Hemant Patel is the founder and CEO of digital transformation consultancy Anumana.
Based in Manchester, Anumana helps businesses harness data and AI for measurable benefits, specialising in bridging the gap between technical implementation and board-level decision-making.
Prior to launching Anumana in 2021, Patel previously worked at two of Europe’s top 1,000 fastest-growing companies, and now leads initiatives like the Anumana Code Academy to champion social mobility and make leading analytics accessible to all.
Here, he shares a recent week in his life.
Monday
My week kicks off with my usual morning routine of dropping the kids off at school. Then I head straight to Chorlton to onboard our new Lead Business Solution Architect, Irene. She has come on board as an expert in breaking down client business processes, enabling us to tailor our solutions carefully to each client. It’s always exciting to welcome a new addition to the team – we really pride ourselves on having the best-in-class talent.
By lunchtime, I’m back home ready for a client project update call. This involves demonstrating how we’ve built an AI system that first searches through the client’s own business documents and then uses that specific knowledge, combined with a language model, to provide accurate, company-specific responses.
The day continues with a call about an upcoming panel event I have this week on navigating communication for ESG strategies. We map out topics for discussion, questions and the key themes we want to explore. As the afternoon winds down, I carve out some time to tackle a bit of admin such as emails, invoices and a social media post for our new starter.
Before Monday wraps up, I focus on drafting a client proposal. It sets out a technology roadmap that aligns with the company’s business objectives – this would conduct a series of workshops on their current technical capabilities. Once this is squared off, I’m out of the door again to drop my daughter off at Rainbows.
Tuesday
The day starts as I head over to our new office to measure up for furniture. I’m in and out fairly quickly before I head home to get stuck into the first set of meetings for the day.
Around midday, I join a team planning session to discuss a new management process and begin our plans for next month’s activities – outlining key milestones so we can hit the ground running. Then it’s back to ordering office furniture.
By the late afternoon, it’s time for the school and nursery run. Something that has always been at the forefront of the Anumana vision is the ability to provide myself and my team with a strong work-life balance.
On the way, I squeeze in some time to touch base with a few associates. I have a quick catch-up call with a business owner to check in on their B Corporation application progress, and another with Anumana’s COO to discuss our pipeline activity and upcoming opportunities.
My day wraps up like any other day – dinner, a bath and a book before my kids go to bed.
Wednesday
My Wednesday starts off on a creative note with a bit of piano practice whilst the kids get ready for school. I drop them off and head over to one of our longest-standing clients, Swizzles, at its Cheshire factory to hold a morning workshop with the CEO.
The workshop is a success, achieving clarity over the strategic objectives of the business. We will now be going away to design a technology roadmap to make sure these goals are met. I head back home and jump straight into a couple of calls, including one to prepare for some upcoming presentations that discuss the development of one of our legal clients’ AI models.
Next on the agenda, I head over to the Anumana Code Academy school to support a lesson with the students who have been learning Python. This is always a highlight of my week – especially this year because we have been able to support more students than ever, with over 75 pupils currently enrolled. This is something that I know is only going to get more rewarding week by week as the student’s skills and self-confidence grow.
The day wraps up with some family time – I’m making homemade chicken fajitas and guacamole, a staple in my household, and we’re watching the North London Derby – come on Arsenal!
Thursday
Thursday kicks off with an early trip into Manchester for a networking breakfast meeting with the Better Business Network – a great community for purpose-driven businesses. All of these conversations about impact set me up perfectly for my next appointment – speaking on a panel of B Corp businesses. I head over to the other side of town and jump on the panel where we discuss how SMEs can implement an effective ESG strategy. It’s a great turn out and I have the chance to network making some valuable new connections.
I head home to take on childcare responsibilities – one’s ill from nursery and the other is home due to snow closures. While it’s not the day I originally had planned, it’s a great reminder of the flexibility needed to juggle work and home life. Plus the snow day chaos keeps things interesting!
Friday
The snow continues and the schools remain closed, so I drop the children off at kids club. They settle in and I head back home to dive into a series of client and internal stand-up meetings. It turns out to be a productive morning. My clients are particularly happy with the level of discipline we’ve brought to them as an organisation, helping to settle the data team after a chaotic season.
The rest of the day is filled with calls, including one with an Open Banking provider on behalf of a client and one with Databricks to discuss a potential partnership for some of our clients.
I try and wrap up Fridays by catching up on some emails and admin before logging off. To close out the week, I head for a family dinner at one of our favourite spots – Pizza Express.
No two weeks are ever the same but I always aim to strike a balance between creating impact through our work as a business and spending quality time with my family. It’s a constant flow of connections, opportunities and the odd curve ball – but that always keeps things interesting.
