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Bucher and Christian make IBJ's 40-under-40
(Published in the Indianapolis Businesss Journal, February 9, 2004)
Read about Justin Christian
Read about Tony Bucher
Justin Christian
President and CEO
Justin Christian doesn't worry about having a complete business plan filed in his office or putting a mission statement on the wall.
The young entrepreneur believes the information-technology consultancy he co-founded in 1998 with Tony Bucher (another 40 Under 40 honoree) has succeeded because it hasn't been conventional. First and foremost, it's been flexible, changing as necessary to meet the needs of employees and clients.
Christian and Bucher--who each nominated the other for the 40 Under 40 honor--say they can't imagine having a better partner. "We have never had a disagreement that has lasted more than a couple minutes," Christian said. Neither one gets hung up about whose idea something was or who gets credit.
Versatility has served Christian himself well. As a teen-ager, he was on course to become a professional musician. A New Yorker, he played the trumpet and attended The Juilliard School. He never thought much about leaving the East Coast. But he never ruled anything out, either.
He ultimately decided on DePauw University , and then decided to give up the trumpet and focus on a business career instead. He met Bucher when both were working on contracts for Eli Lilly and Co. They decided to form their business and saw good opportunities in Indiana .
When hiring, Christian doesn't look for specific skills in a set area. Instead, he and Bucher want smart people who know a lot already, have a high capacity to learn more and are flexible to meet the shifting needs of clients.
"Happy employees make happy clients," said Christian, noting that he's no clock-watcher of a manager. If someone works better nights, that's OK. He's more worried about the results than the number of hours spent in an office. Staff retention is greater than 90 percent.
But don't get the idea that this is a happy-go-lucky firm, either.
"We have a grow-or-die mentality," Christian said. Since 2000, revenue has climbed from $1.25 million to $18 million and staff has increased from 25 to 104.
"We're only as good as our pipeline of clients. You're no good if your employees aren't busy."
Tony Bucher
Vice president and chief financial officer
At a time when other information-technology consulting firms have struggled, Bucher & Christian Consulting has grown, and that's mostly because of its dedication to employee and client needs, said co-founder Tony Bucher.
Since 2000, revenue has climbed from $1.25 million to $18 million and staff from 25 to 104. And Bucher is proud of the firm's 90-percent staff-retention rate. That's because he and his partner, Justin Christian (another 40 Under 40 honoree), are just as committed to their employees as they are their clients, he said.
Bucher grew up in Indianapolis , graduating from Heritage Christian High School . He went to Purdue University , where he earned a degree in business management. Upon graduation, he worked a few months for a major accounting firm where his dad is a partner.
"But I had an itch to start something on my own, get my competitive juices flowing," Bucher said. Then, while working on a project for Eli Lilly and Co., Bucher met Christian. And they clicked.
Still, Bucher was a little nervous about starting his own business. Ultimately, Bucher's wife gave him the confidence to do it. "Go for it, and if it doesn't work, I'll still be there for you," his wife, Sally Anthony, told him.
She's a singer who has toured with some legendary artists, including James Taylor. The couple are both dedicated to working hard and following their dreams.
"We have a saying: 'Just make it happen,'" Bucher said.
So he and Christian founded their firm in 1998.
"I think in five years, maybe we've had one argument," Bucher said. "We trust each other. We agree that the person with the strongest conviction about something should be the one to make the final decision."
Bucher is a volunteer with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Indiana and meets his "little brother" three or four times a month. "It's been a great experience. I get to spend time with a fun kid and give back to the community a little bit."
His firm is growing and expanding to other cities now. The partners are working carefully on quality control as they make the adjustment from a small to a medium-sized company.
CREDIT:
By the staff of the Indianapolis Business Journal
Published February 9, 2004
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