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Tampa Bay Runner-Up
Ajit Nair
Founder, PRO V International
Ajit Nair has nothing against getting bigger and growing his startup computer technology company. He just might not want to stick around if - and most likely when - it gets big.
"What floats my boat is going and creating something and growing it," says Nair, the 37-year-old founder of PRO V International. "I do better than anyone else I know in setting up a vision, planning and being very aggressive in following that vision."
The latest vision for Nair is PRO V. The business specializes in working on Web-based computer projects for health care, retail and manufacturing firms. And it has been growing rapidly since he started it three years ago. Nair expects organic growth to continue at a similar pace, projecting $16 million in 2006 revenues and at least 350 employees by year's end.
Nair specializes in building the customer satisfaction side of the business. While balancing the line of micromanaging, Nair likes to be personally involved in problems - and the solutions - as often as he can. One of his bedrock principles tends to be availability; a quick survey of former and current customers shows Nair is easy to reach.
Still, despite the growth and success, Nair says he foresees a time where PRO V will be so big that he can't be hands-on. That's when he might look to start yet another company. (Nair founded a computer integrations firm in 1998 in San Jose, Cailf., and sold it in 2003 when annual revenue hit $20 million).
While Nair speaks openly about his businesses, his strategies and his tribulations, he closely guards his personal life.
He grew up in India and moved to the United States in 1991. He worked in the marketing and technology fields in Michigan and California, and he earned an MBA from Utah State University. In what he deems non-work hours, Nair says he likes to read, watch movies and travel.
-Mark Gordon
Revenues 2003: $300,000 2004: $4.77 million 2005: $9.47 million
(1,530% increase) (98.3% increase)
Average annual growth: 814%
EMPLOYEES 2004: 3 2005: 100 2006: 150
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