1 – Q) Kindly give our readers an introduction to your business. Please include what your business is all about, in which city you are located and if you have offices in multiple locations/ cities.
A) CORE Networks provides Cyber Security & Business Communications solutions to clients across the country. We have been in business since 2002 and service small to mid sized business clients. Our strength is in our highly trained staff and superb customer service skills.
2 – Q) Kindly give us a brief description about yourself (it should include your brief educational or entrepreneurial background and list some of your major achievements).
A) I have been owning businesses since my High School days of selling/installing car sterios and alarms. But it wasn’t until 1994 when I found my true passion in technology. Since then I have held multiple technical positions including Network Engineer and Systems Officer where my duties included new technology projects, business contingency planning and cyber security for many companies including banks and credit unions.
3 – Q) What inspired you to (start a new business venture) or (to make significant changes in an existing business)? How did the idea for your business come about?
A) My brother and I saw the need for an experienced IT team with impeccable customer service skills in our local business community. Given the top notch technical training and second to none customer service skills we had gained through working for large corporations it seemed like an opportunity simply dropped on our laps. Since then we have custom tailored our CORE Complete Care all inclusive IT solution and CORE Connex hosted communications solutions to fit the needs of the small and mid sized businesses we serve.
4 – Q) What three pieces of advice would you give to budding entrepreneurs?
A) My advice to budding entrepreneurs would be to;
1. Do it right the first time!
2. Hire an expert where an expert is needed (Accounting, Legal, IT, Security, Communications, etc.)
3. Enjoy every day of the journey…
5 – Q) What would you say are the top three skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur?
1. Thick Skin
2. Determination
3. Dedication
6 – Q) How many hours do you work a day on average?
A) I personally work 8-10 hours a day and roughly 10-12 hours over the weekend. I try to do most of my non-critical work after hours as to not interrupt my clients work time.
7 – Q) To what do you most attribute your success?
A) Our success is most definitely attributed to great customer service and exceptional technical solutions. It’s how we’re able to keep clients for life!
8 – Q) How do you go about marketing your business? What has been your most successful form of marketing?
A) Over the course of our business we have spent money on just about every type of marketing out there. However, nothing has come close to the business we get through word of mouth.
9 – Q) Where did your organizations funding/capital come from and how did you go about getting it? How did you obtain investors for your venture?
A) CORE Networks is a privately held company and has been privately funded since inception. This ensures we can run our company with each and every client in mind. Our bottom line is our clients, not an ever increasing profit to satisfy Wall Street.
10 – Q) What is the best way to achieve long-term success?
A) I would have to say our long term success has been attributed to treating customers right, pricing our services fairly and following through on our commitments.
11 – Q) Where you see yourself and your business in 5 – 10 years?
A) We are currently on track to have an account representative in each state by 2025 and hopefully every major city by 2030. If we can achieve these goals I will be more than satisfied in our progress.
12 – Q) How important have good employees been to your success?
A) Having a good team is the key to winning anything from a backyard football game to a Presidential election. We have assembled a first class team capable of delivering top notch support and service.
13 – Q) How long do you stick with an idea before giving up?
A) Time is not a factor when you believe in a dream. As long as the vision is clear and achievable, go for it…
14 – Q) What motivates you?
A) I’m motivated to minimize IT related issues by automating maintenance procedures and building upon our self healing solutions.
15 – Q) How do you generate new ideas?
A) Considering I’m actively working with each of our clients I typically see a need in the marketplace and work on developing a solution.
16 – Q) How do you define success?
A) Building a good name for yourself and making an honest living.
17 – Q) What is your favorite aspect of being an entrepreneur?
A) I really like the flexibility to manage my business in a way that is most efficient for the longevity of the business and our clients. I’ve been in previous jobs where we had to follow policy even when it was bad for the client and policies took months to change. At CORE, we are always evolving to our clients needs, current security threats and future technology trends.
18 – Q) In one word, characterize your life as an entrepreneur.
A) Fun
19 – Q) If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why?
A) If I could pick anyone who has ever walked the earth, I would love to sit down with Jesus for a while. Who could provide better guidance than Jesus?