One of the benefits of
connecting with Ann Arbor SPARK is access to its network of businesses within
the Ann Abor region and beyond. Nicol Pasuit, CEO of TechStak, discovered the
value of the SPARK network after two introductions paved a path to new client
relationships.
Nicol founded TechStak to
help small businesses outsource IT and tech services, such as website
development, cybersecurity, software applications, and more.
What differentiates TechStak from its competitors is its concierge-level customer
service. For example, the TechStak team strives to go beyond the immediate need
and uncover long-term goals and challenges. As a result, the company is able to
tailor its recommendations, leading to the most efficient and effective use of valuable
— and often limited — resources.
Even before TechStak was an Ann Arbor SPARK client and SPARK Central Innovation Center (SCIC) tenant, Nicol was familiar with the numerous events hosted there every month — from entrepreneurial educational programs and workshops to industry meetups and hackathons. All of these events are considered a valuable part of the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and supported by Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti SmartZone (LDFA) funding.
It was during a SPARK marketing
education workshop that Nicol met Amy Shovels, operations director for Zonya
Health International. After the event, Amy reached out for help with Zonya
Health’s effort to update its e-commerce platform. According to Nicol, “I
immediately recalled Amy from the event, which really fostered the new client
relationship and provided an element of confidence when beginning the project. We
started at a higher trust level because we had an earlier interaction at a
mutually beneficial event. It was naturally easier to build a relationship and
start working together.” Read
more about the Zonya Health project.
TechStak received another
referral after Nicol shared her Entrepreneurial
Boot Camp experience at the celebration event for another cohort.
When one of the attendees heard about TechStak’s services, they connected Nicol
with Alternatives in Psychological Consultation (APC), the company’s first
out-of-state client. Read
more about the APC project.
“Business networking is
essential to growing your company because it not only allows you to reach
targeted individuals, it also allows you to build visibility in your industry
and your community to develop a reputation as a business of choice,” concluded
Nicol. “Just keep in mind, successful business networking is about what you can
do for someone else. It’s all about how you can help others solve a problem, so
it’s important to shift your focus and your approach to building a level of
trust.”
The post The Value of an Introduction: Building Client Relationships through Networking appeared first on Ann Arbor SPARK.
Source: SPARK
