It’s always good to listen to your mamma. Della Infotech exists because CEO, founder, and president Manikanda Raman heeded his mother’s advice.
“Maybe it was in my blood,” Raman says. “Even before I finished college, I wanted to have my own company.”
His grandfather was an independent doctor and his father had his own pharmacy, so Raman valued the independence of owning his own company. Raman was also keen to go into healthcare, but his family lacked the money for medical school, so his mother suggested that he study engineering.
He listened, getting not one, but two tech degrees: a bachelor’s degree in computer and information sciences and support services from Shri Angalamman College of Engineering and a bachelor of technology, information technology from Mookambigai College of Engineering.
While he was still studying at Mookambigai College of Engineering, he began working in staffing. Following roles at Numann Technologies, Wipro and Volt, he worked at data migration and governance company Utopia Inc. until 2012, when he finally reached his dream of owning his own business with the launch of Della Infotech.
Over the past decade, he’s also gone on to found VR Della Construction in 2019 and VR Della Film Factory in 2020.
Top Growth
Raman is proud that Della Infotech has made the Inc 5000 of the fastest-growing American companies for the fourth consecutive year. Registered as a foreign-run company in Princeton, New Jersey, Della Infotech has enjoyed a 235% three-year growth. Currently ranked 1905, the company was as high as 393 in 2019.
White the company started as solely an IT staffing firm, it now also serves light industrial and healthcare clients as well. So, indirectly, Raman has been able to fulfill not only his dream of owning his own business, but also his goal of being in healthcare.
Organic Diversity
Although the company does not have an explicit program for increasing diversity, it encourages its clients to consider the economic benefits of expanding its candidate pool, according to its leadership.
One of the company’s primary tools is a relationship with 50 universities from which it recruits. The company, however, is unable to name any of the universities due to non-disclosure agreements.
“Most university lists are very much diversified, especially encouraging Black people and Asian Americans,” Raman says, “Healthcare positions require a lot of diversity. IT — honestly, we don’t get to work with as many diverse groups.”
A Hand Up
In addition to the college lists, Della Infotech employs what it calls an informal second chance program, encouraging clients to give workers with a criminal background a second chance. Each situation is taken on a case-by-case basis. Some Della Infotech clients have very strict policies even barring misdemeanors, while others are more willing based on the nature of the misdemeanor.
The company also supports these workers by offering financial management seminars and by being flexible when distributing wages, sometimes giving workers an advance.
Being kind is a good thing. It’s what your mamma would expect.
