I’ve met Jack several times over the years. He’s genuine, kind, and always willing to share his insights, particularly on supporting Esri customers or talking shop about building a business. Jack built Esri from scratch, so there’s a connection there and he understands much of what we’re going through as a small software business. But what is always impressive is his commitment and appreciation for the challenges that our customers face. To Jack, and to me, you are the real trailblazers in the adventure of managing and operating infrastructure, assets, and communities.
The Adventure of ‘Where’
Last week, Jack made a specific comment to me that resonated. He said, “what makes you (Novotx) special is not just what you’re doing, but HOW you’re doing it and the way you and your customers think about it.”
Yes, we’re managing public infrastructure – this is not new. What is new is how we collectively approach it. We understand that public infrastructure is behind the adventures all of us embark on every day and we’re on a mission to make that better for your teams, your leadership, and your residents.
I use the term adventure on purpose. Every single day is an adventure in civic management. From a resident perspective, a walk in the park, a bike ride, a hike, just sitting down outside for some fresh air, are all supported by assets that are too often taken for granted and go unnoticed. What about the critical infrastructure that each of your communities delivers? Water needs to flow (Did you grab a drink of water or cup of coffee this morning? Did you shower?), toilets need to flush, streets need to be clean, clear, and safe (Did you drive to work? Bike? Walk? Or take public transportation?), the list goes on and on.
Each of you are the trailblazers in your community's adventures.
Our sense of adventure at Novotx is visible in our software and our teams that support you, our users. It goes much deeper than an intuitive user interface or being able to develop customer workflows for a field crew. We want to enable that sense of adventure for everyone.
One of the things that sets us apart is our commitment to helping you leverage your investment in GIS. It’s central to what we’re doing because “Where” is part of our human nature, and the “where” behind managing utilities and municipalities is central to successful operations and maintenance. The Esri motto is “The science of where.” Knowing “where” is central to the overarching objectives of asset and work management, community development, and civic engagement with residents and businesses.
Three Simple Ideas
At the Esri Partner Conference I shared 3 tips that I think are helpful for everyone in our unique industry of caring for public infrastructure, customers, and communities:
- Decide what you want to do and stick to it. Find your thing, make it your thing, and commit. You don’t need to be all things to all people, so don’t burn up your time trying. Commit to your thing, whatever it is, even when it’s hard. As someone once told me early on starting Novotx, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t, computers would do it.”
- Put in the time to work with Esri’s team of people and their solutions. Our partner manager at Esri has been amazing – but we didn’t show up on day one with an amazing partner manager and a meaningful business relationship. This takes time and commitment to learning. Connect with Esri's and Novotx’subject matter experts, build strong relationships, and let them support you. This investment will yield significant benefits, enhance your organization's skills, and empower your team to effectively leverage GIS and Elements throughout your organization.
- Don’t miss the adventure! Have fun. It’s supposed to be challenging, but it’s also supposed to be fun. Find your adventure out there, bring others with you, and enjoy the ride!
Novotx was founded to make a meaningful impact on the people and communities we serve, enabling them to deliver top-tier service, operations, and asset maintenance to their customers and create vibrant, livable communities. With this vision, we move forward together, committed to transforming how utilities and local municipalities manage, maintain, and operate public infrastructure.