of them. Of course, the more established brands already seem to be eyeing these areas.

3) What's the best business advice you've ever received?

Over the years I've received a lot of valuable advice. One recurring theme that I've been told over and over is that the best organizations are created by finding the best people.  

Perfect Search was lucky to focus on developing a great team early on. Our emphasis on team members also drives our investment in our culture and benefits.   

4) What's your favorite Perfect Search memory?

There's obviously too many to state. My favorite in-office day of the year is Halloween because we take it pretty seriously. Our team has always been extremely creative in their costume choice. Think The Office Halloween specials. 

The other fond memories are every Holiday party we've had thus far. The holiday spirit of these events is always extremely positive and exciting.

5) Imagine you get to host a pop-up restaurant for one night. You get to totally design the menu, the drinks, and the location. Describe it to us. 

Although I've simplified my food and drink preferences to healthier options, I can still appreciate diversity in flavors. 

If I were responsible for planning a restaurant I would definitely shape it around my Indian heritage.  I would take spicy flavors and fuse them with different cuisines and presentations.  

One appetizer would be pieces of naan and butter chicken sauce served right when customers are seated, just like how you get chips and salsa at a Mexican restaurant. Full disclosure: I’m copying India House on Grand Street. They do this very well.

Drinks would also use Indian flavors and feature a good amount of spice and kick. Finally, I like nice views so I'd want the location to be in a high rise or on the lakefront.  

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We’d like to make a reservation, stat. For more words of wisdom from Ajay, check out his 7 favorite books on entrepreneurship.