Anika Pandey – Associate Engineer, Development

Coffee or Tea? Coffee. I always go for coffee, and I drink it black. That is the best way, in my opinion. Recently, I have been into Veranda Blend. We have it at the office, so that is usually what I end up having.

What did you want to be when you were younger? As a child, I always imagined having my own company. My father runs an interior design company and seeing that growing up inspired me to think about building something of my own one day. Later, I became interested in the food industry and even dreamed about building a chain of restaurants, something on a larger scale. During my undergraduate studies, I was also part of a startup where I helped students develop their ideas into projects.

How did your career as an Analyst develop after college? I started as an intern for seven months and transitioned into a full time Analyst role in January 2026. My role focuses on gathering requirements from stakeholders, translating them for developers, and testing solutions. Recently, I worked with the billing and collections teams to build role-based workspaces that help them manage and prioritize their tasks more efficiently. Overall, my work focuses on AI automation and improving workflows across different departments. I am now also starting to work with the Marketing team to build agents for them in Studio. I chose to start as an analyst because it allows me to combine my technical side with communication and planning, which I really enjoy.

Walk me through your week: what does your typical day look like? My day usually starts with a meeting with stakeholders, where we discuss the features we rolled out and gather feedback on what can be improved. Then, I translate those requirements into a plan for the Development team. During the day, I work closely with developers and test the features they build from the front end. It is a fast-paced process of feedback, development, and testing until everything is ready to be released.

What makes Aptean special to work for? For me, Aptean is special because I get to work in different departments and learn how they function. I didn’t know much about billing before, but now I understand it and see how automating processes can make a real impact. I also love that every project is different. One day I’m building workspaces, another I’m creating agents for the Marketing team. That variety keeps me curious and motivated, and I feel like I’m constantly learning and contributing in meaningful ways.

Are you more detail-oriented or big picture? While the big picture is important to me, I also pay close attention to details. I want to understand how users interact with the product because user experience matters. It is not enough for a workspace to just look good; every click needs to work as expected.

Clear or cluttered desk? I keep a clear desk. Even on my computer, I only have the tabs and tools I am actively using open so I do not get distracted. I work from the office, so it helps me stay focused even in a busy environment.

What’s the most important thing you’ve learned in this role so far? The most important thing I have learned is that you can take on challenges even if you do not feel completely ready. For example, I am about to lead a workshop for the Marketing team, and I didn’t know I would be ready for it. Taking steps like this, even before feeling fully prepared, helps you grow tremendously.

Which company value matters most to you, and why? For me, the value "Grow Together" is the most important. I feel it encompasses many other aspects, like innovation and collaboration. When a team grows together, it creates an environment where everyone can contribute, learn, and succeed collectively.

Any hidden talents? Yes, I would say dancing and swimming. For dancing, I focus on freestyle hip hop. I dedicate an hour of my day just to dance. My favorite artist to dance to right now is Bruno Mars.

What’s the success you’re most proud of during your time at Aptean? I would say the collections workspace we built is the achievement I am most proud of. It has made a real impact, helping the team work more efficiently, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. I started working on this project during my internship, and being part of it from the early stages made it even more meaningful.

Do you have any little routines or listen to music that keep you in the zone at work? Yes, I have a habit that might sound a bit unusual. When I need to fully concentrate, I listen to songs in a language I don’t understand like the Japanese song ‘Flamingo’ by Kenshi Yonezu. That way, I get all the music vibes without the temptation to sing along or tap my feet. Before that, I used to listen to classical music, but Japanese songs just spice things up while keeping me in the zone. It’s my secret productivity hack!

And finally... If you could give one piece of advice to the next generation stepping into this role, what would it be? I would say the most important advice is to take on challenges even if you don’t feel fully ready. You might feel scared, anxious, or doubtful, but showing up and doing it anyway will help you grow tremendously in the long run. Don’t wait to feel “perfectly prepared.” Just start, and the rest will follow.