Astoundcom.What's the biggest drawback DRAWBACK, com. law. An allowance made by the government to merchants on the reexportation of certain imported goods liable to duties, which, in some cases, consists of the whole; in others, of a part of the duties which had been paid upon the importation. of small-business ownership? "I can't think of a single one," said Cameron Larson, president of Astoundcom, a Point Loma-based telecommunications company See telecom company. that offers other businesses services and products such as multi-line telephone systems and internal Web applications. Larson, 36, founded Astoundcom in 2003 after spending six years working for someone else in the global telecom industry. Last year, Astoundcom reported revenues of $2 million with a net profit of $150,000. That's double what was reported in 2004, when Astoundcom's revenues were $1 million with a net profit of $100,000. Larson said that one of the reasons he decided to become a small-business owner by launching Astoundcom was so he could be his own boss. But with only three employees, being the boss does come with a price. Larson admits he spends much of his "downtime The time during which a computer is not functioning due to hardware, operating system or application program failure. " on weekends and in the evening on his personal cell phone fielding calls from customers. Although it can affect his ability to relax away from the office, Larson still doesn't consider the responsibility a burden or drawback in any way. For Larson, there's one very simple guiding principle in business he chooses to follow--"put the customer first and make decisions based on long-term benefits versus short-term gains Short-term gain (or loss) A profit or loss realized from the sale of securities held for less than a year that is taxed at normal income tax rates if the net total is positive. ." VITALS vi·tals pl.n. 1. The vital body organs. 2. The parts that are essential to continued functioning, as of a system. Name: Cameron Larson. Title: President. Company: Astoundcom. Company address: 3428 Poe St., San Diego San Diego (săn dēā`gō), city (1990 pop. 1,110,549), seat of San Diego co., S Calif., on San Diego Bay; inc. 1850. San Diego includes the unincorporated communities of La Jolla and Spring Valley. Coronado is across the bay. 92106. Company phone: (619) 523-0020. Year founded: 2003. Prior business experience: Small-business owner for eight years and six years with a global telecom. Average hours worked weekly: 60. Source of startup capital: Personal savings. 2005 revenue: $2 million. 2004 revenue: $1 million. Number of employees: Three. Web site: www.astoundcom.com. BACKGROUND Birthplace birth·place n. The place where someone is born or where something originates. birthplace Noun the place where someone was born or where something originated Noun 1. : Portland, Ore. Education: Studied business administration at San Diego State University San Diego State University (SDSU), founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area (generally the City and County of San Diego), and is part of the California State University system. . Age: 36. Current residence: Point Loma Point Loma is a neighborhood of San Diego, California. Geographically it is a hilly peninsula that is bordered on the west and south by the Pacific Ocean, the east by the San Diego Bay and Old Town and the north by the San Diego River. . Family: Married; two dogs. Hobbies: Jujitsu jujitsu or jujutsu: see judo; martial arts. jujitsu Martial art that employs holds, throws, and paralyzing blows to subdue or disable an opponent. It evolved among the samurai warrior class in Japan from about the 17th century. , surfing surfing, sport of gliding toward the shore on a breaking wave. Surfers originally used long, cumbersome wooden boards but now ride lightweight synthetic boards that allow a greater degree of maneuverability. , mountain biking, traveling. JUDGMENT CALLS Reason for getting into business: I saw an opportunity that would let me be my own boss while providing a valuable service to my customers. How I plan to grow the business: Continue building relationships/partnerships in the community and nationally, along with marketing and advertising initiatives. Biggest plus of business ownership: Set my own hours and deciding the growth path for Astoundcom. Biggest drawback: I can't think of a single one. Biggest business strength: Customer service is key. We are always accessible to our clients. Biggest business weakness: Giving out my cell phone to all my customers, which means I field phone calls on weekends and nights when I should be relaxing. Biggest risk: Taking the leap from corporate security to starting my own business. Smartest business decision: Creating a model that works for our customers. It allows them to receive a free service (telecom audit and placement). Biggest business mistake: Expecting to please everybody. Toughest career decision: Deciding which sector of the market to target. Biggest ongoing challenge: Managing growth. The most important part of my business: Making our customers happy so they are inspired to stay with us. My business works best when: The carriers do their installs correctly. Best way to stay competitive: Stay on top. How I measure success: Increasing revenues and happy customers. GOALS Goals yet to be achieved: To continue to keep life in perspective, which means enjoying your work and appreciate the opportunities that have been provided, cherishing your family and friends, staying healthy (eating right and exercising), and making time to do something positive for yourself every day. My five-year business plan: To continue to double in revenue every year. I would sell my business only if: I saw benefit to my customers and receive a great financial windfall windfall An unexpected profit or gain. An investor holding a stock that increases greatly in price because of an unexpected takeover offer receives a windfall. . Guiding principles I will continue to follow: Put the customer first and make decisions based on long-term benefits versus short-term gains. |
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