Alumna Boldly Leads Successful Salesforce Consulting Firm

During an early job interview with Accenture, Pallavi Agarwal ’05, asked how long it would take to become a partner. Never afraid to ask bold questions, Agarwal used her determination to map her successful business career. Today, she is the CEO and founder of Kander, an award-winning woman- and minority-founded Salesforce global consulting firm based in Washington, D.C.

Agarwal was originally pre-med, but transferred to the Robert H. Smith School of Business and put herself on a fast track to graduate earlier than expected. “From Day One, I knew that I wanted to get into the business school and would roadmap it,” says Agarwal.

Agarwal credits the Office of Career Services for helping her prepare for and find opportunities. “The resources for me that made a difference were the types of employers that the school would attract, the interview info sessions from the career center were invaluable and made my life as a student easier so I could focus on the interviews. Maryland did a fantastic job in their career relations and I encourage all current students to take advantage early on.”

Upon graduating, Agarwal spent six years at Accenture prior to joining Deloitte as a senior consultant. After earning her MBA, she held a senior consultant role at Verity Consulting before becoming a manager at Pierce Washington. She returned to Washington, D.C. to join Acumen Solutions, and in 2018 followed her dreams to start her own Salesforce consulting agency.

In 2023, Agarwal was presented with the prestigious Salesforce Golden Hoodie Award by Salesforce co-founder and CTO Parker Harris for building a customer-first business.

“Today, I am proud to lead a global company recently ranked by Inc. 5000 in the top 25% fastest growing companies, while growing our yearly revenue by 100% to over $7 million in revenue to date,” she says.

Agarwal believes in giving back and volunteers on numerous boards and charities, including the Smith School’s Undergraduate Advisory Board. She praises mentors who were important to helping her build Kander into the successful company it is today. It was her boldness and persistence yet again that helped her find mentors along the way.

“I remember meeting a top executive woman at Accenture and I was so enamored with her leadership,” says Agarwal. “As I sat with her, I immediately asked the question, ‘How do I get to sit in your seat?’ Not only was she surprised by my boldness, but she encouraged me to be more bold. While mentors come and go, we have stayed close.”