Introducing Akona Systems...
I had the pleasure of meeting with some folks from Akona Systems last night. Akona is a relatively new company but they have already assembled an impressive 'rock-star' team of talented IT professionals many who have come from Microsoft partners or Microsoft itself.
But why is Akona worth mentioning you may be asking? What makes them different from other firms of tech heavy ex-'Sofites? The difference is focus and approach. The northwest-based Akona Systems is blending a mix of technologists with a heavy emphasis on business savvy. They are leading with practical solutions and not just “do you need a developer for two weeks?” or “hey, we know .NET”. They are also focused on solution types, not advertising to be a jack-of-all-trades, which is a pitfall many consulting firms don't avoid. One major practice area offers deep experience and knowledge in ERP systems and the company's overall theme (and tagline) is “Integrated Business Productivity Solutions”.
And this is where I see them as exciting.... they get the value of bringing productivity to the individual. They see the potential of Microsoft Office in real systems. It's in their lineage. I know because one of the principals of Akona, Anders Brown, has been a long-time friend to OfficeZealot and staunch advocate of empowering users with technology they understand. For a period of time at Microsoft, he was the voice of the Office developer and development. Now at Akona, he and his team bring that history together to form a pretty powerful mix that reaches from the desktop, to portals to LOB applicaitons. So watch out for them... I think they will make a splash.... and yes, I think they ARE hiring....