By Ayanna Kirton, Staff Reporter
Brothers and directors of TechVision, Michael (left) and Jonathan Kelly explain their company's products and services at their offices on Swallowfield Road in St. Andrew. - Carlington Wilmot /Freelance Photographer
JONATHAN KELLY, an information technology expert and enthusiast, and brother Michael Kelly, former advertising executive, have joined forces to create their own company, TechVision.
The company, which specialises in IT solutions ranging from web design, graphic design, to software and database creation, began in 2001 as a small home based operation.
In the last six months, however, TechVision has left the confines of one room in the brothers' home to a more appropriate locale to serve what they say is a growing client base.
"We cater to just about anyone with a product, service, or talent they want to expose," said Jonathan. He studied microcomputer systems in the United States.
"With TechVision we want to help local entrepreneurs present their businesses or products to their clients in a first world manner even though we live in a third world country," he said.
According to Michael Kelly, the company's co-director, financing a capital-intensive operation like TechVision involves hefty start up costs. "Although we don't have overhead costs like larger companies, it is definitely not cheap."
BREAK-EVEN
Not yet at break-even, the brothers say they have invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in computer equipment, utility bills, and maintenance costs in a company that now employs four full time employees and three consultants on a contractual basis.
"Investment in TechVision has been mainly out of pocket and we are both realistic that financial success won't happen overnight but we're confident that it will be sooner rather than later," said Michael, who has a degree in business administration.
The brothers have expanded their product line to include the interactive multimedia business card, a product they feel epitomises the advancement of technology. Although the e-business card has been around for over two years, the brothers agree that it is excellent for professional and personal use because of its multimedia capabilities.
"This isn't a brand new product but today more and more people are becoming computer savvy and this is an innovative way to present a company's products or brochures, offer background information, and do product demos, just to name a few things," said Jonathan.
Their plans for the company is to one day export their services to the rest of the Caribbean and later, other parts of the world.
For now, plan to add video editing and production to TechVision's product offering are in progress and because of the growing demand for Jamaican culture in Asian markets, they are currently working on Jamaica's first computer generated animation series and online comic book.
