When you can’t find a job that allows you to use your skills, gives you opportunities to have positive impacts on others, and dare we say, brings you joy, what do you do? In the case of David Gracey, founder and president of Network 1 Consulting which designs, builds and supports IT for small businesses in greater Atlanta, you create your own job.
After graduating from Georgia Tech with an industrial engineering degree in 1989, David worked for two small consulting firms where he learned what not to do as a leader. “You can learn just as much from a bad boss as a good one; the lessons are just different,” David shared. What lessons did he take to heart? “Young employees crave knowledge, guidance and feedback, for starters. Additionally, consistent communication from management and a healthy corporate culture are vital for a small business to grow and thrive,” David continued.
Approaching his 30th birthday, realizing his career was not going anywhere at his current company, and believing he could do a better job of running a company that his employers were doing, David started planning the launch of his own company. “That was the scariest – but best – career decision of my life,” David said.
Growing up in Clarksville, TN, David learned early lessons on workplace culture from local professor-turned-businessman, Dr. Harry McLeod. After 40 years of teaching chemistry at the local college, “Dr. Harry” started a small chemical manufacturing business with his wife, Ruby Jean, who managed the company’s finances. Dr. Harry employed David and many other local high school students, paying them minimum wage for their hard work. “My experience working for the McLeods taught me the value of hard work and to be proud of what I had accomplished at the end of the day. I also discovered that I wanted to earn more than minimum wage,” David laughed. He learned different lessons from Ruby Jean. “I learned that the customer isn’t always right, but…
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