It is already the middle of October with just a few months left in 2016, and as usual I am shocked by this.  The year went fast, and we have been blessed to have a busy year at Workflo by beyondRelations, LLC.  We have worked hard this year on improving our processes, including JIRA for our issues and project planning, CVS for version control, and creation of SOP’s to define and refine our delivery processes and implementations.  By the end of the year, we will have several Workflo go lives with more to continue in early 2017.   It has not been a perfect year by any means, but everyone seems to have survived so far with no major injuries just a few bruises and scrapes.

Last Friday, we had to opportunity to attend an open house at J & M Plating in Rockford, IL to celebrate their 30th anniversary.  It was a great event with plant tours, food and lots of well-wishers, customers, vendors and others.  It is huge accomplishment to be in business that long and the Morris’s are very humble about their success.

This reminded me that we are ten years old this year!   We have not taken much time to celebrate or even announce that.  In being at J &M Friday, I am reminded that this is big deal!  That not everyone gets here.  It has been amazing and appalling at times.

I have been here nine years myself.  As individuals and a team over the last ten years, we have all stretched and grown a lot.  The team itself has grown, coincidentally, in the last few weeks to ten!  We had four customers when I started and now have twenty- nine and it continues to grow.

Our technology has had significant changes over the last ten years.  When I came on, we were building RISE in BBx with the black screen and character based screens.  In 2008, Ashley with the help of Scott’s tools moved our product to Java and Windows.  This year, we have added our new web-based modules from Mike, including the Workflo/WIP and scanners.  We have more things coming next year, which we will be telling you about soon regarding heat treating, shipping and more.

We call Rockford, IL home.  We have been well- taken care of by our vendors in the area.   Their patience and help over the years has helped us get where we are today.  We have also benefited by other successful business people in the area that have taken the time to meet and share their knowledge with us.

Ten is a big deal and as we come to our birthday month, December, we will take some time to celebrate as team!  I think Scott said it best last week when I was on the phone with him as he is in California working on a go-live, “There are nine people that get up every morning and come to work and work hard to make my dream come true of a successful company, and that is pretty cool”.

It is pretty cool.  Thanks to all of our customers, vendors, friends and families for supporting us to make it to ten and we hope to be here many more.