Atal Bansal is the founder and CEO of Chetu, a software development company with nearly 1,800 employees in 14 locations around the globe. Prior to founding Chetu in 2000, Bansal worked for such tech giants as Siemens, and IBM, and is a graduate of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur.
Fun fact: I’m an avid golfer and a motorcycle enthusiast. I love to take my Harley-Davidson out for a drive on the open road.
What is your favorite South Florida dining destination? While I do like many dining establishments in South Florida, I actually enjoy home-cooked meals the most.
What do you like to do on weekends? On the weekends, you can always find me on the golf course working on my game and enjoying the beautiful weather.
How do you unwind from a long day at work? For me, it’s all about family, and the time I get to spend with them after a long day makes it all worthwhile.
What is your favorite quote? “Good enough never is.” This quote is exactly how our Chetu family conducts itself on a daily basis. It is a continuous reminder to never settle for anything less than extraordinary.
From whom, or what, do you draw inspiration? One of my favorite books, and the inspiration behind Chetu, is Built to Last by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras. It’s a remarkable piece of literature that examines visionary companies.
What has been the biggest accomplishment of your career? While founding my own business was certainly a major accomplishment for me personally, I have to say that the recent 20th anniversary we recently celebrated was the most impactful. Being able to celebrate two decades of growth and success, along with the opening of our new headquarters in Plantation – which we built from the ground up – was a great personal accomplishment and milestone and for the Chetu family.
What has been the most challenging moment in your career and how did you overcome it? 2020, and all the obstacles brought on by the pandemic, has been the most challenging part of my career. I really owe all of the success in overcoming the challenges to the resilience of the Chetu team, and the innovative solutions we were able to engineer. Thanks to constant communication, superior delegation, and the processes that we have spent years perfecting, we were able to not only overcome but continue to grow in 2020.
What advice would you give an up and coming professional? I’ll keep it very simple. Work hard, be persistent, stay hungry, and never, ever close yourself off to a new perspective. Learning and adapting is the only way to ensure sustainable success in your business and career.
