Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   Tell us about the leap from corporate America to full-time entrepreneurship.

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   Working at IBM I realized that you could only get so far. Even though I was young, I was looking to move to different areas pretty quickly. Well, my pace didn't match what was possible at the company at time, so I decided to move to another company called "Advanced PCS". I learned a lot about web development there, but once again when I got impatient with the pace of things and wanted to move up or to another position, it wasn't possible. Maybe I was too young or too ambitious at the time. (laugh)

Soon the opportunity came up for me to teach full-time with a program called "Visiting Scholar". I did that for 2 years. I had summers off, which allowed me to develop my business. I was doing part-time consulting throughout my career. After Visiting Scholar, I started iZigns.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   So WHAT is iZigns?

Terrence, iZigns Inc.:   iZigns started out as a web solutions company, but is morphing into a software application development company. We have a couple of new products coming out in 2004. They will be web-based apps that give you anywhere anytime access to the data that runs your business.

We try to give a growing business everything that they need to get up and running, and stay running. Web sites, brochures, print ads, web site promotion, and so on.

IZigns overall vision is to have a core set of biz solutions to help grow small business.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   Where did the name "iZigns" come from?

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   So I was driving down the street, having decided to found my own company, and was trying to come up with a different kind of name. I wanted something fun, something creative, something I could create a brand for. I started doing name association, and finally came up with "I design web sites" - "I design" - "Izigns".

Everything we do is trying to push the envelope. When you look at the site you may think it's a marketing company. No, we're a technology company, but one that is trying to establish a brand beyond just technical features and capabilities.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   How does iZigns do what it does? Talk about your team.

Terrence, iZigns Inc.:   In the beginning I worked by myself spinning my wheels a lot, but found that I couldn't do it all myself. So, I started these freelancing relationships, and that has worked very well for the company.

The business model is to keep the company lean, but anytime we get a large project we get freelancers, so we don't have to lay anyone off. We have three dedicated people. At one point we got up to 10 consultants, but it's usually closer to three than ten.

The team is also completely mobile. We've set up an extranet that allows us all to work from home.

So far I haven't had to take out a loan. A lot of the money made has been turned around and re-invested back into the company. That has allowed a certain growth rate, but we're currently looking into FDA loans now in order to achieve further growth.



Eric Zhou - Creative Designer
I'll come up with a concept or idea, and he'll bring it to life. I drew a stick figure of an "I" and a "Z" meshed together. I brought it to Eric, and he brought it to life in the form of our company logo. That's what he does, and he's great at it. He usually comes up with the look of the web sites that we design.

Saroy Carter - Head of Research and Development
Java background. Hardcore techie, big-time problem solver. Pretty much any technical problem I have, he solves. I worked with him at Advanced PCS on a couple of projects. I believed in his abilities. He got laid off, and I knew that he was an excellent programmer. I had a project coming up that I needed his type of skills on, so I asked him to join the team. He's been a rock for the organization every since.

Moria Windon - Director of Business Development.
Worked with her at Northlake College. At the time we met I was a mentor to a student organization (Association of Black Collegians), and she was the Director of Student Affairs. I noticed her professionalism, and I said "I need her on my team!"

She's leaving for a new full-time job, which is great for her. But I am looking for a new biz developer. (laugh)

Terence Vauhgan (Part-timer) - deal closer

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   What are iZigns' greatest strengths?

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   Kind of hard to say without sounding clich�, right? (laugh) But our greatest strength is that we are able to keep the company lean, and thus keep prices reasonable. With a lot of companies out there, costs and prices get way too high. We haven't had that problem. Our leanness and flexibility ensures that you get a first-class solution at a price that fits into your budget.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   What are iZigns' greatest challenges?

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   The market is a big challenge. A lot of companies are laying people off, and not seeking to do new business. BUT that opens up another market. A lot of these people that have been laid off want to go out and start their own business. The challenge is in redefining the market for those people going for their plan B, and creating solutions that can meet their unique needs.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   How do you advertise? How does the word about iZigns reach prospective customers?

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   We're part of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce. We meet a lot of aspiring entrepreneurs there. They have new member orientation every month where we have 30-40 prospects! (laugh) We also go to seminars and trade shows.

We've been around since 2000, but did a company re-launch in 2003. We called it the "iZigns Fusion - coming together of art and technology". I had painters come up with 5 different focused pieces. The theme was "Believe In Us, Believe in Yourself, Believe in Something".

One example:
"I Believe in the Power Of Dreams" - a calligraphy painting. In the background it looks like he's painting a building; in the foreground it looks like he's looking at a building. So it's like his dream, his vision, came to reality.

We did all this at an art gallery. We also had a fashion show. We then had a presentation to show what we're about. We got about 250 leads from that. It surprised me how many people came out. It was a great event.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   What are your goals for iZigns over the next 5 years?

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   To grow incrementally, and expand out. We're a mobile-based company. I would like to expand further than Dallas to create regional offices across the US. (LA, Dallas, NY)

For the next year, we're focused on growing the business in Dallas, adding new consultants and developers as we need them. I think dot coms made the mistake of growing too fast. I take the approach of growing as we need to.

My exit strategy for iZigns is to grow it for the next 5 years then find a Venture Capitalist to fund the company.

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   What's on your wish list of things that could help with your business objectives?

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:  

• Solid brand-name recognition - want to position next to the big dogs.
• Branding, positioning, good marketing for the company, good reputation (via word-of-mouth).
• Finding that next big whale (client) that keeps you going

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Bolaji, The HBCU Network:   Terrence, thanks for sharing your story man. We'll see you in Bahamas for the HBCU Alumni Getaway next year. Until then, keep excelling.

Terrence, iZigns, Inc.:   Thanks for the interview - I'll see y'all on the cruise in May!

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