Today we’d like to introduce you to Ian Campbell.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Ian. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I met Kevin Legg and Jerry Beers, the founders of Five Pack Creative, about 20 years ago when we all three worked together at a software company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Soon after, they joined forces to create their own company. They recently reconnected with me because they were ready to scale up their business. Kevin and Jerry saw a tipping point approaching and knew they needed someone whose everyday focus would be growing the business. So, they asked me to bring my product management and product marketing experience to help them grow.
In Tulsa, Jerry helped create an accounting software product called EasyACCT. That led to him working in Dallas for Intuit, a company known for products like Quicken and TurboTax. It also brought Jerry to a crossroads in his career where he decided against becoming a manager in order to focus on development and technology.
Around this time, Apple rolled out the first version of the iPhone and announced the next version would allow third party developers to create apps. Jerry saw the opportunity right away to create experiences in a whole new environment–on people’s phones. He became one of the first app developers on the iPhone, and he fell in love with mobile app development. That led to exciting work on mobile apps for companies like American Airlines and Match.com.
Jerry knew the technical side of mobile app development, but he realized he needed a business partner. He reached out to someone he worked with in Tulsa, Kevin Legg. While Jerry had taken the technical path, Kevin had management experience that Jerry needed. They began working together.
American Airlines loved their work so much, they wanted more. Jerry realized they had to find 10 more people to do this work. He didn’t just need any developers, he needed mobile app developers. Quality mobile app developers are in high demand and are difficult to find. They were even harder to find back then. It also takes a different mindset to do mobile versus desktop because the phone is much more personal. It’s always with you, which changes how it can be used. Kevin told Jerry he knew smart people who understood how to do mobile apps, and Kevin’s management experience would help them add staff. Things took off from there, and they have done amazing work for some really cool companies.
I assumed the role of General Manager, which allows Jerry to focus on the development work. Meanwhile, Kevin can focus on various properties under the FPC umbrella, like Hours (http://hoursforteams.com), a time tracking app we own. My background also brings in a layer of product strategy to focus on how we take the great work Five Pack is doing, and scale it to the next level.
Part of what attracted me to FPC is that we do see a lot of opportunity to grow. Mobile isn’t a fad, it’s here for the long haul. While my generation doesn’t think mobile-first, a lot of other generations do. Add what’s happening with augmented reality, wearable technology, Internet of Things (IOT) and more… why would I not be a part of this? I get to be part of a team creating a killer experience while shaping the future of technology. We have a great opportunity to grow and influence. On top of that, it’s a great culture built on pillars like “integrity without compromise.” We are very customer focused, but our true north is to take care of our employees as well as our customers. If we do that, we know the stakeholders will be happy too.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The thing we have to overcome is this: we may be the most amazing business you haven’t heard of. You may be struggling to figure out how to get an app developed, or how to help your mobile team deliver greatness. If you don’t know there’s an amazing mobile app company in your backyard, we can’t help you. There are a lot of folk’s right here in Dallas who need the guidance and resources we provide. We’re working hard to connect them with the solutions they’re searching for.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
What we’re most proud of are the results we get for our customers. We hear from people all the time who have an idea of what they want to create, but they have no idea how to do it. We find out what they’re trying to do, and we have the wherewithal to figure out how to do it. That might means providing technical resources. Other times, it’s helping them redefine what their mobile experience needs to look like. Sometimes their previous vendor failed. They had a bad experience, but we love when we hear them say, “You guys showed up and now it works.”
We also hear from large companies under pressure to deliver something, but they’re unable to because they don’t have the necessary talent. We can listen to them, understand what’s needed and provide it. It’s all about serving our customers, because they’re the heroes in all of this. They’re doing amazing things and trying to create success for their communities, their businesses and their families. They figure out they can’t do it on their own, but we can help them reach their goals.
Part of what sets us apart is we’re not rigid. There are best practices we recommend, but we won’t force a process on our customers. If you have a preference for how you want to do something, and it doesn’t violate a principle we know is important, then we’ll help you with that. Take American Airlines for example. We have people who walk, talk, act like an American Airlines mobile development employee… but they’re a Five Pack Creative resource. That’s principle over preference – flexing to the customer’s preferences when it doesn’t violate principles. It’s part of our entrepreneurial spirit. We fit into your processes seamlessly. You’re already dealing with the pressure to get something done, and you don’t need an outside firm telling you to change things to fit their processes. Now, if a process is broken, or needs improvement, we can help with that too. Ultimately though, we come in to serve the client, not have them bow down to us. This gives us the opportunity to make a difference more quickly, and our customers appreciate that.
Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
People who have made a big impact on me are those who were willing to give honest feedback. I take that very seriously. Feedback’s a gift. When people are willing to invest time and energy to let you know what you need to do less of–or more of–it’s an incredible gift.
I learned a lot of important lessons from great companies like TAASC (Tax and Accounting Software Corporation) and Intuit. I owe a lot to my wife who has been on this journey with me, as well as my mom and dad. My dad was a dentist. I got to watch him as an entrepreneur, taking risks when he saw the reward on the other side. He was leaning in every day. A lot of folks have made a big impact on me. I’m very fortunate.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2591 Dallas Parkway, Suite 300
Frisco TX 75034 - Phone: (972) 377-0023
- Email: info@fivepackcreative.com
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fivepackcreative/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/5PackCreative/
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company/3728344/
- We have a special offer to Voyage Dallas Magazine readers. Get a free resource to help you develop your first app: http://www.fivepackcreative.com/VoyageDallas
Image Credit:
Ian Campbell Headshot Credit: Emily Megan Photography
Jerry Beers & Kevin Legg Headshot Credit: Emily Megan Photography
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