Holiday Happenings
Christmas was a success this year, we had almost all of Michelle’s family, and some of our close friends over to celebrate. Even though we thought we’d never be able to feed everyone, we ended up with plenty of leftovers. I would have loved for my parents, and for my brothers and sister to have been able to make it, but they were not able to travel this year. I did speak with them all on the phone, and everyone is doing well.
New Years Eve will be here in Jacksonville for us this year. Some friends are going to New Orleans, and while we have enjoyed traveling for New Years in the past, this year we just feel like staying close to home.
Both of my teams, the Jags and the Bills are pretty much out of the playoffs after seasons that could have gone better. Both teams played great at times, but in the end, lost games that they should have won and ended up out of contention. I’m used to that as a Bills fan, and getting used to it as a Jags fan… Luckily, the Sabres are still hot and leading the NHL’s Eastern Conference. Is this the year Lord Stanley’s cup rides down Delaware Ave? Go Sabres!!!
A Good End to Long Year…
I finalized the transfer of the RS HealthNet domain to Health Net this morning. I got a letter from their lawyer in the mail with a generous settlement offer yesterday. I had not expected such an offer, but I gladly accepted it as it would help cover some of the costs associated with a company name change. So the book is now officially closed on RS HealthNet Solutions.
Christmas Greeting.
Merry Christmas to all! Old friends, new friends, and of course family. Some of you I talk to daily, some weekly, and some of you it’s been a long while. But no matter what our current speaking schedule, I hope you know that you are all thought of on a regular basis. I wish I did a better job communicating with you all, and next year I will try to do just that!
Enjoy the new pictures I posted on Flickr! There are a few shots of the Jags/Pats game on Christmas Eve. Donis hooked me up again with some great seats, and Michelle’s Sister and her husband were here with us to enjoy the game. Even though we lost, it was a great day.
No Harm, No Foul…
Ok, a quick update… I spoke with the lawyer from the very large and prestigious law firm representing Health Net today.
He was extremely pleasant. I informed him that I had no desire to keep the name, and asked him a few of the questions I had. We made plans to conclude our dealings by the middle of next week.
To be honest, I am happy to be closing the chapter on RS HealthNet Solutions. While it has been a great year as far as growing a small start-up company, it has also been very trying. 2006 was definitely a character building year. To be a true entrepreneur, you have to be ready to face whatever challenges you encounter head on. We are now ready to shed the image of a small consulting company, and don the trappings of the full fledged technology and services company we have become.
I have been working on our new website the past few days, and I can’t wait to show it off. It feels like we are graduating, and a real job is at hand. Stay tuned for more updates…
Whoops… Didn’t Mean to Step on Your Toes.
Have you ever heard of Health Net? I never had before Monday…
It seems as if Health Net is a very large health care provider organization, that doesn’t have a presence here in the Southeast. That would explain why they never showed up in my fictitious name search that I did when I chose my company name.
What they do have is a trademark and several patents, and a desire to not be confused with a small health care consultant in Jacksonville, FL. At least that is what the certified letter from their very large LA law firm stated.
So…. It would appear that a name change is in order. I have already spoken with an attorney at the very large and prestigious law firm, and am awaiting answers on a couple of my questions.
Suffice it to say, you have to pick your battles, and this is not one for me. The name is not at all important to me. My only concern is whether they would like to own the domain, or if they just want me to shut it down. Either way I have until the first of January to close up the RS Healthnet Solutions brand.
The only bad part is the money that I will have to expend to re-do all of my current marketing and advertising. New website, new business cards, and then the very big hassle of notifying all of my contacts that my email address has changed, and explaining that I’m not closing down, just changing identities.
Really, RS HealthNet Solutions is not the brand to my customers though. My brand is me. They aren’t doing business with my company’s name, they are doing business with John Longfield-Smith. My business is based upon relationships and trust. I trust my partners and clients, and they trust me. Plain and simple.
Stay tuned, I’ll let you know what the lawyer says.
Moving Right Along
Business is good, and getting better. Our pipeline is full and ever expanding, while our product line is constantly improving as well.
How are we doing it? Customer service takes the lead. We are listening to our clients, and delivering the services and products that they need. Not just what they are asking for, but what they need to run their own businesses.
We’re working together with our partner companies as well. Oftentimes their capabilities exceed ours, so we share with them our vision of the marketplace in an effort to get their buy-in. So far it has worked. By utilizing their resources we have been able to improve our product line significantly.
Bringing in the right people. An organization is only as good as its key people. We have been very fortunate to begin with a great core, and our first employees have been able to come in and contribute right away.
We’re also paying attention to market trends, and working towards including those capabilities in upcoming versions of our product. It doesn’t do much good to have today’s best product if it becomes obsolete tomorrow.
Look out 2007. Big things are coming, and we’re looking forward to leading the way in our industry. Stay tuned for details and information on the launch of our next generation of products and services.
Subscribe- 8 ways reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage August 14, 2009Ends Discrimination for Pre-Existing Conditions: Insurance companies will be prohibited from refusing you coverage because of your medical history. Ends Exorbitant Out-of-Pocket Expenses, Deductibles or Co-Pays: Insurance companies will have to abide by yearly caps on how much they can charge for out-of-pocket expenses. Ends Cost-Sharing for Preventive Care: […]smithofthelongfield
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