PERSEVERANCE-The Channels Formula for Success

“The difference between history’s boldest accomplishments and its most staggering failures is often, simply the diligent will to persevere” Abraham Lincoln.

I began my career many years ago when working for IBM. At the time, working for IBM was considered one of the most prestigious careers for a young man just out of college. Married with one child, my wife and I celebrated and believed that our lives had changed for the better. I credit my IBM training as setting the foundation for my career. Many of my friends worked IBM for years, retired and got the gold watch and yes, a pension. They are the best golfers I know. They are secure and happy. Others lived and thrived by taking risks, many started their own high tech businesses.

While some chose security, others, including myself, took a chance, understanding the entrepreneurial high comes from the struggle. If you look at the VAR community today, the founders are all risk takers who began their careers with initial career foundations from IBM, Xerox and other companies.

The fact is: one-in-ten start-up actually survives. Many are undercapitalized. Some had a vision but lacked the products or experience to go the distance. What makes the difference between success and failure? Some of it is luck but much of it is timing. Most of it is delighting the customer with products and services and a sense of the changes the industry has been known to deal.

I left IBM, built a career with companies that help build my experience and responsibilities and launched two start-ups. One barely break even, one very rewarding. I took risks and I had the support from my lovely wife and family. I funded the first start-up with family and friend support but primarily my own financial investment. I was always the last guy to receive a last pay check, and many weeks did not. I was the guy who had the relationship with the bank, risked my family’s financial security because I had a DREAM and I followed IT.

Each entrepreneur understands the risks. Each entrepreneur understands the high comes from the struggle. As you read this story, many of you can identify with the challenges you faced and the satisfaction gained by your success. Many of you can appreciate the lessons learned by failing. So many of us failed at our first attempts but persevered.

Today, as we look at our VAR 500 Solution Providers, each has a similar story. The founders had a vision, took a chance, understanding that their products and services needed to delight the customer. Each recognizes that the customer is the tie breaker. The customers hold their destiny in their hands. Each founder understands the need to anticipate the ever changing industry and “stay ahead of the pack.”

As I launch a new consulting business, I reflect on a couple of basic truths. We are in business to help and provide a service. Ultimately, we are in business to succeed. Success is defined as “offering value that helps our customers drive costs out while at the same time improve efficiencies.” As I reflect on my channel experiences, each and every day’s goal was to please the customer and develop

relationships based on delivering what you say you will, on time. My objective was and still is to earn the trust to ask for repeat business and build relationships that will last a lifetime.

There is a difference between leadership, and management. Leaders are the visionaries, and the engine behind the results. They understand that they have an obligation to all their employees, and their families and take this responsibility personally. They understand that each decision must be made carefully, but have no fear to take a calculated risk to drive profitable growth.

If one thing is certain in our IT industry, its change. Today we face exiting times in our industry. Times that will transform how we do business. Understanding these changes and preparing for this transformation will determine who survives or fails. As we become students of the impact of these changes, embrace them. Prepare for them. Cloud, Big Data, Mobility, will transform what are business looks like sooner than you think…at the speed of light.

I’ve lived in the most exciting times in our industry, but nothing is more exciting than the time we are living in now. The customers is the winner, the Solution Provider who adapts will be the big winners.