Ken McCoy and Steve Juras started Trusted Data Solutions in February as a home-based business providing information technology solutions for small to medium-sized businesses.
The duo seemed to take all of the steps
needed to start their business on the right foot - they brought 16 years of combined expertise to the venture, enrolled in entrepreneurial training through the Business & Entrepreneurial Skills Training program and met several times with LSUS SBDC Director Peggy Connor to review their business plan.
"Meeting with Peggy helped us think through our strategy out loud and helped us explore some ideas on how to market ourselves," McCoy said.
The Shreveport company's specialties are information security and wireless data networks, but the owners' vast experiences make them capable of consulting on numerous hardware and software-related issues.
McCoy and Juras both worked at Electronic Data Systems, the second largest information technology provider in the world, as part of the network support team for the Shreveport General Motors assembly plant. Juras led the EDS Network Support Team during the Shreveports recent $900 million construction project for the new Chevrolet Colorado truck. McCoy's experience includes a stint as systems engineer at Dell Computer Corp. Together the two have a long list of professional certifications from information technology leaders such as Cisco Systems and Microsoft.
As they were starting their company, both men also enrolled in the 12-week BEST program co-sponsored by the LSUS SBDC.
The BEST class confirmed and clarified some things for us and was the catalyst and what energized us to write our business plan, Juras said.
Juras and McCoy graduated from BEST in May and in June, the company moved from the kitchen table to office space provided by a client, Personnel Management Inc., a staffing firm. In turn, Trusted Data Solutions provides technology services to PMI. And business continues to grow. In October, the company was awarded a government contract to conduct a wireless network survey at all of Caddo Parishs schools.
"Were trying to form a relationship with our clients," Juras said. "Were not just plumbers or someone who comes in and hooks up wires but real strategists and technology advisors."
