Recently, my nephew Billy Thibodeaux was taking a college course and he was

asked to interview an entrepreneur. The purpose of the assignment was for the
students to gain an understanding of entrepreneurship and what it means to be
entrepreneur and to run a business. The teacher gave them 10 questions to ask and
my nephew came up with 10 additional questions on his own. I thought the exercise
contained good information so I decided I would share it with you in my blog.

1. How did you get your idea or

concept for the business?
Louis J. Erickson co-founded the company with me in 2000. We each own 50% of
the company. I am the Chief Executive Officer and he is the Chief Operations Officer.
Louis and I have been best friends for over 30 years. Our primary experience was
building software while working for major defense contractors that provided software
engineering services for the Department of Defense. We were not happy with the
bureaucracy and inefficiencies in the department of defense.
We were both good at what we did. However, working in that environment with a
bunch of B & C team players was frustrating. We would attend meetings just to
discuss what we would do in the next meeting! We were both very creative and
wanted to solve real world business problems and create innovative software
solutions, but the bureaucracy and apathy in building software for the government
was stifling. It was easy to soar like an eagle though, and we were both rock stars as
employees, but we both wanted much more and I felt we could do it better.
We started talking about forming the company in 1998. We sketched out a business
plan on a napkin at a Chucky Cheese during my niece's birthday party, but we did
not start the company until 2000. The catalyst for this was finding a good long term
contract with a company in Austin, Texas. Louis was already in Austin, so I moved
there and we formed a Texas Corporation.

2. What was your mission at the

outset?

Survive...just kidding, no seriously. We believed that we could create a services

based company where software engineers could grow and flourish. We wanted to
work with leading technology and build real-world enterprise software solutions. I
have always been a leader and I am creative and take great satisfaction out of
building things, both software and our company. I appreciate the opportunity to sink
or swim based on my own effort and hard work.
Louis and I are Software Engineers who had to learn how to run a business and be
business owners. We knew what we did not know and sought out and valued the
people that could help us.

3. When did you "charter" the

business?
In 2000 we formed a Texas Corporation and applied for and IRS S-Corp Status. In
2001 we moved the company to Fort Walton Beach, Florida and on the advice of our
attorney, we re-incorporated in the State of Florida, applied for an IRS S-Corp Status
and dissolved the Texas based Corporation.

4. How many employees?

24 Employees
14 Software Engineers (Louis and I are counted in the Software Engineers)
4 Graphic Designers / Web Developers
1 Director of Marketing
1 Director of Sales
1 Director of Business Operations (HR, Finances)
1 Director of Morale (Admin, Employee Relations)

5. What service(s) or product(s) do

you offer/manufacture?
Software Development (Application Development)
Software Systems Integration
Graphic Design (Web & Print Design & Development)
IT Consulting

6. How do you advertise your

business?
Branding and Identity are Key. But the biggest single action we can take to advertise
our business is do solid work and give Tiffany service. Word-of-mouth is a powerful
thing.
However, today with all of the changes in marketing, we have changed from the old
"push" marketing to "pull" marketing. People get so many messages daily. You have
to give them a compelling reason to tune in and listen to your message. You have to
provide useful and interesting content that is relevant so people want to listen. You
have to be willing to give away some advice and information for free. You have to
establish your company as The Experts and you have to be able to back it up in
word and deed.
Twitter
Facebook
Blogging
Web Site
Events & Seminars
Cold Calling
Warm Calling
Partnerships

7. How do you advertise your

product/service?
Twitter
Facebook
Blogging
Web Site
Events & Seminars
Cold Calling
Warm Calling
Partnerships

8. To what do you attribute your

success?
Two things:
Ruthless Persistence and Razor Focus
Hiring really outstanding people who are self-motivated and do not need to be
managed.

9. Do you use the services of a

professional accountant or
attorney?
Absolutely! The key in running a business is knowing what you do not know and
getting the right people to do it for you. You also have to value their services and be

willing to pay for their expertise. We use OSullivan Creel as our CPA (Accounting
Firm) and Pleat & Perry PA as our Attorneys.

10. What do you look for in an

employee?The most important
thing to us is that they fit into our
corporate culture!
We look people who are self-motivated and who do not need to be managed.
We need them to be what we call triple threats:They have to be able to do the work.
They have to be able to work and communicate with their peers.
They have to be able to work and communicate with customers.

11. What made you choose your

current location?
Family and Cost of Living.

12. What kind of Corporation is

your business?
C Corporation with and IRS S-Corp Designation.

13. Whats your companys goals?

Our BHAG or Big Hairy Audacious Goal is be the premier #1 Software & Design
Services company in the nation.

14. Do you work locally or

nationally?
Both, but most of our work comes from around the country.

15. What is unique about your

business?
We do project based software engineering and graphic design. We are well rounded
and know all aspects of development to include the graphics, marketing, business,
as well as the technology. All of our engineers and designers have college degrees,
are Microsoft Certified, and on staff at our location. We are light and nimble and
provide tip of the spear technology services with a personal and Tiffany touch, the
national consulting firms do not provide this kind of service.

16. What are your responsibilities

as the business owner?
Everything! Owning a business that employs 24 people means that I also have the
responsibility for 24 families that depend on me to make good decisions. I also have
a responsibility to my customers and vendors. So for every decision I make I have to
think about the consequences and weigh a lot of factors. In the end I am ultimately
responsible.

17. What made you choose this

type of business?
It is what I am good at and what I enjoy. But more importantly there is an endless
market for computer, networking, and software IT services. You can love something,
but if there is little or no market for people to buy your product or service, you are
dead in the water. There is one exception to this rule and that is for people who can
create a whole new market for a product and service. Often times people do not
know what they want until a company gives it to them and creates a market, but
those situations are few and far between. It does not happen that often.

18. Does your company help the

community where it is located?
Absolutely, we support the community and a number of charities. We usually give
about 10% of our earnings in money, time, and support each year. Some of the
people we support: Emerald Coast Autism Center, Northwest Florida Ballet
Academy, Best Robotics Program, IT Gulf Coast, Gulf Coast .NET Users Group,
American Cancer Society, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Taylor Haugen
Foundation, Choctawhatchee High School, Fort Walton Beach High School, and the
Boy Scouts.

19. Have you ever turned down a

client?
Yes, we have turned down clients and we have fired clients after we started working
with them. The customer is not always right. The key is finding balance and knowing
when you need to let them go. The biggest factor is if they value our services and
what we provide. There needs to be a mutual respect. If that respect is not there you

do not have a good business relationship. Also when you let them go it is important
to frame it the right way. You always have to be professional.

20. If you had one piece of advice

to someone just starting out, what
would it be?
Make your own future! Create and be part of something that is bigger than yourself.
Nobody is going to give it to you; you have to work for your dreams. There are no
guarantees on success. In order to win big you have to take calculated risks. You will
find that nothing great just happens on its own, you can't sit on the sidelines and wait
for it. Be ruthlessly persistent and have razor focus!