Today we’d like to introduce you to Daniel Caspi.
Daniel, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I’ve been fascinated by puzzles ever since I can remember, particularly ones that require a lot of creativity, though, and out-of-the-box thinking. They captivated me as a child and have also represented the unifying theme in my career. I became entranced by computers in the late ’80s and early ’90s, back when they were nerdy (and nerds were uncool).
I was largely self-taught, and my close friends and family members were stunned when I chose chemistry instead of computer science as a college major. I had fallen in love with chemistry in high school and decided to pursue my dreams in that field. Nevertheless, my computer skills have always remained a part of me, from writing code for my own lab experiments to being the unofficial IT guy everywhere I worked.
After obtaining my Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry, I started out at a pharmaceutical company solving the problems that come with drug development. After nearly a decade in that industry, notably having the honor of working on the cure for hepatitis C, I moved on to tackle new challenges. I took the problem-solving skills I had developed in the pharmaceutical world and with my chemistry training, and applied them with my first love of computers.
I originally started my company, Element26 (https://element26.net), as a simple way to formalize part-time work I was doing for friends and family. It really took off after I released a software app (MSG Viewer for Outlook — https://msgviewerforoutlook.com) that I originally wrote for my Mom to solve a problem she was having. That software has grown to be a CNET bestseller and has been sold in nearly every country in the world.
Since then, I’ve expanded operations from mostly in-house development to consulting on custom IT solutions for business processes and automation. Today, my clients range from Fortune 500 to individuals, spanning the globe from Nigeria to Japan.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
I began my career in chemistry and pharmaceutical drug development, and I now run my own company in IT consulting and software development. It may seem like an unusual transition to move from working in a laboratory to software, but there are actually many parallels. When I was in drug development, I became an expert in learning new fields, and finding solutions to problems that have never been solved before — and that’s exactly what my company does now. We are hired to solve problems and build solutions for companies when off-the-shelf products don’t cut it.
Sometimes, I wonder if I should have listened to everyone’s advice and just majored in computer science from the get-go if I had to do it all over again. Maybe it would have simplified things… but maybe it would have just burned me out of the field at an early stage. I think the scenic route really helped to hone my abilities and gave me a lot of useful perspective.
Element26 – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Element26 is a computer and IT consulting firm that specializes in creative, custom-tailored problem solving for small and medium-sized businesses. We founded Element26 to help others — we’ve seen a lot of amazing businesses that offer some really stunning products and services, but have spent so much effort on growing that their IT components either become outdated or end up piecemealed together. A business is a complex, multifaceted machine, with countless digital gears making everything go. If one of those gears fails, the whole machine can grind to a halt.
Everyone’s needs are different, so we start with a dialogue where we learn about your business. It’s pretty similar to what you would find in a doctor’s office or at a top-notch mechanic: we start by obtaining a full history, then evaluate the symptoms, diagnose the issues, discuss the most effective strategy, and finally, prescribe a plan of action. Our goal is to provide the insight and offer solutions on getting your digital ducks in a row, from personal consulting to strategized implementation. The result is an IT setup that’s streamlined and sustainable.
Starting with the first consultation, we veer outside the box when it comes to providing the tools necessary to cut the stress, maximize productivity, and ultimately, give a boost to your bottom line. Whether you’re an aspiring entrepreneur building the foundation of an empire, a medium-sized e-commerce site that needs an IT facelift or are in need of customized software, we provide tailored, thoughtful solutions.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Our goal is customer satisfaction and long-term business relationships. Achieving this means we have to deliver tremendous value, be mindful of budget, and understand issues on a deep, core level. We strive to become experts in the daily lives of our clients before writing a single line of code.
A successful project means that we have made the daily lives of our clients easier and better in a meaningful and measurable way, and they can focus on more important aspects of growing their business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://element26.net
- Phone: (972) 863-1011
- Email: hello@element26.net
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/element26-dallas
Image Credit:
Beking Jossaint
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