Interviewed by Strictly Business Omaha (2007)

Jim & Michelle

1. Give me a brief synopsis of what your company does.

We provide Custom Software development and Internet Solutions. With one phone call our customers get a team of highly-skilled experts with a business-driven common-sense approach to software and web-based solutions. We have over 30 years of combined experience in the following services. - Web Design, Development and Programming - Database Design, Development & Integration into Application - Website, Email & Database Hosting - Email Broadcasting (Email Newsletters and Promotional Pieces) - Custom Applications for Web and Desktop

2. How long have you been in Omaha?

On March 9th we will have been in business for 3 years, and since our inception we have demonstrated growth in the community and stability in employment and services offered.

3. What was the founder’s inspiration for starting this company?

After spending years working together for another company, WhettStone was born out of the sale of that company. We had confidence in our solid team of seasoned veterans and with a bold entrepreneurial spirit; our enterprising start up was formed.

4. What do you think makes you different from other companies similar to yours?

Developing custom software for prospects requires professionals who can ask precise questions, listen intently to the answers, and finally interpret and analyze the answers in relation to the client company’s opportunity. When our team takes on a client, we become a member of their team, working hand-in-hand as a partner during the entire process of interviewing, developing and integrating the software into its role.

5. Are there any businesses you’ve modeled yours after?

We had the benefit of working together for years for an outstanding entrepreneur and learned a lot from our previous employer and mentor Steve Schippers at Bellevue Data Communications.

6. What has been your most unique/different client or project?

Our most unique project to date is the Audience Management System (AMS). AMS will provide a solution to the publishing industry that centralizes audience data into one, seamless data warehouse. Subscriptions to various products and services will be captured through web-based forms that store data in a consistent, centralized location.

The overall benefit to publishers is centralized access to comprehensive audience data that provides for extraction of audience information for targeted marketing campaigns. Specifically, this will reduce the cost of marketing while increasing response rates and giving advertisers a solid cost/benefits analysis model.

7. What skills do you look for in your employees?

Our primary goal is that they fit into our company culture. We take a look at their characteristics - abilities, accomplishments, appearance, and interests. Next, our employees’ sphere of influence can greatly enhance our company. So, what else do they bring to the table? Who are the people who they brand themselves around such as peers, community, family, industry, and profession. Finally, what is their specialization (or area of focus)? We are always looking for the right programmer or project manager.

8. What are your strategies for growth?

Our strategies for growth are increasing efficiencies, staying selective in our hiring process to find experienced programmers and project managers and continued development of internal products.

9. What do you see happening with the business in the next five years?

Software Engineering and the Internet are in a constant state of evolution. We’re always assessing the stability, correctness, and quality of software we develop. Our future output will continue to grow toward software product development. Our developers like a challenge and are always interested in working on new applications.

10. What is one of the biggest challenges that your company has faced?

WhettStone started the business with a very limited marketing budget. Through ongoing face-to-face marketing and relationship building we built a business. This process continues to open new doors everyday.

11. What has been your most important achievement as a business?

We qualified for a large SBA loan to start our business, borrowed the money, didn’t need it and paid it back in 1.5 years.

12. What was the biggest turning point in your business?

In our first year we became a Preferred Partner for NAM (Nonprofit Association of the Midlands); this was a huge turning point for our company. Since then, WhettStone has worked on Grants from the Mammel Foundation and the Ebay Foundation aiding the technology burdens of nonprofit organizations.

13. What is the most unique or interesting thing about your business that most people don’t know?

WhettStone is a resource for marketing companies, media organizations, merchant solution providers, graphic designers, managed service companies and other software development companies throughout the US. WhettStone publishes a very popular “Networking Newsletter” that enables 100s of subscribers throughout the metro to expand relationships and grow their businesses more effectively while contributing to the Greater Omaha area’s identity and personality. You can check it out for yourself and subscribe today at: www.whettstone.com/networking.aspx .

14. What is one goal for your business that you have yet to accomplish?

WhettStone is full of creative software ideas – one goal is the completion of National Networking… wait and see!

15. Please give a couple of examples of projects you’ve worked on in the past or are presently working on.