What's Happening in Columbus, OH - Q&A with Office Lead Rick Ainsworth 2017

1. What are you most excited about as we go into 2017?

I'm most excited about the talent we have in our office. We started with two people when we opened the Columbus office. Today, we are an office of 10, and we expect to grow to 25 by the end of 2017. The people we have brought in have formed a tight team. Having strong local expertise available to serve and get to know our clients and their specific needs is valuable in the market.

2. What is special about the culture in your office?

It feels a lot like a startup. Team members often find themselves contributing in ways they weren't expecting. There is an all-hands-on-deck mentality as well as heightened communication and a great deal of trust among the team. It's exciting to be part of a close-knit team as we build the Columbus office.

3. How does your office work to be a community partner?

Our growth agenda includes four parts: business development, people development, office development, and community development. We assign an equal weight to community development as to the other three. Everyone is encouraged and supported if they want to volunteer their time and pursue community interests. We spend a lot of time as a team talking about our personal passions We have a budget for two community projects in 2017. We are currently determining what those will be and how our small team can make a big impact on the community.

4. What trends do you see happening in your market as we go into a new year?

I see a lot of growth in the Columbus market, among both private and public-sector clients. I also see an increasing premium on trust. When I'm introducing CapTech to a new client, all I need is for them to do a little research on CapTech, and I quickly get a call back and an invitation to come and tell the CapTech story. The CapTech brand resonates in Columbus. We look to build long-term relationships with our clients, and we are excited about being in Columbus. There are a lot of high-quality companies here with challenging problems that CapTech is very well positioned to help address. We can't wait to continue introducing ourselves to and getting to know the market. We are a good fit in Columbus.

5. What is your favorite story about a CapTech core value?

It's about servant leadership. My first week on the job, our CEO gave me a quick briefing on one of our core clients in the Columbus before he left for vacation. Sure enough, as his ship cruised out of telephone range, I got a call from the client that needed some help. Within moments of ending the call, our principals rallied behind me, the new guy, so we could help our client launch four major projects. The staffing team and the principals leaned in and focused selflessly on helping me help our client.

I knew after that first week that I was in the right place. I knew I was working on a team where I could depend on everyone, from the top to the bottom. When I talk to recruits about what is different about CapTech, what I tell them is that the successful people at CapTech give more than they take. It is a culture of collaboration and contribution.