About the Company:aclickaway Business Solutions is Florida-based software products and business consulting firm specializing in software and consulting services that improve the bottom line of our clients | www.aclickaway.com
Services:
Business Consulting Services | Software Products | Custom Software Development | Web Services (Includes web site development, online marketing, and hosting)
About the Founder:
35 years of experience with most spent in C-level positions with a wide variety of Companies from small start-ups to large multi-National firms. Former COO of one of the early dot.com success stories. Last 15 years spent focused on the effective use of technology to improve efficiency, lower costs, and improve customer experience. Significant experience with call center based operations and development of proprietary software applications.
BS degree from Western Kentucky, Masters work at University of Kentucky, graduate of American Management Association Management Three Year Training Course, and a Six Sigma Green Belt.
Currently Working On:
Assisting an entrepreneur in the launch of a technology-based subscription service focused on providing senior citizens and busy professionals with a web based platform that consolidates all daily communications into a single user interface with the ability to order services through the platform. (We are designing and building the technology platform)
• Working with a group that is launching a real estate finance conduit in Saudi Arabia.
• Developing a custom secondary marketing software application for a mortgage lender.
• We are completing the development of three software applications for licensing.
Q: Do you think the education you’ve invested in helped you on the road to success?
My formal education gave me the skills to learn. My real education started when I entered the business world. While I am 58 years old, I still try to learn something new each day.
Having grown up before the age of the PC, I took a year early in the 90’s and spent the year learning technology and how it could be used to improve efficiency. This was best investment I ever made.
Q: What was the “breaking point” in your career that made you decide to build your own brand?
Having spent my entire career working for others, I decided in 2005 that I wanted to spend the rest of my career building something for myself. In 2007 I started an engagement with a client where my consulting firm was engaged to build a new enterprise lending system for a large international lender. On that project I added a talented group of software engineers. This was the catalyst needed to move my Company more toward software development.
Q: What were some of the obstacles that you had to overcome to get to where you are now? How do you overcome failure?
Biggest obstacle is convincing clients to deal with a new entrant in a product or service. Everyone wants to deal with a known entity.
We all continue to experience failures all of our lives. Use each failure as a learning experience. Understand what you could have done different which would have caused a different outcome.
Q: Can you tell us of an interesting story from your professional life?
Just out of College before Graduate School, I promoted rock concerts. My largest concert was an outdoor festival with Jimmy Buffet as the headliner just as he was becoming known. After the concert he asked what the promotion team was doing. He went to an after concert party at my home and the next morning, Jimmy Buffet was asleep behind my couch on our living room floor. Moral of the story- you can never tell what will become of those you find sleeping on your floor….
Q: As a young professional, what were some of the mistakes that you made and what did you learn?
I didn’t always question what I was asked to do by superiors. Be willing to question what superiors are telling you to do if it doesn’t make sense or feel right.
Q: Is there an achievement that you are extremely proud of? If so, why?
When my dot.com fell short of reaching profitability at the end of the dot.com era, we were forced to shut down throwing over 800 people out of work with no severance or notice. I was able to take 30 core employees and start a new operation for a large National Bank and in less than two years hired most of the original 800 back.
Q: How do you measure success?
It’s not always about the revenue generated. To me it is about creating value, satisfying customer, and generating referrals for the future.
Q: What is one advice that you can offer to your readers?
You can learn something from almost everyone and every interaction. Listen, ask questions and process….
Q: What do you do for fun?
I am a movie buff. I love a good flick!
Q: What is your favorite 1) gadget(s), 2) software(s), 3) website(s) that makes your life easier and more productive?
I also love music. It doesn’t get any better than iTunes- adding a song to your collection is soooo easy. I also love Apple TV.
Q: Whom would you like to see featured here and why?
Have me back when we launch the new subscription service. I can tell you more about that then and you will find it interesting!!
Ways to Connect with you:
LinkedIn: Dusty Lashbrook
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