George Rosenthal
THROTTLENET
Website: ThrottleNet.com
Industry: information technology, custom
software and mobile application development
Education: Bachelor of Science in marketing from Missouri State University
Family: wife, Jackie; 2-year-old son; and 4-year-old daughter
What is your mission?
To live in the service of others by providing small to medium-sized businesses the highest quality of technological service and support.
What was your first job?
Cooking fried chicken and burgers at Hardee’s.
What was your worst job?
Installing in-ground swimming pools in the summer heat.
What led you to your industry?
A true love for computers in the 1980s that flourished as technological advancements accelerated over the last three decades.
What was the smartest thing your company did in the past year?
ThrottleNet has fully adopted the cloud. We adopted a cloud phone system, moved all operational software systems off-site and implemented a mobile workforce. This has reduced operating costs, improved team morale and drastically increased productivity. In a recent storm, the electricity at our headquarters was out for a full 48 hours. Because of our adoption of the cloud, all of ThrottleNet operations continued without interruption.
Who is your industry role model?
Steve Jobs. I admire his vision, passion and courage to change several industries. He changed the way we live, work, listen to and watch media but most of all the way we communicate.
What best advice would you share with new entrepreneurs?
Pay attention to the most important asset within your business, your team.
a. Provide incentives for continued education and/or certification within your industry.
b. Motivate your people by educating them about how your business operates and truly makes money. Show them how important they are to the process by implementing and tracking monthly metrics. Open a portion of your numbers each month so everyone can understand what true
costs are compared to revenues.
c. Keep morale high by having quarterly team events outside of the office. Give prizes for accomplished goals/metrics. When a team member receives a compliment from a client, make it public
and recognize the accomplishment with a personalized gift.
What’s your favorite place in St. Louis?
Cardinal baseball at Busch Stadium.
What book is on your nightstand?
• “Twelve Pillars” by Jim Rohn and Chris Widener
• “You Are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness and Start Living an Awesome Life” by Jen Sincero
What has made you successful in your industry and in St. Louis?
ThrottleNet’s source of success is our team. This may sound like a cliché, but the fact is, our team is made up of certified engineers who are personally dedicated to serving each client. Four years ago, we implemented our own version of open-book management that provides financial information and profit-sharing to each member of our team. Along with team involvement, we do not require clients to sign long-term contracts. Our clients are free to leave without consequences. This combination of profit-sharing and the ability for a client to leave at any time ensures that each team member provides the highest level of customer service at all times.
Submitted 7 years 185 days ago