As president, Chowdhury has built a practice serving the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and Con Edison while completing competitive accelerator programs with Hofstra University and the New York Power Authority.

A past president of the American Society of Civil Engineers Metropolitan Section in greater New York City and current regional governor, he has led more than 100 professional development programs and created inclusivity and mentoring initiatives. Chowdhury also set up an endowed scholarship for civil and construction engineering students at his alma mater, the University of Central Florida, and started a philanthropic program that links with community groups to support students and seniors in New York City.

 

How did you break into the industry?

I didn’t so much “break into” the industry as I stumbled into it.

When I entered college, I had no clear vision of what I wanted to do. I initially thought about architecture, but I quickly realized two things. 1. My college didn’t offer it and 2. I didn’t quite have the artistic instinct the profession demands.

The closest program available was civil engineering, so I enrolled in a few courses. What began as a practical decision gradually became intentional. The structure, the problem-solving, and the tangible impact on communities started to resonate with me.

The real turning point wasn’t just coursework; it was getting involved with the student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers. That exposure went beyond textbooks. I met professionals, attended events, and began to understand what the industry truly looked like in practice.

 

What is one challenge that you’ve overcome in your career. How did you overcome it?

One of the biggest challenges I’ve faced in my career is identity insecurity in high-performance environments…basically imposter syndrome.

I moved from South Florida to New York City. One of the most competitive and intellectually dense environments in the world. Engineering, like many industries, is filled with brilliant minds. There were moments when I questioned whether I truly belonged in the room. Whether I was experienced enough. Whether I was “New York” enough. Whether I was ready.

That feeling intensified when I started my business in my early thirties. Entrepreneurship has a way of magnifying every insecurity you didn’t know you had. When you build something from scratch, there’s nowhere to hide. The doubts get louder before they get quieter. What helped me overcome it was learning to simplify.

When doubt creeps in, complexity tends to follow. You start overanalyzing. Overcompensating. Trying to prove yourself. I had to constantly remind myself of two things: 1. Keep it simple and 2. Why not you?

Be excellent at the fundamentals. Communicate clearly. Deliver what you promise. Treat people well. There is real beauty, and real power, in simplicity.

I also leaned heavily into something that isn’t always emphasized in technical industries—emotional intelligence. Being extremely good at the intangibles. Listening carefully, understanding client concerns, managing expectations, reading a room. This all creates impact that raw intellect alone cannot.

I realized that worthiness isn’t about being the smartest person in the room. It’s about being valuable in the room.

Over time, results replace insecurity. But even now, growth still requires stepping into rooms that stretch me. The difference is I no longer interpret discomfort as inadequacy. I see it as expansion and that mindset has made all the difference.

 

What is your favorite project and what challenges did you overcome on it?

I can’t point to just one project as my favorite, largely because my role has evolved.

Earlier in my career, I might have highlighted a specific infrastructure job. Today, as head of the business, I oversee every project. What excites me now isn’t one individual job, but the orchestration of many moving parts at once. Entrepreneurship changes the lens.

The challenge is no longer just technical execution. It’s strategic oversight ensuring quality across multiple contracts, aligning schedules, managing risk, maintaining client relationships, and protecting the company’s reputation, all simultaneously. The real hurdle has been transitioning from operator to architect of the organization.

Engineers are trained to solve problems themselves. Entrepreneurs must build systems and people who solve them. That shift requires intentional leadership and, most importantly, trust. Trusting the team we’ve cultivated, the standards we’ve implemented, and the culture we’ve built.

Staying informed without micromanaging and understanding nuance without inserting myself into every detail has been one of the most important leadership disciplines I’ve developed. When you empower strong professionals, set clear expectations, and create accountability, the organization begins to operate beyond your individual capacity.

 

What’s the best part of your job?

The best part of my job is the uncertainty. As a business owner or a leader at any capacity, uncertainty can be crippling if you let it be. There are days when you wake up not knowing how a conversation will unfold, how a project will shift, or what challenge will land on your desk before noon. Early on, that unpredictability felt heavy. Over time, I learned to embrace it.

Uncertainty is where growth lives. It forces you to think clearly. It forces you to lead. It forces you to act instead of overanalyze. I’ve found that the key is to put your head down, focus on what you can control, and get to work on building the outcome you envision.

 

How do you maintain a work-life balance?

I don’t believe in perfect balance; certainly not in the way it’s often marketed. I don’t think life is a 50/50 scale where everything is evenly distributed every single day. If you’re striving for excellence, whether in business, leadership, family, or personal growth, there will be seasons where you are intentionally out of balance. There are times in life when you simply must live in the chaos.

Building something meaningful requires intensity. It requires sacrifice. It requires long hours and deep focus. And I’m still learning not to feel guilty about that when the mission calls for it. Excellence is rarely convenient.

But here’s what I do believe in, alignment over balance.

I ask myself regularly, “Is the chaos connected to purpose?” If the long hours are building something that will create opportunity for my family, my team, and/or my community, then that imbalance is temporary and intentional.

The key is understanding that life moves in seasons. Some seasons demand more from you professionally. Others require you to step back and be fully present at home. The wisdom is knowing when to shift.

For me, work-life balance isn’t about equal hours. It’s about being fully present wherever I am. When I’m leading my company, I lead with focus. When I’m with my family, I try to be completely there.

 

What’s your career advice for other young professionals in the industry?

My advice is simple. Be authentic and remain relentlessly curious. Trying to be someone else is exhausting. It may work temporarily, but it is not sustainable. In the long run, people can sense when you’re performing instead of genuinely growing. The most successful professionals I’ve seen are not the loudest. They’re the most authentic and the most inquisitive.

Curiosity is what separates average from exceptional. Ask questions. Understand why something works, not just how. Study beyond what’s required. Volunteer for the meeting you feel slightly unprepared for. We hear it all the time, but there is so much value in knowing growth lives just outside of comfort.