4:40
Meet Ann Ramakumaran
The supplier diversity advocate is celebrating 20 years of her technology and business consulting and staff augmentation firm in 2024.
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Every founder’s journey features some measure of adversity. To better understand how leaders manage through market challenges and respond to trends, we’re speaking with business owners guiding their companies and industries to new heights. Topics include business resiliency and scaling for growth, access to capital, financial discipline and strategic planning, talent management, and leadership.
This is the fourth conversation in our ongoing “Thriving in uncertain times” series, in which diverse, women, veteran and LGBTQ+ business leaders share how they’re building resilient organizations. In this discussion, Frederick Royall III, National Head of Diverse Businesses for JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking, spoke with Ann Ramakumaran, founder and CEO of Ampcus, a technology and business consulting and staff augmentation firm—and JPMorgan Chase supplier—celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2024.
Side note:
Bright music plays.
Text on screen:
Thriving in uncertain times.
Logos:
- J.P. Morgan;
- (and) Chase (with the Chase octagon symbol).
Text on screen:
Business resiliency and scaling for growth - How to stay nimble and innovate through uncertainty.
On screen:
A man with closely cropped dark hair and brown eyes begins a virtual interview. He wears a light blue dress shirt and dark blue suit jacket.
Text on screen:
Frederick Royall the Third, National Head of Diverse Businesses, JPMorgan Chase Commercial Banking.
Frederick Royal III:
Business resiliency is always a priority, but every CEO has their own take on how to achieve it and still grow over time. Ann, what does business resiliency mean to you?
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Ann, a woman with long black hair and brown eyes, replies. She is wearing a black suit, paired with gold earrings and a necklace.
Text on screen:
Ann Ramakumaran, Founder and CEO, Ampcus.
Ann Ramakumaran:
Well that's a great question, Fred. And you're right. Every leader has a different definition. When any external disruptions happen, it's important for the organization to ensure that there's business continuity and your people, your assets, and your brand continues to stay intact and safe. So that according to me is business resiliency.
Frederick Royal III:
How do you ensure resiliency during periods of market instability?
Ann Ramakumaran:
For us, even during market instability, we have continued to grow, thrive, and succeed in the marketplace because of the choices and the investments that were made toward innovation, right? And the strategic approach that we've taken when it comes to growth. The industry segments that we've chosen to be in, we've invested in things like robotic process automation, cloud security, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and low-code.
Logo:
Ampcus - Collaboration redefined.
Text on screen:
Ampcus' business resiliency strategy includes ongoing investments in:
- Robotic process automation;
- Cloud security;
- Cybersecurity;
- Digital transformation;
- (and) Low-code.
Ann Ramakumaran:
There's always demand from a project standpoint of view. No matter which customer across industry segments we're supporting, all that they're looking for is ways companies can support them, increase efficiency, increase productivity, back it up with innovation, and most importantly bring home cost savings.
Frederick Royal III:
Ann, your company celebrates its 20th anniversary this year. Congratulations. What key challenges did you face when you started the company and how did you overcome them?
Ann Ramakumaran:
Like any other startup, when I started this company in 2004, access to capital was the number one challenge. And thanks to our customers, thanks to our employees and contractors, with their continued support, we were able to navigate through that challenge. But today, that is not a challenge, right, because we've continued to invest back in our company. For the last 20 years, monies earned after taking care of taxes, managing employees payroll, be it bonuses, expenses, monies earned have been reinvested back in the business.
Frederick Royal III:
What advice would you have for other diverse business owners?
Ann Ramakumaran:
One thing I want to call out and let them know is: believe that you can achieve what you need to achieve because that belief is going to take you places. And know one thing: you're not alone. By being part of an ecosystem where you surround yourself with bankers, you surround yourself with industry leaders, you surround yourself with advisors, and you surround yourself with a team of brain trust folks, if you may, who could be your peers within the same industry, you're positioning yourself for success. No matter what solution or service you provide, make sure that's scalable.
On screen:
A photo shows Ann, speaking from behind a podium at a conference. A large sign behind her reads: "B.D.R. - Billion Dollar Roundtable. Ampcus."
Ann Ramakumaran:
Because if your goal is to build an enterprise, and if your goal is to support publicly traded companies or manage service providers or agencies, they're looking at you from a scalability perspective, local to national to global. You may not want to do that today, but you may want to keep that in mind while you position yourself for success.
Frederick Royal III:
Great advice, and congratulations on two decades of impressive growth at Ampcus. We can't wait to see what comes next. Thanks again.
Ann Ramakumaran:
Thank you, Fred.
Side note:
Bright music plays.
Logos:
- J.P. Morgan;
- (and) Chase (with the Chase octagon symbol).
Side note:
Legal disclosures:
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END
For more founder insights, check out Royall’s “Thriving” conversations with:
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC. Visit jpmorgan.com/commercial-banking/legal-disclaimer for disclosures and disclaimers related to this content.
3 EPISODES
4:40
The supplier diversity advocate is celebrating 20 years of her technology and business consulting and staff augmentation firm in 2024.
Watch videoNow Playing
4:04
Ann Ramakumaran explains her approach to business resiliency and scaling over 20 years of growth.
Watch videoNow Playing
3:22
Ann Ramakumaran reflects on the importance of financial discipline and transparency when engaging with financial partners.
Watch videoNow Playing
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