On November 30, 2022, four great Washingtonians will receive the region’s signature lifetime achievement award, joining the more than 180 Laureates in the Washington Business Hall of Fame who serve as role models to the next generation of business leaders. Their careers and backgrounds are as broad and diverse as their accomplishments are far-reaching.
The Learn About the Laureate series serves as an opportunity for the Greater Washington business community to get to know the 2022 Washington Business Hall of Fame inductees just a little bit better.
Check out Reggie Aggarwal’s Q&A with JA below!
Reggie Aggarwal
Chief executive officer & FOUNDER
JA: Did you have a teacher or educator over the course of your education who has made a lasting impact on your life?
Reggie Aggarwal: I’m fortunate to have had incredible educators and mentors in my high school, college, and law school careers who have made a lasting impact on my life. Each one of them inspired me, helped boost my confidence and find my passion.
One particular example was my high school debate coach. She invested a lot of her time to help me become a strong debater, which ultimately helped me become a confident communicator. Having that strong foundation has had a massive impact on my entire life and on my business. Educators are arguably some of the biggest influencers on our lives, behind only our parents and ourselves. They can have a huge impact on our trajectories, and I’m grateful to those who helped me along the way. I wouldn’t be here without them.
JA: What is the hardest job you have ever done?
Reggie Aggarwal: Growing up, I was constantly running different businesses. In my junior year of college, I ran a business called Student Painters – which is exactly what it sounds like: college students painting houses. I was literally working 80 hours a week managing 15 college students. The problem was that I kept mis-estimating my paint jobs, and two months into the summer, I probably worked 500 hours and lost $4,000. It’s not very motivating to lose $8 an hour. Fortunately, it came together by the end of the summer, and I ended up making $18,000 in total. I learned a lot from that experience about managing people, running a small business, and never giving up.
JA: The global pandemic has caused young people to reconsider the connection between their education and an uncertain future. What should students be doing today to help prepare them for a successful tomorrow?
Reggie Aggarwal: Uncertain future or not, I think the foundation that a good education gives you is underestimated – but the definition of a good education is not necessarily just academic. You will learn critical analytical skills, how to become confident in yourself and how to communicate. But most importantly, you can establish a good value system – which means working hard, being ethical, helping others, and never giving up. But the biggest thing students can do today to help prepare them for a successful tomorrow is to never stop learning from others – whether it’s your teachers, your fellow students, or your colleagues or mentors. Opportunities to learn and grow are everywhere. Always keep learning and exploring.
“Never stop learning from others – whether it’s your teachers, your fellow students, or your colleagues or mentors. Always keep learning and exploring.”
JA: What is the one thing that you want the Greater Washington business community to know about your company?
Reggie Aggarwal: Cvent is the technology that powers the human connection. We’re in the business of bringing people together for meetings and events around the world. The greatest movements in history start by people coming together for a collective cause. When we come together, barriers are broken, relationships are built, communities are strengthened, and we drive positive change. In short, great events inspire the world – and our technology powers that event experience. That’s what motivates me to come to work every day, and that’s what inspires our 4,700+ Cventers.
JA: If you were to create a slogan or a theme song for your life, what would it be?
Reggie Aggarwal: One of my favorite quotes is, “fall down seven times, get up eight.” It’s an old Japanese proverb, and it has inspired me to never give up.
With this in mind, if I was to pick a theme song, it would be “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba. I know that’s a mouthful, but the lyrics say it all: “I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down. I get knocked down, but I get up again. You’re never gonna keep me down.” By the way … the whole song is literally just these lyrics.
JA: If you could choose one person, living or dead, to have dinner with, who would it be and why?
Reggie Aggarwal: This is an easy answer: my dad. He passed away in December 2018, he and I were very close, and I miss him a lot.
My dad always encouraged me to take risks – but to never go too far over my skis. He was one of those people you loved sharing good news with because he’d be genuinely more excited than you were. He did everything that a father should do and his entrepreneurial spirit was a big driver of why I started Cvent. It was he and my mom who initially helped me fund Cvent by liquidating their 401K.
If I were able to have dinner with my dad, it would be great to catch him up on our lives. He would want to know what’s going on with all his kids and grandkids, my mom, and of course what’s going on with Cvent. I would also want to know what the afterlife is like, because my mom would be most interested in that answer.
You’re invited to support Reggie Aggarwal’s induction into the Washington Business Hall of Fame. All proceeds benefit Junior Achievement of Greater Washington’s work to prepare local students to be ready for the future.