Lacuna Bridge Technologies.(Brief article)

Lacuna Bridge Technologies

Owner: Andrew Russ

Address: 425 Capitol Ave., Suite 3400, Little Rock

Phone: (501) 940-4579

Fax: (501) 375-1027

Hours: 24-7

Startup: Aug. 11

E-mail: andrewruss@lacunabridge.com

Web site: www.lacunabridge.com

After working a full-time IT job in Fayetteville for five years, Andrew Russ was ready to head his own computer repair company. Lacuna Bridge Technologies, located in Little Rock's Metropolitan Tower, was the result.

According to Russ, the startup was notably smooth. Another resident of Metropolitan Tower, the Jack Nelson Jones law firm, agreed to grant Russ, 25, an office so long as he keeps an eye on their computers in return.

"Jones has been great in providing me with startup costs that other people have to deal with," Russ said. "They give me a place; I keep their network clean." Russ' startup investment ran him $5,000, which, he said, he has already recovered.

Russ' repair service deals mostly with commercial clients, often ones who are dissatisfied with their existing IT service.

Russ' main goal is to offer a better presentation of his profession. "IT people have this reputation of being snooty," he said. "I'm trying to do away with that stereotype. Basically, I want to get a good relationship with them to where [the network is] pretty much seamless, with no hiccups."

Currently, Russ is able to handle businesses with between one and 50 computer users. In the future, he hopes to hire employees to help larger clients.

Russ is relying on search engines, the Yellow Pages and the occasional flier to expand his clientele, as well as word of mouth.

Since August, Russ has developed a clientele of eight or nine businesses. Eventually, he would like to expand that number to 25 or 30.

Until then, Russ is working on saving IT's face by being as customer-oriented as possible. "Call me, e-mail me any time," he said. "I don't care if I'm on vacation. I'm not happy unless the client's happy."