Embed Size (px)
DESCRIPTION
This presentation was given to a class of MBA students at Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan. I share my personal journey of starting and running a business that provides software development and analytics consulting services.
Citation preview
Saad Shah5/12/2014
Metric-X, LLC
Being an IT EntrepreneurMIS 524: Enterprise Information Systems
Slide 2 metric-x
MIS 524 - Enterprise Information Systems
(3 credits)
The strategic use of information technology (IT) in the enterprise.
Topics include intra-organizational systems, interorganizational systems, the use of IT in a competitive environment, control of IT, IT resource planning and organizational issues for the management of information systems.
Slide 3 metric-x
IT Career Scenarios Work for a Non-IT Company
– Work in the IT Department– Use IT to get your job done
Work for an IT Services Provider– Sell or deliver IT services to others– Start your own company
Slide 4 metric-x
Topics About … Point of View The Journey Technology / Customers Highs, Lows, Mistakes Strategy
Slide 5 metric-x
About Metric-X Focus:
– Help companies manage and analyze their data
Founded:– 2000
Team:– 10 people
Slide 6 metric-x
Services Business Intelligence Software Development
– .NET, SQL Server Excel Integration Project Management
Slide 7 metric-x
Customers
Slide 8 metric-x
About me …
• Project Management• Software Engineering• Analytics
Slide 9 metric-x
Partner
Slide 10 metric-x
Point of View
Slide 11 metric-x
Immigrant
Michigan (home)
Slide 14 metric-x
Mission
Help companies intelligently apply information technology to improve their performance
“we help you turn your data into profits”
Slide 15 metric-x
Slide 16 metric-x
Slide 17 metric-x
Ideal Customers Midmarket and Smaller
– Revenue Range: $10 to $500 Million– Located in Michigan
What We Look For:– Healthy– Hungry
• “Data-Driven”– Attitude towards vendors– Pay on Time
Slide 18 metric-x
Our Guiding Principles “Open Doors, Open Minds”
“Success is a consequence of doing the right things for the right reasons”
“When a customer asks for help, we are receiving a gift”
“We get what we want in life when we help other people get what they want”
Slide 19 metric-x
The Journey
2000 2014
Slide 20 metric-x
Career
1980’s 1990’s 2000’s 2010’s
BS Industrial Engineering
MS Information
Systems
Wizards of Word
Processing
Cambridge Technology
Partners
EDS / GM / OnStar Metric-X
Software Engineering
Product + Consulting
Slide 22 metric-x
Slide 23 metric-x
Slide 24 metric-x
QuickBooks Dashboard
Slide 25 metric-x
Slide 26 metric-x
The Challenging and the Fulfilling
Slide 27 metric-x
Fulfilling Pay it Forward Growing People Make a Difference Use Talents, Gifts. No Complacency!
Slide 28 metric-x
Challenges Cashflow
– Accounts Receivable / Collections “Quality”
– Requirements on-time, on-budget Talent
– Finding, Retaining, Growing
Slide 29 metric-x
The Future
Variables: Technology Competition Economy Talent
Slide 30 metric-x
Technology (Opportunity) Cloud Mobile Big Data Predictive Analytics In-Memory Analytics
Slide 31 metric-x
Lessons Learned
Slide 32 metric-x
Mistakes “Working in the Business” instead of
“Working on the Business” Not selling during good times
Slide 33 metric-x
Second Guessing No Equity Partners No Debt Limited Geography Few Services
Slide 34 metric-x
Strategy
Slide 35 metric-x
Slide 36 metric-x
Operating Approach (Pre-2011) Provide personalized service
– Serve only a few clients at a time
Invest in understanding the clients’ business, priorities, systems and culture Provide services that help clients get the most out of their technology investments
– Architecture, Project Management
Conduct knowledge transfer Keep costs low
– Don’t maintain a bench of consultants– Minimize fixed costs
Subcontract specialized talent when required by clients– Engage partners where appropriate
Slide 37 metric-x
Operating Approach+ (Since 2011) Teachable:
– products and services that you can teach others to deliver
Valuable: – Specialize in doing one thing better
than anyone else (“Microsoft BI”)
Repeatable: – generate recurring revenue through
products that customers would repurchase often (“Software Subscriptions”)
Slide 38 metric-x
What Really Matters
