Jim Laber and Jay Mellon

With the goal of providing new, innovative technologies at an affordable price, AtNetPlus has realized an 89.9% sales growth over the last five years. Smart Business was able to find out what else drives the increasing growth at AtnetPlus.

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

AtNetPlus is often one of the first IT service providers in the region to embrace new technologies. We take solutions that typically were available only in large enterprises and develop affordable services for the small business environment. Our goal is to help smaller organizations use technology to improve productivity and stay competitive.

For example, AtNetPlus has been offering ‘cloud computing’ for more than six years. We began employing these solutions long before it was popular or even recognized by our competitors. In early 2010, AtNetPlus was one of less than 100 service providers in North America to become a Professional-level partner in the VMware Service Provider Program (VSPP). Our expertise in virtualization has given our clients the opportunity employ cutting edge technology to reduce costs and implement complex solutions that would have been cost prohibitive without these capabilities.

AtNetPlus was also one of the first in the area to propose ‘managed services’ as an alternative to the ‘break/fix’ business model. We transitioned to this concept beginning in 2007 – long before it was widely accepted in the area. Today, we are fine tuning the execution of AtNetEdge while our competitors are just beginning to pursue this trend in the industry.

Our desire to stay ahead of the curve and change with the technology has contributed to our past success and will continue to serve us and our clients well into the future. 

Q:How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

“As a company, AtNetPlus is committed to a corporate culture that encourages volunteerism. AtNetCares is our conduit for employees, family, and friends to foster community involvement and to support charitable causes and organizations. Through financial support, volunteerism, and the leveraging of our IT expertise, AtNetCares enhances and improves the lives of families in our community.”

This is the mission statement of AtNetCares, the volunteer arm of AtNetPlus. AtNetCares was initiated in 2011 to define and organize the volunteer efforts of AtNetPlus. AtNetCares is employee led with eight committee members dedicated to using the talents, expertise, and resources of the company to make a difference in the community. It is our way of engaging the diverse volunteer interests of all of our employees into a cohesive effort in which everyone can participate. The vision is for AtNetCares to attain 501c3 status and to increase its reach into the community.

In 2012 AtNetCares raised money for Akron Children’s Hospital as ‘Change Bandits,’ donated an iPad that gave a non-verbal autistic student in the Copley School System a voice, helped to fund two STEM classrooms in the Stow-Munroe Falls School district, and spent time building a home with Habitat for Humanity.  

Partners Jim Laber and Jay Mellon are active participants in these activities and also serve on a number of Boards of Directors for area non-profit organizations. They are supportive of AtNetCares and have generously offered company resources which have made AtNetCares an important part of the company culture.

Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

Improving the customer experience is vital to the success of any company. This can be especially difficult during times of rapid growth. In an effort to ensure that as our client base grows we continue to offer the best possible support of our customers, AtNetPlus instituted our Service Standards. Our employees are encouraged to ask themselves these questions as they interact with our clients and with each other: 

• Are you aware of your Attitude?
• Are you using effective Communications?
• Are you delivering results with Accuracy?
• Are you performing with Efficiency?

The order of these standards was a deliberate and designed to help our employees prioritize how decisions are made. For example, Attitude is of the highest priority. Without a positive Attitude, Communications cannot be effective and Accuracy and Efficiency are of less importance. Or, unless it is Communicated effectively an Accurate and Efficient resolution of their issue is less appreciated by our clients.

Our Service Standards are the underlying framework for our company. We understand that our business is service and technology is the vehicle by which we assist our clients.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

If you are comfortable – you’re losing ground. IT is a rapidly changing industry which requires everyone in the company to stretch to learn new technologies and to constantly look for ways to become more efficient and effective at our jobs. Our clients count on us to bring them leading edge tools that will help them stay ahead of their competition. Every day brings a new and different challenge. As a company we have to be willing to be flexible, innovative, and embrace change.

How to reach: AtNetPlus Inc., www.atnetplus.com

Tom Haught

Thomas Haught is a believer in innovation and is leading his firm by example. Having incorporated a team-based approach, Sequoia Financial Group has therefore seen sales growth of 39.5% over the past 5 years. Smart Business was able to find out what else attributed to their growth.

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Since the founding of Sequoia Financial Group, LLC in 1991, President Thomas Haught has led by example with his innovative efforts. We believe he was ahead of the times when he established a team-based firm of professional advisors in which each team member could use his or her best skills while leveraging the talent of colleagues. He believes that to provide the best service to clients, the interests of all parties must be aligned and independence maintained. Every employee is salary-based, and each has the potential to receive a bonus dependent on the success of the firm. This incentivizes each employee to do what is in the best interests of the client, the firm and his or her co-workers.  The industry is now transitioning away from “silo” business models and moving towards a more team-based approach. The transition is having a significant impact on not only how the independent advisory business operates, but how both clients and employees function in the independent advisory business.

Our team-based service model, coupled with firm-wide security measures, assists us as we strive to become our clients’ most trusted advisor. With industry regulations increasing in both volume and rigor, we made the decision to invest in a full-time chief compliance officer whose sole focus is compliance, during a time when firms our size established this position as a dual role.

In addition to firm-wide initiatives, our institutional services division has developed a proprietary, industry-changing process to systematically and consistently deliver the value proposition to the fiduciary committees and employees at companies we serve. This unique process is designed to leverage exponential growth and increase efficiencies in the use of firm resources by delegating each aspect of The Prudent Expert System to individuals able to complete the objective within their unique ability (what they do best) and to maximize the availability of resources (our people’s time). Through this system, we are able to assess the performance and potential of bottlenecks in the value delivery system and challenge the institutional services team to seek innovation or find a better way of performing the task.

To encourage innovation, Sequoia Financial Group, LLC also supports team members in their individual efforts to contribute positively to the industry. The firm’s managing director of operations founded a forum in 2010, which is now comprised of 20 firms who meet monthly to help share ideas as they relate to service excellence. Witnessing the benefits of this group, Sequoia’s managing director of wealth planning initiated a Wealth Planning Forum this past spring, which currently consists of 11 firms who also meet monthly.

Q: How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

Since the founding of our firm 21 years ago, our service philosophy has not only extended to our clients, but to our local communities as well. We believe that community service is our responsibility as a growing business. And the best way to extend our model of service is by sponsoring, donating to and volunteering for local charitable causes. We focus our efforts on organizations to which we feel we can make the most difference.

Our flagship contribution to the community this past year was a $20,000 challenge gift to the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank. This challenge gift resulted in $186,150 in financial support from individual donors. The Foodbank also gained 820 new donors through this particular initiative. In fact, the project was so successful it became a best practice for other Foodbanks around the country. Our event sponsorship of the Foodbank’s annual Taste of the NFL event helped the Foodbank exceed its fundraising goal, raising more than $146,000 to support the distribution of emergency food to our region’s most vulnerable citizens.

Because we feel it’s just as important to give of our time as our money, Sequoia offer employees the opportunity to volunteer during the work day, without PTO charged and their time paid. This past year our volunteer efforts included two days helping build homes with Habitat for Humanity of Summit County. Members of the firm split up into two teams, each spending a day helping the dream of homeownership come true for a local family. Employees from both our Akron and Cleveland offices spent a single day participating in United Way’s Day of Caring, supporting organizations in their local communities.

We also adopted a family through Violet’s Cupboard, an Akron-based organization that focuses on improving the quality of daily life for those infected with HIV/AIDS and their families. We provided approximately $500 worth of food, gifts, toys, gift cards and items specific to the family’s needs.

Sequoia has also been a sponsor and participant in the Kylie Jane Long Foundation’s annual ski event, “Hope on the Slopes,” for the past four years. We form a Sequoia team, including our families, collect donations and participate in the day-long relay ski event to help support pediatric patients and their families.

We annually support the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank’s Harvest for Hunger campaign and conducted a peanut butter drive due to a peanut shortage. Employees and their families also dedicate time to support American Red Cross shelters preparing and serving meals, and cleaning up.

Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

Sequoia Financial Group, LLC (Sequoia) just recently completed its third acquisition in four years. Each acquisition increased the number of clients and assets under advisement, creating a need to find efficiencies in the use of firm resources. The challenge experienced during this growth was in maintaining quality management of people, technology and business.

The firm’s team-based approach to client service has assisted Sequoia in maintaining the level of service that clients have come to expect and know. In addition to the attentive service provided by our financial advisors, each client has full access to our Service Excellence Group. This select group of dedicated professionals provides yet another layer of communication and support. Every member of the Service Excellence Group is rigorously cross-trained to provide clients with the answers they need. Their keen attention to detail and timely responses help ensure that we, as a firm, deliver quality interactions.

Sequoia leverages technology in addition to the team-based service model to provide a positive experience for clients. Our tailored customer relationship management (CRM) tool is utilized throughout the entire organization. Our CRM allows all team members to have access to each client’s activities, needs and preferences. The firm is also in the process of implementing a new portfolio reporting system, which will enable us to enhance client deliverables by increasing efficiency, quicker response time for clients and improved reporting capabilities.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

Investing in people and creating a scalable service model is not only the greatest lesson that Sequoia Financial Group, LLC (Sequoia) has learned but the strategy the firm has executed to grow to a firm of 34 employees in five locations and more than $1.23 billion in assets under advisement* as of Dec. 11, 2012.

Under the leadership of Thomas Haught, president and founder of Sequoia, the firm has been building the infrastructure, team and service model that we think is scalable. These joint strategies have positioned Sequoia to capitalize on three acquisitions within four years. While these transactions are advantageous by increasing client assets, that is not the sole motivation. Growth like this creates opportunities for our team to develop both professionally and personally. We believe it helps the firm to retain good people.

In fact, human capital management and development is perhaps the largest area of focus for our management team. We make a concentrated effort to hold regular one-on-one meetings with each employee to review roles, responsibilities and growth. We provide opportunities for personal improvement, such as continuing education, graduate-level coursework and additional training programs. While some firms might take a “sink or swim” approach to career development, we have a strategic plan in place for each staff member. Though we have a plan in place for staff, we consider their personal objectives and career goals.

*Assets Under Advisement includes all assets being managed and/or advised on by Sequoia Financial Group, LLC. This includes Sequoia Financial Advisors, LLC investment advisory Assets Under Management, as reported on the Form ADV Part 1, in addition to applicable assets maintained with ValMark Securities, Inc., Sequoia Financial Insurance Agency, LLC and other non-affiliated, third-party custodians.

How to reach: Sequoia Financial Group, www.sequoia-financial.com

Chuck Rotuno

In 2000, the year that claimed thousands of dotcom hopefuls, the Big Three automakers were hatching an idea for an online company that would serve their needs in the one area of the industry where they do not compete – original equipment (OE) parts sales.  OEConnection, aptly named as the online connection for sellers and buyers of original equipment parts, was launched in Richfield, OH.  The company has experienced steady and significant growth over the years to emerge as the leading automotive OE parts e-commerce technology provider and a five-time Weatherhead 100 award winner.  With a team of roughly 250 associates, OEConnection today serves more than 35,000 dealership and repair customers throughout North America, and facilitates an estimated $18 billion in annual replacement parts trade.

Since day one, the OEConnection business model has focused on helping automakers and franchise dealers compete more effectively for the sale of OE parts.  According to OEConnection President & CEO Chuck Rotuno, this singular mission helped the company grow throughout the Great Recession, which hit the auto industry particularly hard and led to the closing of more than 3,000 franchise dealerships in the U.S. alone.  “As a result of the prolonged economic downturn, consumers are holding on to vehicles much longer − an average of 11 years now – and dealerships are more focused than ever on parts and service, which not only contribute significantly to profits but are also key for retaining customers, ” he said. 

The early years at OEConnection were not without challenge, however.  In 2001, the company  introduced CollisionLink, the industry’s first e-commerce tool that would allow collision shops to order OE parts directly from dealership suppliers.  Despite high hopes that the solution would streamline ordering and help reverse the downward trend of OE parts vs. aftermarket used in collision repair, adoption of the technology was initially slow. 

“We underestimated how difficult it would be to introduce a solution that requires a change in behavior on both sides of the transaction – regardless of how cumbersome the current business process was or how user friendly and efficient our product was,” Rotuno said.  “In those days, we spent a lot of time in the field learning the ins and outs of a dealership’s parts department as well as their business practices with body shop customers.  Ultimately, we took what we learned and went back to redevelop not just a better product but also a better approach to sales and implementation processes.”

Meanwhile, the company rapidly launched its second product, D2DLink, a dealer-to-dealer parts sourcing and marketing tool that quickly took its customer base from 500 to 10,000 dealerships in less than one year’s time.  Other solutions and enhancements soon followed including D2D Express, a technology designed to help expedite emergency backorder situations, and D2D Plus, the company’s first application designed to reduce parts obsolescence and increase the sale of slow-moving parts. 

But back to CollisionLink.  In 2009, after years of proving the solution’s value as a significant advancement toward improving efficiency and accuracy in collision repair, OEConnection introduced a game-changing innovation that would lead to widespread adoption within a matter of months.  “With the ability to automate automaker’s discount parts programs and help dealers compete more aggressively with aftermarket suppliers, CollisionLink is now used by nine leading automakers in the U.S. to manage nationwide programs throughout their dealer networks,” Rotuno said.  “And based on its success in the U.S. as an all-makes solution, CollisionLink launched this year in Canada along with parts marketing programs from several automakers.

What differentiates OEConnection from its competitors has as much to do with people as technology.  Unlike many technology companies that offer limited ‘live’ help today, OEConnection has an implementation process that involves one-on-one training, an award-winning technical support team, and an account services team that works hand-in-hand with dealers to support their business needs. 

OEConnection has accomplished much in its twelve years in business. “Not only have we grown to become a leader in our industry, but we are equally proud to be recognized as one of the region’s top workplaces,” Rotuno said.  “We may have ties to Detroit, but OEConnection is rooted in Ohio and we are dedicated to attracting and retaining top tech talent in our region.”          

How to reach: www.oeconnection.com

Randy Myeroff

Cohen & Company incorporates innovative solutions that enhance efficiencies and capabilities through the organization. Cohen is proactive in finding innovative solutions and ideas that increase growth. Since 2007, they have seen an increase in sales growth of 26.5 percent.

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Cohen & Company rolled out an innovative scheduling system that has enhanced our firm’s efficiencies and capabilities. The firm created approximately 10 nimble work teams, which created a supervisory hierarchy and incorporated all levels of management and non-management into the scheduling process. Each individual has a distinct responsibility within the team, actively helping to manage workflow, workloads and backlog. The structure provides accountability and efficiencies, as well as a forward-thinking approach to managing and balancing schedules and utilization throughout the firm.

To support the more efficient team structure, we also integrated our technology systems, particularly those related to our billing/time and scheduling information. With new integrated capabilities, team leaders can easily compare actual time and billing with estimated hours. The real-time nature of this information allows for project managers to easily adjust schedules, be alerted of potential cost-overruns, and overall be more efficient for the firm. The new, proactive system provides a more accurate picture of staffing, workload and revenue coming into the firm. This development is highly innovative for a firm of our size. It not only reflects a business innovation internally, but the proper management of the scheduling and budgeting processes results in added efficiencies and greater client service.

Q: How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

As a regional accounting firm based in northeast Ohio, Cohen & Company always has been an active member in community programs. We strongly believe that our success depends on the success of the communities in which we live and work, and that it is important for us to give back of our time and money. Since the firm’s inception, we have contributed to our communities in a variety of ways. But our flagship contribution to our community, which ultimately helps multiple organizations and recipients throughout Ohio, is our dedication to the United Way. We lead by example in our role as a United Way Pacesetter. In conjunction with the Pacesetter program, we also participate in United Way’s “Day of Caring” volunteer day, a day paid for by the firm (no PTO time charged).

We encourage staff to actively participate in civic, charitable, business and professional organizations either as volunteers or board members. In an effort to help our younger generation appreciate community involvement and to instill in future employees the firm’s commitment to community, Cohen & Company has a day of community service as a part of our internship program.

Finally, the firm provides substantial financial support, in excess of $250,000 annually, in the way of sponsorships and donations to a variety of organizations and causes in which our staff and clients are actively involved.

Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

During our growth, particularly over the last five years, Cohen & Company has faced the challenge of leveraging technology to manage resources and to support our strategic efforts.

A key step to overcoming this challenge was to hire a chief information officer (CIO) who could coordinate all facets of technology to deliver maximum business value for the firm. With the guidance of the CIO, we have been able to create and implement comprehensive technology plans that encompass the areas of strategy, applications, infrastructure, support and execution.

Crucial to this plan was the upgrade of our customer relationship management (CRM) tool. Because access to high-quality information is pivotal to an organization’s continued growth and development, we dedicated significant resources to this project. CRM has allowed us to collaborate internally and to more efficiently manage interactions with clients and contacts. Furthermore, we recently overhauled the Cohen & Company website to enhance our end users’ overall experience. The site features improved navigation, information on relevant seminars and events, links to our topical blog posts, and much more to help us engage in meaningful interactions.

We have also leveraged custom software applications and processes to improve productivity, oversight and scheduling. The firm’s technology investment includes developing integrated practice management and business intelligence systems; “virtualizing” servers; creating a sustainable network architecture; and a state-of-the-art phone system.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

The greatest lesson we have learned throughout our history is that employees who are happy in their roles and feel supported by the organization provide better service to clients and colleagues alike which, in turn, enables growth. The programs and policies currently in place empower employees at all levels to have a significant say in firm operations and provide autonomy in their own jobs.

How to reach: Cohen & Co. Ltd., www.cohencpa.com

Bill Ayars

Perspectus Architecture has used creative thinking and problem solving to incorporate new and innovative ideas into their creations.  With a 41.1 percent growth since 2007, Perspectus gives us an idea how they achieved that.

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Specializing in healthcare and complex building types has pushed us to always stay ahead. Our innovation comes in the form of creative thinking and problem solving to accommodate new medical technology, prototypes and buildings to be flexible for future growth yet last for years to come.

Q:How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

Leading by example is an old but valid rule of life. Perspectus, particularly Peter Bohan, has provided the time, creative methods and leadership by designing and building homes for Cleveland’s Habitat for Humanity.

Perspectus is also actively involved in supporting many hospital fundraisers and charitable activities across Northeast Ohio.

Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

Our single biggest challenge has been, and continues to be, the recruitment of the best talent. This challenge becomes easier when our design and service reputation are pushed to the highest level and the culture is one which empowers all to be leaders.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

The golden rules — Hard Work, Respect and Honesty

We have absolutely applied these rules in fostering growth.

People want to work with others in whom they have confidence and enjoy.

How to reach: Perspectus Architecture, www.perspectusarch.com

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Briteskies illustrates innovation through the ways in which we integrate well established systems and practices with emerging technologies. With a strong local client base, many of our solutions have been designed for large manufacturers and distributors. The engines these B2B organizations use as the framework of their operations have often been in place for years. As these companies look to upgrade their systems and processes, moving in ways that allow for B2B eCommerce and Web 2.0 technologies, Briteskies creates cohesion throughout the entire establishment and all of its channels.

While our expertise is in integrating eCommerce and ERP systems, many of our clients are traditional B2C retailers; we’ve also had the pleasure of designing incredibly customized eCommerce experiences for their sites. Whether designing an intuitive user interface, or a completely unique checkout process, we bring innovation to every project.

Q: How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

Though Briteskies is small, it’s great knowing what we provide to our local economy through employment opportunities. We don’t simply pay salaries; we know that our employees have families to support. These are families who are sending their children to school, eating in restaurants, shopping locally and investing in their homes. It’s through the actions of our employees’ families that we make the greatest impact, and it’s infinitely exponential.    

 Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

As Briteskies continues to grow, we’re constantly reminded of the incredible talent of our local workforce. Each of our employees brings a unique perspective, a way to approach a challenge or an alternative solution to a client’s request. What can become problematic, if improperly managed, is the tendency for many great minds to lose sight of the company’s mission and vision. Management of the business begins with a unified team, one that shares in the values and goals of the organization. In order to overcome what often times begins as a simple difference of opinions, strong leadership and honest, open communication is required. Each day, we strive to be a better organization by simply adhering to the goals of the business, honestly and responsibly.

 Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

There really is no true greatest lesson. As an organization, we’ve come to understand the value of honesty, the benefits of direct communication and knowing when to admit to a shortcoming or flaw. Were it not for the recognition and correction of these mistakes, there would be no forward movement or growth. Knowing it’s okay to say no as well has been incredibly empowering; understanding limitations allows you to make goals and march toward them. Ultimately understanding that each day, every client and all projects will undoubtedly feature something new and possibly unexpected isn’t a lesson, it’s wisdom which has been earned through experience.

How to reach: Briteskies, LLC www.briteskies.com

Craig Berman

Geauga Mechanical Company discuses how why they keep innovation as a top priority in their business and how it has affected their success.  From 2007-2011, they have seen have 43.5 percent growth and Smart Business was able to find out what helped them achieve it.

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Earlier this year we provided smart phones and tablet computers to our field workers, and we realized an immediate and substantial impact on our productivity.  Paperwork, such as service work tickets and blueprints, which used to be hand delivered were now available instantly.  Receiving our service tickets the same day (instead of sometimes weeks later) allowed us to process and bill for work much faster than before.

We also made a large investment in new Building Information Modeling (BIM) software that streamlines our engineering, detailing, coordination, and fabrication processes.  We are one of the first contractors in our area to implement this technology, and we believe it will help to set us apart from our competition.

Q: How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

Geauga Mechanical takes pride in supporting our local school district.  Many of our partners, employees, and their families have attended Berkshire Local Schools, and each year we purchase our customers’ holiday gifts through the school to help raise money for the athletic department.

Several years ago, we began a partnership with Auburn Career Center in Concord Township which gives students in their HVAC program an opportunity to work in our sheet metal shop and receive real-world experience.  We have also invited several students to shadow members of our organization for a day.

We had the opportunity to participate in the Extreme Makeover: Home Edition episode filmed in Maple Heights.  We worked with hundreds of volunteers to help build a new home for the Anderson Family in less than a week.  Our company donated the HVAC system for the house, and dozens of our employees volunteered their time to install it.

 Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

Our biggest challenge was financing our growth as sales grew 10 fold over the course of 10 years.  We solved it by treating our lenders, advisors, and vendors not as adversaries but as business partners.  We established long term commitments to each other resulting in relationships that cultivated communication, trust, and confidence in each other with a common goal of mutual success.  Forgiveness, especially valuable in difficult times, is also a byproduct of partnering.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

We have learned that the most important thing a company can do is provide first class customer service.  We always strive to look out for our customer’s best interests and treat them the way we would like to be treated.  It is no secret that great service begets great referrals, and in our business model of relationship-based sales that is a key to sustaining growth.

How to reach: Geauga Mechanical Co., www.geaugamechanical.com

Fred Ode

A lot has changed since Fred Ode started as a programmer in the early 1980s. One thing that hasn’t changed is that his company, Foundation Software Inc., continues to be on the cutting edge of construction accounting, project management and scheduling software. With 29 percent sustained growth over the past five years, Smart Business asked Ode what makes the company tick.

In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Accounting and project management software for construction is a mature industry.  Consequently, “innovation” and “leading edge” take on different connotations than what one might expect from a technology business.   Having said that, relative to our competition, there have been a number of initiatives over the years that have led to our accelerated growth in 2011 and 2012.   In the late 1990s, we made an expensive and difficult decision to completely rewrite our application from scratch using current technology, so our application is consistently evolving for current needs.   Virtually almost all of our competitors ‘reworked’ their legacy systems and are now paying the price with “old and tired” applications.

Another innovation that has separated us from our competitors is our focus on giving contractors tools that make running their businesses easier, such as the formation of our sister company Payroll4Construction.com (also a Weatherhead 100 award winner).  We have increased development in other areas of the construction market, like service dispatch and project management, and are also on the edge of where our industry is going—specifically with technological “innovations” such as SaaS (the Cloud) and mobile solutions.

Finally, we are innovative in the way we present our company and our products.  Through unique and recognizable ads, used in magazines, at tradeshows, and more, we’ve made a name for ourselves as an industry leader in marketing and branding.  Our approaches are innovative, and I believe this truly separates us from others in our industry.

How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

We are very much a part of our community.  Our headquarters is currently based out of a repurposed church, bank, and salon, so we’re using existing buildings in Brunswick to grow our business.  We’re also steadily hiring people—mostly local—to continue the growth of our company and to create opportunities in the community.  Our involvement with local associations (both inside and outside of our industry) has given us the opportunity to have an even greater understanding about what’s happening and what’s important to our community.  We appear at job fairs at local universities, take part in construction-related events, and even donate our software and hardware for educational purposes.  We also donate to local charities (on our own and at the request of our employees), and we help out local schools with marketing direction for scholarships and grants, as well as working with high school intern programs.  Finally, I believe everyone at this company tries their best to make Foundation an organization to look up to.  Many of our managers attend monthly meetings with Vistage, a group where management members from all types of businesses can get together and learn from one another.  We are consistently active in finding ways to be a better company, and I think that’s setting a good example.  Our employees and managers donate their time and talents for causes inside and outside of the company.

Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it. 

We have faced many challenges over the 27 years we have been in business.   The complete rewrite of our software in the late 1990s was a very difficult and expensive decision to make at the time; I agonized over it for more than a year.   To the best of my knowledge, we were the only one among our direct competition to take on this challenge.  Another challenge occurred in the mid-1990s when the company grew to the point that it was beyond my ability to manage it.  I was a great developer and salesperson, and I believe a very good leader, but unfortunately, I was not a manager.   At the time, I was ready to walk away from the business, but ultimately brought on a great business manager and president who helped the business to thrive.  Finally, some of the most difficult challenges involved people— our employees, vendors, and partners.   As the business has grown, some difficult decisions have had to be made.  I’ve even lost a few friendships over the years, but I learned early on that the business has to come first.  If you sacrifice the business, the ship will ultimately sink and everyone will suffer.    People are the most critical challenge for all businesses and getting it right has been (and will continue) to be our business’s most important challenge.  It’s also one I believe we are handling very well.

What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

Figuring how to effectively make the difficult decisions is the greatest lesson I have learned.  Ultimately, major decisions come down to one person and they are rarely easy.    However, the only way to grow and move forward as a business is to embrace change and the risk that change carries with it.  This risk must ultimately be evaluated and a decision must be made.   Once this decision is made, your team then must buy into it and you can move forward in a positive, proactive manner.   If pressed for another “greatest” lesson, I would also add the ability to manage, lead, and work with people—a lesson that you continually work at to get right.

How to reach: Foundation Software, www.foundationsoft.com

Sue Grabowski

Through a unique and nontraditional approach, Grabowski & Co. continues to help their clients see success. With 66.7 percent growth over the past 5 years, President Sue Grabowski shared some of her keys to success.

Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

Grabowski & Co. approaches marketing communications differently than traditional agencies. We help companies uncover and embrace who they really are and then market their unique characteristics as strengths instead of simply creating mystique or another ad campaign to generate interest.

We’ve found that our approach not only differentiates our clients, but it also builds pride within those organizations and becomes the foundation for all creative work moving forward.

When we know who a company is, we can select the best methods for sharing that essence with their existing and potential customers, and with the community and their own employees.

Q: How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

As a marketing firm, we help many organizations pro bono or at discounted rates. We help nonprofits tell their stories … often for free. I believe in helping local organizations because I am a product of Stark County and I want the region to flourish. As the company leader, I am active in the community, including:

-Executive Board Member, Pathway Caring for Children

-Board Member, Mobile Meals of Summit County

-Board Member, Indigo Ink Press

-Past President, Canton Advertising Federation

-Graduate of the 22^nd Class of Leadership Stark County and a member of the Economic Development Day Committee;

-Member of the Business Excellence Award Committee of the Canton Regional Chamber of Commerce;

I encourage my team to be community minded and volunteer where possible. My young professionals are involved in yStark! and other young-professional groups. One is finishing the Spotlight Program of Leadership Stark County; another is on the Emerging Leaders Board at Akron Children’s Hospital.

Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

We were asked by a client to replicate our agency model within their organization – station people from our team inside their facility. This was an unusual request. We built a short-term and long-term plan, staffing temporarily with people on our team while we sought permanent team members for the satellite office.

Over the past five years, we have shored up in-house processes such as file management and digital asset management and successfully completed hundreds of graphic-design projects at an economical rate. Our two teams collaborate on projects and provide rapid response to our clients.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

My Dad gave me two pieces of advice early on in my life that have manifested as truth in my experience as an entrepreneur: Make yourself indispensable and don’t burn bridges. That’s the culture at Grabowski  & Co.: Delight clients so they can’t afford not to work with us, and build a reputation that is positive, even when relationships change. These two principles are our foundation for all growth. No matter how large our organization becomes, they will remain the fabric of who we are and how we operate.

How to reachl: Grabowski & Co., www.grabowskiandco.com

Bob Brooks

BearWare continues to create success through innovative solutions that provide retailers complete visibility throughout the delivery process. With 38.1 percent sustained growth over the past five years, Smart Business asked Bearware what tools and solutions contribute to their continued success.  

 Q: In what ways is your company an innovator in its industry, and how does your organization employ innovation to be on the leading edge?

 Our software was developed to fill a niche for the transportation departments of mid to large retailers. Bearware provides Carton Level Tracking to the retail industry as well as the delivery agents for these retailers. Our innovative tools provide complete visibility for the retailer from the time it leaves the distribution centers through the delivery agents and on to the retail stores.  Innovation is at the forefront of our development efforts. We are constantly devising ways to utilize the massive amount of data collected during the shipment process by leveraging new technologies or devising new ones. We recently released a wireless transmission system which takes advantage of technological advancements in the scanner industry. This innovative approach allowed us to create software that provides real time delivery confirmations for our customers using the cellular and or wireless capabilities of these devices. Speed and accuracy are critical in our industry. We provide that with our suite of solutions.

Q: How does your organization make a significant impact on the community and regional economy, either through charitable contributions, volunteerism, or by setting an example for other organizations & leaders to follow?

We support many local charities that are near and dear to our hearts for a variety of very personal reasons. We also make a conscious effort to participate in the charitable arenas that are special to our customers as well. Most of these are national charities that provide exceptional services that we are very proud to participate in.

Q: Give us an example of a business challenge your organization faced during its growth, as well as how you overcame it.

Growth in our industry, as with most, can be constrained by Information Systems. It seems that when you get a system right sized with room to spare that room becomes crowded relatively fast. Recently we went through a significant period of growth that truly did challenge our systems as well as our staff. Great problem to have but it needed to get rectified quickly. We have employed a technical hybrid approach that allows us to isolate key data and systems to dedicated redundant hardware while employing cloud based technologies and innovations that allow for unlimited growth while retaining performance security and redundancy.

Q: What is the greatest lesson you’ve learned as a business leader, an entrepreneur, or as an organization, and how have you applied this lesson toward fostering growth?

 Outstanding customer support coupled with technological acumen and talented, caring employees provide a great foundation from which to grow the business. Our employees are the key.  They are the ones supporting the customers, constantly striving to provide solutions to the problems they encounter on a daily basis while ensuring that these solutions are supported with world class customer service. Our technical staff is constantly providing innovative solutions directly related to procedural challenges faced by our customers. Our products are developed to exacting standards as developed by and with our customers.  This supports our growth as these core values are practiced daily and allow us to react quickly which allows for the growth that we have been experiencing.

How to reach:BearWare, Inc., www.bearwareinc.com