Tara Meenan Lansen
President/CEO
Compufit: A White Plains-based provider of end-to-end technology solutions for businesses throughout the eastern United States, including high-level partnerships with global technology leaders such as Microsoft, Cisco, Citrix, Dell, VMware and IBM. Founded in 1995, Compufit merged in January 2012 with M Group Consulting, LLC, one of the largest independent financial service firms in the tri-state area.
WHY WESTCHESTER: “Westchester is more affordable from a business perspective, while offering a close proximity to Manhattan. Most of the people at Compufit, including myself, want to be able to live and work in Westchester.”
FIRST STEPS: “In 1995, the Internet was taking off, so technology seemed like the right field to enter. We started in retail, building computers, installing them in people’s homes and providing training. This led to people asking us to help them with their businesses.”
MOST VALUABLE RESOURCES: “Compufit is a member and I am a board member of the Westchester County Association. This organization has been very beneficial from a networking and business development perspective.”
LESSONS LEARNED: “You need to hire the very best people and compensate them fairly. When outsourcing, I have also learned that a small business needs to hire the very best professional they can, i.e. legal and accounting. This has certainly allowed me to focus more time on working on the business and not in the business.”
SECRET TO SUCCESS: “Everything we do is based upon being ethical and honest. Listening to our clients – knowing what they want and need, and especially what they think of us – has been very important to our success. We also teach all of our employees about the business and encourage the entrepreneurial spirit.”
WHAT’S NEXT: “We are going to continue to focus on growing the business in an organized, profitable way. We will continue to hire talented and motivated people. We will continue to be a partner with our clients and help their businesses grow in an efficient, profitable manner.” www.compufit.com