On September 26, 2019, alumna Juuhi Ahuja (M.B.A. ’92) returned to her alma mater to participate in New York Institute of Technology Women’s Technology Council’s second conference: Tech Force of the Future: Women and Minorities.

“I have three passions: children’s safety, specifically trafficking; women’s empowerment; and the right to an education. The Women’s Technology Council addresses two of those passions,” says Ahuja. “That’s why I wanted to be a part of this event.”

Ahuja takes her passions seriously. Her enthusiasm for female empowerment and education began as a young girl growing up in India in a household with a strong educational philosophy. “My father would say, ‘Do anything you want but make sure you get a master’s degree. A bachelor’s degree isn’t enough,’” she recalls.

She moved to the United States in 1987 and began working for an insurance broker in New York City. “I was talking to a couple of friends, and they spoke very highly about New York Institute of Technology and its business programs.” Soon after, she applied and was accepted into the M.B.A. program.

“I could not have asked for anything better,” says Ahuja, who credits New York Tech for putting her on the path to a successful career. During her time at the insurance broker’s office, she realized that working for someone else wasn’t going to be enough, and in 1997, she launched her own business—Wise Men Consultants, a leading technology solutions provider for companies around the world. “The M.B.A. from New York Institute of Technology gave me the confidence to start my own business and work for myself,” says Ahuja.

Since its launch, the Houston, Texas-based company has earned industry recognition from regional and national organizations, ranking among the “50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned Businesses” and the “Fast 100 List” in the Houston Business Journal and becoming a finalist in Ernst & Young’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” competition.

She says she couldn’t have achieved this success without the foundation her New York Tech education gave her. Ahuja fondly looks back on her classes, especially those with Professor of Marketing Abram Poczter, Ph.D. “His parallels and his method of teaching were unique and fascinating. They made us laugh and learn at the same time,” she says. “I learned a lot about marketing from him, which helped me when I launched my own company.”

Now, she is there to lend a helping hand to new students and those who may be interested in a similar path. “Don’t lose hope when you start your company,” she says. “Only a few companies are successful from the get-go. Keep your focus on customers’ feedback. There is no company without customers or employees.”