What does your business do?
Acme Data provides remote backup services to small, medium and home-office businesses, as well as professionals on the go with laptops. We also serve the healthcare professional community as our service assists in HIPAA compliance. Most computer users (85%) do not backup their computers regularly, if at all. With our service, there's no excuse!

When and why did you start the biz?
With my background in computers (15 years in the business), I've experienced enough ripped magnetic tape, broken tape drives, lost tapes, warped and scratched CDs ... all rendering a backup plan useless. I came across the idea of remote backups years ago, and I was hooked. I thought it was a great service and that it would catch fire. Well, it hasn't, but that doesn't stop me from being passionate about helping others prevent data loss. I started Acme Data in July 2003.

How Many People are in your Company?
2

Where's your office?
Currently, my business occupies a table in the 2nd floor loft in my house. At least I have a nice view of the golf course behind my house.
My server is located at a data center. safe & sound.
Update - My wife and I bought a desk, cleared out the dining room and now we have a "real" home office!

What's the toughest part of running your biz?
Promoting the idea of remote backups isn't as easy as I thought. People I talk to think it is a great idea, but that's where it ends. The toughest part of my business is getting my prosects to "buy into" my service. All of the elements are there - automated, fool-proof, cost-savings, security, reliability - so why don't people think it is something they need?

What's the most fun part?
On those occasions when a prospect "gets it," it is a great feeling. Not only does it feel good to teach a prospect about this important service, but when they understand this, it is wonderful!

Anything you would have done differently?
I think if I could go back to when I first saw this business model, I would have done everything I could to better understand every technical aspect of it, as well as taken a job within the computer service industry to get to know the types of clients I'd later want to serve. Understanding their business processes and where they're vulnerable is key to what I do.

What's next on the horizon for your biz?
I really enjoy web page design and I've been doing a lot of SEO research. I am considering expanding into that area. Also, as my business grows, I would like to start a data center in my town so that I can help small businesses build a disaster recovery plan that would get them up and running in as little time as possible.

What advice do you have for others?
Really understand your market. This is what I struggle with the most, and I need to work on who my prospects really are.

School (where, still in school, degree)?
Baker College - BBA Currently pursuing a Master's in Operations Management at Kettering University

Prior jobs or business?
UNIX & Windows system administrator, SAP Basis Administrator.

Favorite Food?
Mexican, Thai and Indian.

What are your pets' names?
Abby - the wonder-pug.

Do any of these pets help with your biz?
Stress relief! My dog is energetic and funny. She helps when I need a little break.

Is there any one person or event in your life that led you to go into business for yourself?
I lost (acutally, I deleted it!) over $1 million in data while a newbie UNIX administrator. Luckily, I had a clean backup from the previous night and I was able to restore the data. If the tape had been bad, I would have been in some serious trouble.

Anyone you publicly want to thank?
Rob Cosgrove - thank you for RBS and your encouragement.