Meet Our Team: Ram Pitchumani, Senior Vice President of Product
Welcome to our recurring column, Meet Our Team, where we spotlight some of the integral members of the Casting Networks team who are dedicated to keeping our platform running smoothly and efficiently for our customers and clients. For our third installment, we speak with Ram Pitchumani, Senior Vice President of Product. Learn what drove Ram to pursue a career in product, what he loves most about working at Casting Networks, what he is excited to work on this year and more!
1. What is your role at Casting Networks?
I am the Senior Vice President of Product. In this role, I work with a team of product managers, designers, and cross-functional teams to build new features or products that fit the needs of our customers. I also work with an array of other team members and executives to determine the strategic path for our products by analyzing the changing trends in our industry.
2. What is your favorite part of your job?
Being in constant pursuit of the next big opportunity or problem to solve for our clients is my favorite part of my job. Our products serve customers across the globe. At this scale, it becomes imperative for our products to deliver value. The meaning of value for our clients varies depending on the type of persona using our product.
For example, actors using our platform want to have all the tools and means to maximize their chances of being discovered by casting directors or agents. They need to be notified almost instantly about an audition ticket or a self tape request. Identifying these needs and productizing them into solutions is very fulfilling.
3. What are you most excited about working on this year?
In 2022, we will focus on expansion and growth. This is in line with Talent Systems’ goal to double the number of actors getting auditions and double the number of roles released on Casting Networks. We are working towards international expansion starting with localizing our platform in Spanish.
Another exciting project is our very first mobile app for actors. Once launched, actors can get notified about their auditions, manage their media, and even record self tapes from the app. Overall, we have a packed and exciting roadmap this year.
4. What are some interesting areas you get to focus on at Casting Networks that you didn’t in previous roles?
I have had the opportunity to build products for 18 years now. A big difference in building products for the talent discovery industry is the speed at which we receive feedback from our clients after releasing a new product or a feature.
I am always nervous on the day we launch a feature or a product but getting almost instant feedback is gratifying and keeps us on our toes to constantly find ways to iterate and improve.
5. What’s something interesting or unexpected about your role that people would be surprised to know?
I spend an almost unhealthy amount of time analyzing data and deducing actionable insights from them. All the data tells a story and helps me bring the mental clarity I need in this role.
Almost everything we do at Casting Networks is done after reviewing qualitative and quantitative data points.
6. What drove you to pursue a career in Product?
From a young age, I had an innate curiosity for finding simple solutions to complex problems. My first job as an analyst allowed me to understand product management and made me realize that it was the perfect blend of technology, business, and design. Being in the middle of all the action drove me to pursue a career in product management.
7. Tell us about a mentor or person who inspired you to get to where you are today.
There are three:
1. My 94-year-old grandmother to this day lives independently. I was lucky to spend most of my childhood with her. She constantly reminds me about the importance of being resilient and staying grounded.
2. My parents started working in their teens. They worked multiple jobs to earn a living and provide for their family. I attribute a lot of my work ethic to them.
3. David Lee, my ex-manager from a few years ago. David taught me the importance of demonstrating competence, trust, and enthusiasm to be an effective leader. He also gave me numerous opportunities that I can now look back and reflect on as I continue my career.
We are proud to showcase our diverse, talented and creative employees across the globe. Stay tuned for our next installment to meet more of our team!
Related articles:
Meet Our Team: Yossi Langer, Senior Vice President of Partnerships and Business Development
Meet Our Team: Sarah Hamilton, VP of People and Culture
Meet Our Team: Chris Holbert, Chief Operating Officer
Meet Our Team: Alexandra Pia, Director of Support and Client Success
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