The objective that a founder aims to fulfill is the driving force behind every business. While some are motivated by financial gains, others might look at revolutionizing an industry. The reasons to build a business are diverse. For Damini Tandan, an experienced communications professional and a serial entrepreneur, it has always been about delivering the best customer experience and quality of service to clients. Damini founded Writers Anonymous, a content specialist for the technology industry in 2003. In 2006, she also Co-Founded Corner Office Advisors, a global retained executive search firm. Through both her ventures she aims at improving quality of service consistently. “The guiding principle behind everything that I do in my life has been about making the quality of life better for all stakeholders. I want to constantly improve what is in front of me,” explains Damini. Building on this concept, she is also a certified Bach Flower Practitioner. Her practice includes animals and people alike. An ardent gardener and an animal lover, Damini’s perceptive temperament and drive towards quality have brought her several laurels in life.

Following Her Heart
Damini’s professional journey began at ‘Pusa,’ the Institute of Hotel Management, Delhi. She soon realized that her calling was something else. She moved towards PR & communications, where she worked for nine years. At 30, she decided to re-focus her energy towards technical writing. Damini decided to create a writing services firm, Writers Anonymous. “My entrepreneurial journey coincided with the evolution of technology in India. With the introduction of broadband, setting-up a business became financially viable,” explains Damini. The firm flourished and within a few months of being operational, as Writers Anonymous had signed on four retained accounts.

By 2006, another venture presented itself. There was a dearth of professional services in executive search and thus Corner Office Advisors was born. “In 2006, there were very few professional organizations offering quality recruitment services. In fact, when we were being head hunted I was disappointed by the unpreparedness of the recruiters,” says Damini. In a bid to usher in quality and professionalism in the hiring industry, the serial entrepreneur laid the foundation for Corner Office Advisors in 2006.

The guiding principle behind everything that I do in my life has been about making the quality of life better for all stakeholders

Reinvention is Key
The world of business is never still and keeps evolving with time. Being the nifty businesswoman that she is, Damini recognizes the need to reinvent in order to stay relevant. You see this from her varied qualifications; an undergraduate degree in Hotel Management, a diploma in Communications and a Management Degree from UCLA. Damini has always been highly responsive to the needs of the market. Her goal is to keep her ventures market relevant at all times.

In 2008, when the global markets crashed, all companies felt the repercussions worldwide. The two-year-old, Corner Office Advisors was no different. As several businesses shut shop, Damini & her team sank their teeth into keeping the company alive. As the technology market was taking the brunt of the global economic crisis, she quickly shut-down the Bangalore, relocating employees to its Delhi office in an effort to conserve cash. Business became slow all-around, and hiring almost stopped.

Damini and the management team took this as an opportunity to reposition Corner Office Advisors. “We took this time to really think about who we wanted to be. We realized that the mid-market segment was getting crowded and was the most impacted by the slowdown. So, we decided to reposition the brand as a super-specialized, global, retained executive search brand based in

India. Although it took us a couple of years to find our feet again, we persevered and emerged as a stronger organization,” adds Damini. Corner office Advisors joined the Executive Resources International, a global consortium of independent brands that specialize in cross-border business.

Being an entrepreneur can be a highly daunting, yet a satisfying journey. Speaking about the lessons that she has learnt over the years, Damini stresses on the perils of getting complacent and how it can affect a business. She also emphasizes on the criticality of positioning an organization correctly in order to stay successful.

Giving Back to the Society
The highly process-driven professional, Damini juggles her professional and personal goals with élan. She spends her weekends fostering stray animals and nurturing a flourishing garden. The hardworking entrepreneur also runs a mentoring program for students. It focuses on building industry-ready professionals. Throwing these youngsters into real-life situations, Damini helps them understand what working in the corporate world is like.

An ardent reader, Damini stays on top of market and technology trends. Learning also comes from engaging with industry leaders. Talking about the new trends in executive search, Damini is looking to leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the years to come. The idea is to be an early adopter, but only once the technology becomes stable and affordable. Armed with a keen mind and a perceptive approach to problem solving, the promising businesswoman is in it for the long haul.

Key management:
Damini Tandan, Co-Founder
An established communications professional, Damini brings with her a vast experience of having worked with market leaders such as IBM, Microsoft and others, keeping a keen focus on upholding quality of services, she is leading Corner Office & Writer’s Anonymous into a second phase of growth.

Office: New Delhi
Offerings: Talent Search in Consumer, Consulting, and Mobile & Internet Services