Posted by Tom Blue on November 19, 2009 under Executives, Profiles | 
We recently did an e-Interview with Jim Buttjer. He is the President of Mosaic Home Solutions. Here is the Q&A below.
1. What do you do? 2 sentences max
Mosaic Home Solutions is a full-service solution provider combining custom homebuilding, audio/video and security systems, home and office remodeling, maintenance, and repair. From top to bottom, inside and out, we make caring for your home and business easier by combining a consultative approach with skilled trades and technology tailored for your needs.
2. Who are your competitors? (just the names)
We have many competitors in individual service offerings, but with our solution-based business model bringing multiple service offerings together, we haven’t found anyone else that competes with us on this level.
3. What makes you different than your competitors?
We take a whole-home, consultative approach to meeting our clients’ needs. Many competitors focus on which products they can sell instead of listening to the client and creating a solution to satisfy the need, then helping the client choose which products they prefer based on features, functions, sustainability, resale value, and cost.
4. What are you or your ceo’s biggest challenges?
Because our business model is so different, we are working diligently to develop and deliver the message of our brand and its value to the marketplace. The great thing is, once clients and suppliers and investors hear the message, they love it and embrace it.
5. Which marketing tactic/strategy has produced the most leads/revenue for your company? E.G. A PR Campaign, Please be specific as our users want to know how to grow their own business.
In our first year, referral networking has brought in the most revenue by a small margin, complemented by online advertising.
6. How long have you been in business?
We were officially registered with the state of Illinois on Jan. 5, 2009.
7. How many employees do you have?
We have grown the Mosaic team to over 10 employees in our first year of business.
8. What are your revenue estimates for 2009? Is that an increase from 2008?
As we are a privately held company, I can only say that our estimated revenues will be in excess of $1 million in our second year of business. Part of our competitive advantage is the diversity of our solutions and services and how they complement each other in building revenue streams – that possible competitors would find surprising.
9. (Optional) Have you had any new press recently? E.G. Announced a partnership, a new big customer, etc.
After a recent acquisition which expanded our solution portfolio, we are incorporating that element into our brand and revising our marketing and PR plans. Announcements will be coming soon.
1. What do you do? 2 sentences max
Mosaic Home Solutions is a full-service solution provider combining custom homebuilding, audio/video and security systems, home and office remodeling, maintenance, and repair. From top to bottom, inside and out, we make caring for your home and business easier by combining a consultative approach with skilled trades and technology tailored for your needs.
2. Who are your competitors?
We have many competitors in individual service offerings, but with our solution-based business model bringing multiple service offerings together, we haven’t found anyone else that competes with us on this level.
3. What makes you different than your competitors?
We take a whole-home, consultative approach to meeting our clients’ needs. Many competitors focus on which products they can sell instead of listening to the client and creating a solution to satisfy the need, then helping the client choose which products they prefer based on features, functions, sustainability, resale value, and cost.
4. What are you or your ceo’s biggest challenges?
Because our business model is so different, we are working diligently to develop and deliver the message of our brand and its value to the marketplace. The great thing is, once clients and suppliers and investors hear the message, they love it and embrace it.
5. Which marketing tactic/strategy has produced the most leads/revenue for your company?
In our first year, referral networking has brought in the most revenue by a small margin, complemented by online advertising.
6. How long have you been in business?
We were officially registered with the state of Illinois on Jan. 5, 2009.
7. How many employees do you have?
We have grown the Mosaic team to over 10 employees in our first year of business.
8. What are your revenue estimates for 2009? Is that an increase from 2008?
As we are a privately held company, I can only say that our estimated revenues will be in excess of $1 million in our second year of business. Part of our competitive advantage is the diversity of our solutions and services and how they complement each other in building revenue streams – that possible competitors would find surprising.
Posted by Tom Blue on November 12, 2009 under Profiles |
1. What do you do?
Modern Battery Solutions provides battery reconditioning services and sells military proven battery recovery and reconditioning systems to material handling companies, forklift and battery repair companies, distribution centers, golf courses and to individuals with the desire to establish their own battery reconditioning service. Additionally, we offer training programs and assistance in the set up of new service providers within the industry.
2. Who are your competitors?
There are too many to name but, many of them have their gimmicks and battery recon elixir and rejuvenation solutions and sulfation elimination additives and stuff like that.
3. What makes you different than your competitors?
Our customers love us because we work with the originating developer, designer and manufacturer of this technology and they have an established 25 year history of US military tested, proven and accepted battery recovery systems. The versions sold by us and used in our own services are the authorized commercial versions of the original military version that are in battery maintenance facilities all over the world. These battery recovery systems are simply unmatched in price, quality and performance.
4. What are you or your ceo’s biggest challenges?
Our two biggest challenges are industry rehabilitation and the time it takes to accomplish it.1.Rehabilitating the industry’s concept of battery reconditioning from the conventional means and the school of thought that says battery desulfation is possible to a degree, yet even proof that now being our present reality drudges up doubts of their past snake oil experiences. 2. Battery desulfation has been the reality for the US military for several years and has made enormous progress in both cost and waste reduction to say the least, but the commercial industry has been inundated with countless reconditioning and desulfation gimmicks that has skewed its ability to see that the real deal is finally being made available to them at a reasonably low cost.
5. Which marketing tactic/strategy has produced the most leads/revenue for your company?
Our most effective marketing strategies are researching our potential clients and working to build up the trust relationships between the two of us. We send out emails followed up with phone calls and drop-in to meet our clients face to face. We let them know that we are in it for the long haul and keep the focus on the relationship and not the sale because once the relationship is established trust is no longer an issue and the risk of the purchase has been removed.
6. How long have you been in business?
We are a new company established in 2008 working with tested and true ideals from a 25 year history of working with people.
7. How many employees do you have?
We are a modest force of less than 20 employees and are primarily focused the structuring of our North American and European distribution network. A registered small business.
Below is an eInterview we did with Deborah Baker, a founder of Modern Battery Solutions.
1. What do you do?
Modern Battery Solutions provides battery reconditioning services and sells military proven battery recovery and reconditioning systems to material handling companies, forklift and battery repair companies, distribution centers, golf courses and to individuals with the desire to establish their own battery reconditioning service. Additionally, we offer training programs and assistance in the set up of new service providers within the industry.
2. Who are your competitors?
There are too many to name but, many of them have their gimmicks and battery recon elixir and rejuvenation solutions and sulfation elimination additives and stuff like that.
3. What makes you different than your competitors?
Our customers love us because we work with the originating developer, designer and manufacturer of this technology and they have an established 25 year history of US military tested, proven and accepted battery recovery systems. The versions sold by us and used in our own services are the authorized commercial versions of the original military version that are in battery maintenance facilities all over the world. These battery recovery systems are simply unmatched in price, quality and performance.
4. What are you or your ceo’s biggest challenges?
Our two biggest challenges are industry rehabilitation and the time it takes to accomplish it.1.Rehabilitating the industry’s concept of battery reconditioning from the conventional means and the school of thought that says battery desulfation is possible to a degree, yet even proof that now being our present reality drudges up doubts of their past snake oil experiences. 2. Battery desulfation has been the reality for the US military for several years and has made enormous progress in both cost and waste reduction to say the least, but the commercial industry has been inundated with countless reconditioning and desulfation gimmicks that has skewed its ability to see that the real deal is finally being made available to them at a reasonably low cost.
5. Which marketing tactic/strategy has produced the most leads/revenue for your company?
Our most effective marketing strategies are researching our potential clients and working to build up the trust relationships between the two of us. We send out emails followed up with phone calls and drop-in to meet our clients face to face. We let them know that we are in it for the long haul and keep the focus on the relationship and not the sale because once the relationship is established trust is no longer an issue and the risk of the purchase has been removed.
6. How long have you been in business?
We are a new company established in 2008 working with tested and true ideals from a 25 year history of working with people.
7. How many employees do you have?
We are a modest force of less than 20 employees and are primarily focused the structuring of our North American and European distribution network. A registered small business.
Posted by Tom Blue on November 9, 2009 under Companies, Executives, Profiles |
Allen Stern is the owner/founder of CenterNetworks and CloudContacts. CenterNetworks is a blog focused on internet news, reviews, interviews and conference coverage. CloudContacts takes your business cards and converts them into usable technology files for importing into Outlook, Salesforce, etc. He is a bootstrapped entrepreneur so I decided to ask him questions about how he multi-tasks in between his businesses.
1. I see you have 2 companies, what do each of them do?
I run a variety of blogs – CenterNetworks, InsideTransit and HTMLCenter.
HTMLCenter started in 1996 and in the late 90s was one of the most
popular HTML help sites. In late 2008 I launched CloudContacts which
provides a business card scanning and transcription service and allows
people to connect with their contacts on a variety of chat, business and
social networks. I also provide some consulting services although I’ve
had to turn down several jobs to focus on CloudContacts (turning down
work absolutely kills me).
2. On the average week, what percentage of time is spent on
CloudContacts and what percentage of time on CenterNetworks?
Each week more time is being devoted to CloudContacts. As of now I would
guess the split is somewhere around 85% CloudContacts and 15% on the
other blogs including CenterNetworks
3. What are your biggest challenges between these 2 companies?
Splitting my time is the biggest challenge today. I enjoy working on all
of the projects I am currently involved in.
4. Which marketing tactics/strategies have produced the most readers/subscribers for your blog/company? Any new and innovative strategy that has really increased your business?
The most important advice I can provide is to get out from behind the
desk and get out into the community — both online and offline. Writing
content on your own blog is great — the key is to get out and interact
with the community. Leave comments on other blogs and make sure you note
your full name and URL in the appropriate boxes. Never spam other blogs,
instead provide valuable content. Once in a while a person will click on
your link and over time you will build an audience.
5. How long has CenterNetworks been in business?
The original form of CenterNetworks began in 1998 and the current form
of CenterNetworks began as a blog in late 2006.
6. Do you sell your own advertising on CenterNetworks?
To be honest I haven’t spent much time on sales for CenterNetworks and
the other blogs over the past couple of months. As a result the in-house
ad sales are lower than previous months. Naturally the goal is to sell
all of the slots in-house but that rarely happens for any blog. I would
guess that currently the split is somewhere around 35% in-house sales
and 65% ad networks. It’s important to note that some part of the 65% is
also direct ad sales through the ad networks and the balance are remnant
ads.
7. How much do you expect to grow/lose this year in revenues?
I would guess that the websites will generate about the same income as
in 2008.
1. I see you have 2 companies, what do each of them do?
I run a variety of blogs – CenterNetworks, InsideTransit and HTMLCenter. HTMLCenter started in 1996 and in the late 90s was one of the most popular HTML help sites. In late 2008 I launched CloudContacts which provides a business card scanning and transcription service and allows people to connect with their contacts on a variety of chat, business and social networks. I also provide some consulting services although I’ve had to turn down several jobs to focus on CloudContacts (turning down work absolutely kills me).
2. On the average week, what percentage of time is spent on CloudContacts and what percentage of time on CenterNetworks?
Each week more time is being devoted to CloudContacts. As of now I would guess the split is somewhere around 85% CloudContacts and 15% on the other blogs including CenterNetworks
3. What are your biggest challenges between these 2 companies?
Splitting my time is the biggest challenge today. I enjoy working on all of the projects I am currently involved in.
4. Which marketing tactics/strategies have produced the most readers/subscribers for your blog/company? Any new and innovative strategy that has really increased your business?
The most important advice I can provide is to get out from behind the desk and get out into the community — both online and offline. Writing content on your own blog is great — the key is to get out and interact with the community. Leave comments on other blogs and make sure you note your full name and URL in the appropriate boxes. Never spam other blogs, instead provide valuable content. Once in a while a person will click on your link and over time you will build an audience.
5. How long has CenterNetworks been in business?
The original form of CenterNetworks began in 1998 and the current form of CenterNetworks began as a blog in late 2006.
6. Do you sell your own advertising on CenterNetworks?
To be honest I haven’t spent much time on sales for CenterNetworks and the other blogs over the past couple of months. As a result the in-house ad sales are lower than previous months. Naturally the goal is to sell all of the slots in-house but that rarely happens for any blog. I would guess that currently the split is somewhere around 35% in-house sales and 65% ad networks. It’s important to note that some part of the 65% is also direct ad sales through the ad networks and the balance are remnant ads.
7. How much do you expect to grow/lose this year in revenues?
I would guess that the websites will generate about the same income as in 2008.
