Big bang

The founders behind Azimuth Technology LLC made a multimillion-dollar decision five years ago: When they launched the business, a Naples-based contract manufacturer, they did it with several licenses and certifications in hand.

The list includes International Organization for Standardization certifications, such as ISO 9001:2008. ISO licenses require companies to pass several tests, from product capabilities to the quality of its machines to the cleanliness of its factory floor. The process can be time consuming and costly, which is why many manufacturers wait several years to do it, when sales justify the expense.

But Azimuth Technology founders LeNoir “Len” Zaiser, 80, and his son, Len Zaiser IV, 47, didn't want to wait. They believed having the certifications early would be a competitive advantage later. “We built the field before we had a place to play,” says the younger Zaiser. “That was very expensive.”