Raja Narayana on "Relentless Execution"
“I would be lying if I said it was all me. If I didn’t mention the word luck, I would be remiss. But that doesn’t mean you do nothing. You’re always preparing for what’s going to happen.”
If you met Raja Narayana today—CEO of Aditi Consulting—you might assume he was destined for success from day one. But after sitting down with him, there is so much more to his story. His journey from a small village in southern India to the boardroom of a Global Digital Engineering Services Firm is anything but conventional and serves as a testament to the power of perseverance, adaptability, and a people-centric approach to business.
Humble Beginnings in Madurai
Born in Madurai, a village in Tamil Nadu, India, Raja's early life "was a humble beginning," he reflects. Growing up in Madurai, his first language was Tamil. English came second, as it serves as the lingua franca and often a route for upward mobility for many young Indian professionals.
In India, Raja pursued engineering—not solely out of passion at first, but also because of societal expectations. "Engineering was considered highly respected," he explains. "Biology and science didn't come naturally to me. Math did", making engineering a natural choice.
Despite his love for the field, Raja's dreams of attending elite Indian institutions like IIT or IIM remained elusive. "I tried multiple times, couldn't get in," he admits candidly. He would go on to study at Amrita University, graduating with honors in 2002.
Networking on the Corner
Graduating college during the Y2K era meant job opportunities were scarce in India. Raja found himself delivering newspapers in Bangalore—an unlikely start for an aspiring engineer. However, this job provided unexpected lessons about life and work ethic. "It was such a wonderful experience," he recalls warmly. "Working with people across socio-economic statuses taught me communication skills and the value of money." He would come to fully embrace these ideals.
Through this experience, Raja determined that he could still reach his goals so long as he kept his head down and worked hard.
This diligence didn't go unnoticed. One day, a client referred him for his next role: a job counseling young graduates on certification courses. As a young graduate also looking for career direction, Raja found success in the role, which soon produced another referral. This invitation would lead him into recruiting for JK Consultants, where he discovered his passion for working with people.
While there, another stroke of luck followed Raja, this time introducing him to the company he would one day run. He was offered a temporary gig with Aditi Technologies, covering a colleague's maternity leave, an opportunity that would send him to Seattle and on the first grand adventure of his career.
The American Dream Takes Flight
The opportunity to work with Aditi Technologies marked a pivotal moment in Raja's career, as it not only brought him to the US, but also introduced him to a new phase of professional growth and cultural immersion. Seattle was his first taste of America—and it tasted a great deal different than the movies he'd watched growing up. "I landed expecting glowing lights and tall buildings— but this was Seattle!" he jokes. While a far cry from the bright lights of Times Square, the city quickly grew on him with its diverse cultures and acceptance of immigrants like himself.
At Aditi Technologies, he quickly established himself as an exceptional recruiter by setting ambitious goals: "My simple goal was I wanted to be the number one recruiter among my peers." If their placement goal numbers were 10 positions a month, he would do 12. He dedicated himself relentlessly to being the best he could be and cutting no corners when it came to achieving success. This mindset—dream big, execute relentlessly—became his trademark approach.
During our conversations, Raja exuded this ethos. It brought me back to the early days of building L.Maxwell, when I knew I had to distinguish both myself and the firm within the executive search space. We were going up against some of the most established names in the industry, so every engagement became a proving ground. That intensity I felt then—and still feel now—comes from the part of you that refuses to be outworked. That fierceness—that longing to be the best and letting nothing stand in your way—is exactly what I recognized in him.
A Choice to Be Made
Raja's relentless execution paid off, as he advanced rapidly through roles—account manager, general manager, VP. Yet, he found himself at a fork in the road when Samsung acquired Aditi's technology division but not their staffing division. Faced with divesting or selling off the staffing division cheaply, he had his "Eureka" moment.
In his role as President and CEO, Raja had a realization: the staffing business was being undervalued compared to the technology arm. He saw untapped potential for the staffing division to outshine the combined venture. But his true eureka moment came when he looked around. He wasn't just surrounded by employees; he was backed by a powerhouse team. Raja knew that by harnessing their collective talents, he had the fuel needed to propel Aditi to new heights. This people-first approach became the cornerstone of his vision for the company's future.
With that, he decided to take control: "I went back and told the board I needed two years to build something great. They said 'OK—but you're on your own.'" He took that challenge head-on, immediately enrolling at Yale.
The DEF Model: Dream Big, Execute Relentlessly, Have Fun
Returning from Yale armed with new strategic insights and frameworks ("I'm a big framework guy," he acknowledges), Raja implemented his now-famous "DEF" model on the reborn Aditi:
Dream Big: Set ambitious goals.
Execute Relentlessly: Prioritize action over perfection.
Have Fun: Balance hard work with enjoyment.
"You would rather have A-class execution on a B-class strategy than C-class execution on an A-class strategy," he explains. Under this philosophy, he transformed the reborn Aditi from a $20 million revenue company to an over $200 million revenue company within ten years—a remarkable feat by any measure.
In the DEF Model, I see a perfect solution to a common stopgap that many young professionals and entrepreneurs face. Perfectionism can be both a wonderful motivator and a trap simultaneously. The key is balancing idealism with pragmatism, ensuring there is a good balance of each in setting goals and future planning.
Legacy & Lessons Learned
Reflecting on his journey from delivering newspapers to leading a global company, Raja's legacy is not just about personal success but about creating opportunities for others to grow and leave their mark. His story serves as a testament to the power of relentless execution and strategic vision, inspiring others to dream big and execute with passion.
Raja's legacy aligns closely with his company's core purpose—the 4L framework: Learning, Living, Loving, and Legacy. This is perhaps why he continues building platforms where others can learn more deeply; live richer lives; earn better livelihoods; ultimately leaving legacies themselves—just as he's striving everyday himself:
"Hopefully my legacy would be that I can look back proudly at creating upward mobility for others."
Connecting All The Dots
Throughout my time with Raja, one theme surfaced again and again paired with that exemplary quote from Steve Jobs about how the dots only connect looking backward. It's a notion I believe every growth minded executive needs to internalize. The path forward rarely makes sense in real time; it only reveals itself in reflection, not in the moment those decisions were made.
I think that Raja's embrace of this philosophy – being comfortable in the unknown and using the situation to your advantage, is one of the greatest lessons people can learn about career management and reaching their full potential. Taking that risk, betting on yourself, and having faith that it will come together are imperative in building something great, and it serves as a good reminder for all business leaders to trust their intuition and believe in themselves.
With humor intact ("Dad, sometimes I wonder if you're even CEO," jokes his daughter), plus relentless ambition driving forward—it seems clear those dots will continue connecting beautifully into whatever comes next for this inspiring leader who never forgets where he came from nor loses sight of where he's heading next.
The Final Stamp:
Fun Excerpts for my time with Raja
"The Final Stamp" is L.Maxwell's variety hour, intended to help readers understand business leaders for who they are as people. Read it in his own words below:
What inspires you creatively, spiritually, or emotionally?
"I think in general, seeing the difference you have made brings a lot of joy. We are lucky that we are in an industry where we can give people such opportunities. Seeing my impact is really meaningful for me."
What profession other than your own would you love to try?
"I love skiing, so as my age permits, I would LOVE to be on the mountain skiing all day, helping coach people. However, something I have started to realize is that I would love to coach generally, it's somewhere where I can give all of this framework and experience back to someone else"
If you could have dinner with any business leader, current or historical, who would it be?
"Elon Musk. I've always been fascinated by his story, and I loved his book. Fascinating mind, and even more recently, I would love to see what is in his mind, what drives him, etc"
What musician or song pumps you up?
"Well, obviously growing up in India, a lot of Indian Music still has a big influence. A.R. Rahman for example. And then with my kids, you know, I hear all sorts of hip-hop and rap. So it's a big mix"
What book is on your bedside table?
"Right now I am reading two in parallel. One is The Advantage, the Peter Lencioni book, and the other is Reality Based Leadership, which is a great book for day-to-day CEO stuff."
Favorite quote?
“Victor Franco's book Man's Search for Meaning: "There is a magic between stimuli and response."
When all is said and done, what's the legacy you hope to leave behind?
"I want my legacy to be no different than the one we tell people at Aditi. It's the 4L framework, Which is Learning, Living, Loving, Legacy. Hopefully I will be able to look back and be proud of the platform I have given for people to learn more, live more, earn more, and leave their legacy."
