“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”- Confucius

David Boos: The Perfect “E”

By Gretchen Cain Wells

“E”ntrepreneur

Life is full of surprises and character-building opportunities just waiting for us to embrace, believes David M. Boos, president of Cornerstone Consulting Inc. Nearly 30 years ago, Boos did not expect to own and operate a successful e-commerce business in Tampa, since no one he knew personally had his own business. Still, he was compelled to make the transition from working for someone else, to starting in 1983 a company to service the PC-based accounting software market.

Remembering it now as a funny story, Boos said his inspiration came from a surprising source, his son. “One birthday, Daniel (then 4 now 31) gave me a card, the cover of which read: “Dad, one day I would like to take over the family business.” On the inside it read: “So why don’t you go ahead and start one!” With a nod of agreement from wife Kathy, Boos was on his way.

Boos recalls becoming an entrepreneur came with its share of custom programming challenges. He quickly discovered the software business is not one that makes people happy all the time, stating, “When the hardware or software fails, it generates a ‘character-building’ opportunity! A huge challenge we face on a daily basis is trying to help our customers understand that, in most cases, we didn’t write the software, we just sell it. And if it ‘breaks,’ we don’t get reimbursed for repairs by Microsoft, Sage, SAP, Oracle or Apple,” Boos said.

Rich King, programmer analyst, said, “Dave is extremely hard-working, and his work hours are legendary. During a recent implementation trip to a client’s site in Barbados, Dave spent the entire time working – only leaving the office long enough to get a couple of hours of sleep per night. Not exactly a Barbados vacation!”

“E”thical

Boos has high ethical standards for himself and his business team. He attributes his work ethic to his parents Erma Spann and Del Boos, whose mantra was, “There is nothing too hard to do, if you set your mind to it.”

“I’ve always had people around me that believed in me,” said Boos. As early as fifth grade, when Boos was appointed captain of the school safety patrol, numerous people gave him opportunities to develop responsibility. While still attending Nathan Hale High School (class of 1972), Boos was the leader and booking agent of “The Distant Light,” the rock band in which he played.

“If one’s life truly defines a person, then what defines Dave is his “integrity” and “loyalty.” These are key values often missing in business dealings today. Dave always shows a dedication and loyalty to his customers. He constantly acknowledges the vital part each employee plays in achieving client relationship success, sharing words of wisdom that can only enhance customer service.” -Tom Schenck, CPA, director of consulting services
Those who most influenced Boos’ life taught and encouraged him spiritually. “I became a born-again Christian at the end of my high school days, and the spiritual leaders in my life taught me the importance of working hard, but also relying on God to provide the way, one day at a time,” he said.

Boos received his Bachelors Degree from Liberty University, and there had the chance to sit under the leadership of the late Dr. Jerry Falwell. “I had a class with him every week. He was an unbelievably humble and sincere man, trying to do what was right for his family, his church and his country, and encouraging me to do the same,” said Boos

Zig Ziglar, whom Boos describes as the “best sales guy to ever live,” was also very influential. “Zig taught me the true fun of selling,” Boos said.

“E”xperienced

As a mentor, Boos’ advice to emerging entrepreneurs is to, “Make sure you LOVE what you do! I get up every morning honestly looking forward to getting to work and trying to do my best to solve the challenges of the day.”

“It is a great privilege to work alongside someone of Dave’s intellect and outstanding character. I cannot believe how much I have learned from him in such a short amount of time. Dave is always in a good mood and smiling, even if he has started his day at 4 a.m.!! No matter how big the project, or strenuous the task, I always feel like I am part of this amazing and talented team that can take on anything.” - Mariah Brown, business development representative

Don’t overstep your financial bounds, recommends Boos. Even those companies that are infused with seemingly endless investment capital too often find themselves at a ‘burn rate’ much higher than their businesses can sustain. “For 25 years we paid for everything out of the cash we had on hand. If we didn’t have the money, we didn’t buy it,” Boos stated.

Hire the best people you can afford, and make sure they are a lot smarter than you, Boos advises. Boos said of his own company, “Cornerstone today has the finest staff of any company anywhere. Every day I am even more impressed with their abilities, their knowledge and their dedication to our company and our customers.”

“Just Do what is Right,” Boos said. “You will NOT get rich this way, but you can sleep every night knowing you have done the BEST job you can for your customers and employees.”

“E”fficient

Boos puts a high premium on time management and works hard to streamline business, so that clients can enjoy life, their families and good health. “Technology is a wonderful thing, especially if you know how to use it!” said Boos. His team of employees works with him to develop software for his company, as well as for clients.

”Over the many years I have worked for Cornerstone Consulting, I’ve learned much more about my boss. In addition to being extremely tech savvy, Dave is level-headed, tackles issues without fear, resolves problems effectively, handles customers extremely well, treats employees fairly, and is an exceptional leader.” – Eleanor Mullaney, vice president of marketing

Boos was coming home from the gym one morning in 2005, when he had a heart attack. Until then, he was healthy and tried to set aside time for exercise. Managing stress was another matter entirely. Boos is still learning to eliminate stress by delegating, whenever possible. “I was trying to run several companies that I own, build a new house, keep up with my family and church responsibilities, and little did I realize how the stress was building to the point of putting me on my back in the matter of just a few minutes,” said Boos.

Keeping his life in balance is a continuous challenge, and Boos gives ample credit to Kathy, his wife of 33 years. “She is incredibly understanding of the hours I work, and the importance of keeping our customers’ needs a high priority,” he said.

After his heart-attack, Boos had to delegate and let go of many responsibilities. “Today we focus on writing, implementing and training on Accounting and ECommerce software and let others handle the hardware, networks, infrastructure and security,” he said.

“Dave never fails to take the time every day to personally let us know how much he appreciates what we do, and with the utmost sincerity. Whether it’s an email praising a REALLY great job done (he always capitalizes the good stuff) or stopping by the door with a big smile and both thumbs up, just to say thanks, his gracious attitude makes us all want to go the extra mile with our work.” – Julianna Stoll, director of web development

At church, Boos is reminded each Sunday, the best advice for business, family and life itself comes from the Bible. “The book of Proverbs has so much wisdom for all of our challenges, and even the seemingly dry stories of a thousand years ago are full of relevance for today,” he said.

In addition to family time, Boos appreciates the opportunity to be at the helm of a 40+ ft sailing vessel. “I love to sail. I can NOT think of work. I am constantly watching the waves, the wind, the weather and the other crazy people who are out on the water, all the while working on strategies for a little more speed by adjusting a sail or the angle of attack. There is just something about the wind in your face and being powered along by forces of nature itself that is totally awesome!” Boos said.

“E”ngaging

Boos feels very comfortable in his own skin. “I didn’t go into business because I wanted to prove anything. I had some goals in mind at Cornerstone Consulting, some of which I have achieved, and many of which I haven’t. I don’t get too terribly excited about the ones that were accomplished or discouraged about the ones that weren’t,” he said.

Boos said he has no plans to sell his business or to retire on the beach (where he already lives), but is confident his daughter, Ashley Edwards, along with other long-time team members, would keep the company running if he were to suddenly ‘exit’ the scene.

Dave is a perfectionist, does not stop assisting clients until the job is done, and continually strives to exceed customers’ expectations. His willingness to finish projects on time and within budget continue to be his top priorities. Dave has established a company that’s not your “go to” company for software needs, but a company that is always thinking… “What’s Next?” - Ashley Edwards, vice president of sales.

Although Boos is a successful business person, he doesn’t have trouble keeping his ego in check. “I am just a part of the Team and am privileged to work with a staff of people who are MUCH smarter and MUCH more talented than I am within their areas of responsibilities. The only real difference is that I get to sign the paychecks and it is hard to get egotistical about that!” Boos said.

Boos always remembers his roots. He grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and his first job was for a Coney hotdog Restaurant. “I worked there for ONE Day and decided THAT was not for me! I did NOT like cleaning up other people’s messes and doing dishes! Next was for Target where I worked in their grocery department bagging groceries, stocking shelves, and learning a LOT about dealing with people and customer service,” Boos recalled.

As for the best job he’s ever had, Boos is doing it now. “I have worked with close to 1000 customers since Cornerstone was started, and if I could trade places with the presidents of any of those companies, I think I would pass because I LOVE what I do.

“I meet the most interesting people, get to learn about the most interesting businesses, and get to see some of the most exciting products and services on the planet. Where else would I go to experience that? I think I will stay right where I am!” said Boos.