Even as Advizex Technologies grows, the company retains the ability to restructure itself to keep pace with emerging e-business trends while maintaining focus on its customers’ needs.
By Daniel G. Jacobs
Staying on top in the world of e-business means being able to adapt to the constant changes and shift with the moving face of the field. That’s typically the modus operandi of young start-ups, not seasoned companies.
But it’s the ability to blend the new with the traditional that separates one Entrepreneur Of The Year finalist from its competitors.
“We actually changed the name of the organization to Advizex Technologies,” says John Colangelo, president and CEO. “That change was really reflective of its positioning and growth in its next 25 years of life.”
While the name change reflects the adjustments the company has made, it was by no means a snap decision. The change took about four months to complete, Colangelo says.
Part of the repositioning involved recapitalizing the company last year after the founders moved on, Colangelo says. That allowed Advizex to become more self-sufficient as it brought in new equity sources.
This is the second year the company’s owners have been named EOY finalists. But last year, the organization was known as Infoworld Enterprise Solutions.
Advizex began its journey as Infoworld in 1975 when Leo A. Higley began offering IT, consulting and technical services. In 1979, the company became a reseller for Hewlett-Packard. Colangelo joined the company in 1997.
With the changes due to electronic business, Colangelo saw an opportunity to move to the next level. As the company grows, Colangelo insists that it remain committed to the four principles on which it was founded. According to Colangelo, the company’s future is built on:
Remaining customer-centric. Win a customer for life. Two-thirds of the business comes from its installed customer base.
Developing partnerships. No one company can be the best of breed in everything.
Maintaining high ethical standards. There is no room to compromise in this area, whether it’s customers, employees, vendors or partners.
Focusing on employees. Have them participate in the business in a meaningful way, including opportunities for professional development.
“One of the most fundamental characteristics of the company is its ability to navigate and change slightly ahead of the curve for our clients as an adviser and stay on top of that technology curve,” he says.
To get into that market, Advizex has grown both organically and through acquisition. In the last six months, Advizex has acquired two value added resellers — Boston-based Workgroup Solutions Inc. and Detroit-based Titan Computer Systems. The new operations expand the company’s national presence and increase the staffing level past 140 people.
The company posted revenues of about $62 million last year. Through acquisitions and organic growth, it could reach $150 million this year, Colangelo says.
“What we’re seeing here is good adaptation of strategy and plan and execution,” Colangelo says. “The company as it’s grown is certainly not a start-up, but we have within the last three years gone through a strategy building to launch it for its next life.” How to reach: Advizex Technologies LLC, (216) 901-1818
Daniel G. Jacobs ([email protected]) is senior editor of SBN.
