Today we’d like to introduce you to Steve Venditti.
Steve, please kick things off for us. Where does this story begin?
Datum3D was founded in 1997 by three engineers: Gordon Lewis, George Reekie and myself. Each with our own expertise, we collectively believed in the core principle of Design for Manufacture and Assembly. This principle remains an integral part of how Datum3D operates. Today, Datum3D is a 20+ year consumer-focused product development firm with a successful track record of design and engineering excellence.
By leveraging our industry experience and highly knowledgeable staff, we oversee and streamline all phases of a product’s development. In doing so, we implement a high quality design, optimize costs, and provide fully functional prototypes allowing for a seamless transition to production.
The company is located in Watertown, MA and is owned and operated by Steve Venditti. Gordon Lewis sadly passed away in 2010 and George Reekie left the firm in 2002.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Obstacles are inevitable in running any business but it is the people at your company that make all of the difference in my opinion. Obviously, the financial crisis in 2008 was difficult to overcome but that was the same for a lot of companies. Outside of that, the passing of Gordon Lewis in 2010 was a difficult time for the firm as he meant so much to everyone that worked with him. Trying to replace someone like Gordon was an impossible task simply because of the special person that he was, and so collectively as a team we had to come together to fill the void as best we could.
The fact that we are a small business in a high tech industry is another obstacle. Keeping up with the technological advances to assure that our business is always on the cutting edge is a difficult task. There are various sizes of small business, for us we have always been under ten employees as a firm. Because of that, another challenge we face is marketing our capabilities to potential customers. We are so focused with the projects at hand to ensure the highest quality for our clients that we often lose sight of the need to simultaneously market ourselves.
However, as a result of the small number of employees we have and the various tasks assigned to each individual, we have all learned to wear many hats in order to operate at full speed. It all goes back to the people you have at your company. At Datum3D we are lucky in that respect.
Datum3D – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
With over 20 years in the product development industry, Datum3D has dealt with many companies, sectors, and projects. Some of the services we provide include: Industrial Design, Product Engineering, 3D Modeling/Rendering, FEA, and in-house functional Prototyping.
By leveraging our industry experience and highly knowledgeable staff, we oversee and streamline all phases of a product’s development. In doing so, we implement a high quality design, optimize costs, and provide fully functional prototypes allowing for a seamless transition to production.
As a company, we are most proud of our customer relationships. In a niche marketplace, a large majority of our business comes from existing clientele. For us, this is a testament to the quality of work we provide and the professionalism we bring to our customers day in and day out.
The biggest distinguishing factor setting us apart from others is our development process. Not only are our engineers fully adept at product design and analysis but they are also well versed in the manufacturing/prototyping stage of development.
By having our engineers directly involved with the prototyping, they are able to better comprehend the consequences of their designs and can optimize them accordingly. Instilling this innate manufacturing awareness in each engineer is what sets us apart from others and ultimately makes our prototypes ready for a smoother transition into production.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
Personally, I define success as simply achieving something that you are striving for. As the owner of Datum3D, it is my job to make sure we are successful. However, I look at success in a few different respects.
Obviously there is the financial side that puts a firm number on our success in terms of revenue and profitability. As they say if you are not growing you’re dying. But I also measure the company’s success with intangibles such as employee satisfaction and happiness.
In my opinion, the best recipe for success is happy people. If you have employees that are happy and love what they do for a living the work takes care of itself. Success will come naturally as well as more enjoyably.
Contact Info:
- Address: 108 Water St. Suite 1 Watertown, MA 02472
- Website: www.datum3d.com
- Phone: (617) 926-7400
- Email: info@datum3d.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/datum_3d/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Datum3D/?ref=aymt_homepage_panel
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/Datum3D
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/datum-3d-watertown
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/company-beta/836972/
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