Direct Impact Solutions is a global leader in the development, integration, and optimization of custom-made solutions that drive digital transformation for businesses using low-code platforms and web technologies. The core values of this company are respect, collaboration, and innovation.
Tell us about yourself?
An entrepreneur at heart, I created my first business at 16 when I founded a show production and artist representation agency. Driven by my passion for the entertainment industry, I built my business during my college and university studies.
In 1993, I completed a bachelor’s degree in business administration (BBA) at UQAM, with a specialization in SME management. At the same time, I began my career as a consultant in a chartered accounting firm in Laval.
Over the years, I quickly discovered an interest and talent for computers. In the mid-1990s, inspired by the wave of new technologies and the emergence of the web, I decided to dive into the adventure and founded my own IT consultant company, Direct Impact Solutions, at the age of 24, specializing in the analysis and design of information systems.
If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?
Looking back, I would advise myself to embrace change and dare to innovate to support our growth.
What problem does your business solve?
We typically help solve three main problems. First, we find ways to improve efficiency by building custom apps tailored to an organization’s unique processes that can’t be solved with off-the-shelf solutions. Second, we simplify processes. For example, if an organization relies on complex scattered Excel spreadsheets to process and analyze its data, we can build various automations to save them time. Third, we work to reduce duplication. Manual data entry is time-consuming and can easily result in human error. Custom apps save time and help eliminate the potential for human errors.
What is the inspiration behind your business?
The company’s specialty is strongly inspired by its founding slogan, “IT Strategies”. This slogan evokes the importance of integrating the IT dimension into clients’ strategic planning. The alignment of technologies and business strategies remains a key element of the company’s success to this day. Today, it’s all about making modern and powerful technologies accessible to everyone.
What is your magic sauce?
Since our creation in 1996, we’ve preserved our founding values through our many mergers and acquisitions. We’re committed to passing on these values to newcomers and integrating them into each of our projects. They’ve helped us become pioneers as a service company that exports its know-how, allowing us to be present internationally.
We don’t use outsourcing to meet our development needs. We proudly have developers in the U.S., Canada, France, and Italy.
What is the plan for the next 5 years? What do you want to achieve?
We want to diversify our skills by increasing the share of our revenues coming from new emerging low-code platforms. We want to offer a larger range of technologies to be able to tailor to the needs of as many people as possible. Our long-term vision is to become a more important global leader in low-code technology by expanding our activities in other parts of the world. We’re already present in over 12 countries and three continents, but the world is a big place, and the sky’s the limit.
What is the biggest challenge you’ve faced so far?
Our biggest challenge is to find experienced resources to support our growth. The worldwide labour shortage has made this challenge even harder these last few years. Finding individuals with experience is one thing, but finding the right fit for your organization in terms of personality, vision, and values adds another layer to this challenge. We chose to grow through mergers and acquisitions to gain both resources and customers. In fact, we’ve had six acquisitions over the last six years. The main challenge was the integration of the different organizational cultures.
How can people get involved?
If you’re looking to embark on a digital transformation journey and have unique needs that pre-made solutions can’t meet, you can call us to discuss your project at 1-888-558-0005 or visit our website at www.directimpactsolutions.com.