ChicagoBusiness.com: Enterprise City - Q&A with Rona Borre
Genevieve Thiers: Q&A with Instant Technology's Rona Borre
By Genevieve Thiers
December 14, 2010
I first met Rona Borre, CEO of Instant Technology, at a Mayor’s Tech Council meeting in Chicago. Michael Krauss, perhaps the best super-connector in Chicago, brought her into a meeting as one of the new female CEOs in the area. Which meant it was inevitable that I would chase her down after the meeting and invite her to coffee.
We hit it off so well that we’ve used her firm since, and become friends to boot. Here’s a look at my recent interview with her:
Genevieve: Rona, it is awesome to meet another lady CEO/founder in Chicago. You came out of nowhere!
Rona: I did, didn’t I? I have been here for a while, but not really had time to connect. I’m glad I am getting out there now.
Genevieve: Okay, so tell us a little bit about your company.
Rona: Instant Technology is a nationally recognized Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) specializing in delivering exceptional staff augmentation services exclusively in the technology arena. We are a leading provider of contract, contract-to-hire, and permanent placement services as well as small business IT consulting and executive placement services. Our agency excels at assessing the technical and cultural needs of our clients in conjunction with our candidates to ensure quality matches, delivering the highest quality solutions in the shortest amount of time.
Genevieve: So I have never met another woman in your industry. Why did you enter it?
Rona: I started Instant Technology because of my passion for understanding what our consultants wanted in a job, for them to be heard, and to make the right technical and cultural match with our clients every time. I believed that the staffing industry needed more of a personal touch and an equal emphasis on the client and consultant experience. I knew that we had to actively commit ourselves to building personal relationships in order to succeed. It is important for me to use my ability to leverage relationships and to listen to and connect people with our customer needs. Additionally, I wanted to create an environment where I could foster the growth of young professionals into successful business executives.
Under our incredible management team, I’m proud that Instant Technology has been recognized as one of Inc. Magazine's 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies in America for two years in a row, one of Inc.’s Top 50 Businesses in Chicagoland in 2008, one of Inc.’s Top 100 Human Resources Companies in 2009, and an Inavero Institute 2010 Best of Staffing honoree. Moreover, our staffing firm was acknowledged as one of the Top 101 Best & Brightest Companies to Work For in Chicago two years in a row and one of the Top 20 Best Places to Work in Illinois. I was honored when I was selected as an Influential Woman in Business by The Business Ledger and the National Assn. of Women Business Owners last year. Additionally, I regularly contribute to staffing industry publication Staff Digest and am called upon to share ideas as a Subject Matter Expert in industry publications.
Genevieve: Wow! Well then, why here? Why Chicago?
Rona: Chicago is an incredible city that exemplifies the same passion, vibe and energy I feel about my work. It’s the perfect fit because there are a number of thriving companies in the area and an ability to sell to all kinds of people and industries. The Midwest is filled with amazing warmth and it’s great to be able to work with people who are kind, engaging and willing to help. Chicago is ripe with opportunities for a company such as ours with the drive and dedication to succeed.
Genevieve: You seem to really like being here. Is Chicago a good place for you?
Rona: Oh yes. The tech scene in Chicago is always changing and evolving. As a leader in the industry, we always have to stay current because of the number of opportunities that are constantly opening up. Chicago’s exciting tech scene means that there’s a lot of possibility for growth if you have the passion and innovation to succeed. What’s even more incredible is the strong mentorship and training programs offered by the city. Chicago boasts world-class CEOs who are eager to share their knowledge and experience with the technology community so that we can compete with Silicon Valley and other top cities throughout the country. It’s amazing to see mentors embrace this opportunity to put the city on the map and nurture young entrepreneurs with energy, hard work, ethics and talent. Additionally, the city is very supportive of cultivating these relationships. I am involved in the Mayor’s Council of Technology Advisors and it’s encouraging to know that we have that level of backing, along with other organizations that help entrepreneurs get their technology businesses up and running and to the next level.
Genevieve: Okay, give us your company in three words:
Rona: It’s About Relationships!!
Genevieve: What kinds of people do you hire?
Rona: We hire dynamic, energetic and passionate people who love to connect with others. As a leading technology staffing agency, people are our product, and cultivating strong relationships is paramount to our success – with our colleagues, clients and consultants. In addition to bringing in and developing junior recruiters, we are recruiting people with industry knowledge to grow and develop our customer relationships. We are looking for experienced account managers who will aggressively go after clients, with dedication and efficiency. We understand the need to hire the right people who will execute our vision, and Instant Technology is committed to offering the support employees require to develop into extraordinary business professionals while empowering entrepreneurial-spirited people to take their career to the next level. We believe in placing ownership of the firm within each of our team members to foster loyalty and dedication and to inspire visionary leadership. It’s all about the building the right team and putting people in the right position to help our company succeed.
Genevieve: What's the thing that keeps you up at night? Besides your kids, I mean.
Rona: My mind is always going and I am always brainstorming innovative ideas to contribute professionally, personally and philanthropically. While my work is challenging, whenever I feel overwhelmed I remember how lucky I’ve been, and that puts everything in perspective. At the end of the day, passion is the driving factor: passion for my business, passion for my family, and passion for the Chicago community. It allows me to find the balance and succeed in all areas that are important to me.
Genevieve: What's your advice for other female entrepreneurs starting out right now?
Rona: Just do it! Starting a company from the ground up offers the opportunity to see the growth of the organization through different cycles. As a business owner, it’s important to embrace the journey. Surround yourself with a strong advisory group and support team. Being involved with the Young Presidents’ Organization/Chicago Chapter has been a great resource where I have been able to find strategic advice, share best practices and exchange ideas.
Genevieve: So did you ever look back at leaving your day job and wonder if you made a mistake?
Rona: In 2001 I left a global recruiting firm where I had built and run a $30-million book of business to venture out on my own and establish Instant Technology under a strict non-compete policy. While growing this business, I was faced with many challenges in starting a personally funded company. The company was founded in November 2001 during one of the worst economic climates to date, especially in the technology field. Clients were not hiring due to these conditions, and, therefore, I really had to leverage my relationships to build this company. That, in turn, taught me never to take a relationship for granted and to always do what I could for our customers. It was then that I truly found how important it was to foster relationships. Due to my vested interest in my consultants, they were the ones who stood next to me when I built my business and later helped my business grow by connecting me with more prospects.
In its first five years the agency doubled total revenue and net income. Instant Technology has flourished from humble beginnings to become a multi-million dollar technology staffing agency serving clients all over the country.
Since then, I’ve had many challenges over the course of the journey of growing my business. In 2008 we opened an office in Washington, DC, which offered a new set of obstacles. We needed to find the right people in a new market within a short timeframe. We were also challenged with teaching employees in a different location our strategic vision, making sure they understood our goals, values and mission, and were able to carry them out.
Genevieve: So you have no regrets! So tell us something no one knows about you.
Rona: My true passion is to be a chef. I love cooking. As a teenager living in Europe, I had the amazing opportunity to meet Frugal Gourmet host Jeffrey Smith. He changed my life during our conversation over dinner when he told me what a chauvinistic business the culinary industry could be, so I changed my major to marketing/communications shortly after, thus resulting in a career change.
Genevieve: That’s a relief in some cases, but also a shame. It sounds like they could have used you in that industry. Thanks for talking with me today!
