Which do you want to be? A technician or a craftsman?

We usually talk about Style in terms of content structure and layout, but this time I wanted to talk with you about our style. Specifically, our style of service.

I was recently on a mentoring team call with one of our newer customers and they said something that really struck me: "Boy, you guys (at Single-Sourcing Solutions) really are different than the others. This is great! This is what I have always wanted, someone to show me."

For me, there could not have been a higher compliment! After over a decade in business, it's only natural that I would take a nostalgic look back. When I first started Single-Sourcing Solutions, I knew one thing. I wanted to do things different. To buck the traditional consultancy and develop a service that focused on building a stronger community.

Don't get me wrong, there are times when the traditional model is what you need. When your back is up against the wall and you need to just get it done. When you simply need to be handed a fully functioning solution.

We can do that and we have done that.

But, even though it got our customers out of a pinch, it's not our favorite way to help you solve your techcomm challenges. Again, we believe in supporting and developing a stronger community. You are talented and intelligent. Given the right training, you can be empowered to be independent.

The way we see it, it will be your solution, your style sheet, your day-to-day responsibility, so shouldn't you be able to take care of it? Who's going to get the call at midnight when things aren't working out?

You will.

That's why we like to take the "journeyman to apprentice" approach. Our customers want to do it themselves but don't want to do it alone. They want a sounding board, a mentor, a coach, someone who will help them learn what to do and, more importantly, why to do it a particular way.

That's our sweet spot. That's what we love to do. We cultivate long-term relationships without the long-term deep hit to your wallet. We show you what to do, and tell you why you're doing it, but ultimately, you're the one who does the work.

Over the years, it has been our distinct pleasure to have the responsibility to mentor so many talented people. We continue to buck the traditional model and mentor more teams, like the customers I mentioned at the beginning of this post. Building a stronger community as we go.