"Life is a Gift" by Bill Douglas (Denver & Arvada, CO)

Growing from a Naïve Kid to a Responsible Young Man with ATO (Bill Douglas)

2011-05-02T18:44:00.001-06:00

http://www.atogatech.org/s/604/index.aspx?sid=604&gid=1&pgid=258&cid=1010&ecid=1010&crid=0&calpgid=61&calcid=793
From ATO publication:

When Bill Douglas ’87 came to Georgia tech in 1982 he was new to the Greek system, but a friend helped introduce him to the promise of pledging ATO.

“I was a freshman pledge in 1982. I had come from a small high school and rushing a fraternity was a totally new concept,” Bill said. “I met Tom Noonan ’85 standing on a corner outside the ATO house and he told me I had to see the place. In retrospect, he had to be one of the best salesman I’ve ever met.”

Bill pledged ATO just a week later.

The dorm was near the football stadium so rather than the usual interview process, Bill hung out with the brothers, playing basketball, running up the steps of the stadium, and spending time around one another. Overall, he said it didn’t feel like an interview process.

“I hadn’t really known what a fraternity was up to that point, but it just felt like the right move to pledge,” Bill said. “Later on, Tom became my big brother.”

Though Bill described himself as naïve about the Greek system at the time, he was quickly impressed with the ATO brothers and their relationships to each other.

“The bonds of friendship were real and tight,” Bill said. “At the risk of sounding like a girl, they were on genuine, intimate terms. They knew each other.”

Bill recalled that the ATO brothers planned football weekend events, and far from the stereotype of fraternity brothers over indulging in party behavior, the trips were family friendly with their sisters, brothers, and parents able to come along and enjoy the fun the ATO brothers had together.

“It was like friendship on steroids, with all the closeness magnified” Bill said. “It wasn’t just a bunch of guys getting drunk. It was genuine.”

Once Bill made it through the pledge process, he really began to appreciate the strength and diversity of the ATO brothers. He said it wasn’t like other fraternities that would recruit based on the strength of the person’s grades or how good they were at basketball or soccer. The brothers each had their own strengths and together made for a stronger chapter.

“The mix of degrees was all over the board, with every kind of engineering student, management students, and future architects,” Bill said.

Though ATO had a powerful mix of skills and interests, it had an overall focus on success that helped Bill get through the early part of his tenure at the university.

“I did not do well my first quarter. The brothers helped turn my grades around during my second semester,” Bill said. “We had Word, a program within ATO that included studying class materials we had archived from brothers who had been through the classes. Upper classman who had been in the same program would tutor me. It was informal and powerful – I could just walk into the house and say I needed help and our Scholastic Chairman kept a list of people that specialized in different areas and could be called on to help me.”

When Bill struggled with chemistry, a brother who went by the moniker “Moose” (whose real name Bill can’t recall, as the nickname was so ubiquitous) became his mentor. When Bill got stuck on differential equations two other brothers sat him down and helped him. In return, when Bill became a junior he provided mentoring and participated in study groups for younger brothers. Despite the strong focus on academics, Bill recalls a strong focus as well. “

“We had ridiculously good parties that pulled girls from all sides of campus and Atlanta, but it was still your responsibility to have grades first,” Bill said. “Particularly I remember having a huge Hawaiian party for which we built a three-story structure, dug a pool in our yard, and had thousands of people attend. We made a logo for the party, printed customized cups and t-shirts, and generally went full out.”

As an active brother, Bill never passed up the opportunity to help out within the chapter. For example, he served as Hawaiian Party Chairman which an important responsibility was considering the scope of the event.

In addition to the “killer” parties, Bill fondly recalls the mischief the brothers got up to when hanging around the house.

“There were other fraternity and sorority houses visible from our house, so as a little practical joke we created a sort of catapult of sling shot and placed it on our roof,” Bill said. “We used it to launch water balloons at the other houses and they traveled quite a distance to hit those houses. It was all in good fun.”

Bill’s business travel hasn’t brought him back to campus over the past ten years, but he is active in the alumni association and keeps in touch with the brothers from his era. Though he’s more likely to reach out by phone, Facebook has been useful for setting up possible rendezvous with the other brothers.

“Facebook is convenient because I can put out there that I’ll be in Las Vegas on any given week and see if anybody else will be around.

Bill lives in Denver, Colorado where he is an entrepreneur managing three separate ventures. He has a son who is interested in Georgia Tech, but Bill believes it’s most likely his son will want to stay in Denver.

“I look fondly back on my time with ATO,” Bill said. “It helped change me from a naïve young kid to a mature young man in my five years with the fraternity,” Bill said. “Georgia Tech provided the academic growth but it was ATO that helped me grow into a man.”

Bill is a single dad living with two teenage boys. He would like to hear from more brothers from his era and may be contacted at bdouglas@essentialink.com or 720-259-4975.

A new kind of pool... not March Madness!

2011-03-24T22:47:00.003-06:00

Here's a unique new pool, and it's not March madness: How much will the medical bills total for my skiing accident?

(Total billed to the insurance company by medical providers: not my out of pocket. And, no, I don't know the total yet either. I only have the bills up to the point before I got on the helo and the number is $41K so far.)

Submit your number now via email, linkedin, or FB!

Winner gets a Starbucks card! (I know, that's cheap... I have some bills to pay! lol Thankfully, those are limited by "out of pocket".)

I think we'll all be shocked at this number, whatever it ends up being, but we should all appreciate having health insurance and great health care!

--- Bill
http://www.facebook.com/bill.douglas.co
http://www.linkedin.com/in/billdouglas

P.S. Thank you for all the help, prayers, and well wishes. I am doing very well and recovering quickly. Feeling so much better. Life is a Gift!

A simple explanation of Cloud Computing with examples

2011-03-17T08:04:00.000-06:00

We are always on the watch for the 'next best thing' when it comes to technology and the Internet. Certainly no one can doubt that the next generation of the Internet (known as Web 2.0 or Web 3.0) has had a dramatic affect on how people interact and connect with each other - both from an individual standpoint and a business one.

Another emerging concept that has the power to change how we perform tasks is taking place before us as well, and it is called 'cloud computing.' Simply put, it is the ability to use resources and tools via the Internet without actually owning or being near them. The only requirement is to be able to access them.

The term 'cloud' is used to indicate the whole of computing services accessible via the Internet. It is an all-encompassing description of the complex internet-connected networks that exist in datacenters all over the world that power services and applications behind the scenes.

The concept of utilizing resources in these networks is being adopted by businesses both large and small. These resources are categorized to describe their function, and include:

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
Software as a Service (SaaS)
Web 2.0 or Web 3.0 now

In the most general terms, Infrastructure as a Service means that companies may no longer need to own and house their own back-end servers and other network computing infrastructure besides an internet-connected PC or laptop in order to maintain business functionality. This capability can be purchased on a subscription basis from entities that market these services in a 'virtual' manner. This allows businesses to keep their costs low by not having to purchase, maintain and recycle their own equipment for this purpose, and also mitigates the possibility of business interruption due to the highly available nature of these solutions. This equates to increased uptime and profitability for Infrastructure as a Service customers.

Platform as a Service is also known as 'cloudware', and refers to the availability of development tools in creating web applications and services to the end user. Like IaaS, you never 'see' the inner-workings of this environment unless you are a computer programmer or IT resource, but it exists nonetheless and again affords those who use these tools the ability to reduce costs while running their businesses.

Sofware as a Service is defined as software applications that are subscribed to and accessed only through the Internet, and not installed on local PCs or laptops. Applications built by and accessed via Google fall into this category, as well as the many photo sites to which you can upload your pictures and videos, edit and share them with others. These solutions are gaining tremendous popularity, because end users do not need to install, update and maintain software locally - only connect to it and use it when the need arises.

Web 2.0 or 3.0 describes the whole of the social networking movement on the Internet, and includes but is not limited to destinations such as Facebook, eHarmony, LinkedIn and Twitter. These sites offer the ability for people all over the world to share common interests, stay connected and learn more about each other - and these sites aren't just for the young. Statistics show that the over 50 generation is logging onto these sites in greater numbers than ever before. In fact, in one month alone, Facebook adds over 17,000 new members.

The next time you are on the Internet and upload a photograph and use the online tools to modify that picture, you are participating in 'cloud computing.' The picture is probably loaded to a site that uses IaaS for their servers, PaaS in order to provide the visual interface in which you modify the photograph, and SaaS applications you'll use to access your email program and social networking sites in order to send it to or post it for those with whom you would like to share the picture.

Cloud computing is a win-win

2011-03-14T11:43:00.000-06:00

By using cloud computing and virtualization technologies, corporate enterprises have gained advantages that they have never before realized: consolidated computing environments, reduced hardware and software management, and cost containment. As a result of continually decreasing costs and increased benefit, these solutions are now becoming widely utilized in Mid and Small business markets as well.

Recovery is humbling and grounding experience. Life is good.

2011-03-13T19:53:00.009-06:00

I am doing much better than just a week ago, and so much better than 18 days ago. I know I'm getting used to the pain and how to move my body in order to minimize it, but I really am getting better.

Actually worked out today and felt good. 30 minutes of solid cardio at 9200' elevation and a good lower body lift.
Sleeping is still a challenge, but i won't be complaining about anything.

Yesterday I visited my first trauma hospital (the one in the mountains) to pick up all my ski gear.... eery. Took this picture of the flight for life chopper; not the exact one I flew in (mine was larger so the trauma surgeon and nurse could go with me) but it sits in the exact spot I took off from. I don't remember being there at that hospital that day, but those awesome folks assured me I was there and told me again I shouldn't be walking, and maybe shouldn't be alive. I am one grateful dude.

Ventured to Peak 7 and from afar saw the spot where I crashed. Humbling. The knot in my stomach was indescribable. Was a deeply emotional and quite grounding experience.

Like I said, I am so grateful to have survived and to be recovering quickly.
Life is a gift, meant to be enjoyed, pursued, and shared.
I am grateful to share my experiences.... my life..... with all of you!

Life is a gift that I treasure.

2011-02-28T13:14:00.032-07:00

On Feb 22, 2011 the USA Today included me in a story about near death experiences changing people. In the article I was quoted: "Life is a gift, meant to be enjoyed, pursued and shared. Failure happens, but life and health are worth so much more."

For me, my "near-death" experience came almost two decades ago.... and I thought/prayed that one was enough. Seriously, who could have that kind of experience again?

The very next day after that article ran, I was pursuing life with vigor when I was critically injured skiing. I am so grateful to still be alive, grateful to have family and dear friends, and grateful I will someday recover to appreciate another day spent pursuing life with them.

Here's the full story of my skiing accident 2/23/11:

Wed morning about 9:35, Breckenridge, peak 7, near the bottom of groomed blue run.
Clear blue skies, no wind.
Skiing with Larry Douglas (no relation) and his step father.
First run of the day. I was wearing a helmet.

The last thing I remember was cruising down through long arcing turns, following Larry. Came over a small knoll and saw moguls to the left and a groomed run to the right with a tall, padded, permanent snowmaker dividing the two sides of the run. There was a 5' elevation drop down to the mogul side. Usually I turn on the back side of obstacles. I didn't want to be carrying air into those moguls so I started a right turn to head to the smooth side.

I remember having to turn quickly, given I couldn't see this thing when I was above the knoll, and then seeing that snowmaker coming at me in an bad way. I was trying to avoid this thing but couldn't. There was nothing I could do to change my course. The next thing I remember is ski patrol shouting "Don't get up. Don't get up. You're on a backboard with a neck brace." They rolled me over and into the ski patrol sled. All I could see was blue sky and the chair lift above me.

From here things are blurry for me. Learning the facts has stirred some memory, but the whole day seems about 15 minutes long.

Rode down in the sled to Breck emergency center. I made no sense to the staff there. Had very little memory of basic facts like my age, day of the week, and where I was. The pic below is me, still with ski garb on, at the Breck ER.

So, they put me in an ambulance and took me to St. Anthony's Summit Hospital in Frisco where I was given chest xrays and a ct scan with contrast of my torso and neck.

The ER doctors were calm until those results came back. The fractured ribs they could deal with; a collapsed lung at that altitude meant that I was getting a chest tube and a ride to Denver in a helicopter (Flight for Life). Dr. explained to me why and everyone was rushing around.

I remember looking at the Dr. and asking "Is this serious?" and he answered something to the effect of "Yes, very serious sir. We have to get to down to Denver immediately". I'm thinking a few broken ribs shouldn't be a big deal, and instead I get a life-threatening situation speech from the senior doc there.

In a hurry, they stripped me down, started 3 IV's, stuck on the EKG monitors, etc. then put me under anestesia (for the chest tube insertion). While I was under they took me to the roof to put me in the helicopter with a trauma nurse, a surgeon, and several pints of blood in a cooler. I woke up as they were trying to figure out how to get my feet to fit under the pilot's seat; guess they're not used to 6'5" passengers.

I could barely stay awake for the 20 minute flight but the nurse was clear that I could not fall asleep. "Don't focus on the rotors out the roof window because it'll make you puke", I was told. With ear protection on, strapped to a backboard, I focused out the window at the blue sky in order to keep my eyes open. I couldn't see a single mountain but I was told the view was beautiful.

The chopper landed at St. Anthony's Central and before the rotors fully stopped the crew got me out and onto a hospital gurney. A quick elevator ride down to the ER later, there was a flurry of activity around me. Two doctors and about 4 nurses took the "hand off" after the ER Dr. that flew with me presented the case and answered questions.

Summary diagnosis:
Concussion
Pulmonary contusion
Mediastinal hematoma
3 fractured ribs, left side
Fractured sternum
Fractured clavicle & separation
Acidosis
Collapsed lung
Torn labrum
MCL damaged

The latest set of doctors did more tests and scans. I went in and out of consciousness without much recollection. Apparently I texted immediate family and made a few phone calls. It was very hard to speak due to cognitive struggle. This pic is me, in the ER.

Was pleasantly surprised to see visitors while I was in the ER. I remember friends laughing/talking and thinking "This sounds like a nice party. Wish I was standing up and could be part of it!" There were pictures taken and abundant humor/conversation filled the room from some very special people. They asked questions of the doctors who frequently checked on my status.

Was admitted to an ICU room later that night. Diet was restricted to nothing (IV fluids only) in case they had to do chest surgery, so I was resolved to being hungry.

At the ICU shift change my new nurse was Tom. Tom was the motivator. He came into the room and informed me that by the end of his shift I would be upright, without a neck brace, walking around, off the IV pain pump, and eating solid food. I remember him saying "You're gonna do this or I'm gonna kick your ass". I laughed and it worked. Tom was right and everything he predicted came true.

I'll skip the details and go to bullet points from here:
Speech pathologist administered a challenging test in ICU that I was surprised I passed.
Neck brace removed Thursday mid morning.
Had several visitors while I was in ICU. Special people exhibited patience and spent the day with me.
Was moved to a normal room Thursday afternoon when it was determined no surgery would be required.
Had many more visitors while I was in this room. Visitors made time fly and pain diminish.
Friday was painful, slow, arduous, exhausting day. Reality and whiplash set in on top of coming off IV pain meds.
Was cleared Fri evening by physical therapy after learning how to stand, walk, and conquer the stairs.
Saturday morning was told it'd be another day in the hospital for me, but by noon I had improved so much they took out the chest tube. At 4 PM the xray showed the lung stayed inflated and in position so they released me at 5:00.

I am so grateful that I was able to walk out of the hospital that day. God is good. Thank you, God.

I am grateful for family and to the special people that came to visit and that pitched in to help during this mess. I cannot thank you all enough.

After being told several times by surgeons and nurses that I should be paralyzed or dead, the emotions and feelings of walking out the doors of that hospital in any condition were overwhelming.

Life is a gift. I am blessed.

--- Bill Douglas

P.S. Please pardon the improper grammar and broken English. I was going for brevity.

"Life is a gift, meant to be enjoyed, pursued and shared. Failure happens, but life and health are worth so much more."

2011-02-22T13:02:00.000-07:00

http://www.usatoday.com/money/smallbusiness/2011-02-22-sicknesstohealth22_CV_N.htm

USA Today article excerpt:

Wake-up bite

The impetus to grab control of one's professional life doesn't necessarily have to come from a long, lingering illness. Any severe health scare can be a wake-up call.

Bill Douglas' enlightenment came soon after a coral snake's venom entered his body and attacked his central nervous system.

"In a matter of minutes I went from alive, well and healthy to paralyzed and near death," says Douglas, who was bitten while building a deck on his parents' Fort Lauderdale home in 1991.

He was given anti-venom, then spent several days in intensive care. There, he had lots of time to reflect on his life.

"I emphatically decided that the corporate life wasn't for me," says Douglas, now 46. "There were too many dreams within me that had yet to be pursued."

After he was released, he promptly quit his job at a Florida utility company. "I realized that I didn't want to be the guy in the corner office in 20 years," he says. Instead, he wanted to make his own schedule and live life on his terms.

He has since launched firms in areas such as sales, service logistics and information technology.

The health scare "was the jump-start of my entrepreneurial career," Douglas says. But even more than that, it taught him to value those around him, to say 'yes' when unexpected opportunities appear — and to have perspective when things go wrong.

"Life is a gift, meant to be enjoyed, pursued and shared," he says. "Failure happens, but life and health are worth so much more."

The top 5 benefits of managed services for business

2011-02-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

Information Technology services are essential to the success of every organization, large or small. With increasingly competitive business environments, CEOs and small business owners are under great pressure to maintain a highly qualified staff and to make sure their technology is obtaining a better ROI than their competitors'.

These goals are not easily achieved, particularly for young or small businesses with less financial resources and time available. Having your own successful information technology department can eat up too much of the company's budget and time resources, and eventually cause a loss of its competitive edge. These disadvantages of maintaining an in-house IT department are why companies of all sizes have turned to using managed service providers to either assist their existing IT department or become their virtual IT department, handling all of the technology involved in keeping their businesses running at optimal levels.

The benefits of using a managed services solution are numerous, but the top 5 benefits of managed services for business include:

Benefit from the expertise of a specialist, without having to spend time and financial resources training your staff to become experts.
Decrease your technology risks. Your company doesn't have to worry about losing and trying to replace trained staff members, or about repairing, implementing or replacing complex technology solutions.
Enjoy access to the most up-to-date, sophisticated technology solutions without having to invest in expensive equipment.
Experience ultimate control over your business technology without having to manage an information technology department. This gives you the time you need to focus on what you do best: your business functions.
Reduce stress and improve efficiency of your staff. When you make good use of managed service resources, your staff isn't tied up with IT concerns and they have more time to focus on tasks that are productive for the business.

Content by Managed Services Provider University

What is Cloud Computing?

2011-02-15T19:22:00.003-07:00

You can’t look at anywhere these days without reading about “cloud computing.” The term seems to be popping up everywhere. So, what exactly is cloud computing? A simple definition is computing on the Internet. It allows users the ability to access everything on the Internet, from software to their stored data, without having to store any data on their actual computer. The user only needs a computer with a web browser in order to access the cloud and the software and data they need.

What is So Great About Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing has the potential to allow any businesses on a budget the ability to have high quality computing at a lower cost. Business owners no longer need to invest in expensive IT equipment or pay an entire IT staff that would normally be required in order to keep a computer system running. Storing data on the cloud may help reduce IT costs while still allowing businesses to grow.

What Security Problems Does Cloud Computing Needs to Address?

Cloud computing is such a new technology that many of the kinks have not even been completely realized much less worked out to a satisfactory level. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is looking into what potential security and privacy concerns cloud computing could have for consumers. Some of these concerns are:

It is also important to know that the company with whom you are storing your important information is financially stable and will not suddenly disappear taking all of your valuable information with it.
Where is your company located and where will your data physically be stored? If your data is stored in another country, is that country required to comply with the same security standards that you would expect from your home country.
Who is in charge of storing and managing your data? It is important to know that the people managing your data have the proper security clearance and credentials, and that they are handling it securely and not using it improperly for their own financial gain.
How secure is the login? Would hackers be able to easily gain access to your data?
Is your data encrypted so that others cannot easily view it?
Is the cloud storage company willing to undergo a certification process and willing to comply with certain security standards?

Providers can and do resolve these issues, critical to the future of cloud computing. Cloud computing has so much to offer businesses from flexibility to growth potential to tremendous cost savings for IT operations expenses.

We have it so good. Haiti trip accentuates perspective.

2010-03-28T20:43:00.005-06:00

I just returned from 9 days in Haiti on a relief mission. Very powerful experience. Here's a short news interview:
http://www.9news.com/news/article.aspx?storyid=135429&catid=188

Pictures can be seen here: https://picasaweb.google.com/Bill.Douglas.CO/HaitiMarch2010ShortListPhotosDouglas?authkey=Gv1sRgCOG4_t2SzNm94AE&feat=email#

Below are my daily snippets. I sent these briefs out to family every day from Haiti.

I’d do it again in a heartbeat, and likely will next time with one or both of my sons. It was a powerful, game-changing journey for me, and I feel that we made a difference for many people there.

We have it so good. We’ve all hit the lottery by being born in this country. Only 3.5% of the world gets to do that, and I’d taken it for granted.

Thank you again for all your support. --- Bill
---------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Saturday, March 13, 2010 7:55 PM
Subject: Haiti - brief from bill

Saturday night, haiti day 1 done.
hot here. Aroma is strong; even sickening in places.
People so nice & so grateful.
Bldgs flat or badly damaged. I mean pancaked flat.
Been to a field hospital twice, a lot to take in in 1 day.
Eating well so far. Get to sleep in a bed. So much work here to do.
The children are amazing.
We have so much more than this ... So much. I am grateful to be American and proud so many are giving.
--- Bill

Sent: Sunday, March 14, 2010 3:20 PM
Subject: From haiti on sun.

Today i held a 3 yr old orphan until she fell asleep on me for an hr.
Visited the poorest neighborhood in the western hemisphere. Atrocious.
Saw the haiti capital bldg that’s falling in on itself - arrogant dictatorial wealth amidst horrible living conditions in surrounding neighborhoods.
Helped planning for organization’s growth. Tomorrow we start the physical labor. Eager to start real work.

--- Bill

Sent: Monday, March 15, 2010 1:28 PM
Subject: Haiti Monday

When they say "It's hotter than Hades", I think they meant Haiti! Scorcher here and only March. Can't imagine July.

Today we're working on the field hospital, the boy's home, and the women's home. As much as I crave physical work, I've been tasked with fixing internet connections, LAN networks, PC's, websites, and operating systems software. That's why I can actually type a better update today instead of thumb from a smartphone. Adoptions and hospitals require a lot of documentation and process control, and nothing much works around here right now. Getting a lot done today despite decrepit equip and connectivity.

The rest of the gang is doing electrical, plumbing, structural, and culinary. Tomorrow we'll be doing major repair to two buildings with the hopes of making them habitable. Again, looking forward to physical work. Most of the locals won't go in to many of the buildings.... understandable after what I saw yesterday in the multi-story buildings. Wed or Fri I'll be travelling on a makeshift ambulance downtown with Dr. and nurse to help the injured.

I am absolutely fine. Having an indescribable time here; emotions have run the full gamut.
Actually got a shower last night. Being fed very well.
I wouldn't venture out around here at night without 7 of my closest friends, though!

Cheers to all. Thx to all for the notes. I enjoyed your encouragements.
You are right... I meant physical work yesterday, not that helping orphans didn't count.
-Bill

Sent: Tuesday, March 16, 2010 3:02 PM
Subject: Haiti Tues
Today I held a 5 month old baby.... that was barely 4 pounds. And that weight is normal here. Tiny and cute. Last night I went by the field hospital to hang with some kids. Smiling & singing & and asking "what your name is", despite pins and crude hardware holding their arms & legs straight.
Looking out the window watching two men, each with a 3 lb ball peen hammer, working on demolishing the concrete roof on a home.
I wonder how long, if ever, this place will take to repair. One day, one person, one family at a time is all I can comprehend contributing to. The bigger picture is daunting.
The Haitian people are very generous, always smiling, very content. They don't hurry and have little to no stress.
There's a woman upstairs right now having a baby in the bedroom I got to sleep in last night. Obviously, I lost my room (lol); there's a big family awaiting the birth of their newest addition. No power, no A/C.... doesn't matter. I guess you can get used to that.
I will never again take for granted things like clean water, power, sewer, garbage service, grocery stores, and streetlights!

I met with the board of this organization trying to help plan for its future.
We fixed the leaking roof at boys' home. Rained last night, which cooled things off, but have to fix leaks before the real rainy season starts soon.
Repairing damaged walls at the women's center. Fixed an inverter (there's often no power here so most places have battery banks and generators) at the girls' home.
These men I'm with aren't afraid to take on anything. Fun to work with a group of people that left their pride at home and came to get stuff done.
Tonight we're being served Haitian food prepared by some of the staff at the hospital.... dunno exactly what that is but I look forward to it.
Cheers to all,
-b
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 7:56 AM
Subject: haiti wed
jasen and i went with the medical team into pele wed to treat patients. absolute slums; i'd hv been terrified if the guy guiding us wasn't from there... and packing a shotgun. treated about 20 patients, mostly severe breaks with exterior positioners. the kids loved having big guys to play with, and i enjoyed it just as much. indescribable..... pics and words won't do it.

worked in the field hospital today to. rosemond, hospital patient, 8, made me a gift. patched crumbled concrete walls and fixed some solar panels.
busy day. tired, but very glad i came here.

oh yeah... another woman had a baby in my room last night. i'm moving rooms tonight. and, btw, we're 10 minutes north of port-au-prince airport.... right in the city, not out in the skirts.
cheers from here,
-b
Sent: Thursday, March 18, 2010 8:24 PM
Subject: Haiti Thur

Tonight the rains came. Hospital flooding, as was the house we had dinner at.
My today much the same as yesterday without the medical run.
Lots of work done, lots of water consumed.
I'm tired. Crashing early again.
Nice to hear the sound of warm rain; reminds me of Florida... but I think of all the people living in tents out there. No douubt they're not liking the rain right now. When a hurricane hits the place, there's no telling how many lives will be lost.
I am well. Thanks for all the kind notes, prayers, and good wishes.
-b

Sent: Friday, March 19, 2010 8:17 PM
Subject: Haiti fri
Built a rooftop garden today so the boys hm can grow more fresh veggies. Big upgrade from 5 gal pails.
Got all systems up n running.
Shored up a cracked wall covering a classroom at the ladies hm. Tomorrow we,ll finish it w a coat of paint. They are grateful to be able to move back in.
Researching quick build housing options..... 300 sq ft is a modest hm here, for a family.
Tomorrow we,ll finish all our projects n get ready to trek hm. Jeremy is making fajitas for us tonight; he knows we,re all very hungry!
Great day of work today..... Feel like we got stuff done today!
My young friend rosemond had a procedure done on his wrist today at merlin hospital , so I,m on my way to visit him before dinner.
Cheers,

--- Bill

Sent: Saturday, March 20, 2010 4:43 PM
Subject: Haiti Sat.

Today we completed most of our open projects: walls completely repaired and painted in the women's center; it can now be occupied. Garden done at the boys' home. Some electrical work finishing up now. I chose to quit a bit early to get a shower while the power is still on - even though it's not a hot shower, it's a treat!

Not unlike America, Haiti has a many enterprising people, some lazy people, and corruption in government. I put the latter two out of my mind this week and focused on helping enterprising Haitians who want a better life. What a rewarding experience for me, and presumably a good one as well for those I encountered. My thoughts and emotions have run the gamut this week. Suffice it to say this trip was powerful.

Recovery here should only be thought of as a generation-long process. It will not be months or even years. The earthquake was the latest shake up here, but certainly not the most severe.

Keep this place in your thoughts and prayers. It can be beautiful, and it has so many wonderful people.

There won't be any more daily Haiti updates. I continue to journal about this, but won't burden/bore you with that.

Thank you again for all of your thoughts and support. We head out at noon tomorrow for flights home with a layover in Miami.
-b

Bill Douglas bdouglas@essentialink.com http://www.linkedin.com/in/billdouglas

Leverage IT. Optimize IT.

EssentiaLink http://www.essentialink.com trusted@dvisor blog
Customer Care: 720-259-4977
10955 Westmoor Drive, Suite 400, Westminster, CO 80021-2717 (HQ location)
301 Grant Street, Suite 4300, Pittsburgh, PA 15219-6405

What to Consider When Selecting a Managed Services Provider

2009-03-25T15:03:00.002-06:00

When unemployment is high, there is dramatic increase in startup businesses selling IT services. To compete many existing IT shops are forced to start offering managed IT services they previously felt unqualified to offer before.

As more new and existing shops rush to offer Managed IT Services to grow their businesses; the more there is a need to establish good criteria for selection. Picking the wrong Managed Service Provider (MSP) can spell disaster for a business.

With so many layoffs, many unemployed people are opening up shop as Managed Service Providers. And now, a whole lucrative industry has spawned just to help inexperienced people market MSP services. So regardless of size, anyone can have very slick websites, post cards, and fliers. It is getting harder and harder to tell who has the requisite experience and who does not.

I recommend companies take important steps to protect their business when selecting an MSP.
Here are some suggestions:

1) Look well beyond the websites. There are so many boiler plate websites and they all extol the benefits of the managed services. However the provider must be investigated.

2) Ask how long has the company been in business. They may be great at IT but inexperienced at running a successful business.

3) Ask what services they do and do not provide. Pick a company that offers the right mix of services that provides the most bang for the buck.

4) Ask for customer references for the company and for their services.

5) Do not sign any agreement under pressure. Ask them to leave a copy of their Service Level Agreement (SLA). Read it carefully and then ask them to come back.

Successful businesses have enjoyed the financial benefits of outsourcing a large portion of their IT maintenance for years. Now, there are more MSP choices than ever.

Asking these and other important questions can save your company from the disaster of choosing the wrong managed services provider.

Cashflow is oxygen... required for the life of your company!

2009-01-25T17:52:00.003-07:00

Cashflow is king. Or, as I like to put it, “Cash flow is OXYGEN! No company can survive long without it!”

In our current economic environment, managers at all levels in an organization must be part of a cash flow solution. In particular, effective management of Information Technology (IT) resources, whether by the CEO, CIO or IT department manager, can immediately help a company’s cash flow position.IT resources often require significant spend well in advance of proportional need. Imagine the situation where your IT staff is over loaded, but by the same token there is not enough work to support another body.

What do you do? You can do nothing, you can hire a permanent employee or hire a temporary employee. All of these solutions have pluses and minuses. Doing nothing is very risky. As soon as you stop maintaining your systems your company is at risk. Even if you keep all the systems up to date, the mere fact that you are under utilizing your IT staff, is costing you opportunities.Hiring a permanent employee is never without its risks and expense. Anyone that has ever hired more than a couple of people knows it is an imperfect science. A person may appear to have all the right skills, seem to be a good fit within the organization and may appear as if they may last a while.

How many times have you thought those things only to be disappointed within months.Temporary and contract hires are a little better. But you still have to spend time and money to get them up to speed. They never quite fit within the organization. And often, if they are a great fit, you can’t afford to hire them. Even if you do hire them, you often do so before there is a full time need for them.
Managed IT services have simplified the above options.

IT security, IT Backup and Disaster Recovery, remotely managed Servers and Workstations no longer require on-site staff. In fact, it is rarely cost effective to use high paid professionals for these mundane tasks. What makes even less sense is maintaining and supporting Microsoft Exchange.

Your IT staff often comprise some of the brightest and best employees in your organization. They are far more capable than the demands placed on them by managing unreliable backup tapes, or worrying about the endless stream of Microsoft patches. When you relieve them of the burden of chasing viruses and stopping spam, they are free to help you with your business intelligence projects. They can actually contribute to the bottom line instead of just draining the black ink.
In a perfect world, more cash flows into a company than out of it. But we don’t live in perfect worlds. In order to grow we need to hire employees and make large capital investments. Effectively run companies are now looking at ways to minimize capital expenditures with respect to Information Technology.

The New Paradigm
The new paradigm is Information Technology as an operations expense. Transforming IT operations from capital expense to operational expense has a number of benefits.
1. Simplification. As an operational expense, IT spend can be more easily budgeted and controlled.
2. IT can be a variable operational expense, not a capital expense.
3. IT as an operational expense means predictable cash flow. As a company goes through its business cycles, they don’t pay for wasted capacity.
4. IT costs can be directly correlated to the actual number of users. Financial projections are simplified and accurate.
5. As IT capex goes away depreciation expense, therefore, is also be reduced and eliminated.

Maintenance Free IT, is not just a dream. For companies that intend to survive the current financial storm, it is a necessity. Throwing money at servers, employees and software, in advance of the business to support them, just does not make sense. Pay as your grow is simple, practical and good for cash flow.

http://maintenancefreeit.wordpress.com/http://maintenancefreeit.wordpress.com/

What gets measured, gets done

2008-10-30T11:44:00.002-06:00

This is an age old saying in the business world, and it's proven to be true time and time again.
Imagine, however, applying this to your personal and/or family life! I have done so and it's worked wonders.
Stress is lower and enjoyment is higher - yes, we're still busier than ever, but having documented goals and a family "Who we are" standard makes decision making much simpler.
Our sons enjoy being part of "the plan" and getting the family calendar lined up has become a uniting activity.
It's entirely too easy to become spread too thin these days. Document your goals and then apply them with standard (invariable) and defining (focused on the goal at hand) objectives. These posted objectives will hold you accountable and motivate you in so many ways. As Nike says... just do it! But, do what you define as important; don't try to do everything.
Cheers,
--- Bill

Balance in life. Now that's a goal worth striving for.

2008-10-07T21:40:00.002-06:00

1. How many of us actually set goals?
2. How many of us write those goals down and track our acheivements against them?

Not many people do #1, but it's been proven that #2 will increase your success rate exponentially.

So, I'll cut right to the chase..... write down goals that force you to have balance in your life.

If work is consuming you, set goals to do things with your spouse and friends. If your obsession is TV or the computer, set goals (and write them down) that force you to get out of that chair/couch and out of that rut.

Don't be obsessed with the negativity of this election mayhem. Step back, be grateful for what you do have, and strive for balance. It's work, but it's well worth it.

Don't worry. Our data is backed up..... I think

2008-10-07T21:39:00.001-06:00

Written by Jason Vanzin
How would your company cope if you lost all the data on your network? If you think it wouldn't be so bad, shut your servers down for an hour and two and see the chaos that ensues.

Disaster recovery isn't sexy, but it's one of the most important IT functions within any organization, from a one man shop to an international conglomerate.

Many times I have been called out to new clients that have just experienced some type of failure or catastrophe that requires recovering their data only to find out they were not properly backing up their data. Most businesses either (A) don't have their data backed up like they are supposed to or (B) thought they had it backed up to tape or some other medium only to discover the tape is bad.

As you can imagine, stress levels skyrocket, and wallets open widely to get back what they can.
Analysts estimate that 40% to 70% of tapes backups fail when restores are attempted. Considering the cost of tape drives, tapes, and the software to back up your data, this is a horrific statistic.

How much would it cost an engineering firm if millions of dollars in drawings were lost to a failed server or a fire. Even if hard copies were available, the man hours needed to receate those drawings could be enough to put the firm under.

Not only do you have to worry about your backup failing, you also have to worry about your tapes falling into the wrong hands. Your entire company's data is backed up to tape if you are backing up to tape. If your IT guy is worth his salt, he probably has you taking the tapes offsite in the event of a fire, flood, or some other disaster. The problem with taking them offsite is most the time they are taken home with an employee, which opens you up to the risk of the tape being lost or stolen.
How much would it cost your company if you lost a tape, and someone used it to get all of your clients' social security numbers, bank account numbers, etc? How long would your clients stay with you, and how much liability would you be exposed to?

Tape is a thing of the past, and it should go the way of zip drives and floppies. Newer technologies are now available from companies like EssentiaLink that can provide continuous backups to a fixed storage device, and the data can also be sent via the internet to an offsite datacenter. All data should be encrypted, so there is no exposure to theft and liability.

Pitch in. You can make a difference!

2008-05-18T10:58:00.005-06:00

I believe in giving back. If you can do so financially, then great. But that doesn't exclude you from participating in your local community and truly giving back.

Volunteer. Help others. Whether it's at your local school (Junior Achievement, Young Ameritowne, etc. are great programs eager for volunteers), your local YMCA, the nearest homeless shelter, a retirement home..... there are so many ways you can take a few hours a month and make a genuine difference in other people's lives. Which, in turn, collectively helps the whole community.

Take the initiative. Ask "what can I do to help?" Then, do it. Follow through.

An old saying, "The world is round" is so true. You will feel incredible for your efforts and you'll be rewarded in ways you never imagined.

David Mead is brilliant.

2008-05-16T17:19:00.007-06:00

I never thought reducing our customer base would increase our revenues and our profits. David Mead is a saint. He's a mentor and a friend. The world needs more people like David. --- Bill

EssentiaLink enjoys big growth by learning to choose customers wisely

ColoradoBiz August, 2007

Start-up was crippled by lack of capital early
By David Mead

EssentiaLink, headquartered in Broomfield, provides simple solutions to reduce a company’s procurement costs. EssentiaLink, led by CEO Bill Douglas, has enjoyed very nice growth over the past few years, receiving multiple growth company awards. They provide services to customers in over 20 states.

Mead: How did you decide to get into this business?

Douglas: I was in the manufacturer’s rep business focused on technical sales and our customers were complaining about problems in the procurement of low-end, inexpensive goods. Sourcing and finding these goods was time-consuming and diverted resources away from the procurement of core direct materials.

We started in June 2000. I sold my interest in the manufacturer’s rep firm to my partner to fund the start-up. Since the tech bubble had burst, venture capital firms were not funding start-ups like ours. After some time, we decided to sell directly, rather than going through channels, which forced us to focus on growing revenue rather than just acquiring large numbers of customers. More importantly, it was a necessity that we listened to our customers.

Mead: How do you differentiate your offering from your competitors?

Douglas: Flexibility - we are able to mirror the critical pieces of a customer’s processes. Many customers have some components of their systems that they must keep in place. We work with their "must keeps" - usually related to accounting or Sarbanes Oxley requirements. Everything else can be optimized via EssentiaLink’s systems and processes. Our competitors, on the other hand, force the customers to totally convert to their system.

We really are a "customer intimate" company. We solve their pain points and create the best solution to meet their needs. We like to work with customers that really understand the total cost of procurement, rather than focusing on the mere price of the goods.

Mead: Has growth always been smooth? What were some of the "bumps" in the road? What have been your biggest challenges?

Douglas: There were so many big bumps. We really bootstrapped. Getting access to capital - both working capital and growth capital - was tough. We worked hard to get to know the bankers very well and looked for strategic investors - corporations or high net worth individuals - who brought more to the table than just money. In addition, in the early days, we made some bad hires that really set us back. We have learned the importance of taking our time to make certain that we hire the right people. We are very methodical in our interviewing process and have learned that if it’s not a great fit, we don’t go there.

Mead: You had a major change in the company that sprung from taking a hard look at the NET profitability of each customer. Talk about the process.

Douglas: We discovered last year that our profitability was lagging. We were adding more customers and more revenue, but the profit just wasn’t there.
We developed a team to analyze the customer base, starting with the bottom half of the customers, based on revenue. We looked at the true cost of acquiring and servicing these customers. Then we looked at not only the potential, but also the "degree of difficulty" in dealing with each one.

Mead: What did the analysis show?

Douglas: We were very surprised that about 1/3 of our customers were unprofitable on a net profit basis.

Mead: What actions did you take?

Douglas: We visited the 15 largest unprofitable customers and presented our case. In most of the situations, these customers were not fully utilizing EssentiaLink, not embracing simplified solutions, or they were requiring excessively high levels of pre- and post-sale service. We indicated that unless we were able to correct the problem(s), we would not be able to remain their strategic vendor.

Mead: How did your customers react?

Douglas: One got upset and threw me out. A couple stepped up and helped to correct the problems. About a dozen apologized, explained why the relationship was not working, and we parted on good terms.

We then looked at the other 2/3 of our customers. We identified the points of "profit pain" from our company’s perspective - things that we provided but that the customer did not need. We increased our focus on the top tier of profitable customers.

Mead: What were the results?

Douglas: In the first full year, we cut almost a third of our customers, added only one and revenues increased by 51 percent and profits doubled.

Mead: Terrific results, Bill. What was the most difficult challenge with this process?

Douglas: I think our investors may have thought I’d lost my mind. They wanted to know why we were shutting down customers that had been so difficult to acquire. They told me that it had better show results in six months. If this had been a public company, I probably would have been fired because the changes did not show a positive impact on results after the first quarter. But, we really picked up momentum and after the full year, results were phenomenal. We’re continuing this focus to increase the volume of business we do with our best (most profitable) customers.

Mead: What were some of the old truths about customers that you found to be untrue?

Douglas: We learned that revenue growth does not always equal profit. We also learned that every customer is not necessarily a good customer. You really need to examine which customers are really the right customers for your company, so that you can make an acceptable profit with each customer.

Probably the most important thing we learned was that we have to be selective about how we identify new customers. We need to find those that appreciate the value that EssentiaLink can deliver. We now have three key qualifying questions that we that ask:
1. Do they know the total cost of procurement?
2. Do they value it?
3. Do they have decision-making authority to act on it?

Mead: You give your employees a lot of authority to make decisions.

Douglas: We relinquish decision-making authority to our employees as long as the decision is made according to our values. It’s OK to make mistakes as long as it meets our values. We say "solve the customer’s problem first; don’t worry about profit."

All employees are empowered to make decisions on behalf of EssentiaLink without further approval if the answer to all five of these questions is YES (relative to the issue or decision at hand):
1. Is it right for the customer?
2. Is it right for EssentiaLink?
3. Is it ethical?
4. Is it something for which you're willing to be accountable?
5. Is it consistent with EssentiaLink's basic beliefs and values?

Mead: Have you accomplished your growth internally or through M&A?

Douglas: To date, all has been internal, organic growth. We’re now beginning M&A to expand the service offering and to acquire market share.

Mead: What are some of the keys to your continued growth over the next 5-10 years?

Douglas: Expanding the sales force geographically across North America and performing strategic acquisitions. We know what works for our customers; we just need to reach more of the right customers. Also, finding the right people that will help us grow.

Mead: How have you maintained the culture while building the management team required to grow?

Douglas: We are slow to hire. We involve many of our folks - including non-executives - in the process. We take our time to be sure that it is the right fit.

Mead: Where do you find good leaders?

Douglas: We invest in training, do a lot of promoting from within, but also we learn of potential candidates by word-of-mouth - from investors, customers, etc.

Mead: EssentiaLink has really made some great progress.

Douglas: Our people did it! They accomplished last year’s 51 percent growth in revenue and doubling of profits. My job is to remove their barriers so that they can do their jobs. We certainly had some disagreements over the relationships with customers. I was challenging whether we should continue to serve the unprofitable customers and this seemed to some of our folks a conflict with our customer-intimate culture. Once the team embraced that the profitability of each customer was critical to our continued success, they really made it happen.

I am very excited about our future. We have a terrific team of committed and motivated people. I think we are well positioned to take advantage of the opportunities ahead.

David P. Mead is president of The Mead Consulting Group, Inc. an advisory services firm that helps middle market companies achieve exceptional value through strategy and execution. He is also chairman of ACG Denver. He can be reached at (303) 660-8135 or meaddp@meadconsultinggroup.com.

Technology Consumables: Saving Money by Optimizing Your Supply Chain

2008-05-16T17:11:00.003-06:00

Originally published in the Denver Business Journal, July, 2005

Technology products permeate today’s office environment. The fact is every business needs technology in order to operate efficiently. Certain technology devices – ranging from mundane printers to more critical storage devices – require replaceable items, or consumables, to operate.

The supply chain for technology-related consumables is terribly fragmented leading to unnecessarily high costs for even the most basic of items. Understanding how to navigate these tumultuous supply chain waters can result in substantial cost savings for businesses of all types and sizes.
INVENTORY

BILL DOUGLAS
These consumables consist of various items including printer consumables (ink and toner refills, drum kits, etc.) and storage media (tapes, CD’s, DVD’s, etc.), often purchased ad-hoc and “under-the-radar” of a professional purchasing agent.

Running out of any needed item can be expensive. This costs your company not just in the increased price of the product hastily bought from the nearest store or shipped overnight but in non-productive time, especially if anyone must leave the office to get needed items. More importantly, any loss of revenues due to reduced service is terribly costly.

If it is not doing so already, your company should formulate and execute a strategy to reduce the cost of technology consumables. Why? Implementing a controlled stocking program will pay off in the long run by reducing downtime, operating expenses, and total acquisition costs. A simple analysis should reveal that any carrying costs are far less than the costs of downtime, production, or revenue losses.

With the goal of reducing both price and cost while diminishing downtime, let’s walk through the steps to achieve successful results.

First, consolidate your consumables. Identify the exact products purchased in the past two quarters. Involve both users and the IT department to decide if similar products can be standardized. Determine the economic order quantity and reorder point for all key items.

Specifying original printer cartridges is highly recommended. In a recent reliability comparison study by QualityLogic, original monochrome toner and black inkjet print cartridges were nine times more reliable than leading remanufactured brands, and original color inkjet print cartridges were more than 50 times more reliable than leading remanufactured brands.

Second, leverage your total spend with the appropriate supplier(s). Reducing your supplier base can result in considerable cost savings. Employ to your advantage the data derived from the consolidation process described above.

The extensive supply chain for technology consumables is very fragmented. Two primary distribution channels exist (technology and office), differing extensively in pricing schemes, shipping costs, marketing programs, distribution facilities, stock levels, fill rates, etc.

To maximize benefits, seek a strategic supplier that openly discusses the entire supply chain, including its channel strategies, strengths, and weaknesses. Take the time to fully explore all of your alternatives before determining what is best for your company.

Structure a supplier agreement that addresses how new products will be priced because needs will undoubtedly change. Set specific goals and performance indicators for the program. Schedule regular reviews with your supplier(s) to include two-way feedback.

Third, develop the details and implement the program company wide. Set an inventory policy and infuse ordering procedures. Focus on minimizing inventory and increasing turns. Make the program information and procedures easy to access and easy to follow.

Keep the re-order process simple. It does not have to be complicated or technical. The process could be as simple as a sticker placed on each stocked item that reads “Notify Ms. Doe if you use the last one of these.”, or a spreadsheet to track inventory and place orders. Your chosen strategic supplier(s) may provide helpful systems at no additional cost.

Determine stocking locations and apply uniform naming conventions. Often many departments, users, and business units can utilize one stocking location, thus minimizing inventory and eliminating the common occurrence of each user keeping their own “stache” of safety stock.

Make someone accountable for the program. This person will be the champion for new ways to improve processes and reduce costs. Be certain to address all issues immediately. Management support of the program always increases success rates. Widely report the program’s successes throughout the company.

Work diligently to enforce program compliance within your company. The goal is to eliminate “renegade” purchasing. Individual employees purchasing outside the program will dilute your company’s buying power. Regardless of any perceived price savings, renegade purchasing increases actual costs and reduces program effectiveness.

Demand management and spend analysis are popular buzz-words in the market right now, but be cautious about their true costs. The reward for these programs may, for specific types of companies, be realized within direct spend categories but they are unlikely to yield valuable results for the indirect consumables we’re targeting here.

Finally, pursue other methods to reduce acquisition costs. Look at all the steps involved in buying a product: identification, requisition, order, receipt, reconciliation, and payment. There are many cost-saving opportunities in these steps. Be open to innovation.

Always ask questions! For example: If we consolidate suppliers, how much will we save by processing fewer orders and invoices? If we standardize printers to be these specific models manufactured by XYZ Company, can we consolidate cartridges and reduce inventory levels?

Get to know your strategic suppliers and ask them what they’ve seen successfully reduce costs for their other customers. Utilize resources from associations such as the Institute for Supply Management.

In summary, to reduce the cost of technology consumables:
1. Consolidate and standardize consumables. Set order points.
2. Quantify spend. Leverage your purchases with supplier(s).
3. Implement program and procedures. Measure and report results.
4. Continually optimize purchasing processes. Innovate.

Technology consumables have traditionally been purchased “as needed” and non-strategically, allowing the market to drive and keep prices up. By applying strategic procurement methods and striving for continuous improvement, your company will benefit from increased efficiencies and cost reductions.

Remember that price is not cost. Downtime is very expensive – it can and should be avoided. Do not be deceived by pricing or marketing schemes. Be an educated buyer, armed with data, and align with a strategic supplier. Your cost reduction program will be a success.

Bill Douglas is CEO of EssentiaLink, a leading supply chain fulfillment provider in Broomfield, CO. He can be reached at 720-259-4975 or bdouglas@essentialink.com.
Based in Broomfield, CO., EssentiaLink provides a unique supply chain fulfillment service that enables companies to procure a majority of their indirect goods from a single source, reducing both price and cost. The privately held company serves customers across the U.S.

Economic history repeats itself, too

2008-05-16T16:45:00.007-06:00

I post this again, 7 years later, because as we face pessimistic outlook, it's obvious history repeats itself.....Opportunities are abundant now - in 2008 - for both entrepreneurs and investors. Don't let the negative news media get to you. --- Bill

Investor caution stifling emerging firms at roots
Originially published in the Boulder County Business Report April 20, 2001
Authored by Bill Douglas

In light of the well-touted stock market tumble and the plethora of negative comments flooding the press lately concerning technology and the Internet, I submit my views on the "trickle-down" effect of such market changes while accentuating the positive opportunities for the future.
The stock market has nothing to do with our company’s core business, yet it directly impacts our future because it affects our funding. The Nasdaq drop, however, has expanded our business by forcing customers and potential competitors to focus on their core offerings and utilize our company as a revenue-generating, complementary solution. EssentiaLink helps businesses optimize their supply and demand chains to reduce costs and maximize profits. We’ve never been a dot-com, but because we’ve embraced technology to enhance traditional business processes, we are often categorized as one.

Fourth-quarter venture capital investing was down 40 percent from its peak earlier in 2000. But venture capital investments are still 98 percent higher than they were one year ago, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. The problem: Professional investors are investing more money in later-stage companies, overlooking younger companies and leaving a large gap that may have long-standing repercussions to our economy as a whole.

Venture capitalists remain closely engaged with our company, but they have raised the bar with relation to milestones they must see before investing. Why? Investments made in Internet companies have affected fund returns, the initial public offering market is soft right now, and performance pressure from investors has created difficulties in raising new venture funds.

Individual or angel investors also have become reluctant to invest in newer companies. Performance pressures have led to the stockpiling of cash by all investors, private and professional. In a nutshell, investors of all kinds are becoming so cautious that they are stifling business growth at the grassroots stage. This damping effect on the small business community as a whole could, in the long-term, significantly impact our domestic economy in ways not yet evidenced.

In spite of the changed investment market condition, our business continues to grow and attract both customers and investors because we’ve been frugal, we’ve generated revenues and we’ve always focused on solving significant problems for our customers. Our growth is controlled at a reduced rate because of capital constraints. Available capital affects the number of new employees and new systems, which directly impacts sales and revenue growth.

Despite negative impacts, the stock market tumble was necessary to reduce the fluff around the "new economy" premise so widely marketed to the public. The reality is a business must make money to survive.

When I first engaged the venture capital community last April, I sought $2 million in funding. The response I received was unexpected. Instead of raising $2 million, I was advised to raise $10 million and spend two thirds of it on advertising to gain mind share. I wanted market share, not mind share. EssentiaLink remains focused on our target market and has created a unique selling model that drastically reduces customer acquisition costs, therefore not requiring a multimillion-dollar ad budget. That was our position all along, and now analysts and investors are beginning to agree.

The business community is slowly getting back to reality. This change will inevitably produce a positive for all businesses and consumers. When a business focuses on its customers and upon generating profits, the economy is the winner. Yes, it will be more difficult to start new businesses than during the Internet heyday, but new companies founded on solid concepts and management can grow faster than ever before, and that is a positive for long-term investors.

This is the third company I’ve been part of starting, and none of them has been easy. Entrepreneurs create value by executing a clear vision with a strong team. We know it will be difficult to create a successful company, but that is part of what attracts us to such challenges. We need the investment community to help us start and grow our companies, and we value our investors in both bull and bear markets. Our economy needs new businesses to create new jobs and generate new revenues. I encourage every qualified investor to reevaluate this market opportunity and get involved in the entrepreneurial community.

The following area some of the ways investors can engage themselves with the start-up community:
- Evaluate and invest as you see fit. Analyze with caution, not cynicism. Ask direct questions, and expect honest answers.
- If you’re a qualified investor, start or become part of an angel investor group. Denver does not have a deep, organized angel investment community, and that is one factor that separates us from other leading business cities such as San Francisco, Chicago and Boston.
- Influence your pension or portfolio funds and your personal adviser to evaluate companies of all stages.
- Offer your assistance as an adviser to young companies. A successful entrepreneur continually seeks mentors.
- Teach classes. Universities are always seeking instructors to enhance students’ education, and they welcome those willing to share their expertise and experience.

When you make smart investments of any kind in solid companies, your portfolio will benefit, our local economy will benefit, and the U.S. economy as a whole will benefit.

Bill Douglas is president and chief executive officer of EssentiaLink, a Broomfield-based developer of a strategic supply chain solution. As a serial entrepreneur with 14 years of experience in the industrial and wholesale trade markets, Douglas has continually utilized technology to improve established business processes. He has held executive and management positions with Florida Power & Light, Power Equipment Specialists, Engineer Sales Co. and Corro-Shun Specialties. He and his wife, Dena, enjoy two young sons.
Douglas can be reached at bdouglas@essentialink.com.