Florida is no stranger to risk, with natural disasters and a laser focus on business preparedness and continuity.
Securing business assets as well as reducing risk and uncertainty is a fitting vision for a Florida-based start-up technology company that’s evolved into a thriving small business.
“I’d like to offer my thanks to the SBDC for all their assistance and coaching over the years,” says Randall Shepard, founder and CEO of RSAE Labs. “It’s been invaluable.”
In 2004, the Department of Homeland Security had a competition involving 13 international teams for Operation Safe Commerce to minimize the risk of weapons of mass destruction or other undesirable content being loaded into an intermodal container and imported into a major US port. RSAE won that competition and is now monitoring 1,000s of intermodal containers moving around the globe.
“We call the product that monitors and tracks containers a Global Sentinel,” Randall shares. “We are deploying our 6th generation Global Sentinel.”
Even before starting RSAE Labs officially in 2015, Randall knew Dr. Len Eichler, a Florida Small Business Development Center (SBDC) at UWF consultant skilled in business strategy, planning, profit, and government contracting.
“I have known Dr. Eichler for many years,” Randall says. “He has kept me informed of SBDC services and been a great sounding board and counselor as we’ve worked through the many challenges of growing a high-tech start-up.”
The Panama City-based company Randall founded provides container and railway monitoring as well as yard and device management in ports, transportation infrastructure, manufacturing, and warehousing, including COVID-19 prevention. Harnessing blockchain technology and sometimes micro-sized products, this now multi-location team’s tech packs power.
Their novel devices offer security, precise tracing, timeliness, secure two-way communication, strong authentication, alerts, long-lasting battery life, plus a low total cost of ownership and maintenance.
From security tracking for the government agency the Department of Defense to United Nations humanitarian shipments plus private sector firms including Sony, Nestle, P&G, Dow, and Pratt & Whitney, Randall’s business is making a difference in the world of secure logistics across marketplaces. With aspects covered like travel deviation alerts, temperature control, cybersecurity, as well as both public and private sector contracting capabilities, RSAE Labs is proving how innovation and business-savvy can combine.
Prior to his retirement from the US Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel, Randall served as a pilot, project engineer, and professor at the Air Force Academy. As a senior Air Force pilot, he flew a variety of test systems focused on the evaluation and enhancement of electronic combat performance.
Over the last 49 years, Randall has served as corporate officer for nine advanced technology companies — two public and seven start-ups. As RSAE Labs’ CEO, he’s responsible for corporate management, advanced research, technology licensing, and global sales. In this capacity, he’s overseen the successful development and sale of advanced technologies, products, and services incorporating cyber-secure global communications, digital cable TV, video-on-demand, advanced smart sensors, and wireless mesh protocol supporting the Internet of Things (IoT).
Educated as a spacecraft designer, with engineering degrees from Georgia Tech and Stanford University, Randall still expresses how powerful components of entrepreneurship can go beyond the classroom and job skills.
“It’s not a job or a career,” he says. “It’s a lifestyle. And it really helps if your spouse also has an entrepreneurial attitude. My wife, Jamie, fits that model. As a previous business owner for several years and business start-up consultant, she understands that irregular paychecks, long hours, and stressful deadlines are a part of our life.”
Randall adds he would strongly encourage entrepreneurs and small business owners to contact their local SBDC or Florida APEX Accelerator at any stage of your business. Take advantage of their wealth of no-cost resources to assist with business and contracting challenges in any sector.
“The biggest risks to a start-up are the things you haven’t even thought of,” Randall explains. “Every start-up needs an independent, unbiased, confidential review of their plans. The Small Business Development Center can help.”
