Since my first blog post about our rebranding, people have been inquiring about our name, T2 Tech Group, and what the T2 part actually stands for. I didn’t follow a “how-to” guide, but I’m excited and proud to share my story. Trying to exemplify our company’s expertise, value and uniqueness, there were a couple major factors that played into why we chose “T2”. Before we had a name, we knew what we wanted to represent, how we wanted to communicate to our clients and what we wanted to accomplish. We wanted to make sure our core values were continuously represented not only thorough our work but also through our brand.

Client focused mentality

Immediately before the launch of T2 Tech, I was at UCLA as the CTO and was leading large strategic projects such as the building of the $1 billion Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center which was completed in 2008. During the planning process, I realized we didn’t have the manpower, the time and the other crucial resources I needed to successfully achieve the end results.

I found myself questioning, “what needs to be done to be successful on this project and who do I turn to?” We developed a plan to augment our team with other service providers and consulting firms who were experts and had the time to focus on our critical needs. However, I struggled with who to trust and who would provide the most value to the organization. I wanted to know that the firm was an advocate for me and my team at UCLA.

Adventure seeker

Ask my friends, family and colleagues and they will tell you that I am always planning my next adventure, whether it’s kayaking next to a pod of killer whales, ice climbing at Lake Placid or flying across the country to run a trail race to the top of a mountain. The approach I have for these adventures is the same as when facing uncertainty at work – determine what is needed to be successful and find a way to get it done.

Ironman competitor

In late 2005, I started training for one of my biggest challenges, an Ironman Triathlon. Yes, that means swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles and finishing with a 26.2 mile run. A critical success factor was having great training partners who were experienced triathletes who kept me motivated during the six months of training. I felt confident having skilled resources behind me to complete this challenge and I couldn’t wait to scratch this one off the list.

I decided to sign up for the Ironman that is hosted in Tempe, Arizona in April of 2006. During the race, I quickly found out I was in for one of the toughest physical challenges I had faced. The start of the race was overwhelming as people were bottlenecked entering into Tempe Town Lake. I completed the swim amongst 1,500 other athletes all fighting for space and to finish the first leg of the race.

The first transition (also known as T1) is where you shift from swimming to the biking portion. It’s a difficult transition because you need to quickly change out of a wetsuit, put on your biking gear and prepare for your 112-mile bike ride. However, I later found out that my next transition from the bike to the run was much harder. Transition 2, or T2, was where I was really challenged. Did I have enough endurance and leg strength to complete a full marathon? Could I find the drive to persevere? I did, and being this far into the race, I found a way to get it done.

Transition 2 in business

Just like in my Ironman experience, organizations find themselves in need of assistance to get through some of the most complex IT obstacles. This is the driver of “T2 Tech” and where our company name stems from. Starting our consulting firm in May of 2006 and fresh off of finishing the Ironman, I wanted the name to represent not just who I am but what I wanted the business to be. Bringing in the client’s perspective, it was important that our name was one that could be trusted and valued to help organizations get past that tough transition – T2.