Advantage Moving & Storage

Chitra Bheeman: A Personal Move

By James Florence, Diamond Certified Resource Reporter

MILPITAS — With a background in business development, Chitra Bheeman has always preferred interacting with people to crunching numbers. That was one of the main reasons she decided to get into the moving industry—that and her husband needed the help. “When my then-fiancé Brian first started Advantage Moving & Storage, I helped him and his partners get things up and running,” she recounts. “A couple of years later, after the two other partners left, I quit my job and joined the business full-time. Since then, I’ve particularly enjoyed the interpersonal aspect of the job. While I also worked with people in my prior career, with moving, the client interactions tend to be a bit more personal than what you experience in an office setting, so that has been very rewarding.”

Today, as vice president of Advantage Moving & Storage, Chitra says her favorite part of her job is helping customers through the moving process. “Moving is typically a stressful experience. I talk to our customers, address the challenges in getting them relocated and try to make sure things go as smoothly as possible. At the end of the day, when the customer is all moved and with minimal stress, it’s a good feeling.”

A resident of Milpitas, Chitra spends her time outside of work on a variety of pastimes. “Brian and I enjoy being outdoors and walking our Australian Cattle Dog, Buddy,” she details. “We also do a lot of traveling—our goal is to visit a new country every year, if possible. The most recent places we’ve traveled are India, Vietnam and Laos.” When she’s not traveling or enjoying the outdoors, Chitra likes to read and spend time with friends and family.

In regard to a personal philosophy, Chitra espouses the importance of living in the moment. “Yesterday is gone and tomorrow is uncertain, so all you can really do is make the most of today,” she says. “In addition to being intentional and present, I think it’s important to keep a positive mindset. A lot of different challenges come up in life, especially when you’re running a business, but you can’t let the pressure and negativity get you down—you have to stay positive and do your best with the time you have.”

Ask Me Anything!

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?

A: Do crossword puzzles. I can lose myself for hours.

Q: Do you collect anything?

A: Souvenirs from traveling. On every trip, we usually find some unique, handmade item to bring home as a keepsake.

Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go?

A: Africa.

Q: Have you ever read a book more than once?

A: “To Kill a Mockingbird” by Harper Lee.

Q: What’s your favorite thing to eat for dessert?

A: Anything dark chocolate.