5/10/2011

Praetorian Group Profiled as Western Regional Finalist for US Chamber of Commerce Small Business of the Year Award

U.S. Chamber Honors America's Best Small Businesses

Seven small businesses were named regional finalists for the U.S. Chamber’s Dream Big: Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club®. One of them will receive the award during America’s Small Business Summit 2011 in Washington, D.C., May 23–25. The award recognizes a company for demonstrating exemplary business practices in the areas of staff training and motivation, community involvement, customer service, and business and financial planning. For more information, go to www.uschambersummit.com.

WESTERN REGIONAL FINALIST
Praetorian Group
San Francisco, California
Provides online resources and cutting-edge information to first responders.

Did starting your business at only 24-years-old make it harder for you to find investors?
Co-founder and CEO Alex Ford: Back in 1999, the Internet was new and exciting and was going to change the world. I was working with a friend of mine who owned a web design business. One of his projects was a small law enforcement website. We saw the need for a place where first responders could easily share information and stay informed. We pitched our idea to an angel investor who loved the concept, started the company on a handshake and moved to San Francisco.

How did the tech bubble impact your business? 
When the bubble popped, it really popped. We were left with a company of 40 employees that was $500,000 in debt and had no revenue model. Without access to capital, we had to figure out what to do and how to monetize an idea that we still really believed in. We downsized to three employees and moved to a dingy office that also housed a fish processing plant and a fruit market, and had a serious rat problem. Staying alive was a combination of keeping everything up and running and wearing a lot of hats.

What’s your advice for other small business owners?
Going through a boom, a bust, and a recession, I recognize that small business owners are in a unique position to define their own reality. My advice is to be proactive. If your business model isn’t working, or the economy is in a downturn, or you don’t like your company culture, you can fix it. Break down the problem and address it. As small business owners, we have that opportunity.

See the full article here: Small Businesses Make a Big Difference - Western Regional Finalist

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