I left behind the idea that success meant staying on the traditional executive path. Building my own thing brought uncertainty, but also freedom to create work aligned with who I am.
Sravani Atluri · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Sravani
Sravani Atluri is a growth executive, entrepreneur, and business leader with more than 20 years of experience spanning marketing, fintech, higher education, SaaS, e-commerce, digital marketplaces, and technology-driven businesses.
She is the Founder and CEO of CollegeLens.ai, an AI-powered college affordability platform designed to help students and families better understand college costs, financial aid, funding gaps, borrowing needs, and long-term financial outcomes before making major education decisions. She is also the CEO of Altis Growth, a strategic advisory firm that partners with organizations on growth strategy, go-to-market execution, customer acquisition, partnerships, performance marketing, product strategy, and scalable business operations.
Throughout her career, Sravani has led multidisciplinary teams across marketing, product, software development, analytics, partnerships, communications, and operations. Her experience spans higher education, financial services, advertising, multicultural marketing, pharmaceuticals, fashion, e-commerce, real estate, performing arts, startups, B2B, and SaaS environments.
Her career has consistently centered on bringing together strategy, technology, data, and commercial execution to solve complex business problems and create sustainable growth. With a strong technology foundation, including a Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Sravani has built her career at the intersection of business leadership, digital transformation, product development, and customer experience.
While her professional journey has been defined by growth and transformation, Sravani believes resilience has been just as important as strategy. She credits much of her success to the support of her family, a strong work ethic, and the ability to continue moving forward through uncertainty and change. She believes careers rarely follow a perfectly straight path and that some of the most meaningful opportunities come from being willing to take risks, adapt, and reinvent yourself.
Her leadership philosophy is grounded in respect, collaboration, communication, and equality. She believes the strongest teams are built in environments where people feel comfortable contributing ideas, challenging assumptions, and taking ownership without fear or intimidation.
Sravani is especially passionate about encouraging women to pursue ambitious goals, remain open to unexpected opportunities, protect their well-being, and trust themselves enough to keep going when the path becomes difficult. She believes success is not defined by a single title or milestone, but by the willingness to continue learning, growing, and creating new possibilities.
Beyond her entrepreneurial work, Sravani is a member of the National Association of Women Business Owners, serves on the Board of SafeNest, and is a Board Advisor to FreeHealth.ai, where she contributes perspective on growth, product positioning, go-to-market strategy, partnerships, and AI-enabled commercialization. She also volunteers with Nevada SPCA, reflecting her love of animals and commitment to giving back to her local community.
Today, through CollegeLens.ai, Altis Growth, her board and advisory work, and broader community involvement, Sravani remains focused on building businesses and products that solve meaningful problems, using technology thoughtfully, creating opportunities for others, and continuing to grow as a leader, founder, and entrepreneur.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Sravani
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to two things: the support of my family and my own resilience.
I would not be where I am today without the constant encouragement and support I have received behind the scenes, especially from my husband, my son, and my family. Having people who believe in you, particularly during the difficult moments, makes an enormous difference.
At the same time, I have always been someone who keeps moving forward. I have good days and difficult days like everyone else, but I do not allow a bad day or a setback to define what comes next. I may need to regroup, rethink, or work through the challenge, but giving up has never been my instinct.
That resilience, combined with the support of the people closest to me, has allowed me to continue pursuing ambitious goals even during some of the most demanding periods of my career, including times when I was working more than 15 hours a day. For me, success has never been about avoiding challenges. It has been about having the strength, support, and determination to keep going through them.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I’ve received is to never let other people define what you are capable of.
There will always be people who doubt you, underestimate you, criticize you, or try to make you feel like you are not ready for the next opportunity. There will also be difficult days when you question yourself. But you cannot allow someone else’s opinion, insecurity, or expectations to determine how far you go.
Listen to feedback, learn from it, and stay open to growth, but trust yourself enough to know the difference between constructive advice and someone simply placing limits on you.
Some of the most important moments in my career came from continuing forward even when the path was difficult or when others may not have seen what I saw in myself. You have to be willing to believe in your own potential, especially before everyone else does.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women is simple: do not give up on yourself.
Work hard, stay focused, and keep moving forward, even when progress feels slow or the path does not look exactly the way you expected. At the same time, give yourself permission to rest when you need to. Protecting your mental health and well-being is not a weakness; it is part of building a sustainable life and career.
I also encourage women to stay open to opportunities that may not initially look like the role, title, or responsibility they had in mind. Sometimes the experience that seems small, unexpected, or even outside your original plan can teach you something valuable, introduce you to the right person, or open a door you never saw coming.
Not every opportunity will make sense immediately, but every experience can add something to your journey. Stay curious, stay resilient, and do not let pride or fear keep you from exploring where an unexpected path might lead.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges, and at the same time one of the greatest opportunities, in marketing today is the rapid evolution of AI.
The industry is changing quickly. Companies are rethinking how work gets done, the job market has become more competitive, and many professionals are navigating uncertainty created by restructuring and layoffs. In that environment, marketers need to do more than simply understand traditional channels and tactics. They need to become comfortable with emerging technologies, automation, data, and new ways of working.
I believe AI should be viewed as a tool that can make marketers more effective, not something to fear. It can help teams work faster, uncover insights, improve personalization, automate repetitive processes, and create space for more strategic and creative thinking.
The real opportunity belongs to the people who are willing to keep learning. Marketers who actively develop their understanding of AI, strengthen their technology and analytical skills, and adapt how they work will be in a much stronger position as the industry evolves.
The field has always changed, but the pace of change is much faster now. Staying curious, adaptable, and willing to continuously learn is becoming just as important as the experience you already have.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values that matter most to me are respect, communication, collaboration, and fairness.
I believe people should be treated with respect regardless of their title, role, or level of experience. In both my work and personal life, I value open and honest communication because strong relationships are built when people feel comfortable expressing themselves and know they will be heard.
As a leader, I want to create environments where people can collaborate without feeling intimidated, ask questions without hesitation, and share ideas even when they challenge the status quo. I have always believed in maintaining an open-door approach and treating people equally.
For me, strong teams are not built only on talent or expertise. They are built on trust. When people feel respected, supported, and included, they are more willing to contribute, take ownership, and do their best work. Those same values also guide how I approach my relationships outside of work.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.