It’s all about making connections

Small companies also benefit from TechColumbus membership, though in different ways. R.C. Wheeless, President and CEO of InsightETE in Columbus, says InsightETE, part of the TechColumbus incubator, evolved from a company that was close to insolvency in 2006 when he became CEO. “We’ve had three consistently profitable years and now we’re positioned for growth when the economy picks up,” he said. In addition having mentoring and technical assistance at hand, the incubator offers proximity to peers and startups with similar challenges and issues. “I have access to other CEOs in similar surroundings. I can walk down the hall and grab a cup of coffee with them and talk about problems and best practices,” Wheeless said. Wheeless also cites access to potential clients, partners, investors and employees as advantages to being in the incubator and a member of TechColumbus. “It’s hard to be successful if you’re working in a vacuum.”