Every culture has its storytellers. At IT By Design, I’ve always believed the truest stories don’t come from keynote stages or leadership memos. They come from the everyday experiences of our people: the late nights, the hard lessons, the personal philosophies that quietly shape who we are.
On a recent episode of our Culture and Career Corner podcast, hosted by Anamika, two of our marketing rockstars, Shefali and Anurag, opened up about their journeys. What unfolded wasn’t just talk about campaigns or events; it was a window into resilience, passion, and the wisdom they carry into every part of their lives.
The First Chapter: Build IT LIVE
Anamika started where anyone would: “So, how was Build IT LIVE?”
Shefali, who just recently succeeded in her first ever, chuckled, “Some days, honestly, were just work and some days were just more work.” She told stories of long nights, endless work, and teammates sending each other memes at midnight to cope. You could hear the pride in her voice: the hype was as real as it gets, and all those sleepless nights were worth it.
Anurag, now on his second Build IT LIVE, called it a “rollercoaster.” For him, it wasn’t just another event. It was growth on fast-forward: campaigns launched, content shipped, strategies sharpened.
“This was one of the best Build ITs we’ve had,” he said. “It pushed me, but it also grew me.”
The Roads That Led Them Here
Their career journeys couldn’t be more different.
Shefali, who joined in December 2024, found herself swept into the deep end almost immediately. Yet what stood out to her wasn’t the workload but the culture: “People here don’t gatekeep knowledge. They lay it out for you, ‘take it, use it, grow with it.’ That’s rare.”
Anurag’s road was longer. After years in banking and offline marketing, he came back to what had always been his first love: content.
“Content is what gets me out of bed every morning,” he said.
Defining Culture in Their Own Words
When asked about culture, both gave answers that revealed far more than mere words.
For Shefali, the essence of ITBD is passion: a force she notices in every corner of the organization, whether it’s marketing, sales, or service delivery.
“That passion doesn’t just fuel work,” she said. “It builds stronger relationships.”
For Anurag, culture boiled down to three words: growth-oriented, empathetic, collaborative. He highlighted the warmth, camaraderie that pervades everywhere. Colleagues and leaders alike exhibit a strong spirit of compassion.
And listening to them, I was reminded of a truth that I often share: you must give up to go up. Growth doesn’t live in comfort zones. It demands sacrifice, but it always repays in meaning.
Lessons That Stay with You
Toward the close of the podcast, Anamika asked the question that always cuts deeper: “What lessons guide you in life?”
That’s when the stories grew personal.
For Shefali, the wisdom she carried forward came as three timeless lessons: simple in words, yet profound enough to guide a lifetime.
Shefali’s life lessons:
- Kindness never goes out of fashion. No matter your mood, kindness always wins.
- Failing to plan is planning to fail. A life lesson from her father that anchors her work and life.
- Choose the best, never settle. As she put it: “Why settle for less when you can have the best? Then go home and rest in peace, literally!”
For Anurag, his greatest inspiration comes from his dad. While every father is a hero in their child’s eyes, Anurag spoke with conviction that his father is more than that; he is his real-life hero, the living example he strives to emulate every day.
Anurag’s life lessons:
- Growth is everything. Even a child has something to teach you.
- Empathy matters. Help others selflessly, and the culture will take care of itself.
- Be the best at whatever you do. This, he said, was his father’s greatest advice: words that shaped not just his career but also his character.
He also drew from the wisdom of the Dalai Lama, who reminded him that balance is key: success means nothing if it comes at the cost of health or family.
Anurag often draws strength from Muhammad Ali’s (the boxer) philosophy: a reminder that greatness demands courage. As Ali once said, ‘He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.’
Those words highly motivate Anurag and inspire him to action, especially in moments of doubt.
Closing Reflections
As the conversation wrapped, Anamika smiled: the kind of smile that comes when you know a moment has given more than you expected.
Listening to Shefali and Anurag, I realized again that our culture isn’t something we write down or display on a wall. It’s lived, in the sleepless nights before an event, in the shared laughter of a team, in the lessons parents pass down, in the risks we dare to take.
And that’s the heart of IT By Design: a culture written not in policies, but in stories. Stories like Shefali’s and Anurag’s.
