Cover Story
The DeVries file
Smart Business San Diego | March 2008
Born: Hampton, Iowa
Education: Bachelor’s degree, psychology, University of California, San Diego
Whom have you admired most in business and why?
I admire people who have been able to transform industries. Herb Kelleher at
Southwest Airlines comes to mind because he totally transformed the entire airline
industry when he created that company. Steven Jobs is another example of someone
I admire because his ideas really created much of the computer and modern technology industry, and his work even defined the industry’s business cycles.
What is the greatest business challenge you’ve faced, and how
did you overcome it?
The greatest challenge I’ve faced is taking a small, entrepreneurial company with a
single product and transforming it into a national company with multiple products. I
overcame the challenge by creating a delivery system that supports new products
and manages risk effectively. Selling a concept before the market was established
was a challenge. What I’ve learned is that if you build the product in an efficient way,
you’ll have more time to succeed, so if the new product doesn’t take the first time
around, you can continue to hang in there.
What is the greatest business lesson you’ve learned?
The secret to success is achieving the balance between looking to the future while
managing the present. If you always look to the future, you can lose your foundation,
but you have to keep an eye on where the market is going. I think the key to doing
both is compartmentalized thinking. You have to set aside time for each activity, so
you can do both things well.
