The Entrepreneurial Skills Required to Survive and Innovate in a Pandemic World - Rev 11/02/2020

As far as short term and long term planning, "What's your plans if things don't get back to normal in another 6-12 months? If things never get back to normal? ".

A path that once appeared uncluttered; now has numerous speed bumps, detours, and many unforeseen circumstances. Circumstances that affects communities, jobs, families, and health, even to the point of creating life and death events.

Updated 11/02/2020 - new section -- Steps for Business and Professional Success in a Pandemic World. Also recent updates from latest Time Magazine Nov 2-9, 2020.

The most innovative parts of our economies have suffered the least damage

What's changed? What hasn't?

• Communities - Community economic plans will require major revisions. Most have been invalidated already. Check article below on Fiber - Putting your Gigs to Work (below)- although written over two years ago (May 8, 2018), it points out why the old model for business development no longer works. well before the epidemic.

• Health - COVID-19 - What to believe? Determine a scientific base.
• Hospitals -- More than 20% of rural hospitals in the US are at a high risk of closing. In some states Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi, it's more than 40% - Time Magazine
• Family - more time together - mental health challenges.
• Recreation - more outdoor activities with its implied social distancing.
• Quality of Life - less time spent traveling to work, but opportunities to live anywhere.
• Jobs - working remote. In a flat world, with virtual offices, it’s an exciting time to find your beach. Harder now to understand the commuting an hour to work to sit in front of a computer screen, and then be exposed to a virus? Reality is with tools like Zoom, Slack, Hubspot, etc. to collaborate with co-workers in next cubicle or around the country and world, it’s time to make quality of life and time spent with family high priorities again.
• From Time Magazine -- Office work was broken long before the pandemic. Technology has seamlessly connected workers to one another, but it’s brought with it an endless stream of distractions. The average knowledge worker—essentially someone who performs cerebral tasks for their job—checks email every six minutes and spends more and more time in meetings. Executives were spending 23 hours a week in meetings by 2017, up from 10 hours a week in the 1960s. 
• Tech companies, including Twitter, Facebook and Shopify, have said they will let many employees work from home permanently. Pinterest paid $89.5 million to cancel a new planned office space in San Francisco, saying more of its employees were going to work remotely in the future. Time Magazine
• Smaller technology companies, and units of major corporations will be drawn to rural and remote locations by the major local investments in high speed broadband. Failure to have telecommunications or broadband companies actively involved in economic development is a major mistake.
• Technology - high speed Internet -Zoom, artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality, augmented reality, and mixed reality. It's location agnostic as long as broadband needs are met.
• Medical - telemedicine and telehealth. Insurance payers and HCP professional associations have supported the transition to telehealth services during the pandemic. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued multiple waivers providing flexibility (e.g., geographic location, type of health site) during the pandemic and granting payment parity between telehealth and in-person clinical care for Medicare. Medicaid programs are administered at the state level and states can choose whether or not to cover telehealth services as an alternative to traditional in-person methods of care.
• Education - from anywhere. Virtual education will allow everyone, regardless of geographic location, access to experts and high quality learning experiences. Important to those choosing virtual offices.
• Shopping - online and pick up - In-store wage rates will escalate due to virus exposure. As of October 1, 2020, Hobby Lobby raised minimum full-time wages to $17 per hour. In certain departments Walmart is now paying $15 minimum per hour. Key is determining impact on small businesses in your community. Harder and harder to develop an in-store only retail strategy.
• Restaurants - NYC is estimating 50% failure. One prominent chef estimated that 75% of independent restaurants nationally may not make it.
• Hotels / Motels - "For business travelers, demand will likely come back unevenly. Essential travel will differ by industry. According to executives and chief human resources officers in North America, interviewed in April 2020 across an array of industries, every one of their companies is using technology as a substitute for nonessential travel. Most expect that certain types of travel—like internal meetings—will never fully return to pre-COVID-19 levels." Note technology impact
• Business - social distancing, masks, etc. Liabilities for employees, clients, and customers yet to be determined. Less investment in pricey office space.
• Daycare - National Association of Young children (NAEYC) predicts 40% of the childcare businesses it surveyed will shutter. Substantial new operating costs to handle pandemic with fewer children. Time Magazine.
• Government - virtual - remote - many activities that once required face-to-face participation are now being handled virtually.
• Church - virtual - remote - masks - combination of on-line and church attendance.
• Social and entertainment - less time in large group social settings, more in smaller groups connected via technology - Drive-in's, home entertainment, etc.
• Racism - issues? SPLC, Wikipedia, Google, etc. Requires research and vetting, not accepting perceptions. Will eliminate communities from consideration for remote offices. Communities will have to invest in removing racism reputation.
• Sports - fans and attendance? Always reminded of when Ted Turner bought the Atlanta Braves and broadcast all their games nationally on his satellite cable channel TBS, with minimal fans in the stands. Seemed outrageous at the time, not so much now. Consideration for most vulnerable fans will have to be made - a smoking section in reverse?
• Voting - more by mail in 2020 - why not vote via home PC or smart phone? If you can bank, manage investments, buy anything online, access health records; why not vote?

All the above has changed (most likely *forever)

* Note - for conspiracy theorists who think virus will disappear after the election - there have been worldwide economic losses in the $4+ trillion range, and there will be trillions spent to avoid losses from the next similar event. Some estimate global losses through 2030 in the $17 trillion range. Genie is out of the bottle, whether it's a natural event or created by terrorists, it will happen again. There will be a few retired survivalists who believe they already have a solution. For the most who don't, continue on. Time Magazine has $16 trillion as estimated cost to the US economy of COVID-19

?The many challenges are easily identified, but the solutions are not!

Suggested general solutions and how to implement (specific solution consulting is what I get paid to do)

1. Getting an update from reliable sources - local, state, national, and international. Total cases, recovered, and deaths data for your local community are a good starting point. Click link below for current information

2. Same link you can be reminded of symptoms and emergency medical contacts

• Symptoms that may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:
• Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

3. Coping with stress including key mental health contacts

Coping with stress in a healthy way will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. Link above has key contacts to help with mental health

• Stress during an infectious disease outbreak can sometimes cause the following:
• Fear and anxiety can be overwhelming and cause strong emotions.
• Get immediate help in a crisis

4. Joining forces to fight a common enemy

The Politico article makes several social, commercial, and political points about how the world will be changed permanently: my primary interest is commercial, and technology but there will be overlaps. Purpose of list is to identify challenges, presented by recognized experts.

What can you identify as opportunities? What are the challenges? Today information flows to anywhere in the world in fractions of seconds. Resources are now independent of location. High-tech has no bounds. You have to think globally, but still treat customers as if they live next door.

"Sam Walton believed that running a successful business boiled down to *10 simple rules, one of the more important is to swim upstream.

Go the other way. Ignore the conventional wisdom. If everybody else is doing it one way, there's a good chance you can find your niche by going in exactly the opposite direction.

Jeff Bezos left a secure Wall Street job to start Amazon in his garage selling books over the Internet, really? While there are many similar stories about Gates / Microsoft, Jobs / Apple, and Zuckerberg / Facebook."

• A new kind of patriotism - "America has long equated patriotism with the armed forces. But you can’t shoot a virus. Those on the frontlines against coronavirus aren’t conscripts, mercenaries or enlisted men; they are our doctors, nurses, pharmacists, teachers, caregivers, store clerks, utility workers, small-business owners and employees."
• A decline in polarization --“common enemy” scenario, in which people begin to look past their differences when faced with a shared external threat.
• A return to faith in serious experts
• Religious worship will look different - "Religion in the time of quarantine will challenge conceptions of what it means to minister and to fellowship. But it will also expand the opportunities for those who have no local congregation to sample sermons from afar."
• Regulatory barriers to online tools will fall (more later on this)
• A healthier digital lifestyle (more later)
• A boon to virtual reality - travel to museums, cities, and countries.
• The rise of telemedicine (telehealth) My associate, Craig Settles, is frequently called upon as an municipal broadband expert on telehealth for journalists at CNN, the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Time Magazine and a host of business, technology and local media outlets. He has spoken at various conferences in the U.S, Europe, South America, Australia and Asia.
• An opening for stronger family care - Walmart Health is having a real impact on increasing access to care in communities. See Sensara below - Social distancing from aged parents is now more than proximity. You can live next door or across the country with similar restrictions.
• Congress can finally go virtual -- "great time for congress-people to return to their districts and start the process of virtual legislating—permanently. Not only is this move medically necessary at the moment, but it has ancillary benefits. Lawmakers will be closer to the voters they represent and more likely to be sensitive to local perspectives and issues. A virtual Congress is harder to lobby, as the endless parties and receptions that lobbyists throw in Washington will be harder to replicate across the whole nation. Party conformity also might loosen with representatives remembering local loyalties over party ties."
• A new civic federalism (states and localities become centers of justice, solidarity and far-sighted democratic problem-solving)
• Stronger domestic supply chains. Note product shifts created by less restaurant demands. See Grainster below.
• A revival of parks - look for opportunities with value added products and servies
• A change in our understanding of ‘change'
• Less communal dining—but maybe more cooking

How to navigate the new normal from research to financing to marketing to sales for business professionals

Entrepreneurs are told many times why their ideas won't work, and only by a few (if any) why it will.

One of the obvious objectives of this article is to see how many survive all the rhetoric describing the current issues to overcome.

So if you have made it this far, I would like to share some of my observations and experiences.

Steps for Business and Professional Success in a Pandemic World (Approach that investors are now expecting)

My company was founded in a rural area where bank financing wasn’t available for start-up technology enterprises. You had to find investors or mortgage your personal property to provide any gap financing. My steps are actual and time tested. All steps can be followed independently at your own schedule, or expedited by contacting and contracting consultants and advisers (like myself).

1.     Evangelist

Many say funding is the biggest problem for starting a company, I think it is finding an evangelist (non-employee) for your idea. I have had companies come to me with a great idea, and an elaborate solution only to find they have no market. Those approaches were falsely built on “building a better mousetrap” or “the field of dreams” strategy – build and they will come. Some have solutions looking for a “proof of concept” partner. Nice to get those partners involved at the earliest level. Generally those people can assist with financing. I have identified several people who can assist start-ups in virtually any industry. This process will help formalize your business plan. See following post for more details https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/every-company-needs-chief-evangelist-herb-lair

2.     Personnel -

different skills, and personalities – creative, getting certain jobs done with minimum creativity, patient, impatient, everybody sells, and great attitude. Must be adaptable to the job requirements – technology changes rapidly, but all businesses must have management and employees who embrace change. Human resources presents a variety of challenges – quality of life, job satisfaction, empowerment, leadership, long hours, hard work, 24/7 availability, risk taker, waiting for the rewards, and leaving your ego at the door. Friedman has brought attention to “The World is Flat” where much can be accomplished with virtual employees and collaboration located globally. I was an early adapter selling software in remote locations where support was done via fax and phone calls Saipan ($3/min). See following post for more details https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/amelia-earhart-saipan-doing-business-unusual-herb-lair

3.     Attitude - 

Everybody sells. It’s always everyone’s job to find a solution for a customer’s needs, never tell anyone it’s not my job. Disagreements and diverse opinions settled by direct communications – never use social media or e-mails to become argumentative with fellow employees, and even more importantly with customers. I never have a problem with disagreements, as long as it’s for the good of the company, and not just a way to feed egos. Never take a defensive attitude to resolve problems. Maintain accurate logs and actions taken, and utilize business intelligence tools. Taking general complaints and problems to a detail level will help resolve issues with no finger pointing. Always respond to customer, employee, or prospects on the same day received.

4.     Swiss Army Knife --

I found in customer care software it was invaluable to have a cross-trained staff. If your technical staff occasionally takes support calls or goes on-site for installations, there is a much greater empathy for customer issues. As a result the staff found what the customer wanted and needed, not what you thought they did. Many times features and functions, as well as marketing strategies look great in a conference room, but fail in the real world. Frequently cable operators come up with great marketing strategies on paper, but virtually impossible for customer representatives to explain. You must be willing to give assistance to a customer when they need it, not just when you want to give it. Listen to complaints, give alternatives, and even let subscribers suggest solutions. That shouldn't be a novel approach.

As a CEO my job has ranged from top decision maker to janitor. Having these skills become critical when selling into remote locations in US or internationally, since it’s impractical to have access to an entourage of specialists. Understanding the key responsibilities of your management and employees will create mutual respect. As the CEO, I have done installations – it served two purposes – employees wanted you to be successful, so they did extra preparation; and you got immediate feedback from customers on all levels of what they like and where they need additional explanation or training.

I’ve never had a bad experience going to a customer site. Now it may be through Zoom.

Again there’s a similar point made by Bezos on Amazon customer experience.

Everyone has to be able to work in a call center.’

Complaints can be devastating in the age of viral tweets and blogs. Bezos asks thousands of Amazon managers, including ?himself, to ?attend two days of call-center training each year. The payoff: humility and empathy for the customer.

See following for more details.

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/5-reasons-why-cable-tv-subscribers-get-satisfaction-herb-lair

5.    Management –

walk around management where you can observe job performances in their environment (now through Zoom). You’ll be able to identify the good, the bad, and the ugly before it escalates. All meetings must have an identified agenda. All action items must be assigned so it’s clear who has ownership. Welcome suggestions – always encourage management and employees to do frequent SWOT type evaluations – successes, weakness, opportunities, and threats. Having regular communication with customers is important so you have your finger on their pulse. When I sold my company to the industry leader, a major MSO executive (Time Warner) wrote that they could learn a lot about customer service from us.

6.    Business Development –

Key step which parallels the first five. Companies many times will spend millions developing a product, and only give business development a passing thought. Technology entrepreneurs can be very brash in identifying a need and a solution, and then become timid in their business development. Perception of a solution can be very different between developers and potential clients. Don’t go it alone! Find an adviser who can assure your creative idea is practical and plausible. Mark Cuban, Sharks’ billionaire, makes it clear he’s not interested in investing in companies with no sales, or those promoting exit plans to immediately sell the company.

Many companies attempt to go from development to sales and marketing; bypassing business development. They are only willing to make a token business development investment. They overestimate their product value, and anticipate an immediate pent-up demand for their solution. They anticipate moving directly to sales to cover their marketing and sales overhead. Similar to constructing a building one office at a time with no regard to location or blueprint. Like construction, business development requires a plan to effectively choose a market and grow a market. For example, Walgreen has a building blueprint, but money has to be spent checking demographics, population size, contractors, employees, and best location. They are one of the best in putting their stores in the ideal situation to succeed. Doesn’t happen without first making a substantial investment in business development. Investment in business development should be creative and incentive driven.

 “Risk comes from not knowing what you're doing”

― Warren Buffett

https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/5-ways-succeed-business-development-really-trying-herb-lair

7.     Marketing -

Make every customer a reference, everybody sells – use your connections for introductions and references – word of mouth is your best sales tool – effective use of social media creates “word of mouth “reviews at warp speed. Also will require close monitoring, so quick responses can be made both to favorable and unfavorable comments.

You have to think globally, but still treat customers as if they live next door.

Today information flows to anywhere in the world in fractions of seconds. Resources are now independent of location. High-tech has no bounds.

A 3-year-old customer can deliver two to three times the margin of a new customer. This meant that for each existing customer that left, the company needed to bring in 1.2 new customers at an approximately 20 percent lower price to replace the lost revenue, and two to three new customers to replace the lost margin.

 A satisfied customer is the best business strategy of all. Michael LeBoeuf 

8.     Execution of Strategy -

Your best effort in creating a business development strategy puts your company in the best position to succeed. In sports, many times the team that’s best prepared, wins the game. Execution requires having the proper resources in place to handle anticipated events, as well as access to resources to handle the unanticipated events.

• Work with key industry associations and gatekeepers to get certification or endorsements.
• Utilize social media to get your story out.
• Demonstrate an actual version of your solution, not a simulation.
• Work with established hardware and software partners
• Have a partner using your solution in a live situation
• Take risks, have patience, fun, and persevere.

“Success doesn't necessarily come from breakthrough innovation but from flawless execution (of a plan). A great strategy alone won't win a game or a battle; the win comes from basic blocking and tackling.” Naveen Jain

I personally have observed a good product with a great customer experience will be much more successful than a great product with a poor customer experience.

9.     Growing Company –

Can be from organic growth, acquisitions, or strategic partnerships. Always be prepared to capitalize on opportunities. Taking a business to the next level may involve expanding outside your original market. It could be taking a vertical market solution horizontal, or in my case expanding internationally. Competitors may turn out to be your best partners. In my situation, I developed an in-house solution for cable TV customer care and billing. After consolidation started in the US, I looked internationally for growth. Since the major cable billing companies in the US were service bureaus running on mainframes, they weren’t prepared for the international market. There was an urgent need for a low cost solution to gauge the market opportunities. My solution had also undergone stringent US audits (Time Warner, etc.), which proved to be a major advantage over local in-country solutions. So even though I was a small company with limited resources, I was able to take our system to over 50 countries. By doing that I caught the attention of the market leader which led to a strategic agreement and later a merger. They needed my solution, and didn’t have the time and resources to develop it. Highlights can be found on my website https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home

10.  Exit Strategy –

Attracting investors will come more easily if you have an exit plan for them in place. It could be the buyout of an early partner (evangelist) or VC (similar to those options frequently presented on Shark Tank) where an investor is willing to take a percentage or per unit guarantee. Some investors will look for less ownership, if they are made guarantees.

Realization that it's not a "Field of Dreams" world, where you build and they will come. Many engineer created companies don't get it, and fail.

Always be willing to seek outside help (as a consultant that's what I do).

Kenny Rogers offers some good advice as well

• "You've got to know when to hold 'em
• Know when to fold 'em
• Know when to walk away".

Next, a movie clip from Tin Cup "Give me another ball"

As an entrepreneur understanding the difference between being persistence and being stubborn is the hardest thing to learn.

My work experience with companies developing futuristic ideas that now have urgency: (New ideas coming to market)

1. Grainster ( Trading Department )

is a global leader in the procurement and sale of grains, chilled & frozen meat, poultry, pork, seafood, feed and fresh & frozen vegetable products, along with their respective derivatives. Our trading associates hold with over 6 years of experience in these commodity groupings.

At Grainster, we have built a new type of network of experts around the globe, serving the world’s food suppliers and customers with diverse products and services that help them grow their protein or agri business.

Our suppliers count on us to market their goods competitively and creatively inside a now changing market landscape. Our customers rely on us to find the right products with the best value. Whether dealing with frozen and fresh protein and vegetable products, all of our clients depend on our highly skilled team to help them seize opportunities and make good business decisions.

After determining foodservice losses are going to extend for at least another 12-14 months, what are the adjustments to avoid excess inventories? Product adjustments to commodities or finding new markets for pricier products?

Blockchain is the Holy Grail for global commodity trading - grain, poultry, beef, and pork. Along with using Bitcoin and other digital assets to facilitate transactions.

2. Sensara

Social distancing from aged parents is now more than proximity. You can live next door or across the country with similar restrictions. As I have aged, I have become more interested in ways to monitor special needs and aging in place via non-intrusive motion detectors using an artificial intelligence algorithm based on user's normal activity. Sleep habits, eating, restroom, and leaving residence and returning on a defined schedule.

3. TrustHab

• Smart Thermostats
• Smoke Detectors
• Flood/Freeze Sensors
• Door Locks

HVAC maintenance presents a constant challenge for property managers. They usually need to wait on tenants to report any maintenance issues, meaning that many malfunctions can go undetected for weeks, even months at a time. Aside from equipment issues, properties also face the challenge of residents intentionally adjusting device settings, creating conditions that can be detrimental to facilities. Two common occurrences include turning off equipment altogether in the winter/summer months, and excessive usage during peak times. These tactics, if left unmonitored, can lead to costly property destruction resulting from mold or water damage.

TrustHab? is a robust Facilities IoT Solution designed to provide Property and Facilities Management teams with the data to be able to rapidly diagnose and address these maintenance issues, as well as analyze historical data to help create more efficient properties. The Solution leverages real-time equipment monitoring, proactive maintenance alerts, analytics and insightful metrics to empower property managers to increase NOI, reduce staff over-time hours and prevent costly repairs.

4. Solvatio

Solvatio provides leading solutions for automated troubleshooting and malfunction resolutions in technical systems & devices. Originally founded as spin-off of the Department for Artificial Intelligence and Applied Computer Science of Würzburg University more than 20 years ago, solvatio continues to push the boundaries of AI for automated data-driven knowledge generation and AI orchestrated troubleshooting. It is our mission to minimize service efforts, reduce support costs and achieve superior operator and customer experience across all interaction channels while ensuring the provision of excellent technical support and flawless operation.

Targeted troubleshooting for improved agent productivity and maximized resolution rates

SOLVATiO? Help Desk will enable your help desk agents to resolve even complex technical customer problems, just as your most experienced support experts would.

Initiated by a customer’s problem description, SOLVATiO?’s automated troubleshooting procedures will guide your support agents ef?ciently through problem resolution.

SOLVATiO?’s powerful automated decision-making features do the job and are fully definable by your support experts via the SOLVATiO? Studio design component. SOLVATiO? Help Desk provides your Help Desk agents with powerful automated troubleshooting capabilities:

5. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) study

Utilization of a neuroinformatics research platform to develop quantitative tools for clinical assessment and treatment of Parkinson's disease patients in rural Arkansas

Purpose of study is to try to understand how Parkinson's disease affects movements and speech and how to measure these things

6. Arkansas Technology Experience

I can assist your business, “Arkansas has the tools in place to be a leader in entrepreneurism…. Our goal is to have a micro-hub of technology companies in the state. Whether we talk about coding, blockchain or cybersecurity, Arkansans want to be innovators. We want to be on the cutting edge of this and continue investing in it.” —Gov. Asa Hutchinson

The common link between my business development projects is the use of technology to avoid extended shutdowns, while mitigating health risks. The obvious downside will be communities relying on heavily manual manufacturing and processing companies.

My background

1. Founded a technology company in rural Arkansas and sold systems throughout the US and globally to over 50 countries.

2. Most of the systems were sold prior to commercial Internet and with limited satellite service - see link above. Fax machine was used to reduce support phone calls costing $3/minute and above.

3. Developed strong (mainstream) media contacts regionally, nationally, and globally.

In addition to several independent news articles, there were opportunities to write articles - https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home see Satisfaction Guaranteed - How cable would miss out on behavioral marketing and targeted sales to Google, Facebook, and Amazon. (written in 1999 prior to Google and Facebook). Reason it is important, how cable failed opportunity to offset content costs with behavioral marketing and targeted sales.

3. Selling to industry leader - developing an exit strategy https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home. Selling company from strength is very important, as well as picking the best time.

4. Marketing skills

• I’ve directed all corporate functions, including finances, operations, customer service, R&D, HR, and business development.
• My extensive network, ranges from industry gatekeepers to C-level executives to high-ranking government representatives in both the U.S. and abroad.

5. Areas of Specialization

•  Marketing, sales, and business development
•  Partnership strategies, along with vendor and service provider selection.
• Identifying additional revenue and expense reduction opportunities.
• Create social media strategies through Linkedin groups, Google, and Amazon
• Internet of Things. identifying market opportunities, assisting with business development, marketing, and sales. Understanding that connectivity, energy efficiency, and economic growth are the key elements
• How to stay relevant and innovative to global population by meeting the needs of the smart city and home industry
• Business development consulting project for CIMA Group/ Knetik / Hab 2017-2018. My responsibilities included: identifying market, contacting opportunities, assisting with testing, and developing roadmap for IoT as a Service. The first phase is Smart Thermostat as a Service with target market private student housing property management. Project successfully completed proof of concept phase.
• Founded technology consulting firm specializing in business development, customer care and billing, business process improvement, and technology assessment for domestic and international cable, telephony, and ISP businesses.
• Conducted business and technology assessments to identify ways to generate additional revenue.
• Developed strategic business and sales plans, initiated sales process, designed interfaces, and implemented provisioning of services.
• Formulated solutions for reducing expenses, assist with vendor and service provider selection, develop RFQs, managed conversions, implementations, call center re-engineering, and CC&B projects.
• Reorganized IT departments to improve information flow. Re-engineered key processes such as marketing, sales, and information management.

6. Development projects:

• Founded a customer care and billing company. I designed the first in-house CC&B system for cable. Started on a mini computer and later took it to a desktop. The design created a competitive advantage in the international market, and was chosen in over 50 countries. Later sold to CableData which is now part of Amdocs
• Designed interfaces with set-top-boxes, VOD, tech scheduling, marketing, sales, passing files, GPS tracking, financial, and demographics.
• Designed system to collect social media analytics including behavioral marketing and targeting sales
• Developed pay per view data warehouse for iN Demand. https://www.indemand.com/ which involved managing relationships and collecting data from all pay TV customer care and billing vendors including CSG, Amdocs, Netcracker and major MSO’s, including Comcast, Cox, Time Warner, etc.
• Required a detailed understanding of work order scheduling, processing, and flow to billing; including work order management, billing, service codes, rate plans, promotions, invoicing, and bill presentation.
• Also designed property management projects, and international business development projects requiring a detailed cross trained understanding of CC&B features and functions.
• Designed interface between Internet of Things and OTT (virtual set top box).
• Business development and design for an “over-the-top” (OTT), cloud based service provider offering a virtual set top box and wholesale MVPD platform that complies with re-broadcast contracts.
• Design project to assist Solvatio (German Company) in localizing for US market. They have a revolutionary customer experience management tools with proven payout within a year.
• Improved first call resolution & fewer transfers, level 1 resolutions range from 80% to 90%, but unable to market in US.

7. Racism (Click on article below to see economic impact, and how I can assist your community with research)

Additional experience with community handling of racism

BOONE COUNTY 911 DIRECTOR                                                                                           2013-2015

Worked with FEMA and Office of Emergency Management

Director of 911 emergency telephone system and centralized emergency dispatch center responsible for dispatching all police, fire and ambulance services within the County.

Responsible for the maintenance of all communications and other equipment and the coordination and integration of systems including telephone, computer and radio interfaces. Responsible for all administrative functions of the department including financial and personnel management, including the supervision of dispatch personnel and preparation and administration of the budget.

Worked with Legislative Blue Ribbon Committee on statewide 911 improvement design – Smart911 has similar privacy issues to IoT. Both collect and manage home and mobile safety, health, and security information collected from smart devices.

MetLife                                                                                                                                

2009-2012

Registered Representative 

Supported telecommunications analysts and investment bankers

UBS                                                                                                                                            2005-2009

Registered Representative

Supported telecommunications analysts and investment bankers

My contact information:

Herb Lair 

Senior Business Development Consultant

Cell (870) 365-5436

[email protected]

Linkedin profile - https://www.dhirubhai.net/in/herb-lair-761445b/

Website - https://sites.google.com/site/cuoirent/home

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/herb.lair

Twitter - https://twitter.com/herblair