Pariveda Solutions is a US-based consulting firm passionate about solving complex business, brand, and technology problems from the inside out. In 2020, the company opened its first office in the Toronto Region and have experienced exponential growth. We had a chance to sit down with Safdar Mahmood, Managing Vice President at Pariveda, and members of the Pariveda Toronto team to learn how Pariveda experienced such success during a tumultuous time.
How has Pariveda grown since first landing in the Toronto Region over 3 years ago?
Pariveda’s Toronto office opened on a special occasion – one week before the pandemic put the city in lockdown. While this timing may seem like a disadvantage for the company, Safdar Mahmood sees it as a catalyst for digital growth. During the pandemic, there was an uplift in data, cloud, and technology development by companies seeking to become more digital and additionally accommodate the workforce shift to remote work. Adversity turned out to be an advantage for Pariveda.
Fast forward from March 2020 to December 2023, the company has grown significantly. Starting with two employees, they currently have a team of more than 20 in their Toronto office. They are also leveraging local technology partners and Toronto’s end-to-end supply chain by importing resources to Canada. The expansion to the Toronto Region opened more opportunities to work with larger firms across North America
“We imported resources into Toronto to deliver for Canadian clients, and we found our experience in working with certain larger US-based firms gave us a strong degree of credibility and differentiation,” said Safdar.
Why did Pariveda choose the Toronto Region?
Pariveda chose the Toronto Region because of its diversity, location, and reputation. Toronto is a vibrant, global city with access to 1.5 billion consumers. As a business hub, Toronto contributes 20 percent to Canada’s overall economy. Establishing a footprint in Toronto is a milestone for the company on its journey to becoming a multinational organization.
“The founding CEO’s vision was to be in the top 50 to 100 highest GDP cities in the world. Starting in the US and expanding to larger cities. We always wanted to be known as a global company, so Toronto was a great next step,” said Leslie Garza, Senior Marketing Manager at Pariveda.
How has the experience been operating in the Toronto Region? What has been different or similar to other regions?
While sharing similarities with the United States, Canada has its own unique flavor. The Toronto Region is diverse and dynamic, with over 50 percent of its population born in other countries and over 190 languages spoken.
“With the ambition to become a multinational organization, Toronto was selected because it has a large GDP and has a very similar – yet different – business culture to America, creating the perfect testbed and growth opportunity for a firm that is looking to go multinational,” said Safdar.
What are Pariveda’s plans for the future?
Pariveda wants to continue its growth in the Toronto Region and integrate more deeply with the local network. With the tremendous connectedness of the regional business community, the company aims for Toronto to be one of its key offices.
Since their expansion to the Toronto Region, the Pariveda team has received significant support from established companies and startups in the area. They aim to return the favour by supporting other non-profit organizations and tech companies in the Toronto Region.
Is Pariveda looking to hire talent in the Toronto Region?
Pariveda has plans to continue recruiting Toronto talent in 2024, ranging from entry-level to executive-level positions. In preparation for this recruitment, Pariveda forged partnerships with the University of Toronto (U of T) and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), hiring several employees from the universities’ talent streams. The positive outcomes from this initial recruitment effort have encouraged them to further expand their workforce in the Toronto Region.
Thanks to their partnerships with the U of T, Pariveda received a warm welcome and strong support from the university. Additionally, they are anticipating positive results from their partnership with the Digital Media Zone (DMZ) at TMU.
What is your most valued philosophy or motto for running a business?
“People, people, people,” said Safdar.
Safdar Mahmood confidently expressed that the emphasis and focus you put on your team and the collective effort is what allows you to move forward and care for your customers. Pariveda believes that when employees feel recognized and have the opportunity for growth, they have the chance to challenge themselves by getting out of their comfort zone.
This philosophy is exemplified by Emad Ahmed, Manager at Pariveda. “It is unique and refreshing for me. The focus is on employee development and the transparency with which it operates in terms of how you progress in your career, what you need to do, and what the expectations are across all levels. I couldn’t agree with that more.”
Transparency is another key value. Pariveda encourages regular feedback and maintains a straightforward promotion system that motivates employees to work diligently and enhance their skills.
The future is bright and full of opportunity for Pariveda and their team in Toronto.
For more information about how Pariveda Solutions can help elevate your business, visit their website (parivedasolutions.com) or contact us.