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This month on our #DimeOfTheMonth series, we are excited to feature Pratik Vaidya, the Engineering Lead at Cents. From working at Domino’s and an EMT in college to finding his passion in B2B tech, he takes us through his journey to Cents and gives some sage advice on how to make progress every single day (and one of his hidden talents).
Q. What makes Cents different from other places you’ve worked?
I'd say at Cents, the passion that each and every employee has for every customer is incredible. Everything from making sure we're understanding the underlying problems that they're having, constantly advocating for customers, being a voice for the industry, and trying to push the industry forward. I think as a company, we always try and go the extra mile to make everyone’s day a little bit better, whether that's customers or customers' customers, and the genuine authenticity of caring about the industry.
Q. What has your career path looked like?
I've worked in a variety of different jobs and roles, everything from being a soccer referee to making pizzas at Domino's, or an EMT. I’ve worked for several different tech companies and domains like health care, enterprise software management, event analytics, data visualization, and laundry. I'd say overall, I love using technology to solve these real-world problems and empowering other people, like saving them time so that they can then go and do something better to advance the world. I like looking at the data of everything, taking in all the nitty gritty details, and putting that together to come up with a real plan that helps people.
Q. What advice would you give to your younger self?
I would say: be open-minded. Take advantage of all kinds of different opportunities and never let your initial perception of something lead you astray. Embrace new opportunities, things that might seem different, and talk to all kinds of people.
Q. What is your secret to making progress each day?
Generally having a plan of what I want to accomplish over the course of the day, making a list of that, and checking it off even if I have it in my head. The other big thing for me is just taking breaks, honestly. Whether that's just going for a walk or listening to music or cooking lunch, taking a break and getting away from the task at hand seems to make me more efficient.
Q. If you could switch your job with anyone else within Cents, whose job would you want?
I think I'd have to go with Pablo, our Director of Business Development. It’s super cool that he can work on all of these special projects: R&D, innovative solutions, and strategy. He’s coming up with all of these ideas of what might be the next big thing in the industry and socializing with operators to find unique and innovative ways to really open up opportunities for them. I think it is a great way to meet all kinds of people with different perspectives.
Q. Tell us one thing people don’t know about you.
I can make an Elmo impersonation.
Q. What advice do you have for prospective Cents candidates?
I would say take the opportunity to ask people about their stories with the industry, the connections they've made with operators, where they see our industry going, and how we can make an impact there. I think the space that we're in is so niche and nuanced that you open a door and there are hundreds of possibilities of what we can and are doing. So, take the opportunity to hear those stories.
Looking to join a team of innovative, dynamic, and creative individuals? Check out our careers page to learn more about us and view our open positions! We’re growing fast and are always looking for new talent to help us revolutionize the laundry industry.
