There’s no company in Utah Valley quite like Novell. The Provo landmark is both a global giant and a local leader, employing a stalwart 1,500 employees at its Utah campus. And while corporate headquarters have moved to Waltham, Mass., 1800 Novell Place still feels like home. “This is the birthplace of Novell,” says Kent Erickson, senior vice president of general manager workspace solutions. “We are deeply committed to Utah Valley.” The company is also committed to success. Rather than rest on its revenues, the impressive sales simply serve as a benchmark to improved products, future growth and greater heights.
At Novell, nothing ever slows down. This industry is fast paced and competitive, and the pressures are always in front of you. Every company goes through challenges and changes, but in order to be successful, you have to have great products that customers want to buy. If you don’t have that, you’re simply pushing against the wind.
Any growing global IT company has to be on solid financial footing to face the challenges in a worldwide economy. It’s that level of profitability that allows us to stay competitive and reinvest in the future. And we’re doing that. Our growth is still ahead of us. We do intend to grow again, and we are well positioned to do so. This is the most exciting time I’ve seen at Novell.
Our revenue growthover the past several years has been steady, as well as our number of employees. We sustain our growth by being rigorous in our planning, responsible in our spending and respectful of the needs of our customers. Because of that discipline, the market will reward us.
In terms of this valley, there have been periods of time where people have questioned Novell’s commitment to Utah and to Utah Valley. We recognize our role in this valley as a leading employer — it’s a responsibility — and Novell’s management is committed to Utah and the campus here. This is where our roots are, and we’re not going to pull up our roots.
Novell has gone from a culture largely defined by Utah Valley to a very diverse employee base. Our employees are all over the world, and we strive to make sure every employee understands our values and our mission. But corporate culture essentially comes from each individual. It’s not top-down. You don’t demand culture.
Novell’s employees are strong, talented, resilient and committed. They’ve gone through a lot of changes these last few years, but everyone is committed to making this company grow again — and that’s top to bottom. It’s a unique opportunity to work for a Utah company and be able to compete and participate in a worldwide economy. We’re lucky.
Every dollar you spend should be looked at. Splurging is not the thing to do. You may spend to reward employees, but that’s not splurging — that’s recognition. And it will drive performance. If you don’t have highly skilled, committed employees, it will be hard to keep your customers happy.
Rule No. 1 is to always keep your financial house in order, and pay attention to cost structure. Your profit will fuel your growth. No. 2, be bold and decisive, but collaborate together to make good decisions. Don’t be afraid to compete. And No. 3, recognize that no matter how big you are, when you expand into a new area you are simply a startup in that area. It can be tempting for companies to branch out into other areas as they grow — and we’ve made this mistake as well — but stay focused on who you are and what you do best. Keep to your core.
Always keep your financial house in order.