Building Things That Matter

My name is Sharan Kanugovi and I’m currently a Junior at UW-Superior majoring in Business Analytics and Finance. Till the age of 15, my sights were set on going pro. Practicing tennis and working out day in and day out was extremely challenging, but that also taught me a ton of lessons. Although I wasn’t able to go pro, that ambition took me across borders to compete in international tournaments in places like Kenya and Sri Lanka. Those trips did more than just improve my UTR; they immersed me in different cultures and taught me how to navigate the unfamiliar.

But the most vital lesson tennis gave me was how to handle stress and the "inner critic." On the court, points happen so fast that you cannot afford the luxury of overthinking. If you get caught up in a mistake, the match is over before you’ve even realized what to fix. I learned that in tennis, and in life, anxiety is usually just a signal that it’s time to take action. The moment you stop ruminating and start moving, the stress begins to fade. That philosophy of "anxiety is a consequence of inaction" is what drives my work ethic everyday.

This mindset also led me to start building my own projects, a passion that was first sparked thousands of miles away at my father’s software company in India. For me, every journey has a "why," and mine started with watching them build tech. It wasn't just about the code; it was about the passion for creating something out of nothing. That is what fueled my drive to build.

The "Modern Builder" Era

I believe that in 2026, you don't need a Computer Science degree to be a creator. I built two products from scratch using AI coding, tools that allowed me to bypass the traditional way of coding and focus more on the vision of solving a need.

But building is only half the battle. I learned the hard way that if you can’t test an idea or pivot when the market speaks, the product won’t survive. I ended up dropping those first two ideas, but those "failures" were actually my first real lessons in market validation.

Finding My "Home" at SEM

Being thousands of miles away from my family in India can be tough at times, especially because we are so close. They have always been my biggest support system, providing unconditional love at all times. Growing up, they were always involved in my life’s big decisions, helping guide me toward the right path. For the last couple of years, I was mostly focused on my career, not realizing how much I missed having that kind of foundation around me every day.

When I got back from my summer break last semester, I spoke to Yash, who introduced me to Superior Effect Marketing (SEM). Then I approached Kaille Deadrick from the Link Center who connected me to Summer. Shortly after, I was called for an interview and from that conversation, I knew this was a great place to work. Summer is more than a boss; she’s a mentor who is extremely passionate and also truly cares about the "person" behind the "employee."

Since starting work in early 2026, I’ve found something I didn’t know I was looking for: a genuine sense of belonging. Working here doesn't feel like being a "cog in a machine." It feels like being part of a community. Everyone on the team, Summer, Tony, Yash, and Kamarie, are great people and I feel like we make a good team. Being part of SEM has fueled me to grow and learn, which made me realize that that sense of belonging is what propels a human to perform their best and improve.

What I’m Working on Now

Summer understands exactly what I love doing: solving problems. Most of my work revolves around looking at past data and understanding how to improve the quality of work. I also build automations and apps that solve real-world situations. This work has been very fulfilling for me so far and I’m very grateful for the opportunity to be working on this.

Below are some of the main things I will be working on as a Business Intern at SEM:

1. Automating Logic: I’ve been streamlining monthly marketing analytic reports for our current clients to make data more actionable.

2. The Big Picture: We’re currently coming up with comprehensive annual reports to analyze historic performance trends.

3. Solving Pain Points: Building custom app-based solutions for our clients to solve their specific business problems.

I’m no longer just building apps in a vacuum; I’m building them to create a Superior Effect for a community that I love being a part of.