From EY to Gratia: Meet Tarushi on Autonomy, Pace, and Flexibility

Hi Tarushi! We’re excited to catch up. Can you tell us about your background and what encouraged you to join Gratia?

I have around 11 years of experience in strategy and market intelligence across sectors. My previous engagements include Evaluserve, a boutique consulting firm focused on India Infrastructure, and most recently EY, where I worked on growth strategy, market entry, competitive intelligence, and research-heavy problem solving for global clients, mainly in energy, infrastructure, and automotive. I joined Gratia in December 2024 because of the flexibility it offered in working hours and location, while still doing the kind of work I’m good at. It felt like a more meaningful and dynamic next step than staying on a traditional consulting track.

Coming from EY, how does Gratia’s brand of “fast-paced” differ? Is it more speed of thought or speed of doing?

At EY, “fast-paced” was mostly speed of doing: tight deadlines and delivering structured outputs within a defined project scope. At Gratia, it’s both speed of thought and speed of doing. You’re expected to think on your feet, shape the problem, think ahead of the client, and execute quickly.

We value flexibility in project capacity. How has the ability to manage your bandwidth or influence projects changed your experience?

It has influenced me a lot. My my manager made sure I take projects that align with my interests. For example, I once mentioned that I’m really interested in the Talent function and would be happy to take opportunities there. My manager remembered that even after six months, gave me more projects connected to org structure and talent, and is now helping me transition into Gratia’s internal Talent team.

Looking back on the last year, what project or milestone are you most proud of building from scratch?

Honestly, I’m proud of all the projects I’ve worked on in the past year at Gratia. It wasn’t just about delivery. It was about defining what the solution should look like, how we position it, and how we execute it. Every project was different, and each one helped me learn more. Taking something from a rough idea to a live client engagement has been really rewarding.

High performers often have unique workflows. What does a “productive day” look like for you at Gratia?

A productive day usually has a good mix of thinking and doing. I start by thinking about what the client will need today or this week, then I execute. I list what needs to be done, prioritize it, and make tangible progress on key deliverables. If needed, I connect with colleagues quickly, either async or on a short call, to unblock things.

What is one thing about Gratia’s culture or flexible working model that has genuinely improved your life outside work?

More control over my schedule. I can structure my day around what needs to be delivered while still making time for things outside of work.

How much autonomy do you truly have compared to traditional consulting roles?

Definitely more than in traditional consulting. Some days are genuinely very busy, but there are also days where you have the space to focus on what really matters. That said, compared to previous roles, the pressure exists all the time.

What would you say to an ex-consultant worried about leaving the “prestige” of a top-tier firm for a startup?

I’d say go ahead and take the risk. I’m pretty sure it will be worth it. Leaving a firm like EY, with financial security, paid leave, and the usual perks, wasn’t an easy decision. I spent a lot of time thinking it through and working through different scenarios. But it’s a risk that’s paid off for me. I’ve been able to transition into the kind of work I genuinely enjoy, on a schedule that suits me.

One real day this week: what were you working on, and what were the recurring tasks you did?

I’m juggling a few things right now. I’m working on a client project (JMGC), acting as a part-time Chief of Staff since Gratia’s CoS transitioned off, and slowly transitioning into talent-related work for the Gratia Talent team. Key tasks include preparing and sending client deliverables, drafting legal documents like NDAs and board consents, refreshing onboarding content, responding to investor queries on quarterly updates and recent programs, and handling ad-hoc requests as they come up.

For those tasks, which AI tools did you use, and what did they produce?

I don’t have access to Grace yet, so I primarily rely on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and DeepSeek.

Biggest “aha” moment: what was the exact prompt, context, and what did you do next?

Prompt: “You are a sales/BD executive and have a proposal to share to a potential client, who has been a long-standing customer of your company. Create a pitch deck / proposal deck with 4–5 slides and pricing list.”

Context: Summit has a long-standing relationship with EOS Fitness and currently supports them reactively via tickets. The goal was to pitch a structured quarterly service and maintenance agreement covering systems, components, and services (stocked materials, on-the-spot repairs, diagnostic reports) as a visual companion for a live sales pitch.

What I did next: The prompt helped me frame an initial outline and storyline for the deck. I used that outline to draft and detail the content based on client information, shared an initial version, and needed fewer iterations than I typically would.

One time you ignored AI: what did it recommend, why was it wrong, and what happened?

I usually ignore AI for meeting notes. They don’t capture the full essence, and sometimes they hallucinate action items or assign actions to the wrong owners.