SOLVING VIRTUALLY ANY DIGITAL NEED

From the first time Chet Cromer wrote a piece of software for a printer for his dad’s lawn care business when he was a teenager, he was hooked. Technology has evolved tremendously over the years and his interest in the field has only grown along with it. Chet is now celebrating the 20th anniversary of his company, C2IT Consulting, offering technology solutions for businesses and organizations who want innovative solutions for their virtual needs.

C2IT offers technological services in three areas: taking care of small businesses’ general technology needs; web design and online presence such as the creative aspects of building a new website and maintaining it; and custom software development such as mobile apps. Though the business is based out of Plainfield, Chet and Erin reside in Morgan County, just west of Eminence. He serves clients in central Indiana, primarily Morgan and Hendricks Counties with some in Marion County. Clients range from small businesses to government, education, and nonprofits.

“We have a very broad client base in terms of what industries they’re in,” he said. “We like it that way. We go after clients that see technology as an investment rather than an expense, or another thing they have to pay the bills for. We want somebody who understands the value of investing in their technology, their website, or a custom software app. They see the strategic advantage that they can have to better empower their employees to do what they need to do, out power their competition, or have something unique to offer.”

FROM OWNING A JOB TO OWNING A BUSINESS

C2IT Consulting began partially due to happenstance. Chet previously worked for another small IT company when his boss announced his retirement in 2004. He and his coworker, Joe Newlin, decided their choices were to brush off their resumes and start looking for another job or start a business themselves. Chet chose small business ownership, purchasing some assets from the former owner with Joe going to work for him, an employee who is still with him to this day. Their first and only client at that time was a car dealership just inside of Marion County. For 10 years, he had an office set up there, serving all of the dealership’s technology needs.

In 2013, he was informed that the car dealership, still their sole client, was selling its business to a corporate parent. Again, Chet was in a position where he needed to decide between looking for another job and shutting the business down or searching for clients to continue the business. He had a friend who was a business coach and offered to work with him, teaching him about marketing and other skill sets.

“That was our first transition into owning a business and not just owning a job,” Chet said.

Chet began picking up some clients in the Morgan County and Hendricks County areas, helping them to keep the business alive for a few years longer.

“Some of our earlier clients were people that mentored Chet in the early phases of the business which was important for growing the business too,” said Erin Cromer, and C2IT co-owner. Erin has always been part owner but actively joined the team five years ago. “It’s not often you find a client that says, ‘let’s grow up together a little bit.’ Previous clients had been in established businesses in the community for a long time. That was an important part of shaping how we do business.”

MAINTAINING A CLOSE COMPANY CULTURE

In 2015, they hired their first “real hire,” a software developer/programmer.

“I was nervous about hiring somebody because it was like taking their livelihood into our hands,” he said. “We saved his first year’s salary in case things didn’t work out well. Everything worked out great. When we hired that first employee, that was the first time I realized this business could be more than what I and a righthand man can do on our own, the fact that we can grow and serve more clients. It was a pivotal moment for us.”