MindaClient at 20
According to US business statistics, only 25% of businesses make it past 15 years in existence.
On that basis, we have been a great success as we mark our 20th year.
20 years ago, large computer software systems cost millions of euros and a company database was usually a list on a spreadsheet.
We saw a gap in providing software solutions between the spreadsheets and the large systems. Filling this gap and providing excellent customer service is what we have been doing for the last two decades.
Technical changes
20 years ago less than 50% of people owned mobile phones and those that did have one, used it mainly for just talking. Nowadays we take the Cloud for granted. Banking, Document storage, Software systems are all accessed over the cloud and using our mobile phones. 
When we started, everything was offline. You installed software on somebodyÕs PC or server and if it needed updating you usually had to drive to the clients office to do that.
15 years ago we started allowing our clients to access their databases over the internet.
Around that time Google started referring to the Cloud and the rest is history.
For the first few years of the Cloud, the most common question was “Where is my data !”
Surviving in business
I would say that the three most important things in business are
- Colleagues
- Customer service
- Cashflow
Colleagues
Without the right people, no company can survive. We have been very fortunate to have a great bunch of committed people always working with MindaClient.
Customer Service
Word of mouth is still one of the best ways of selling. Customers will always talk about good and bad experiences. With social media customers can talk to a much wider audience than they could do 20 years ago. That is why customer service is now even more important than it was back then.
Cashflow
It may seem obvious but if you run out of money, your business will not survive. You need to always keep a tight control on your cashflow. There is no point trading all year and hoping you have a good year after you talk to your accountant.
You need to know how long your funds will last, when those sales are coming in and what your profit or loss will be at the end of the year.
Start a company and see the world !
MindaClient has brought me to many exciting places.
I might elaborate with a book after I retire but here are a few highlights:
Meeting the Serbian Department of Education in what was previously President TitoÕs palace.
Presenting to organisations from 20 different countries in the castle in Salzburg where the sound of music was filmed.
Visiting China for a week to try to sell our software.
Winning government contracts here in Ireland.
Managing a database with over half a million learners
Getting feedback from a government department that we had saved them 6 months of work.
Visiting Lisbon to provide training for our Portuguese clients.
