Member Spotlight
Welcome to the Chamber's Member Spotlight series where we take a moment to feature one of our business members. For September and October, our spotlight is on Lightwire Solutions. We spoke with Managing Partner Daniel Starr to find out more about the business.
What year was your organization founded, and how did you get started?
Lightwire Solutions was founded in 2012. After repeatedly being told that I needed experience to get a job in IT, I decided to start my own company. I also saw a need for quality and affordable business IT support in North Alabama.
Describe your organization, including its history and the services you provide.
We are a managed services provider. I always tell clients to think of us as their internal IT department. We have grown to service over 100 companies and currently manage 1500 devices for those companies. We provide help desk support, technology consulting, cybersecurity, network management, and business continuity/disaster recovery solutions to our clients.
How has your organization changed in the last year?
Over the past year, our company has expanded significantly, introducing three new positions to accommodate our growth and ensure the best service for our clients. We have also enhanced our security offerings with new solutions to safeguard clients against evolving threats. We are excited to announce the opening of a second location, further extending our reach and capabilities to the Nashville market area.
Describe an exciting recent highlight for your organization.
Earlier this year, we signed with the City of Decatur Parks and Rec, including Point Mallard. It is an honor to provide services to the place you live. Being a part of the local community is important to us.
What makes your organization stand out?
I always tell people we are in the people business, and technology is just a tool we use. Our focus is on customer support and taking care of people. I learned long ago that if you care about people, everything else tends to work out. We approach every issue a client has as if it’s our own problem, providing solutions we would use ourselves.
What are you most proud of when it comes to the organization?
It’s amazing to know that at the end of each day, we did something to help someone. That goes for both inside and outside of the company. One of our core values is “Take care of each other, and together, we can take care of the client.”
What is one of the advantages your organization is seeing right now?
With the increase of cyber-attacks and breaches, IT is on many people's minds, and with the rise in cyber security liability insurance requirements and compliance needs, IT has become necessary for business owners. The move from on-prem to most, if not all, cloud-based has also brought new security challenges. With the cloud, you can work from anywhere, which also means you can get breached from anywhere.
What are the biggest challenges your organization is facing right now?
Even with all the cyber-attacks and breaches in the news, we continue to see business owners who view IT as an expense rather than an investment in their business. You must have a competent provider to keep you safe. In today’s world, an IT provider is as necessary for your business as a CPA or lawyer.
What keeps you motivated in your position?
I enjoy the challenge. Every day presents new problems for me to solve. I also really enjoy helping other people. It’s encouraging to me when I can help someone else achieve their goals and dreams. I like knowing that we are helping to improve the lives of our employees and clients, as well as making a positive impact on the local community.
What advice would you offer to someone looking for the type of services your organization provides?
Look not only at the services they provide but also at the tools used. Not all software is created equal. You also need to look at the plans and what they provide. I see many plans with a lower upfront cost, but you pay out of pocket for everything. Try to find someone who wants to see your business grow and have a partnership, not someone just looking to get as much money as possible from you.