I spent years believing my value was in being the technical expert in the room. The moment I let that go, I found what actually fits me, being the translator who helps others cross the bridge. Purpose isn't the title you hold. It's the number of people you help get unstuck.
Paramita Banik · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Paramita
Paramita Banik brings nearly two decades of experience in enterprise technology to her current role. She began her career as a technical lead, project manager, and program manager, including early mentorship at IBM as a college fresher. After 18 to 19 years focused on technical roles, she transitioned 6 to 8 months ago into business development, joining AI Xccelerate as director of business development for an AI Agentic startup. In this position, she works with clients and prospects to integrate AI agents into their businesses, collaborates with her team on product feedback, and navigates the gap between AI hype and practical deployments. Paramita is also associated with Stevie Awards, where she volunteers as a judge for women in business and International Business Awards in new product categories. She contributes to philanthropic efforts through a California nonprofit, including Kids Against Hunger and fundraising for women-centric organizations supporting those affected by domestic violence. Her guiding career principle is consistency, which she credits for enabling real growth and compounding results over time.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Paramita
01What do you attribute your success to?
Two things. First, staying technically curious long after I stopped being in a technical role. Nineteen years of building data systems taught me how enterprises actually work under the hood, and that knowledge is what lets me sit across from a VP of Sales today and explain why an AI agent will or won't break their workflow. Second, being willing to start over. Moving into AI business development meant giving up being the expert in the room and becoming a beginner again, and that discomfort is exactly where the growth happened.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I would say I have received was just two words. Be consistent. It sounds very simple, too simple, but I have come to believe it's a real differentiator for me. Everyone has good days, bad days, good ideas, and bad days, and with some non, I would say, attractive ideas also. But very few people show up the same day, the same way, day after day, when no one is watching you. That's where the real compounding happens.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Your technical background is an advantage, not a limitation. I spent years thinking the commercial side of tech was for a different kind of person, and that was wrong. If you understand how systems actually work, you already have something the industry badly needs right now, which is the ability to translate between what technology can do and what a business actually needs. Also, publish your thinking. Write, speak, put your perspective out there before you feel ready. Visibility compounds, and nobody hands it to you.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest challenge is the gap between AI hype and AI reality. Most companies know they need to do something with AI, but very few know where to start, and the market is full of noise that makes that harder, not easier. That is also the opportunity. The people who can cut through the hype and show what actually works, with real deployments and real results, are the ones who will be trusted. We are early enough that credibility is still available to anyone willing to do the honest work.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Directness, above everything. I would rather tell a prospect that our product is not the right fit than close a deal that will not work for them, and I hold the same standard in my personal life. Second, continuous learning. I set a goal this year to become genuinely fluent in AI, not just conversant, and I take that seriously. Third, lifting other people as I go. Judging hackathons and awards programs, mentoring, and speaking are all part of that, because the doors that opened for me should open for others too.
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