Retain employees for More than 10 Years using Alf Ruppert
Most CEOs don't run the same company for over 15 years, but Alf Ruppert isn't the usual tech founder. "I'm slightly more like business owners from the 50s," the founder says, a time in which he felt that the importance of creating a positive working environment was highly considered.
This perspective is why that at the very least, four employees have been with the business since its inception.
In 2006, Alf founded iOSXpert which is now the most significant partner of the popular Mac-based CRM as well as project management program Daylite. And for the past 17 years Alf has grown the company with no external financing and also maintained a high retention of its employees.
Our former Director of Content and Community spoke to Alf about running a successful team, the way he's built the company with no external funds and the development history within the Mac ecosystem, and running a consulting and software business.
Watch the entire interview here or search for it whenever you are listening to podcasts.
Full-Interview: Audio-Only
Full Interview: Video
Transcript
Nathan Collier
Hello y'all. I appreciate you joining me today. Hi. Hi. Introduce yourself and introduce iOSXpert in order for people to are aware of some bit of a context about what you do.
Alf Ruppert
Yes, I am Alf Ruppert, I was named like the guy that everybody knows for the TV shows in the 90s, or what the late 80s. Thank God I was named earlier. This name wasn't a popular at the time. Yes, we, at iOSXpert What are we doing? We're more or less a business consulting company in the sense of a software-related consulting firm like numerous outside companies, however we specialize in Apple users, and we are able to assist Apple users. This was the first thing that we created: iOS experts and meanwhile, we are more getting becoming more and more software company. In the process of making improvements to an CRM system that we're selling. This is Canada's CRM software. It's well-known by Apple customers, and is referred to as Daylite and for this Daylite System We are developing plugins, enhancements as well as additional services, and selling them around the globe. There are more than 120 countries.
Nathan Collier
You are making calls from where in the world?
Alf Ruppert
We are located in Bendorf There is no one who knows about the tiny city that lies close to Koblenz. Koblenz is the city that the Rhine and Moselle River are meeting. And Koblenz is located between Frankfurt as well as Cologne.
Nathan Collier
Are you in Germany? Yes, yes. Okay, cool. You have been working on this firm for a lengthy time. This is a look like 2006. Is that right?
Alf Ruppert
Yes, I have even looked it up in order to give correct answers around the time.
Nathan Collier
Yes. Your LinkedIn says April 2006. That's right, however the reason I asked to know is because it's uncommon for me to come into somebody who has been involved in a single project for so long. That's why I'm awed because 2006 is like, it was way ahead of when iOS was even a thing. Like the iPhone was released in the year 2008. Let me go back for instance, how did this idea begin? Like, how did you start this project.
Alf Ruppert
It is why I love to use the Mac. My very first job, actual job, was with a company back then in the 90sat the end of 1990s. They were creating ERP software for Mac users. This was a bit odd, because you had to market it to the people living in this day and age, being a Mac was a cost of 10,000 German marks that time. And while a PC was around four or 5000. So it was very unusual to be able to create commercial decisions using Mac devices, not only using them for a creative world, even employing them as real business properties. It's something I like greatly. There was also an enormous ERP dying, which was shot after the first E-commerce New Academy scene was shut down in 2000 and 2001. In fact the time, I was working for a business that was trying to create an ecommerce solution based on an Apple database. And we had to shut down too, and then I began to get my knowledge out to create something useful with all that knowledge that I had was Macs along with other business related items. This is the reason I have a hard time describing when I started my business at the time, probably in 2004 or 2005, when I first started. with a large amount of spare time since I just had to leave my job. The ERP running word was breaking down in Germany. This is why I decided to put everything I knew on the internet it was my first website I built for myself. It was actually a program called rapidweaver which made me access the web in a completely different way to myself. So I published all I could learn about business software on the Mac. And out of this there was the beginning of everything because then I search for a new product to promote and discovered Daylite and made contact with the Canadian folks. And I always think it's a cool thing I made it out of the internet because it's not like I'm that old even though the time before the internet was when it was internet which was truly a game changer for me because prior to it, it was unsinkable that you're doing business with the Canadian company that getting in touch wisdom and initiating communication. this leads to a first meeting. Then, you work with them.
Nathan Collier
It wasn't too far ago when we were doing what is happening right now to me. I'm in the US, you're sitting in Germany like this just didn't and this could have been an international , telephone call that cost around $3 per minute, or something paid to some telecom firm. It's interesting. Did you decide to publish all your content on the internet? The year 2014 is classified and you were able to acquire consultants? Perhaps it was straight to the software?
Alf Ruppert
It was just, I had to have an understanding of this particular niche in the business workflow as well as ERP systems, and it was based on the Mac. So I wrote everything down, I knew if it ends up that I've my own history just safe for me, then I could look at years later. However, it was discovered that people contacting me and say"Oh, you've got information there. I've never knew it existed. The first person who can access all of this information in one place. Apart from that I try my best to get a job that pays to pay for the work I do. This knowledge is important, as well as to work on the Mac while in my search for an opening I came across the CRM application and have always been a sales guy. Therefore, I'm looking for something that's fallen off and I can market it quickly. It's not me, that's the thing is told by salespeople. you, I can sell software, next day cars or whatever however, I must to fall in love with my work. Then I discovered something, which was Daylite because it's an attractive method of doing so. It was clear that there would be a benefit for customers. It slowly came into product that I had recommended as well to my customers who consult me after which it was that product that I recommended. Okay, and started growth.
Nathan Collier
You started out, you started consulting, and then you were recommended the product. Then you began building and building software that could make the product even better. So you've really gone across the entire spectrum of this particular software.
Alf Ruppert
Yes, it started because I know the very first piece of software we created to support Daylite was to make connections for phone systems, so that you can push a button and then call out or if somebody's calling you, you could identify which people are calling. The problem was that I had no experience in the development of software. This is why I had an concept. Even though I didn't have cash to pursue the idea. Then I came across an individual developer who made a deal with him, saying I'll sell the product and I will let you participate if you trust me. Then we worked in tandem. And it was huge success.
Nathan Collier
I have a memory of when it happened because I was working at a company right around, the year 2010 around that time when that thing about making calls out of your laptop connected to a CRM that was relatively new at the time, the time. I'm not saying the time it was already in the market. But I mean, if you look back at 2006 2007 2008 like that, yeah, that was not something which people would do. Similar to the way we do it. Now we take it for granted now.
Alf Ruppert
Yes. Now the usual thing however, it's not currently on Mac There are some issues today due to the fact that for Windows PCs, the TAPI API. It means that your operating system comes with an internet connection for phones, something that the Mac doesn't have. Incredibly, the first iPhone had no such. So you weren't able to make use of the features of your iPhone via your Mac.
Nathan Collier
Yes, people do don't remember, it's difficult to remember, it's even the original iPhone launched with native apps and no app store like it was for a long time. So the iPhone as we know it today was not even the iPhone of 2008 ; the iPhone of 2008 was revolutionary. So very interesting. You think that you discovered this item Daylite? Is there any risk that Daylite not being a sponsored sponsor, right, like it or not. You love the product? Was there something in that particular product that got your attention? And caused you to think, this is fantastic, I'd love to continue working with this.
Unified a couple of things. This means that it's not only a tourist guidebook, but only it's an integrated calendar as well as a way to connect items together. Even it grabs your email. This was a bit frustrating. When you view the standard tools on the Mac, even if you're in a minimal level, you compare it to Outlook and outlook. One application is which has your address books, your calendar and your emails. It's even more linked although it's just one program for the Mac It's actually at most three apps. In fact, Daylite precisely does that. put all these together. Then, at managing projects, and for the opportunities to make estimates as well as selling stuff, all it is connected so that you can only use one solution which Jaya is now using. It has evolved according to me. As a special specialist in that subject, it was my maybe interested because of an idea from the 90s. In the beginning of 2000s, you can have one system which covers all the bases, isn't it? Meanwhile, the globe has changed. It is now awash with many millions of apps as well as small services. So even my concept of what I was thinking about has evolved in the how I think today, I would say there is a need for a central program such as the digital hub. Think of how Steve Jobs mentioned the iMac. Then you've linked things to each other however you require a central application. That's that we will handle this. Today, we stay like we have Daylite as the primary reason of our improvements. Many of the enhancements are relying on that that we are connecting to different platforms. That means we've got an online booking system named Acuity that we included into Daylite as the plugin we use. It was a good concept. Since if you can create a clever integration of several things so it seems to the user as if it's only one app, however there are several applications, then you can easily change to make it better. Since our process is quick. In a few years, we can find a better option to make appointments available online which is why we'll have to join this system. If you're able to stay with the central application tailored.
Nathan Collier
I love it. This is this wonderful transition to so that last time in a couple of months, you and I talked very briefly about some of your thoughts about business. And I think you're starting to understand a bit of that. What are some of the core similar philosophies you use to sort of guide your your business making decisions, because, it's been 16 years or whatever number of years it's taken to working on this project. The majority of entrepreneurs, you know, they build something, and then they sell the product and go on to the next thing. And they never they don't appreciate that as an overall good thing, and that's great. Like that's a whole, you can do that for a living. However, you've decided to kind of build one thing and stick with it over an extended period. What is it that keeps your attention to this kind of issue? Also, what's the kind of principles you've employed to guide your business decisions through the years.
That's why I've always been attracted to. That's why there's one thing that led me to become an entrepreneur: I don't like all these political issues you have to do in bigger companies. So I wanted to have my own personal environment. It's my favorite thing working in the context of a group. It's my opinion that if you're feeling safe and comfortable at work is there's no big difference between work and free time. Simply put, I love going to work since it's not nothing where I have to go there tomorrow or something like that. It was crucial for me to create an environment where everybody in my company feels exactly the same. Therefore, it was essential that I good care of my staff. Also, as I've mentioned in an informal conversationthat maybe I'm tiny bit more at the moment. From a business perspective, as I'm a little bit more close to office managers or to to to business owners back in the 50s. Today,
Nathan Collier
what do you what do you mean by because you've said it several times? What exactly do you mean by this?
Yeah. So I love to give you an example we are in the process of establishing our office in the old Coca Cola building. The 50s were the time when there was a pool right next to the place which I am in and they even had a swimming facility for employees. The company even thought about creating something that would benefit the employees that will add worth to them and make them feel good. Also, we could take them to children to the area for swimming because there was no swimming pool , and there was no publicly accessible swimming pool at the moment. This is the reason that I'd like to know if someone, I recently met a person in our community, who was trainees at our school. The guy was originally from Kazakhstan, and he's old enough to enroll as a trainee in order to comply with German regulations and to obtain a new license. So and then he ended in crashing his vehicle and it's not that much money. Therefore, we gave his a car. Everybody who's at the moment should be aware of there are problems we can solve somehow or if the problem could be money, it's sometimes upon when we travel between flights as the entire team is there. And that's the atmosphere that is the one we've got. It's probably what I'm proudest of. I created that atmosphere that is present in our entire company with a team I joined it.
Nathan Collier
It's a fact that there will be entrepreneurs out there who are thinking, Okay, that sounds awesome. How did you do it? Like? What did you like about it? What are some of the choices you took? Like? What? That's an awesome illustration of a car. Also, what other things did you do over the years ? That's kind of created that culture.
Alf Ruppert
Therefore, we must calculate, and this is even more true today. This is especially true today, when we must compensate for the talents of our employees. It's especially difficult for smaller companies like ours. I believe that we're in the same boat as Amoeba. 1670 employees, and it's very difficult to compete with those who pay the most, because larger companies possess more cash and try to be competitive on the financial side. It's not easy. But what we have done at the beginning I'm guessing we've been doing it now at least 15 yearslater, is that we ski every year with the whole team, a whole weekend, for instance. There are other activities like this, during the summer, or during summer time when we were just trying to become somehow I want to call them friends, or maybe something a bit different that's not the sort of family that works, my American North American partners often use the term work family. Because we have also people working long time for us We have who are at most four who are here mostly from the start.
Nathan Collier
Let's talk about the future businessperson for a few minutes. For those who are thinking about they like kind of the way your way of thinking and thinking about things, so make something happen, stay with it, make a space where people are excited to work. What what tips would you give your colleagues? What advice do you have for people who'd like to build a company with that kind of company culture?
Alf Ruppert
There are few things to consider most important. First, a very simple one, try to be a good guy being honest. This means that not everybody is working for me that I can buy my second Porsche. It's a mature drive. one . It was a mere picture. The moment was starting point, when you feel fine people that will make overtures and really push hard to make to become successful, but keep them in mind should you encounter the initial hurdles, then let them be part of the process. We can say to two men two guys since the first day, I gave them shares. Then they offered them shares beginning of the business's growth and be worth it. So they're even more into the company now that it's one of their companies. their business. So, you can share your successes, and in the event that you can say only one thing, then yes, then trying to create it is a challenge as we cannot provide no guidance on how to achieve that, but trying to to make a comfortable and a comfortable atmosphere for everyone and to stand out from other companies. Today, while so many people are working removed, company culture is often getting confused. So and if you have people which don't care how what kind of flag they have up on their rooftop They're simply seeking the same space, every working for company A or being employed by Company B, then you reduce everything in the name of money. Try to avoid it try to make a decision based the money created by in the company's culture. that the next thing to do. I would say and we aren't reading too numerous books since I've met numerous people who are constantly taking their time reading and attending meetings and thinking about which is the best thing they could accomplish. It's my belief that the was the most important thing that I learned from this book was was write down your your company values. So we really created with a team we say our core values and then we came across a couple of guidelines that say these are our our company values, we are respectful, working together and respectful treating, will treat customers with respect and is more, we could even ask the same from the customer. We want to our time to be as precious. Some things, but I didn't wrote these down or put them on the on the whiteboard. Together we came up with them. What is our identity as a firm? What what is our, our scene where we want to measure ourselves? Yeah,
Nathan Collier
I found that that's quite beneficial. The values are definitely helpful. I found that they're typically an expression of who you are and not necessarily a reflection of your the goals you have, and that is the place you'd like to be. You are what you wish to become. That's very interesting how you essentially came together and simply described your identity, as well as what you are already which then became a culture for you.
Alf Ruppert
Every time I have job interviews I lay it out on the table, they go through it and then think for yourself, you will fit in there. If you know where you are with this core value, there's a good chance that you'll fit into the group.
Nathan Collier
Right? Where do you go to kind of get innovative ideas or fresh ideas? Do you go to the internet, books, or conferences? Like, what? What do you think it looks like?
Alf Ruppert
I believe that the majority of my inspiration comes from conversations is derived from my conversations with clients. Even as my work has changed. So because in the very beginning I was the only one doing all the things. So it was the consultant guy, the person who helped, and, and the salesperson. It's like, in the meantime, I have quite many times claim that I'm the one who is knowledgeable, at the very least about a particular topic in the company. I have an concept from each department. But I try to keep the conversation going with my customers. So I still do consulting sessions, even if it's not nearly as much as my colleagues and I still do sales representatives that remain in conversation with clients of all sizes. This means that I am able to be aware of their requirements. And can reflect that and will think, this guy has problems that we cannot solve until the how we can make his life easier the way he conducts business. And out of that the thought process, we can come up with some thoughts. It's not that I want to chase around with the latest trending topics. I've got a hilarious story. A business acquaintance. He was an avid supporter and attendee at the SaaStr conference. And he said that you should visit and look there and there was one in Europe which I immediately thought OK, let's visit there. And we went there with 3 people. And I went to do the conference. Then I got shocked as I thought I was running to a time tunnel back in the 2000s. It was originally the same as the bullshit. The internet's first economic boom was born. They told me that I believe I'm on an unrelated side group. If that's the case, I can sit there and explain to people, because I already seen the young men are speaking of. And I'm not sitting in this spot, and again, disable ship ever had to be lost. Everything was about how can be made to appear more substantial and how to sell it off and get the next venture money? There was no one who had earned even one single euro in revenue. However, everyone did say Oh, great. He also got another 20 million venture company. Is it a success to get venture money? No successes if you build something and sell something and, and and make really money out of it?
Nathan Collier
Yeah. We were just head of product was just at the recent, like Sastre Europe conference, is thereany reason to believe there's a danger to go to a place like that You know there are good and bad, but terrible, and you are entangled within that business world, in which people are they talk a lot about funding rounds and all types of issues. It sounds like you're more and I know this is true, but but I'd love for you to talk about this. You're much more focused on building a company that's, that's profitable. You can even see it like 2006 Up to today, which is still going. How do you feel about the danger is in being too focused on those varieties of venture capital concepts.
Alf Ruppert
I did this mistake I've made the error in 1998 when I established my first firm, but it was not an e-commerce company and it was just as the before the new economic 2001 all of a sudden, everything went down. Yeah. So yeah. And we built it up an application and took our final money to bid C which was the most talked about thing at that time so for young people who watched this it was an important exhibition that focused on computers and software and one of the biggest and most important worldwide and was taking place. The event took place in Hanover and I can remember when he got our last payment for renting the mobile home because we have no cash to pay for the hostel and they'll inform us that, in the event that we fail to find anyone willing to pay us cash, we will be dead when we find out that an individual who offered us cash. Then they make us to do you have to follow this , that and the other. In fact, I was only a little in that time, and I followed their instructions and find myself awestruck. It was my understanding that at the time I was between 5 and 600,000 years that I performed on scene German mouths. I can't recall that long time. It was certainly a lot of money for us at that time. Then they informed us that if our account is empty, just call us to make another call. Yeah, interesting. Unfortunately, I called them and it was 2001 when they told me that the money all the money was gone. And, and then we needed to shutter the company. And since that I promised that I would not accept any funds from Venture individuals who are telling me what I should do. I told Bank that we had never needed the bank. The entire amount we earned from here until now, up to 1.151 five million euros revenue is that we financed ourself interesting. Therefore, I do not even possess even a
Nathan Collier
You're truly bootstrapped in the real sense of the term, as since the beginning. What's one thing that you want people to recall after hearing this conversation?
Alf Ruppert
Avoid it, especially if you're an entrepreneur. Do not let ... do not believe the nonsense they are telling you like an artist books and conferences to make quick money. It's more enjoyable to build things that last for a long time, but it does not means you're not ... If someone would come around would say that I'll give the buyer 30 million euro, I would reverse the thinking to make it available for sale. That's a possible alternative option. Don't get caught if choose the way that I choose, which is, in my opinion, an attractive alternative to creating something quickly that isn't selling before it has earned its first penny or euro of revenue. But on the other hand, don't be too. If there's an chance at the end of the day, and you're in a position to either sell it or take it off the table. Yeah, so it's an issue of balance.
Nathan Collier
You can accomplish all doing it while making the profit. Do you think you're saying this?
Alf Ruppert
Yeah, yeah. There's no way to be successful. Of course the world tells you you are successful if you sold something for 20 million dollars, but what have never brought in 1 million dollars, and you have to enable it in your pockets. Yet, I'll be more satisfied if I create something that can be considered fine on its own and paying out to salaries for my team and earning a life for two families.
Nathan Collier
Yeah. So thanks, Alfred. or Thanks, Jeff. The experience has been wonderful. If someone wants to make an effort of connect with your personality, how could they do that?
Alf Ruppert
You can reach me through LinkedIn or send me an email directly. Find all of my contact information on the on the website. I'm happy to share my knowledge with any entrepreneur. Maybe leading in can take a little longer because I've learnt 90% of and prepare for what you're writing about me, since 90% attempt to sell me something at the very beginning of a maze that I'm not going to answer.
Nathan Collier
So maybe maybe say, Hey, I noticed that I saw your interview or heard about your podcast, or anything similar to the opening. Thanks, Alpha. We really appreciate your kindness.
Alf Ruppert
Yeah, you're welcome. Thank you very much.