MSP SPOTLIGHT
Sitima Fowler Mike Fowler
Company :
Capstone IT , an Iconic IT Company
Year Founded :
2003
Headquartered :
Rochester , New York . Iconic IT also comprises LIVE Consulting in Denver , Colorado ; Choose Network in Wichita , Kansas ; and Networking Results in Dallas , Texas .
Top Growth Indicator :
Rochester is not a growing area . Kodak and Xerox used to be the big icon companies there , with any other companies around supporting those two big companies . But when they started to not do well , the small-business community held its own . So , for me , when I compare myself with other people in my accountability group and how much marketing they are doing , we almost have to do double because it ’ s not a huge growth-oriented area . That ’ s why we ’ re so marketing focused . We have to fight harder .
Recommended Readings :
“ Road Less Stupid ” by Keith J . Cunningham and “ Fanatical Prospecting ” by Jeb Blount
Co-CEOs
Sitima Fowler and Mike Fowler
Pushing Outside The Comfort Zone
How Capstone IT Successfully Grew In A Stagnant Market
When you started Capstone IT , what was the big thing that kicked it off ?
My husband , Mike Fowler , is the one who founded the company , and he left the MSP he was working for to start Capstone IT . I was an engineer at General Motors . My income was fueling the company and paying our bills . I was just doing stuff for the company at night , and then in 2006 , the company was doing well enough that I felt like I could quit my job and join full time . I would say the next two years were probably the toughest we ’ ve ever had because neither one of us had an income coming in .
Even though I have a master ’ s degree , I knew nothing about sales and marketing . I could not get that sales phone to ring . I was thinking , “ Okay , you have to be a born salesperson . It must be something that people just know how to do .” Just because you tell people you have a business doesn ’ t mean people call you .
And that ’ s when we came to a roadshow and saw Robin . At first , we thought it was hokey , but we were so desperate , so her message came at the right time when we were ready to try anything .