Vijay Krishnan and Arathi Rajagopalan, husband and wife, are co-founders of Across Borders Management Consulting Group dba Integrass, an IT services and solutions company with a goal of delivering “Innovation through Strategic Thinking.”
“We didn’t know what we didn’t know” is Arathi Rajagopalan’s frank take on the early days of Across Borders. “We were a growing company with limited resources. That’s why we came to the [Florida SBDC at UCF] - there we found a wealth of knowledge and services tailor-made for a company like ours,” she stated.
“Since starting with the FSBDC, we have used every service they have to offer because they fit so well into where we want to take our business and how we want to grow. And all at little or no cost to the company,” Vijay Krishnan added. “It has made a big difference for us. We were a $1 million revenue company when we started with them; today we are closing in on $5 million.”
Both Vijay and Arathi Krishnan credit the Florida SBDC as helping shape the company that Across Borders is today. Initially they sought and received assistance regarding their sales and business development efforts. That was followed by an in-depth business and financial analysis as part of the Florida SBDC’s Growth Acceleration Services. With that as a starting point, Across Borders was able to develop their first three-year strategic plan.
Meanwhile, the company and cofounders became part of the Florida SBDC at UCF’s Advisory Board Council program, a next-level, business-support service matching them with experienced business professionals with a diverse range of skills who volunteer and work together on a “custom-fit” advisory board. Further on, Vijay Krishnan joined the Florida SBDC at UCF’s CEO XChange, an executive roundtable program offering a confidential setting for top executives to discuss vital business issues, opportunities and trends with a group of peers. Most recently, Across Borders worked with the Florida SBDC’s International Trade Services team and gained a ready-to-implement Export Marketing Plan.
“Across Borders has done everything right,” remarked [their consultant] Stan Austin. “They are the perfect client. They listen. They get involved. They make decisions. They implement. It’s no wonder they have been an Orlando Business Journal ‘Fast 50’ growth company two years running.”
