It’s time for a change.
Too often, we shy away from change. Worry about it. Deny it. In truth, we should embrace change. It provides an opportunity to reflect on where we’ve been and become who we are meant to be. To enlist an often overused analogy, a caterpillar enters a chrysalis and emerges as something new. Something vibrant. Something exciting. Change can be that spark that ignites the flames of progress.
That’s where we are as a company. Over the past 15+ years, Rural Sourcing has grown from a tin shack in Arkansas to a world-class end-to-end software development powerhouse with colleagues and clients across the country. Originally, we provided application support and maintenance, but our business evolved with our clients to application development and data & analytics. And now, we are focused on digital product engineering.
We continue to change with our clients and their needs.
As a result, our name no longer accurately reflects who we are. We aren’t really ‘rural’. We aren’t strictly ‘IT sourcing’. In fact, today more than half of our buyers have titles such as Chief Product Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Digital Officer and so on. We require a name that demonstrates who we are and where we are going, while reflecting what we truly mean to our colleagues, our clients and to our communities.
We still have a mission to create jobs and careers across America’s heartland. I have long said that my life’s work is to deliver career opportunities to new locations and audiences. This work will continue but the nature of what we deliver to our clients has changed.
What’s in a name?
It’s a declaration of who you are. It is a flag planted in the ground that announces your presence. It’s a banner to rally the team and inspire collaboration and communication.
As a result, we have made the decision to change the name of the company to better reflect who we are today, where we’re going tomorrow and the value we deliver to our clients.
To be clear—we are still the same great company, with the same great colleagues and same great culture. We will continue on our mission to create jobs and careers for colleagues in locations where they otherwise might not have existed.
We’ll announce the new name next month. I’m excited to share it with you as we go on this journey together. Stay tuned!
About the Author:
As Sparq’s Chief Executive Officer, Monty Hamilton leads the executive team and drives the company’s overall strategy. Sparq is a unique digital engineering company focused on helping its clients realize their digital transformation strategies and creating thousands of technology careers in places where they otherwise would not exist. Monty has helped grow the firm through two private equity investments to become the largest privately held digital engineering firm with colleagues across the US and Latin America. He is a sought-after speaker on the outsourcing and domestic sourcing topic and has recently been featured on CNBC, BBC, NPR radio and at various industry conferences including IAOP, Gartner, Digital Georgia and others. In addition, recent articles depicting Sparq’s innovative outsourcing model have appeared in Business Week, CNN Money magazine, CFO magazine and CIO magazine.
Five Ways User Feedback Can Transform Your Product Strategy
User feedback is a critical asset that can provide valuable insights into your users' wants and needs. It can also give important observations into your application's overall performance. In this article, Principal Product Strategist Toyia Smith shares five ways to better incorporate user feedback into your product strategy.
Balancing Technical Debt and New Features: A Product Owner’s Guide
The term "technical debt" frequently emerges in discussions about software development, product health and organizational effectiveness. However, its true meaning and the balance organizations must find between managing this debt and new feature innovation can be confusing. In this article, learn how to manage that delicate balance so you can create an exceptional product.
Navigating Digital Product Discovery: A Guide to Avoiding the 5 Common Pitfalls in Custom Product Development
In digital product development, a well-structured discovery phase is critical to a product’s long-term success. However, bringing a digital product from concept to reality can be challenging. In this article, Principal Product Strategist Josh Campbell shares his guide to avoiding five common pitfalls during digital product discovery.
Preparing Your Business for the Realities of AI and Machine Learning: Beyond the Hype
The buzz around artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) has almost certainly reached a fever pitch. With benefits including increased efficiency and enhanced customer experiences, many businesses are eager to take advantage of these technologies. In this article by Chief Technology Officer Derek Perry, learn why organizations need a solid foundation to ensure they're ready to harness the benefits of AI and ML, before jumping in headfirst.