Letter from the Editor
Your Journey To Success Starts With Learning Something New
I
started my IT career with a degree in electrical engineering . I was a true techie and my first job out of college was working on mainframes for companies like Exxon . Always behind a computer , I connected mainframes in New Jersey to mainframes in faraway places such as Singapore . When I left my employer to start my own company , my goal was to work closely with people . I wanted to see the results of my efforts as a smile on a happy customer ’ s face . In 2008 , when I founded IT Radix , I had to do a complete reset and had zero preexisting clients . What I did have were relationships with a few business owners . I just needed to figure out how to turn those relationships into lifelong clients .
I remember one of my first meetings with a prospective client . I had forgotten a pen and paper and didn ’ t have a single business card to give them . So , I sat at the conference table and listened and learned . I learned what the client needed , applied what I learned , and designed solutions . It worked , but I told myself that next time , I would show up with a plan ( and some business cards ).
I studied sales and took courses in marketing . I networked and learned about direct emailing and Google campaigns . Three years later , I had one of my most successful years to date . We acquired a competitor company , and my new skills in marketing were paying off . I built my business on a combination of two things : gumption and a willingness to learn .
I jokingly call myself a “ recovering tech ” because I have a strong knowledge of engineering and technology that allows me to hold my own with my tech team , but I challenge myself to acquire new skills . I learned how to network effectively , build meaningful customer relationships , and market my business , and I kept up with a rapidly changing industry . The key to my success was that I never turned down an opportunity to learn something new .
I ’ m Cathy Coloff , the owner of IT Radix and editor of Momentum magazine . In this inaugural issue , we ’ ve brought resources straight to your desk to teach you something new too . I wish that in 2008 , when I was growing IT Radix , I ’ d had something like this — a condensed resource with useful information about all sides of the business . For me , it was hard to know where to start . In tech especially , the only constant is change , and it can feel overwhelming . Momentum gives you a place to start , a place where you will find a nugget of information that changes the way you work , for the better .
You can digest this at your own pace : Highlight sentences , circle names , or do what I do and rip out entire pages to pin to your bulletin board . Whether it ’ s improving your sales and marketing , tips for better business management , or a joke that makes you laugh , there ’ s something here for everyone . Enjoy .
Cathy Coloff Managing Member of IT Radix and
Editor of Momentum Magazine
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