Name of business: Stimulus Technologies
Address: 6100 Mountain Vista St., Suite 100, Henderson, NV 89014
Phone: 564-3166
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.stimulustech.com
Hours of operation: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday; 24/7 after hours service is available for customers.
Owned by: Nathan Whittacre
In business since: July 21, 1995
Describe your business.
Stimulus Technologies is a full-service IT firm that helps companies streamline their business operations with technology solutions. We offer high-speed Internet, VoIP phone systems, managed IT services and custom-built servers and work stations.
Founded in 1995 as a family business, Stimulus Technologies has grown primarily through customer referrals and business relationships. The company has set out to supply local companies with high-quality service, computer systems and customer support. Throughout the years, Stimulus Technologies has been ahead of the most current and innovative technology solutions.
We offer 24/7 customer support with experienced and knowledgeable technicians, same-day responses, flexible scheduling and an advanced tracking and ticketing system.
How do you compete with larger service providers in Las Vegas?
Being a small business ourselves, we understand the needs of other businesses. When we meet a new client, we don’t just sell them services. We get to know the owners, employees and how their business operates. We deliver solutions, not just products and services.
Where do you see the valley’s tech scene headed?
The technology industry is exploding here in Las Vegas. With investment from companies such as Zappos, small startups are beginning to thrive.
Las Vegas also is a prime market for data centers because of its inexpensive power, fiber interconnectivity and excellent geographic location.
We believe that Las Vegas is poised to see technology be a large driver for the local economy.
What are the benefits of being a technology company in Las Vegas?
Las Vegas is a very entrepreneurial town. We love working with a diverse customer base of owners trying to grow and expand their businesses.
Our biggest pleasure is to see customers grow and be successful. We have had many of our clients start out very small but grow regionally and now employ tens, or even hundreds, of employees.
What challenges do you face?
The hard part about being a tech company in Las Vegas is finding good talent.
Local tech talent often leaves for more lucrative markets out of state. Those who stay here often end up working for a few large employers, such as the casinos.
We need to foster tech education starting at the primary and secondary schools and push for students to get certifications and high-education degrees.
Who are your customers?
Medical offices looking for increased network security and a dedicated Internet connection; call centers with hundreds of agents and affordable long distance and international calling rates; law and accounting firms that have industry-specific software.
We also work closely with auto dealerships and body shops, manufacturing companies and financial institutions.
What makes your business unique?
We care about our customers as if their companies were ours. That mindset has allowed us to grow and obtain new customers and maintain them for years.
What is your business philosophy?
We always put clients first and look out for their best interests.
We also always look for and try to develop the most innovative products and services.
What’s the most important part of your job?
My primary job as CEO is to create and sustain a vision for Stimulus Technologies. In business, we often focus on day-to-day management and operation, but if I can set the vision, all of our decisions will be made with that in mind.
The vision isn’t just about coming up with a statement that hangs on the wall but creating an environment that everyone believes in and our clients can see.
What is the hardest part about doing business in Las Vegas?
Without a doubt, the recession over the past five years has been extremely difficult. We have seen many clients go out of business, especially in the construction industry.
What is the best part about doing business in Las Vegas?
We love meeting a diverse population. We work with many different people from different parts of the country and world. Finding out about their businesses is very exciting.
What obstacles has your business overcome?
We face fierce competition from some really large competitors. Building our own network in the face of that competition has been a challenge, but it is paying off in a huge way.
How can Nevada improve its business climate?
Southern Nevada needs to continue to diversify its economic base. Most of our leaders have been saying that for a long time, but with gaming and construction booming like it did until 2008, it was hard for the economy to change.
With the recession, it was a wakeup call for all the businesses here, and we are now seeing a shift.
We need to keep our taxes and regulation low but also commit to a better education system. We also need to keep people planted here in Las Vegas, giving them good paying jobs that aren’t gaming related.
What have you learned from the recession?
To adapt quickly to a changing economy.
In July 2008, we sat down as a board of directors and made some very tough decisions about the direction of the company. Those decisions have served us well during the hardest economic times.