Why The Next Step?
At The Next Step (TNS), we are more than an HR consulting firm – we are strategic partners dedicated to transforming organizations through human-centric solutions.
We practice a values-based approach, striving to deliver meaningful impact at every step of our engagement.
Our mission is to partner with organizations and individuals to enhance leadership, build strong HR foundations and drive sustainable performance through focused coaching, capability building, and strategic interventions.
What We Provide
Solutions
Development
Programs
Coaching
HR Practices
Educational Institutes
About Us
Bridging The Gap
Between Human Talent
And Business Success
Our Mission
We exist to help organizations
and leaders unlock human
potential through innovative
solutions and transformative
leadership at every stage of
their growth journey.
Our Leaders
Shabnam Jussa Gaitonde
Founder PartnerWith over 30 years of experience in Human Resources, she has led people strategies for mid and large sized organizations across diverse sectors including ITES, Pharmaceuticals, Chemicals, and Consulting. A certified coach from Erickson Coaching and an alumnus of IIM Calcutta, she brings deep expertise in aligning HR with business goals. Her strengths lie in leading organizational change, building leadership pipelines, and transforming workplace culture. She has conceptualized and implemented impactful talent development, performance management, and diversity & inclusion programs, while also driving succession planning and engagement strategies. Having held senior HR leadership positions, including CHRO roles, she is known for her practical, people-centric approach and her ability to coach individuals and teams to achieve measurable results. Her work spans multicultural environments across geographies — steering organizations through structural changes and right-sizing initiatives.
Shabnam Gaitonde | LinkedIn
Chandrahas Shetty
Strategic PartnerWith over four decades of diverse experience in Human Resources and Business Support, including 17 years as President of HR and Business Support of a large pharmaceuticals company, he brings a rare blend of strategic insight and hands-on leadership. A certified coach and transformation consultant, he has led large-scale organizational change initiatives, implemented digital systems, and played a pivotal role in aligning HR with core business operations. His academic credentials include a Master’s in Personnel Management, advanced HR studies from the University of Mumbai and TISS, and a leadership program from XLRI. Known for his future-focused mindset, he has consistently introduced innovative strategies, built leadership pipelines and improved employee engagement through structured interventions. His experience spans multiple sectors and he has supported pan-India operations with a strong emphasis on talent development, union negotiations, succession planning, and performance benchmarking.
C I Shetty | LinkedInServices
We offer comprehensive people strategies aligned with your organization’s unique goals – spanning Talent Acquisition, Talent Development and Talent Management. Our solutions help build and sustain a high-performing environment.
Leadership Development
We design and deliver leadership development solutions that empower individuals and teams to lead with clarity, confidence, and purpose. Our programs focus on enhancing self-awareness and building core leadership competencies.
Executive
Coaching
We provide structured coaching solutions for professionals at mid and senior levels, to unlock potential, enhance leadership effectiveness and accelerate performance. Our outcome-driven approach aligns individual development with organizational goals, enabling professionals to lead with focus, conviction and impact.
Setting-up and enhancing
HR Practices
Establish a structured HR framework that ensures organizational consistency, drives compliance, and cultivates a high-performing workforce, enabling sustainable business growth.
Revamping Performance Management Systems
We support with building a high-performance culture by designing and implementing robust, transparent performance management practices. Our approach ensures clarity in expectations, aligns individual goals with organizational objectives and provides a structured pathway for continuous feedback, growth, and accountability—for both employees and leaders.
Offerings for
Educational Institutes
We collaborate closely with educational institutions to design and deliver customized programs that align with their specific goals. Each program is co-created by actively involving with faculty, ensuring relevance, continuity and lasting impact.
Client
Feedback &
Testimonials
"The Next Step brings professional expertise and exceptional communications to every engagement. They offer tailored solutions, efficient talent acquisition, and impactful employee development programmes. Over time, they have become an extension of our own team—a trusted HR and strategic partner for exponential growth."
“Working with The Next Step has been a smooth, insightful, and genuinely supportive experience. Their professionalism, clarity of communication, and dedication to delivering real value truly stand out. | always felt like | was in capable hands, with a team that not only understood my goals but also brought creative and practical solutions to the table."
“Working with SJG has been an inspiring experience. Her pleasant manner and friendly demeanour creates an immediate connection with participants, setting the tone for a collaborative and engaging learning environment. With an exceptional command over language and a natural flair for leadership, she not only delivers powerful content but also models the very qualities they teach. What truly sets The Next Step apart is their mastery in facilitating group activities that bring out the best in every participant.”
“We had the privilege of hosting Ms. Shabnam Gaitonde for a program at the Federation of Gujarat Industries. Her session was articulate, insightful and highly relevant to the professional landscape. She skilfully blended theory with practical examples, making the session both engaging and impactful. The Next Step ensures active participation from attendees, fostering meaningful discussions and leaving participants with clear, actionable takeaways which can be applied to their respective workplaces.”
Contact Us
Connect with our experts to unlock impactful leadership and sustainable growth.
Phone: 91-9619115630
Whatsapp: 91-9619115430
Email: connect@thenextstep.co.in
Address: Andheri, Mumbai 400058