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Sunil Gupta

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Sunil Gupta

President at Gupta Programming

Gupta Programming

Sunil Gupta is a member of:

- Expert

Sunil Gupta's Advice

work harder and play smarter

If you are not ‘playing’ while at work, then find another job. Successful entrepreneurs know that their ‘lifestyle’ is their career. Continue to work harder and play smarter. There are many opportunities in every field since most employees just want to get by. Always look for better ways to serve.

Company Profile

When I first started Gupta Programming in 1994, I wanted to provide a unique service that went beyond the client’s expectations in performance, delivery and documentation. My strong work ethics helped build a solid reputation in my field. Soon, along with consulting services, I started to develop and teach SAS® training classes. Three of my SAS® training topics were converted to SAS® books which are being sold at international and regional SAS® conferences.To continue to support my clients and SAS® students, I developed my SAS® blog, SASSavvy.com, to make smarter SAS® searches. Instead of always drilling down from SAS’s main website to search for SAS® solutions, I wanted a better way to centralize, standardize and catalog over 600 best practices websites. At the one year anniversary of SASSavvy.com, we now have over 150 SAS® Savvy members. Because of the unique features of the SAS® Savvy Mentor program, I was happy when the program was endorsed by the American Statistical Association (ASA). The SAS® Savvy Mentor program is ideal for any college student preparing for the SAS® Base or Advanced Certification exam as well as preparing for a SAS® technical interview.

Addressing Risks

As
an entrepreneur, I constantly have two roles. On a regular basis, I not only
work on client projects, but also market my consulting services. At least
twice a year, I give SAS® presentations and training at regional and
international SAS® conferences. This venue provides great exposure to
showcase my expertise. The risk of being an independent company, however,
is that there may be gaps between client projects due to delays in starting the
next project.

Another potential risk is improper management of cash flow. It is
recommended to keep at least 3 months of income for emergencies. Ideally,
it is best to keep expenses to a minimum or bill the client for any travel
costs.

Mistakes encountered

The three big lessons learned when building Gupta Programming were proper planning, execution and organization.For example, expanding new products and services requires a great deal of planning to think through how the client will benefit and apply the new content. Actually being in the client’s shoes plays an important role in the design of the new product and service.
Next, proper execution requires high-level technical details and effective communication with all key members. Often many iterations, meetings and practices are required to perfect the class delivery.Finally, excellent organization skills are required in any organization that processes large amounts of data and challenging tasks. Only be staying on top of current demands will your company expand to take on new clients.

Motivation

I have a strong drive and passion to exceed client expectations. As I wake up each morning, I constantly strive to challenge myself. I am always open to new ideas to improve the wheel, not reinvent the wheel. Another big motivation factor is the energy I get from helping clients and other SAS® programmers get in this field.

My Role

My role has evolved from a home-based SAS® programmer to project management of international clinical studies. Both roles require a high level of attention to technical details as well as excellent communication skills. By developing and teaching SAS® classes, I gained insights to better SAS® programming techniques that saved my client many programming hours. In addition, I found joy in sharing my SAS® knowledge.

Advice to young entrepreneurs