What does 40 years in business really mean from my standpoint as a finance person? Well, it’s a distinguishing milestone from any perspective and certainly one which ought to be admired given the ups and downs that our economy has seen over the corresponding timeframe. Bearing in mind the complexity of this particular industry and the comings and goings of so many start-ups in our field that we’ve encountered during these 40 years, we can count ourselves very fortunate to have achieved this significant landmark. Fortune favors the brave of course, but it doesn’t stand alone, and the team’s robust efforts and resilience have been significant contributors to our longevity and endurance.
The IT field is continually evolving at break-neck speeds and the information world seems to have no boundaries, which only complicates things exponentially. This adds layers of costs to the re-tooling and re-skilling of our personnel in keeping up with the industry’s demands and ahead of the competitive field. The key to that statement of course is our personnel. Their value to the organization individually and collectively, is worthy of significant recognition and kudos. The impact we’ve had within our industry has always been fueled by the team approach and I cannot overemphasize the importance of the integrity of every link in the chain. The compromised link will result in failure of the entire chain, therefore each link is as important as the next and this principle within specific teams, as well as in the cohesion of multiple teams working towards solutions on behalf of our customer base, is indeed formidable.
Having touched on the word integrity in my figurative chain above, the principle of integrity has been paramount in the TSL Group’s core approach to doing business throughout our existence and this most important virtue is not to be understated – it is the bedrock on which TSL’s success and prolonged existence have been established.
There are many other things to consider as contributing to our sustainability, customer service excellence and employee morale being the two most important, but the story is not a simple one and the variables that we’ve encountered over time require ongoing diligence, vigilance and flexibility as substantive watchwords to the daily operations of the Group’s activities.
I’m a major proponent of “modelling” in conjunction with the development of strategic planning when tasked with a new venture and TSL has continually embraced this approach when faced with the risk and reward dilemma. A proper plan and its execution are always prerequisites to any success, and yes, sometimes in the past we have failed in spite of the focus on proper strategic preparation. Failure is too often associated with imperfection and the absence of failure within any organization could be attributed to being overly cautious or circumspect in approaching new horizons. Oftentimes, one will emerge with success from having failed in one’s pursuit of progress – failure is an integral ingredient in eventual success and therefore we should not be fearful of encountering it – pick yourself up from failure and simply attack with extra verve.
Some other principles come to mind when I reflect on whence we came, and they are primarily related to loyalty, stick-to-it-ed-ness and promoting laughter. Loyalty, both internal and external (not the obsequious kind), plays a massive role in relationship building and is one of the basic tenets of business culture for the long term in developing good strong understanding, mutually enjoyable, relationships. Stick-to-it-ed-ness speaks for itself and will never let you down, and then laughter, well, it’s critical to a long happy adventure. These traits will allow you to steady your business, as do the flying buttresses of the Notre Dame Cathedral, in enjoying repeat business, while also encouraging your customers to advertise your company’s virtues towards attracting new business.
Can we continue to grow after 40 years? I strongly contend that we will certainly do so, once we adhere to the recipe we’ve developed and keep adding the values as they pertain to the varying dynamics that any business like ours might be expected to encounter. People, process and possibility will all play their parts in how we perform with a view to successfully prevailing for a further 40 years. Of course, let’s add some of that good fortune to the mix and I’m a firm believer that fortune is directly connected to our Faith in God.