“I” before the “T”

 

Solutions! When I tell folks I’m in the IT business, that is a broad title for what we do, it has never felt quite right. I’ve spent some time recently explaining to my staff that we’re in the business of problem solving, we’re in the “answers business.” It just happens that we focus on Technology to deliver. When in fact some of our answers leak on over to the business process, operations and management, basically “what works” and “what might not”. 16 years in business and over 20 years in technology, I’ve seen a lot of both of those.

Information! I say this all the time as well, there is a reason the “I” comes before the “T”, we are in the information business without a doubt. The tech, comes second. Putting it first, has been the mistake of many. And it takes a lot of consuming of information to stay ahead. The experience helps, no doubt. “Times at bat” as Tom Peters would say, really matters.

I explained to a client just the other night, there is no way I could do what they do much less face all the tasks they face every day, its just not my passion and that plays a BIG ROLE in success. In life in fact. “Following ones bliss“, according to Joseph Campbell, is one of the secrets to life.  And I say perhaps in business as well. I’m really lucky to have a group of clients that are very passionate about their business. Those that are not, or it slipped away from them, rarely succeed.

We are a part of that puzzle of progress for clients, part of their success comes from “our” toolbox, from “our” experience, from “our” information stream. We help guide them to decisions based on how its been done, both historically and typically, in many cases using innovative methods they have never heard of before. Sometimes this is a “new” technology, others simply a change in use of existing technology.

Some really exciting times are ahead for us. We are in a really intense time here with SXSW 2016 and the start of the Austin Events Season but I’ll have more to say in the days ahead here and via other means to try and keep the “I” before the “T”.

Thanks so much to my friends, clients and supporters that have made my job every day, worth it for 16 years.

We’ll talk soon, I’m sure!