Rishabh Papney joined Spaulding Ridge as an analyst after graduation. His career has progressed from analyst to senior analyst to associate, all guided by his values of discipline, and all while maintaining a healthy work-life balance. In this conversation, he shares his journey with Spaulding Ridge and explains why he believes it was the right choice.
Spaulding Ridge: Hi, Rishabh. To start, could you tell us about yourself and your role here at Spaulding Ridge?
Rishabh: I joined Spaulding Ridge about two years ago as an Anaplan analyst. My background is in engineering, and right after graduation, I chose Spaulding Ridge as my first firm.
My first project was focused on sales performance management (SPM). As I became more involved in the program, I developed a strong interest in how technology can significantly impact businesses.
From there, I was hooked. I reached out to my project executive sponsor and said, “Hey, if I can get involved in more SPM projects, that would be fantastic.” That request led me to larger projects that really engaged my analytical and solution-oriented approach.
Spaulding Ridge: What initially drew you to this field, and how did you get your start in it?
Rishabh: Like I mentioned, I come from an engineering background. I’ve always been interested in technology, but I was also drawn to understanding how businesses work—the strategies they use and how they implement them. I was really curious about all of that.
During my final year of graduation, I came across this role at Spaulding Ridge. Reading through the responsibilities piqued my interest: it allowed me to stay connected to technology while also being part of business conversations. It felt like the best of both worlds.
With business technology, I realized it’s not just about pure coding. It’s about understanding business requirements and then implementing them, which I found quite interesting.
Spaulding Ridge: Reflecting on your journey so far, how has your experience at Spaulding Ridge been?
Rishabh: In simple words, it’s been amazing. The people we work with here are very welcoming. They’re not just colleagues; they’re friends, and people are always ready to help you whenever you’re stuck.
At Spaulding Ridge, I get to work with people from multiple backgrounds—different technologies and domains. All this expertise coming together makes it one of the best environments for learning. Working with these people has really helped nurture my career.
Overall, I’ve seen tremendous growth in myself, not just in my role, but also in understanding client requirements—how clients work, how businesses are driven, and how we can help them. It’s been a great journey so far.
Spaulding Ridge: How do you go about understanding a client’s requirements to ensure the solutions you provide meet their needs?
Rishabh: The very first step is to understand the client. Whenever a project comes to us, the first thing we do is explore the clients’ offerings —what products they sell and the solutions they provide, as well as the industry segment they’re involved in. This gives us an initial idea of what we’ll be discussing during the foundation and requirements phase.
The next step is requirement gathering, which I believe is the most important phase of any project. As a consultant, you go in and listen to their needs. You try to make sense of everything, and once you understand the entire process they’re using, discuss any pain points they have with their current situation or solution.
Understanding these pain points is crucial. After that, we document everything and start building the solution. As we move into the solution-building phase, we keep the client in loop and get regular feedback. This ensures that everything is done correctly, and if there are any adjustments needed, we can address it promptly.
We always apply agile methodology to our projects, so we’re constantly taking feedback from the client, reimplementing it, and making sure everything is done properly and in the most efficient way. It’s a fun way to work, since projects happen very quickly, but we can still deliver great solutions.
Spaulding Ridge: Spaulding Ridge is a very international company. What do you enjoy about working with teams in North America and Europe?
Rishabh: I remember my very first interaction with the North American team when I was assigned to a project. It was with my project manager, and we ended up discussing the geography of where we’re located. We even pulled up Google Maps and looked at historical monumnets and nearby cities, which was a fun conversation.
I think it’s always great to connect with them because you get to learn about another part of the world—how people live, their culture, how they plan their day, and even what sports they play and the movies they enjoy. When you talk to someone from North America, for example, you get insights into a different lifestyle. It’s interesting to hear about what they’re doing, anything new or exciting in their lives.
Spaulding Ridge: In what ways has Spaulding Ridge supported your growth, both professionally and personally?
Rishabh: Professionally, I think I’ve been fortunate to be part of some great projects, and I feel lucky for that. These experiences have allowed me to gain a good understanding of business, particularly in SPM. Spaulding Ridge has provided me with complex projects, and when you work on such challenging projects, they really push you to find solutions. This brings a great sense of achievement, confidence, and valuable learning.
Working with the team here, I’ve noticed that people are very professional and disciplined in their work, which has taught me to be more disciplined in my own life.
Personally, I’ve learned to manage my time more efficiently since I started working with the firm. On a project, you have calls, and you have tasks to complete, and you need to prioritize your time effectively to get everything done. Spaulding Ridge has really taught me time management in a great way. Observing how people in North America, like directors or partners, work and respect their time has also given me insights into how to plan my day and be disciplined in life.
Spaulding Ridge: How do you maintain a healthy work-life balance while managing your responsibilities at Spaulding Ridge?
Rishabh: I think it ties back to what I mentioned earlier—discipline. I believe in planning my day in advance. I try to wake up early in the morning and start my day with some physical activity to stay fit. After that, I usually check my laptop to review all the meetings or tasks I need to work on that day, and then I plan my day accordingly.
I think the key is to plan your day in advance so that everything is in place. That’s one of the best ways to maintain a healthy work-life balance.
Spaulding Ridge: Finally, is there something about Spaulding Ridge that you think more people should know?
Rishabh: There are a lot of things about Spaulding Ridge that I think people should know. First, we have a very inclusive culture—we welcome everyone, regardless of their background or ethnicity. We truly value individuals and their unique experiences. I’ve noticed that whenever a new hire joins the firm, it doesn’t feel like they’re new. It’s more like they’ve known everyone for years because people here are so welcoming and helpful.
Work-wise, I believe Spaulding Ridge is one of the best. We provide great learning opportunities, and it’s not just limited to the technology you’re working on. For example, even though I’m in Anaplan, I can explore what’s happening in Salesforce or DocuSign. If someone is eager to learn, Spaulding Ridge offers one of the best platforms to grow and explore different technologies or use cases. You can reach out to anyone, regardless of their position, and they’ll be more than happy to help. If they don’t know the answer, they’ll guide you to the right person.
Our mentors are also very supportive with great experience and their mentorship is incredibly valuable. I’ve heard from many people that the kind of projects you get at Spaulding Ridge are unique, and you might not get the same opportunities at other firms.
Another aspect I love is how we approach our client solutions. We work by the principle that “all business is personal,” which means we don’t just provide solutions; we also offer insights on how their current processes can be made more efficient. We always strive to give our best, sometimes going above and beyond to help clients, even doing things that aren’t in the statement of work. All of these things make Spaulding Ridge a great place to work, and I think more people should know about it.
Spaulding Ridge: Great to know these! Thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us. Wishing you the best for all other projects coming your way!
Rishabh: Thank you! It was great talking to you!
Our bandmates are our culture. Through each individual who joins our firm, we not only grow as a company—we become better partners to our clients. We would love for you to be a part of Spaulding Ridge – reach out to us.
