IT and Cyber-Security Industry Tips with DataCorps Technology Solutions' Angel Rojas

0:01
Welcome to The Thoughtful Entrepreneur show, I'm Josh Elledge, Founder and CEO of UpMyInfluence.com, where we turn entrepreneurs into media celebrities, grow their authority, and help them build partnerships with top influencers. So we believe that every person has a unique message that can positively impact the world, even you stick around to the end of this show, where I'll share info on how you could be our next guest, three times a week, five to 15 minutes each learn from successful business owners and professionals. It's time to get inspired. Let's go.

Angel Rojas, you are the CEO of DataCorps Technology Solutions. You're based in the Tampa Bay area. And thank you so much for joining us.

0:51
Thank you very much for having me, Josh, I appreciate it.

0:55
So, you started IT outsourcing company in 2003. You've been at it for a while 15. Getting on 16 years now. Matter of fact, I don't know if you know this, I'm looking at your LinkedIn. And next month, you're going to be celebrating your 16th anniversary in business. So, congratulations.

1:13
Thank you very much. Thank you very much something we're very, very proud of and something that every year, it's just a blessing to celebrate.

1:21
Now, how could someone start? Like, let's say that they really, really love it? They, I mean, they just- they love the work? I don't I get really stressed out when I've got family members that asked me to solve their computer problems. Yeah, what it is, I do too. So don't-don't feel breaking out in hives? It's like, I don't know, I have a difficulty doing that. But let's see someone does have an interest in that. How do they started IT outsourcing company?

1:48
Well, back in the old days, it was very easy. You basically get a- get a website, you get a phone number, and you start getting some clients this day an age with, with all the concerns that we have a cybersecurity, it's it's way more complicated. You know, I feel it, it takes a team to really deliver the quality that clients expect. You know, most people though, if they want to get started, get their feet wet with it, probably taken care of, of home home users that have little problems here and there that need wireless network setup and maybe need a computer setup and connected and maybe connected to some home automation and things like that. So that that's a good place to to get your feet wet, maybe learn some some soft skills, because a lot of my a lot of my colleagues in tech don't don't necessarily have all the soft skills that it takes to completely run a business. But it's a great way to to learn to deal with people, you know, it people and techies are not known for being great people, persons and so. So it's something we have to learn and work. And that can lead up to starting a business. Wow.

3:04
So let's say for example, my son wants to go into cyber security. And, you know, he's just, he's, he's kind of become the de facto I mean, I can handle all the Mac issues and the phone issues any any Apple device, I have no problem. But PC, it's been so long since I've been actively using a PC, my 13 year old is he he could do anything there and he can solve problems. And, you know, he loves, you know, he loves, he loves viruses, he loves all of that stuff. You know, I'm wondering if I, you know, do you think it's possible that a high schooler could- could start offering services in some way and kind of get their feet wet into this.

3:50
So a high schooler, my recommendation is do what I did when I was in high school, volunteer as much as you can, and try to get as much as you can, it's called paying dues. And when you pay dues, you start learning the why behind so many of the different things you you get to run into on a regular basis, when it comes to cyber security or really any part of the IT field. It is such a broad field, that the I feel personally the people that succeed the most have had some exposure to each of the corners of it. And and and have decided, hey, this is really my corner. And then specialized versus going straight into just cyber security. I've got a friend of mine who who actually was my first employee. And something I'm really proud of is we launched him into a cyber security career with having zero it knowledge. So we started him with a very, very raw basics. And he loved it, he chose his his college major, because he was he was in high school at the time, he chose his college major based on what he learned here and then ran with it, which was awesome. So that would be my advice, get your feet wet with a lot of things, volunteer a lot. If there's a local company that's looking for interns jump on that opportunity, it's difficult to get internships because having an intern in the IT company can sometimes be disruptive, everything takes a little bit longer because you have to explain it. But if you can, you know, and that's something we love to do pour into somebody else and grow another person in the industry, because hiring is incredibly difficult in this industry. There's a lot of people to have degrees that have certifications, but don't actually have any functional working knowledge of what's required to succeed and to really deliver the service properly. So immersion, and just be a sponge. And that's that's one of the advantages that the kids in high school have. They've got zero responsibilities, so they can focus completely and just absorb all the material. That's stoner.

6:01
Yeah. So Angel, as long as you've been doing this now, as the head of data core, you know, obviously, you get a lot of word of mouth business right now. But at the beginning, you didn't do you probably had to go out and hustle. How did you let people know that your services were available?

6:20
Well, that that actually hasn't changed much we do get a lot of word of mouth business. But in order to get some of that word of mouth, a lot of the word of mouth actually doesn't come from clients, it comes from people we network with on a regular basis. So the best way to get businesses to be visible in the community participate in chambers of commerce and networking groups. Visit You know, there's a particular client you have show up and try to get in that door. You know, you're going to have to learn to get past the gatekeeper so that you get the attention of the owner, the decision-maker. And again, that's-that's a lot of work. But it's what's required.

6:58
And hopefully, you know, as your network, you're networking with the owners, you're networking with the leadership, uh, so in that, yeah, exactly a personal relationship. So the gatekeeper hopefully wouldn't be a problem in the future.

7:10
Exactly. And, and one of the, one of the more valuable groups we network with is the the trade groups. So at that point, we're dealing directly with the business owners. So that's a little bit easier to get through. One of the things that that I use as a rule of thumb is if you if you act like a salesman, you're going to be treated like a salesman. So whenever I'm doing any networking, I'm never selling, not not hard selling, I'm educating. I'm offering information. But the most important thing I do when I'm networking is I'm listening, I'm letting people talk about themselves and their businesses, because let's face it, that's their favorite topic. So might as well talk about their favorite topic.

7:52
Wow, I love that. So I'm going to say that again. If you're acting like a salesperson, you're going to get treated like a sales person. Absolutely, we met today. That is that is really, really good stuff. Because I, I like it. I love events, I love connecting with people. Local networking events have been kind of hit and miss for me, I feel like, you know, maybe I need to make sure that I go to the right ones that have, you know, more than just, well, a lot of sales people. 8:25 Well, the challenge with local networking events is there, they're not they're not there, in my opinion, to primarily get business, they're there to pay the community dues, for lack of better words, show that you are willing to put into the community, that you're a team player, that you care about the community. That's what it's there for. It's for visibility. Every once in a while you're going to get a big fish that goes in there. We're a member of a local chamber, and we picked up an account that basically, you know, through the chamber, that that it pays for our chamber membership for a lifetime. And so I mean, why wouldn't I do that. So you never know who you're going to meet at the events. It's also a great place to rehearse your 32nd spiel or, you know, whatever it is that you're going to use your your hook to capture somebody's attention, because, you know, like, like you said, sometimes at local networking events, you're not going to get a lot of traction if you're especially offering a high ticket service like we are. But it is a it's a safe place to practice that. And if if you give your 32nd hook and people don't latch on, then you got to change it and change it until you find that you're giving something that people latch on to.

9:42
I love it. I love it. Well, Angel Rojas, you're the Founder and CEO of DataCorps Tech Services, Tech Solutions, excuse me, in Tampa, your website, Angel, what's your website, datacorps.com. DATACORPS.COM, kind of like Army Corps of Engineers and Marine Corps. It's a good domain name. You must have gotten that a while ago.

10:05
Well, it used to be datacorpsonline.com and somebody else had data core and they went out of business and I was monitoring it. I pounced on it. It cost me more than a domain should cost but it was advantageous for us to get it so so we got that was my birthday present actually, one year is fine. Very nice.

10:23
Angel, thank you so much for joining us.

10:25
Thanks, Josh. I appreciate it. Thanks for the opportunity.

10:30
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