“In my heart, I’m a nerd,” said Anuja Burns, a Senior Consultant at Maven. From 6th grade, she knew she wanted to attend MIT because she craved an environment of curiosity and learning, a space where she could take things apart, discover how they work, and put them back together.

Anuja made her dream a reality, but after graduating with a master’s degree in computer science and electrical engineering, she didn’t have a clear view of what she wanted to be. A friend recommended she look at consulting, and she soon secured a position at BCG before a colleague introduced her to the world of private equity.

Anuja learned fast on the job but wanted to follow her passion for education and working with children. She then went to Stanford Business School, launched a school, ran it for eight years, and sold it to Bright Horizons.

Today, Anuja has found her way back to consulting. Being an independent consultant with Maven empowers her to travel and spend time with her family while continuously learning.

“I like being able to have more flexibility over the projects I work on,” said Anuja.

“I love working with Mark. He’s just the nicest guy, easy to work with, and I think the clients that he works with are so nice. They’re great partners, they’re smart, and they’re thoughtful.”

Her experience as a business owner gives her a unique perspective, one that PE firms and portfolio companies specifically request.

“Being so involved in the operations of a business gives you a different perspective. I always try to think about that when providing strategic guidance to companies. How does this impact them operationally? How actionable are these suggestions?”

It’s important to Anuja to use the strategic part of her brain and keep one foot in the consulting space. She thrives with the intensity, energy, and adrenaline that comes with the fast-paced projects she enjoys most.

“Consulting marries the aspects of teaching I love and also the strategy and thinking and solving problems.”