An Agile Approach
Manjit Singh is an expert at getting people and businesses “unstuck.”
Singh is president and founder of Agilious, a consulting firm that specializes in applying Agile-Lean principles to business challenges. Agilious helps a wide range of organizations strengthen their “agility DNA” – to take a more innovative, efficient approach to everything from product development to digital strategy.
“I enjoy driving transformation,” explained Singh. “We help clients see tangible results ... often in just a few weeks.”
Singh’s immersion in agile principles began after he earned his M.S. degree at UAlbany. He spent the next decade working in IT and software development.
Seeking greater challenges and wishing to get himself “unstuck,” Singh started taking on more of a consulting role with clients. This experience gave him “the entrepreneur bug,” leading him to form Agilious in 2013. The company now employs nine consultants in the Washington, D.C., metro area.
“I love what I’m doing ... I’m having fun,” said Singh.
In addition to his career success, the married father of two demonstrates agility in his personal life – coaching soccer, traveling and staying actively involved in his community. A native of Mumbai, India, Singh first arrived in the United States in 1990, when he enrolled at UAlbany. He has since formed a strong connection to his adopted country – and he feels a deep responsibility to give back.
In 1996, Singh co-founded the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund (SALDEF), protecting the rights of Sikh Americans through advocacy, education, legal assistance and accurate portrayal of the Sikh religion. He currently serves as board chair.
Because of his work with SALDEF, Singh was tapped last May to guide another high-profile organization: the White House Office of Faith-based and Neighborhood Partnerships. In this volunteer position, he works to build bridges between the federal government and non-profit organizations to better serve Americans in need. It’s yet another way that Singh is helping people think differently – and get “unstuck.”
“It’s quite an honor to serve the president and this country,” he noted proudly.
Singh’s American experience can be traced back to UAlbany, where he “felt very welcome” because of the University’s large international student population and the support he received from faculty.
“It was an important experience that set me up for success,” said Singh. “They gave me an extraordinary foundation.”
