Vijeta Soni on collaborative strength of compassionate leadership in fostering innovation

Adgully has consistently celebrated and acknowledged the accomplishments of women entrepreneurs and leaders in various sectors. One of our notable initiatives, W-SUITE, focuses on highlighting extraordinary women achievers in the Media & Entertainment, Advertising, Marketing, PR, and Communications industry. In this updated series, we aim to explore how women leaders adeptly manage their teams and overcome challenges in the dynamic landscape of their respective industries.

In an exclusive interaction with Adgully, Vijeta Soni, Co-Founder & CEO, Sciative Solutions, highlights the unique strengths women bring to leadership, such as empathy, resilience, and inclusivity, which have been instrumental in fostering innovation and collaboration at Sciative. She also discusses the transformative impact of AI on pricing technologies, emphasizing Sciative’s role in driving smarter, data-driven decisions for businesses while pioneering sustainable practices. Looking ahead, her vision is to establish Sciative as a global leader in AI and pricing intelligence, striving for innovation, strategic partnerships, and delivering value to achieve unicorn status.

What unique leadership qualities do you believe women leaders bring to the table, and how have you incorporated these into your approach at Sciative?

Women in leadership positions bring a blend of empathy, resilience, multitasking ability, and emotional intelligence to the boardroom. They give us a unique ability to unite teams, create collaborative environments, and lead by compassion and inclusivity. While at Sciative, I worked to create a culture of openness and trust where everyone's opinion counts. I feel that through tapping into the collaborative strength that lies in compassionate leadership, innovation is bound to happen. I strive to give personalized solutions considering the different needs of our clients, teams, and stakeholders. This balance of empathy and results-orientated leadership laid the foundation for Sciative’s success.

How do you see the role of women evolving in the tech and pricing domains, and what innovations do you believe women leaders, like yourself, are driving in these industries?

Women have been taking more prominent leadership roles and contesting traditionally male-dominated spheres; the role of women in tech and pricing keeps on changing. They are influencing the approach one takes towards problem-solving and innovation; their growing presence is fast-tracking tuition in customer-centric and data-driven philosophy. Specifically in the field of pricing, women leaders are coming up with AI-oriented solutions, dynamic price modeling, and tailored engagement with consumers. At Sciative, we have pioneered AI-based pricing technologies that help businesses monetize on revenues while ensuring customer satisfaction. Personally, I think the deep understanding that a woman carries in market aspects makes a difference in the field, and we are just getting started.

With your significant responsibilities as a leader and innovator, what strategies do you use to balance your professional and personal commitments? What advice would you offer to aspiring women professionals looking to achieve similar balance?

An effective balance between professional and personal commitments requires foresight, prioritization, and self-discipline. I focus on setting clear boundaries and allocating dedicated time for family, personal growth, and work. Leveraging technology to streamline tasks, delegating responsibilities, and practicing mindfulness are some strategies I swear by. My advice to aspiring women professionals is to prioritize self-care and build a strong support system. It’s okay to ask for help and delegate when you need it. Enjoy the journey, celebrate the small victories, and stay clear on your goals while prioritizing your personal wellness.

How do you mentor and empower the next generation of women leaders within Sciative or the broader tech ecosystem?

Mentorship is a cornerstone of my leadership approach. At Sciative, we’ve created platforms to support talent development and offer opportunities for the success of female professionals. I provide young professionals with individual coaching, guidance, and encouragement to take ownership of their projects, thereby helping to instill confidence in their abilities. We have also ventured into initiatives to showcase opportunities for diversity and inclusion so these women in their respective teams have the necessary skills and resources for success. Outside Sciative, I also participate in industry forums, workshops, and mentoring programs to empower women within the tech ecosystem.

Over the years, how have you seen the contributions and presence of women in the tech industry evolve, and what changes do you believe are still needed to foster greater inclusion?

Women been gaining prominence, with many breaking various barriers to reach the highest levels of leadership in the field. Nevertheless, challenges continue to plague the sector, like unconscious bias, unequal opportunities, and the lack of mentorship. A decisive approach to education for women that promote STEM, appear in work environment design for hiring and mentorship for women-tech contribution, should be put in place to expand inclusion. At Sciative, we are actively working on filling these gaps by promoting diversity and building a culture of equal opportunity. It will take collaboration between industry leaders, academia, and policymakers to catalyze systemic change.

Could you share any challenges you’ve faced as a woman leader in tech, and how you navigated them to build and lead Sciative to its current success?

With reference to a woman in tech, gender bias and the pressure to prove myself were challenges. Skepticism about my abilities ran high at the beginning of my career, and that strengthened my determination to be better.

Expertise-building, delivering results with a difference, and forging relationships with the stakeholders were the things I concentrated on. Resilience, being a lifelong learner, and a high level of commitment to excellence were instrumental in tackling those challenges. At Sciative, I’ve used these experiences to create an environment where merit and innovation take precedence over stereotypes.

Could you share insights about any transformative projects you’re currently leading at Sciative or any upcoming innovations that you are particularly excited about?

At Sciative, we are currently executing cutting-edge projects utilizing AI for real-time pricing decisions, competition intelligence, and improved customer experiences. One project I really take pride in is the work on dynamic pricing for sustainability. By bringing in environmental and social impact factors into the pricing decisions, a new era can emerge to support responsible consumption with value to businesses alike. Likewise, we are looking into how generative AI can create predictive models to solve complex market problems. Such innovations can transform industries and set standards for AI-enabled solutions.

As a pioneer in pricing technology, how do you see artificial intelligence reshaping the landscape? What role is Sciative playing in driving this transformation?

With the advent of artificial intelligence (AI), it is changing the ways of pricing enabling businesses to make smarter, faster, and more accurate decisions. AI-enabled software can think through vast amounts of data, predicting customer behavior, and changing prices dynamically through which revenue can be maximized, and markets can compete in a better manner. Sciative is at the forefront of this change, providing businesses engaged in retail, e-commerce, travel, and other industries with AI pricing solutions. They are working toward democratizing AI technologies and thereby enabling businesses, big and small, to realize their full potential. The company intends to push the limits of what AI can do in pricing.

With your exponential growth and ambition to make Sciative India’s first AI and Data Intelligence unicorn, what is your long-term vision for the company, and how do you plan to maintain your competitive edge in the global market?

The vision I have for Sciative long-term is to build Sciative as the global leader in AI and pricing intelligence to help businesses around the world make better decisions and build sustainable growth. This will be done through continuous innovation, funding of the latest technology, and building an extraordinary team. Our strategy is making footprints all over the world, creating strategic partnerships, and staying ahead of trends by constantly contemplating future customer needs. As we remain fixated on delivering value and creating meaningful change, we seek to establish Sciative as a trusted partner for businesses worldwide and attain unicorn status in the near term.