Blog

Meet Mitali Guruchal from Inside Systems Engineering

By Melissa Sheehan

As a part of our “Life at Nutanix” blog series we’ll be occasionally profiling some of our Nutants to help you get a sense for our unique team and culture. In our second blog we’re showcasing Mitali Guruchal from our team in Sydney, Australia. Mitali is a key member of our Inside Systems Engineering Team and was recently named a finalist for the ARN Women in ICT Awards 2020. Her manager, Tim Hartman says, “Mitali can talk in depth about any of our solutions. She runs bootcamps and fires up hands-on labs for our customers and prospects. She’s driven and a total superstar.”

Here’s our conversation with Mitali.

When did you join Nutanix?

I joined in November 2016 and just completed 4 years.

Before Nutanix I worked for a distributor. A Nutanix employee told me about the opportunity. I was the first Inside Systems Engineer and the first female Systems Engineer for the ANZ region. 

Our Sydney office was still very small when I joined. We would sometimes eat lunch at the pool table. 

What do you do as an Inside Systems Engineer?

I liaise with our Inside Sales team. I work very closely with our Inside Account Executives. I manage the southern region of Australia and New Zealand and Fiji.  My job is to work with Inside Account Executives starting from the first pitch to determine what sort of infrastructure the customer has and why Nutanix would be beneficial for them.

As you can imagine every meeting is unique. Every customer has a unique scenario. It’s challenging and fun to help potential customers through their journey and to get to design solutions for them. 

I also work closely with our channel partners to help them understand how Nutanix works and how they can help customers with it. Sometimes we work together to bounce off ideas for what is the best solution. 

What do you enjoy most about your job? 

I’ve been at Nutanix for 4 years. I’m still here because I love the challenges.

I am directly making a difference for our customers. I don’t mean that in a narcissistic way, but it feels nice to know we are helping our customers. 

It’s not just about selling Nutanix; it’s about understanding the customer experience. When I follow up with customers to ask them about their experience and they tell me, “It’s fantastic. It made my life easier. I’m learning so much. I want to do more.” I know I am making a positive difference for them.

How is Nutanix different from other places you’ve worked?

Nutanix is one of the best companies I’ve worked for in my 12 year career.  

I’ve never faced micromanagement at Nutanix. I have a lot of freedom and support—it’s a breath of fresh air.

Another thing is that this is the first company I’ve worked for out of Silicon Valley. I enjoy not having to dress in a certain way for work. Being a nerd, I am not good at getting up early to dress up. I can wear my Yoshi shirt to work and feel comfortable and a part of the team. It’s a small thing, but it matters.

Mitali rocking her t-shirt

How has your work shifted since the onset of COVID-19?

I live far from the Sydney office. Before COVID, I would go into the office three days a week and work from home for two days. Because I worked from home, I had a good setup when we moved to working remotely [after temporarily closing the Sydney office for COVID]. It was an adjustment to share my home office with my partner and my dog. Luckily, because some of our team was located outside of Sydney, we were able to easily transition to doing things via Zoom.

I miss the people but I don’t miss traveling to the office. Working from home has helped me find more balance because of time saved commuting. With more time at home, I’ve been getting into photography and learning Spanish.

Mitali, her partner and her dog

What do you miss about the Sydney office?

I definitely miss seeing the people...and the food!

Because the office is in the heart of Sydney, I miss stepping out for a walk or to grab a coffee by the Opera house. I grew up in Mumbai so I love the city and the hustle and bustle.

The Nutanix Sydney office 

Any advice on how to stay motivated during hard times?

To be honest, it hasn’t always been smooth for the 8 months I’ve been working from home. Sometimes I just miss talking to colleagues, and seeing my family and friends. Things can start to weigh on you and it can start to feel claustrophobic. 

I’m very lucky to have a supportive partner who is there for me. 

The important thing is not to give up. You have to keep on going.

Thanks to Mitali for giving us a peek inside her role. To learn more about our team and culture, visit our Careers page.

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