"GEE WHIZ": A CORPORATE DISSIDENT LEAVES THE HIERARCHY AND BECOMES AN ENTREPRENEUR

 

Lead unorganizer: Henry Archuleta

E-mail: suns3inc@aol.com

Company: GEE WHIZ computer technologies

Headquarted: Denver, Colorado, USA

 

During the course of his career, Henry Archuleta has gone from being an entrepreneur to joining a hierarchy and back to being an entrepreneur again. All three moves involved industry changes. Here is his story.

"Simon,

My first small business consisted of three parts (begun in 1975)

1. Concert Promotions " The Band Brokers"

2. Real estate

3. Retail sales of pianos and musical instruments

"Bonnie Pianos & Musical Instruments"

The company was involved in productions of small and big named acts. We would set-up venues, lighting, staging, and everything that comes into play with this type of business. We would also promote the "live" acts. Sell tickets, produce posters, flyers, etc.

We were successful in producing large amounts of revenue which the company would then invest into real estate.

We also opened up a piano and retail outlet to sell musical instruments in a retail setting. This complimented the other side of the business of course.

In the 1980's Denver's economy went downhill, now it is completely recovered and is considered to be one of the best places to live in the country. Due to the failing Denver economy, many people began to lose their jobs, not that many people were spending money on concerts. Pianos and musical instruments are a luxury item and people did not have expendable income. Real estate also plummeted.

My company was losing money fast due to all the problems in the area. I began to sell off everything in order to stay afloat. I had to get a job to keep

from losing out totally. This is where my stint with the hierarchy began. From all that I had learned I quickly moved up the hierarchy ladder. A little too quickly for some individuals who had been with the company a long time. The rest you probably have lived yourself, you know how the memos start. Henry"

"Simon, working in Light Rail- requires numerous new working procedures. I am a low man on the totem pole but have been in every possible situation imaginable. This has taught me and sharpened me up. I came from 15 years of entrepreneurial work to this type of set-up. My concerns are I am bleeded for ideas then, the memos one after another, including the type of discipline you list in your works. What kind of defense can I use and what should I expect? One memo was for a recorded conversation (private) between me and another person who was using profane language. I was held responsible for letting him do this!"

Henry, It is not easy answering how you should respond to rankers in hierarchies- they lack self-confidence. They fail to recognize that suggestions from people like yourself and myself are both valid and valuable inputs. They feel threatened by feedback and feel that they MUST maintain the illusion of being in control, even over what employees say privately.

All I can really suggest is leaving the hierarchy and setting up your own company- you clearly have ideas and there are places where original suggestions for improvement are not only welcome, but paid for! Keep reading unorganization and feel good knowing that there are other better ways of managing which will only be practiced more widely in the future. Please do keep me informed. rgds sincerely Simon Buckingham www.unorgan.com

"The article is very informative, well put together reading. I enjoyed it’s content. I had written to you about a month or two ago, concerning the hierarchy in the Light Rail transportation company I worked for. Since then, all the memos resulted in progressive disciplinary actions, until my ultimate fate.......termination. I knew this was coming, as I read your works it was like a map of these kinds of people who dwell in this old organized way of doing things. I have started a business in the computer field and it is called "Gee Whiz".... it’s application is to the public and business sector. The main purpose is consulting the computer buying public on Windows ‘95 or any other program they want to learn. As for the businesses I do the same and consult with them as what types of applications of programs would best suit their needs. This all came about with finding your works about the unorganized world.....and you writing to me to let me know I am wasting my time in the hierarchical world I worked in! So let me thank you and keep up these excellent writings!"

Hello again, many thanks for your news on Gee Whiz- it sounds like a really good idea because people’s perceptions of technology lag behind reality so they are often amazed that the technology can do exactly what they want it to when people like yourself and myself educate them.

If you need any advice at all with Gee Whiz then just email me and I will reply quickly and as fully as I can.

Remember when things are quiet how you used to feel in the hierarchy that you mailed to originally. Its a great feeling to throw off the shackles of hierarchy and find the right road.

Keep in touch and best wishes. Rgds sincerely Simon Buckingham, www.unorgan.com

"Simon,

Per our last e-mail, it has been a great challenge for me to start my own business "GEE WHIZ" computer technologies.

I have encountered hard economic times, but I have endured. My greatest challenge is to stay focused on my goals and objectives. There is great need for this type of service. My business facilitates a bridge between programmers and end users and lessens the pressures and stress associated with learning new computer technologies. In the transition, I have encountered extensively long hours of study, marketing, and have taken part-time jobs as a network analyst to keep the money flow in perspective. Many times it seems that it is not going to work out when word of mouth and great service keep clients calling back for the service.

Some of the first customers have been extremely receptive to me, because I have learned public relations skills combined with first impressions will always bring good results. This is something that should be learned, and practiced.

It is imperative to be relentless in the pursuit of advertising avenues. I have found that this will bring a good client list quickly. Never give up, even in the toughest situation, because good solid service always prevails over cheap poor service.

A lot of study is also needed when preparing to start out in your own business. Always have a plan, and a back-up plan while you are setting the business up. I have found that part-time contract jobs in the same type of business will keep you afloat.

Some of the regrets that I have is I wish I would have started this business while I was in the hierarchy so that I could have walked away the minute the pressures started. I waited until I was shoved out the door, to act on it.

I had my own business previous to going to work for the corporate world, and this is probably why I am not afraid to take the chance at re-establishing myself as an entrepreneur. I would encourage those who do take the chance, to do anything and everything to get established in the small business world because now you have the internet to make you look very big.

Henry Archuleta

Gee Whiz computer technologies"

Henry, thank you for your honesty and advice- I'm sure it will be useful to other readers to take up your suggestion to start planning and working on their next venture BEFORE they leave their current one- strikes me as completely true.

One of your emails mentions your previous employer's name but I will not publish it. Lets add to the case study over time as things occur and happen to you- if you wish to share them. rgds simon buckingham, www.unorgan.com

 

Click Here to return to Unorganized Practools