Founder Profile: R. Sukumar

If the customer is always right, R. Sukumar is one of the few people who can tell companies why.
 
Sukumar is internationally known for his proprietary research methodologies aimed at solving business problems, particularly those involving customer insights. His five year-old startup, Optimal Strategix Group, provides marketing strategy, predictive insights, data analytics and market research for some 60 clients across the globe.

Bolstered by Sukumar’s expert research methodology – he earned his MBA and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh and has been published in leading industry journals – Optimal Strategix recently doubled its staff to 75 worldwide employees and has achieved three-year growth of nearly 250 percent, earning the No. 1,261 spot on the Inc. 500/5000 list.
 
Sukumar, who has also taught market strategy and marketing research at top U.S. institutions and has been called as an expert witness in high-profile technology patent cases, has been particularly focused on the consumer packaged goods, financial services, hospitality and pharmaceutical industries.
 
What was the inspiration behind Optimal Strategix Group?  
I wanted to leave a legacy and develop a strong discipline around a fact-based approach to helping our clients grow their business and grow the economy in tough times.
 
What was the biggest challenge in getting Optimal Strategix Group off the ground?  
Our biggest challenge was finding good talent. 
  
What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome, personally or professionally? 
Professionally – convincing a client to kill an idea, personally – living with my dad during his last years as a handicapped diabetic.
 
How can we stimulate small business to be an engine for job creation?  
Small businesses need ideas to grow and resources like good talent and capital – today there is a lot of talk about unemployment and ample cash – the reality is “Water, Water everywhere, Nor any drop to drink” (quote from the Rime of the Ancient Mariner).
   
Where does your region need to improve in terms of support for entrepreneurs?  
Working capital support is almost non-existent.
 
What’s the big differentiator for Optimal Strategix Group?  
What makes OSG different is we have unique state of the art methodologies and cutting edge technologies that make us successful.  For example, ASEMAP? is our award-winning, leading edge research approach that delivers a previously unachievable level of customer understanding and effectiveness through a unique combination of academic knowledge and practical experience.
 
What’s next for Optimal Strategix Group?
Leveraging the latest technologies to help understand customer experience at the point of service – improve and innovate.

— by Joe Petrucci