Leaders

The international BPO market is a booming industry vertical reaching a market value in excess of 380 billion US dollars. Till 2030, the industry is set to grow at an impressive 9.6 percent CAGR, and this growth potential of the market has attracted many new companies to start offering BPO services. MattsenKumar (MK) is a privately held global BPO led by a team that averages 20 years of international BPO outsourcing leadership. Set up in 2010, the firm boasts of a vast array of global clients —many of whom have collaborated with the company for ten-plus years. The company is often ranked number one and almost always in the top percentile for every client they serve, which just goes to show the quality of their offerings. MattsenKumar’s mindset to be a catalyst of change in the market is further showcased by their tagline: ‘Be Bold. Be Transparent. Be More’.

Founder and CEO Mike Mattsen and Founder and COO Aarati Kumar have worked together for 22 years and have pioneered two other global outsourcing success stories. The guidance of these two stalwarts has been cornerstones behind the sustained success of MattsenKumar and with these two at the helm, the company is aiming to reach greater heights.

In an exclusive interview with Women Entrepreneur, Aarati shares more insights into her professional journey and how she has been able to become one of the most reputed names in the industry.

Take Us Through Your Early Educational Journey And Prior Industry Experience That You Bring To The Table.

Most of my childhood was spent in Air force bases all over India and my family moved every two years which taught me how to adapt to changing places and situations. More than anything, that’s the learning that has really helped me today and throughout my career. You develop a risk-taking attitude early, and an ability to work in different environments that no school curriculum can teach. I finished my schooling, and then went on to get my undergrad in DU - Jesus and Mary college. I rounded this with a post grad in International Marketing from IMI, New Delhi. After graduation, I started in hotel sales immediately, working with ITC and then Oberoi. The ability to hold your own, when in discussions with senior corporate leaders, came from there. Both these companies turned out to be excellent training grounds.

What Motivated You To Establish Mattsenkumar? Tell Us About The Underlying Idea Behind The Company And Its Unique Features.

After years in global BPO industry, and after being on the ground level of two successful start-ups, Mike and I decided to break out on our own. We started off in the consulting space, but moved into Bricks and Mortar BPO when our initial work created this opportunity four years later. Mike and I knew going in, that we wanted a place that really values our team and builds a strong ownership culture. We have been lucky to have some great individuals join us in this journey. Our truly unique feature is our culture towards our team and our clients. We have a concept called TANIAP. Mistakes happen and in this business they happen often. We don’t cover it up. We own it. We work to correct and do better, thereby Turning a Negative into a Positive or TANIAP.

Throw Some Light On The Various Roles And Responsibilities That You Shoulder As The Cofounder & COO Of Mattsenkumar??

Mike and I have an arguably unique management approach, we have created a leadership team where from an 'org chart perspective' we both support all functions, collaboratively with the functional leads, but each of us always retains authority for buy-in and, occasionally, to alter decisions. It’s a system that has worked incredibly well because we are usually quite aligned but when we do disagree, it’s constructive conflict that ensures thoughtful decisions.

"We’ll continue to evolve, leveraging technology to enhance the capabilities of our bpo services"

Both of us always want to move forward, so we are motivated to find agreement, but the team knowing that either of us can at any time raise issues or concerns makes our team stronger. Yes, we also divide and conquer, I’m based in India so many of the responsibilities that require on premise leadership are my priorities, while Mike, based in the US, helps keep the overall mission on track and also leverages geography with our global clients and prospects, working more closely with the teams that support them.

In Your Opinion What Are Some Of The Most Significant Milestones That You Have Achieved Through Out Your Professional Journey? What Has Been The Driving Force Behind Your Success As A Business Leader?

Each phase in my career has been a stepping stone to the next. One key deviation was my decision after my post grad to join a start-up called InfoVision. Having worked with large brands till then, it was a big step away, but it really helped me build my leadership and ownership skills. Apart from that, having a solid home foundation is also important. My husband and I, college mates from post grad time, were both on our own corporate journey, living alone, counting our pennies by month end. This also helps build the culture of self-reliance and not taking things too seriously.

What Is Your Vision For The Company’s Growth Going Forward?

While we’ve looked at expansion in other countries, we’ve always concluded the smartest solution and best value come from our growing team in India. So we’re all-in on leveraging our Indian operations to grow and prosper. We’ll continue to evolve, leveraging technology to enhance the capabilities of our BPO services but I believe that it will be out our team that will propel us forward.

What Would Be Your Advice To Young Women And Girls Who Also Aspire To Become Business Leaders And Entrepreneurs In The Future?

To all young women entering the work space, I would say dream big and don’t worry about failing and making mistakes. Take chances, go for that odd assignment, and take that person into your team that others find hard to work with. Build your tribe – that will support you at odd and sometimes, long hours, at work and in personal space. But have patience. The millennials and Gen Z are characterized as wanting instant gratification. Don’t worry, gratification and rewards will come. Invest your 20s and early 30s in taking risks. Invest in building skills not degrees. Invest in relationships. Have fun!

Aarati Kumar, Founder & COO, Mattsenkumar

This pioneering professional has a keen eye for identifying often overlooked business opportunities and developing them into revenue generating channels for the company. Also, with her and Mike leading the charges, MattsenKumar has been able to receive a multitude of awards including Clutch award – Top Voice Services Companies 2021, Clutch award- Top Data Entry Companies 2020, and Clutch award – Top Financial Services Voice/Call Centers 2019 to name a few.