Richard Davies wrote: The UK has a good crop of technology pioneers in cloud computing - for example ElasticHosts, FlexiScale, Flexiant, OnApp - and also some strong government initiatives such as G-Cloud.
We will have to see whether this kind of technical leadership converts into swift mass-market adoption or not.
Today, Company.com
(www.company.com)
launches as the new trusted site for more than 20 million business
owners and managers, offering them the tools, insight and solutions to
make money, save money and grow their businesses. A social community for
business, Company.com
offers a Questions and Answers network, editorial reviews, customer
rankings, exclusive deals, and a vetted vendor marketplace providing
solutions targeted specifically to small businesses.
“Even in the best of times, the number of critical decisions faced by
small business owners is overwhelming. With today’s economy hitting
America’s small and mid-sized businesses the hardest, it is even more
important that the business owner know their available options, which
solutions are best suited for their needs, and the comfort to know they
are putting their trust in a reputable vendor. Company.com
is the answer to this challenge, providing viable solutions for business
credit, IT, benefits, finance, lead generation and dozens of other
categories,” said Company.com
CEO and Chairman Bill Wade.
The Company.com
vendor marketplace provides personalized vendor comparisons, editorial
reviews, Company.com
recommendations and, in the future, will offer customer ratings and
savings calculators. Vendor participants hail from 50 specific service
categories most widely used by small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs),
including lead generation, human resources outsourcing and business
loans.
Company.com
is focused on the unique needs of the SMB to help them:
Save Money
To ensure that small business owners are getting the most value
for their dollar, Company.com
provides side-by-side comparisons of all business needs, from
sources of credit and corporate credit cards, to health insurance
and 401K plans, to telecom/VOIP and security and backup vendors.
Make Money
Company.com
subscribers can register to participate in the vendor marketplace,
allowing them to benefit from the site’s search engine marketing
campaigns and gain immediate exposure to a national audience.
Grow My Business
In addition to providing access to insight from today’s business
thought leaders, Company.com
offers businesses ready to expand access to multiple sources of
funding and capital.
To connect business owners with a community of entrepreneurs and subject
matter experts who can answer their questions in real-time, Company.com
also features a Questions and Answers network. The network lets business
owners, entrepreneurs and executives talk to each other, helping them
communicate directly with potential clients and partners, another source
for lead generation.
In addition, through special coupons, exclusive offerings and bundled
savings packages via its vendor marketplace partners and distribution
partnerships such as On Deck Capital, Inc.; BizFilings; Century
Payments; and Hyperoffice, Company.com
will empower their subscribers to save in excess of $38,000 on business
services accessed through the site’s ecosystem.
“Main Street small businesses need a comprehensive one-stop shop for all
the tools required to build and expand their business, and Company.com provides
that,” said Mitch Jacobs, CEO On Deck Capital. “Through On Deck’s
partnership with Company.com,
our customers will gain access to products, services and exclusive
discounts that help them save money and overcome the inevitable
challenges of running a business.”
Funded by angel investors, Company.com’s
leadership includes:
Bill Wade (Founder, CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors)– Wade is the former Sage Payment Solutions Vice Chairman. Wade
founded Network 1 Financial in his basement in 1989, which later
merged with Verus Financial Management. He served as Verus Financial
Management’s president, director and corporate secretary prior to its
sale to Sage Software for $325,000,000 in 2006.
Colin Digiaro (Board of Directors, Chairman of the Advisory
Committee) – Digiaro has spent his entire career helping to build
Internet start-ups, serving SMBs and consumers, and is one of the
co-founders of MySpace.
Nate Davis (Advisory Committee)– Davis brings his
telecommunications and business experience as Chief Executive Officer
of XM Satellite Radio, President and COO of XO Communications, senior
management roles at Nextel and MCI, Board Experience at large public
and small private firms, and work his advisory work at Columbia
Capital venture investors.
Ron Verni (Advisory Committee)– As the former President
and CEO of Sage Software, Inc. and of Peachtree Software, Verni has
served the SMB market for over 20 years.
“What sets Company.com
apart from other sites is its mission to cultivate a community of
business owners and experts exchanging ideas and advice. It’s truly a
resource to set business owners on the path to success,” said Davis.
“Through our partner relationships, Company.com
is able to offer services, deals and discounts tailored for the small
business person that are exclusive to registered site users and can’t be
found elsewhere, either in stores or on the Web,” Verni added.
Company.com is an online SMB lead generation and business social
community that helps businesses save money, make money, and grow. With
vetted and qualified vendor participants in more than 50 specific
service categories most widely used by SMBs, Company.com makes it easy
to procure services from trusted service providers, many times with
exclusive deals and at competitive pricing. Company.com’s marketplace
provides subscribers personalized vendor comparisons, ratings and
reviews, expert advice, and information to help their business select
the best products, services and partners to fit their unique needs. The
company was founded in 2009 by Bill Wade and several other successful
entrepreneurs and has locations in Atlanta, GA, and Palo Alto, CA. For
more information, please visit www.company.com.