PERSEVERANCE THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS IN BUSINESS. As the oldest of ten kids, my parents couldn’t help with my college expenses, so I had to find my own way. After graduating, I worked as a Civil Servant for the Navy in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). I excelled in my role, even being nominated for Engineer of the Year..
As the oldest of ten kids, my parents couldn’t help with my college expenses, so I had to find my own way. After graduating, I worked as a Civil Servant for the Navy in Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW). I excelled in my role, even being nominated for Engineer of the Year. Wanting to understand the business side of things, I left that job and joined a smaller company. Soon, people I worked with before started seeking me out, but the company owner wasn’t keen on getting me involved in the business side. So, I took a leap and started my own company—and my clients followed.
The early years were filled with success. I developed a software program that helped evaluate design and cost options for new systems, which became very popular. Our tasking grew to over 60 employees, and in 1990, INC magazine named us one of the 500 fastest-growing companies in the U.S. But then, the collapse of the Soviet Union hit our industry hard, and we had to cut back to just 20 people. We tried everything from bidding on Navy contracts to exploring new ventures, like digital video equipment sales and high-tech recruiting, but none took off.
In the late ’90s, we started outsourcing our computer and accounting staff to high-tech companies to bring in cash. It worked for a while, but when the tech bubble burst, many of our clients went bankrupt, leaving us on the brink as well. We eventually built our own accounting system and launched it in 2008. It was a risk that cost much of our savings, but today we’ve grown to offer payroll and accounting services. It’s been a rollercoaster, but we’re still standing.
