Jim Canada
ALLIANCE TECHNOLOGIES LLC
Website: alliancetechnologiesllc.com
Industry: consulting and information technology
Education: industrial engineer from Purdue University
Family: My wife, Marta, and I have been married for 36 years. We have one daughter and three sons.
What is your mission?
My vision and that of our company is what we call “Performance Beyond Expectations.” Our goal is “to be recognized as a valued business partner in our market.” This coupled with our leadership philosophy of “Excellence begins with Leadership” followed by our overriding principle – Do the Right Thing – has helped shape my success as well as the success of our company.
What led you to your industry?
My business partners and I were working together at another technology company here in town. The management team there lacked vision, customer focus and employee relationships, which we believe are critical success factors. I felt we could do things better and decided to take a risk and start our own business. I had done consulting on my own for a number of years and was looking for the right team, with the right service, to sustain customer loyalty. We just celebrated five years in business together. We have well over 100 clients and have lost only a handful of clients in those five years, several of which were our own choosing.
How do you try to differentiate your business from others in your industry?
Our critical success factors within our strategic plan keep us focused on our clients’ needs. We make sure that every one of our clients knows how important they are to us. Addressing their needs in a timely manner is one way we can show them. Creating a true business partnership with them is another. Because of our networking efforts, we focus on identifying potential business for our clients and introduce them to new and profitable opportunities. I always joke and ask them if their other IT provider (if they had one) ever brought them any business.
What’s the hardest part of your job?
For us it is finding the right balance of resources to address our clients’ needs while continuing to grow our business. We like to stretch our goals to keep us moving forward. It is too easy to get comfortable when you’re doing well with your business. We do understand that if we do not progress and improve, one of our competitors will be out there waiting to take our clients. Finding the right resources is always challenging.
What’s the best part?
The best part is always helping an existing client or new client find solutions to their needs. We want to truly be their business partner.
What’s your favorite place in St. Louis?
The parks, museums, restaurants, shows, exhibits, the zoo and the art provide so many interesting places to explore. What rich history there is here in St. Louis and the surrounding counties! I am still excited we moved here and not just for the beer and wine. On a warm day you might find me having lunch on the patio at Braddens in old St. Charles or sipping a glass of wine at Annie Gunn’s during an evening meal.
What do you like to do in your free time?
My wife and I love to go to our lake home in Indiana. We call it our happy place, and time becomes irrelevant. Coffee by the water under the willow tree in the morning, bright stars, campfires and roasting marshmallows at night. It is a place where we can rejuvenate and get ready for the times ahead. I encourage everyone to find their happy place in life.
Submitted 9 years 148 days ago