Reprinted with permission from the Marietta Daily Journal
Written by Michael J. Pallerino
The mission statement for DynamiX says it all — and then some. When company founder Jeff Jahn started his Kennesaw-based website development firm 10 years ago, he envisioned a company that would take an "honest, do it right or don&'t do it approach."
Ask Jahn, and he will tell you that life is too short to do work you aren’t proud of. If you can’t make something that’s engaging, exciting and useful, there’s no reason to take on the job. And if you don’t think that Jahn takes this philosophy to heart every single day, then you don’t know Jeff Jahn.
Ever since Jahn started his first business at 14 (you read that right), where he set up networks and computers for small area businesses, he pushed forward with a burning desire to not only be the best, but to provide the best for his clients.
Over the past 10 years, Jahn has founded and co-founded six companies, all with a significant digital focus. One of those companies, a neighborhood-based social media platform called Home Elephant, became a media darling with outlets such as Fast Company, The Huffington Post, Fox News, Adweek, CBS The Early Show and the list goes on.
The key is delivering — above and beyond expectations — what his clients want. “Our philosophy works because our clients appreciate honesty and accountability, and the results speak for themselves,” Jahn said. “We’re not a template shop, but rather a team of highly specialized designers, developers and marketers, and the time we put toward crafting true solutions for our clients helps set them apart.”
In the highly competitive, ever-changing technology world, you win by being a disruptor — a term Jahn takes to heart. “Being a disruptor in today’s technology age is essential to delivering the very best solution for our clients. Our company culture and development structure centers on our willingness to code and experiment on the edge of what’s possible.”
Part of DynamiX’s culture is defined by a guiding principle that involves developing projects that build memorable creative experiences that its clients cannot get anywhere else. To make that happen, DynamiX developed its own, hand-crafted and unique platform that allows clients to control all major aspects of their site without the requisite development experience necessary in most solutions, all while providing a tremendous level of insight into their digital performance.
“It’s just the way we’re wired,” Jahn said. “We aren’t able to do anything halfway, and we push boundaries when we develop to make sure we are doing the best work possible. It’s a happy benefit that it’s become one of our biggest differentiators.”
And because the tech world is a highly competitive battleground, it might be important to note that DynamiX has been highly rewarded for its efforts. Over the past six months, the company has won more than 130 awards, including 40 “Communicator Awards,” 46 “Horizon Interactive Awards” and being named a “Webby Honoree,” among many others.
Perhaps the most significant recognition among these was the “2015 Entrepreneurial Spirit Award” Jahn received from his alma mater, Berry College. It was there that he started DynamiX as a sophomore. “I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for the time spent in classrooms, learning firsthand what works and what doesn’t,” Jahn said. “Berry College equipped me with a great foundation to grow DynamiX and they have been immensely supportive since I graduated. My goal is to help provide that same level of support to the college via its entrepreneurship programs.”
DynamiX also will continue to pull from the technology pool and resources that the Cobb County and metro area have to offer. Many of its employees bring a network of potential employees and clients into the fold. “It takes time and careful attention toward finding talent, even if you can’t immediately afford to hire a person who seems like a potential fit. We’ve spent a lot of time seeking great people, and have managed to create a collection of talented individuals for many different needs.”
As for the future, DyanmiX will complement its core offering with a growth strategy centered on the integration of more of a SaaS (software as a service) offering into its capability set. “We see a need to change and progress with our ever evolving industry, while also maintaining the level of service and quality our clients expect,” Jahn said. “I think it all comes down to people. Our team cares deeply about each project we take on, and we take ownership of the experience as if we own the company that we are developing a site for. That shines through in the experience and in the final result.”
Snapshot on Jeff Jahn
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Seeing that our websites deliver real results for our clients
What’s the best advice you ever received?
Focus on doing your best work, and success will follow
What’s the best thing a client ever said to you?
That the results of our work saved his business and reversed a major downturn for him
What are the three strongest traits any leader should have?
Humble attitude, honesty and the ability to admit mistakes and work to resolve them
What is the true measure of success for any leader?
Giving credit and praise to your team, because nothing is possible without them
What book are you reading now?
I’m re-reading “Delivering Happiness” by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh