Tech firm Web Head launching consulting, outsourcing service
(San Antonio Business Journal - Aug 10th - 16th, 2001)

By Mike Thomas

The founders of the Web Head Group, a provider of Internet technology services, are responding to the tough times in their industry by launching a new business.

The goal of the venture is to help diversify Web Head's operations while also helping other start-up firms struggling to stay in business.

The new company, which will be called Idealgrowth, will seek to help start-up companies by providing them with business-development consulting services. The new company is the result of an idea that Chris, a web developer with the Web Head Group, had while still in high school.

Chris, who graduated from high school in 2000, will serve as president of the new business venture. Web Head Group co-founder Janie Gonzalez will serve as executive vice president. An advisory board for the new company will consist of Frank Denny, founder of Shopping.com; Mike O'Donnell, founder of iCopyright.com; Bill Gonzalez, director of development for Web Head Group; Sally Haxthow, vice president of communications for vResources; and Denny Koller, management consultant for Taylor Manufacturing.

"Chris is surrounding himself with seasoned CEOs," says Janie Gonzalez. "What makes this venture exceptional is that Chris is a true entrepreneur and has a passion for what he does."

In addition to consulting services, Idealgrowth will focus on accelerating growth and cutting costs within Internet companies by providing clients with outsourcing services. Those outsourcing services will include public relations, marketing, business development and Internet projects, Chris says.

Idealgrowth has lined up several partner companies to fulfill the outsourcing needs but plans to keep the strategy and consulting work in-house.

"We did a lot of research on our partners," Chris says. "These are top-of-the-line firms and we will give our clients an easy avenue to access them."

"We know that Internet companies are going through some tough times right now," Chris says. "What we are doing is providing clients the opportunity to efficiently cut expenditures without affecting their growth model."

Janie Gonzalez says one-stop shopping for business services is the wave of the future and Idealgrowth is taking that model and targeting it toward startup Internet companies. Several of Web Head Groups current clients have expressed the need for these type of services, she says, and she suspects that there will be a substantial amount of cross-pollination between the two companies.

Chris says he is planning a soft launch of the new company to see how it is received. The company's Web site - http://www.idealgrowth.com - is still in the beta test version, he adds.

"I think the current economic situation will benefit us because a lot of companies are looking for ways to cut costs and would benefit from the kind of outsourcing service we will provide," he says.

"With every problem there is an opportunity," adds Janie Gonzalez. "We want to see how this works. One way or another, we will continue to evolve into greater things."

Janie Gonzalez says Web Head Group has been holding steady during the tough times but acknowledges that the new business venture may be viewed as an attempt to diversify the company's base to add more financial stability.

"You always need a Plan B, C and D," she says.

The economic downturn has essentially returned the Internet community back to where it was in 1994-95, when things were just starting out, Janie Gonzalez says. The only problem is that the sudden rise and fall has left the entire industry with a bad image that is not accurate.

"We did not all get millions in funding and now it is like we are being punished for sins that we did not commit," she says. "Not all of us were the evil people who took all the money and ran off with it."