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January 2007: From Engineer to Entrepreneur





Featured Speaker:
Celeste Volz Ford, Founder and CEO Stellar Solutions, Inc.

Ms. Ford, founder and CEO of Stellar Solutions Inc., a professional engineering services firm started in 1995 shared insights of her career path as an engineer and how she eventually moved into the Aerospace industry, where her work with NASA on the Space Shuttle led to the recognition of “Woman of the Year” in 1984.

Ms. Ford discussed the challenges and successes during these career moves that eventually paved the way in founding Stellar Solutions, Inc. In addition, Ms. Ford provideed insight on the business strategies that helped her company become a recognized leader in the aerospace field.

Below is Celeste’s countdown to success.

  • Founded in 1995
  • Aerospace Engineering Services
  • Diverse Aerospace Program Support (commercial, international, civil, defense)
  • California, Colorado, Washington DC area
  • Excellent financial performance
  • Established Stellar Solutions Foundation in 1998
  • Established Stellar Ventures in 2000
  • Spun off QuakeFinder, LLC in 2001

10. Establish a vision
  • High Impact/High reward: Solving our customers most critical problems while realizing our dream jobs
  • Diverse work in all Aerospace sectors: We cross boundaries to facilitate creative solutions
  • Limit Size
    • Focus on the mission, not the infrastructure
    • Elite cadre of superstars
    • Working leadership/management
  • A business that gives back to the community

9. Identify your strengths and play to them
  • View yourself as a product—what is your value added?
  • Stick with what you know

8. Identify your customers and their critical needs…
  • Without this there is no business.
  • Don’t take on pedestrian work.
  • Always be sure you are in a position of strength

7. Surround yourself with people who have a passion for what they do
  • Customers who are on the target board
  • Employees
  • Lawyers, accountants, security

6. Provide a “stellar” work environment
  • Empower your people internally
    • Stellar Solutions 3 year plan; opportunity to align dream job and customer’s critical needs
    • Tie company plan to individual bonus plans
  • Empower your people externally: Front line responsible for customer satisfaction and decision making
  • Flexible and “stellar” benefits
    • One size does not fit all
    • Maximize pre-tax
    • Individual benefits accounts
  • Provide tools to enhance job performance
    • Cell phones
    • Laptops
    • Internal website with references

5. Give back to the community
  • Stellar Solutions Foundation
  • Mechanism to support employees’ other non-work related interests

4. Nurture Relationships

3. Close the deal
  • “It ain’t over ’til it’s over…”" // Yogi Berra
  • Sell bottom up and top down
  • Work closure with both technical and contracts personnel in parallel

2. Balance your life
  • Work
  • Family
  • Health
  • Maintain a positive “can-do” outlook

1. Be ready to take risks

LIFT OFF!!

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Five O’Clock Seminar: Organizing and Conducting Business the Roberts’ Way

Angi Roberts, CEO, Total Office Professionals demystified Roberts Rules of Parliamentary Law for several NAWBO-SV members. She explained the value and purpose behind the formal rules of order when running meetings.

Members & Guests Networking

        

Photos courtesy of Jeanette Butler of Photographic Art : 510.623.1024

Providing professional photographs for individuals, families, businesses, and the web. Also providing digital photo restoration/enhancements of old photos. Protect yourself by having your property and personal items photographed for insurance purposes.
Don’t throw away old negatives! Get them scanned and archived CD/DVD.

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