John W. Rollins Jr.’s story is a valuable piece of tech history for several reasons:
- It chronicles the early days of the software industry: Rollins’ experiences offer a glimpse into the nascent software landscape, from punch cards and service bureaus to the rise of minicomputers and the transition to personal computers and the internet.
- It highlights the importance of niche markets and customer focus: AZTECH’s success demonstrates the power of specializing in a specific market and building strong relationships with customers.
- It emphasizes the value of adaptability and strategic planning: Rollins’ account shows how crucial it is for tech companies to adapt to changing technology and proactively plan for the future.
It provides insights into building a strong company culture: AZTECH’s flat management structure, user group engagement, and annual strategic planning retreats fostered a collaborative and forward-thinking environment. Rollins’ interview serves as an inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs and a reminder of the core principles that contribute to enduring success in the ever-evolving tech industry.
On Entrepreneurship:
- “I come from something of an entrepreneurial background… I don’t know if it’s in the blood or what, but… I thought I should change my direction. Instead of aspiring to work for IBM or a major Fortune 500 company, I should think about starting my own business.”
- “My goal was to try to hire the best person at each point in time… The best hire was really our number three executive… Ed Murphy… He did a great job for us for more than a decade in terms of the growth of AZTECH.”
- “We decided to stick to our knitting to be the specialist in this second largest industry in the Washington D.C. area and not to deviate from that.”
On Adapting to Change:
- “It was a period of rapidly evolving technology… We were reading all the trade press… just to try to keep up with it.”
- “DOS to Windows was an agonizing decision… We were in a quandary—which of these three do we go with?”
- “We viewed Y2K as a great opportunity… We knew how to fix the problem… But the opportunity for us was to get everybody on full level maintenance.”
On Building a Strong Company Culture:
- “We had a very flat management structure… It was a very personalized relationship, where they’d go out and meet with the customer to understand their unique needs.”
- “We would roll out the red carpet… We’d wined them and dined them… We really tried very hard to make it a fun, enjoyable two-day event.” (On the AZTECH user group meetings)
- “Every single year we would update our strategic plan… We’d go through an environmental analysis… We’d gather input, not only from our users’ group, but also from our staff.”
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