sudbury startup delivers big-business tech at small-business prices
2 minute read
jake feick of backend solutions.
john lappa
/
sudbury star
a sudbury entrepreneur says he is on a mission to help northern ontario companies work smarter by providing affordable automation tools typically used by larger corporations.
jake feick develops customized ai-powered solutions with the small business operator in mind. the 22-year-old says he was inspired to create backend solutions after seeing firsthand what happens to entrepreneurs who lack support and affordable back-office solutions.
after a workplace injury left his father, a carpenter, unable to earn a living, feick says he watched helplessly as his family life unravelled, resulting in a period of homelessness and ultimately, placement in foster care.
after high school, feick worked in alberta for a few years but later returned north to be near his father. reflecting on his childhood, feick said he believes his father stood a better chance at rehabilitation and success if he had a better social support system.
feick would later learn his father’s story was not so isolated. new evidence suggests that tradespeople are disproportionately affected by homelessness due to their work being precarious and seasonal, and the risk of workplace injury, in addition to the persuasiveness of a ‘work through pain’ culture.
without any formal training — but with a strong talent in math and computer programming — feick taught himself all the skills needed to build backend solutions.
“i did a lot of reading, and eventually i discovered a big discrepancy in the market,” he said.
he realized that enterprise-level corporations were charging exorbitant fees for automation systems – pricing that only large companies could afford. feick thought he could easily create similar solutions and only charge businesses a fraction of that cost.
feick said backend solutions was created to help small employers stay competitive, ultimately supporting steady work for tradespeople. however, the operational details of the business are a bit complex if you aren’t technologically savvy.
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“i build systems on different websites and then connect them all on a server, and basically, i just make sure the server runs, and i monitor it from my end,” he explained in everyday language. “if there are any problems, it shows up in red, and i fix it.”
for example, feick said the automation system can respond to a potential client quickly and provide all the necessary information required to advance a sale or business negotiation. feick is always in the background, monitoring the interactions, ensuring the program is operating efficiently. from data entry to appointment scheduling and invoicing, marketing and website design, feick says he can build a custom-made automation solution for any industry.
“i do monthly performance reports so i can see exactly how it’s performing and improve it at will,” he added.
feick doesn’t expect to “get rich” from this work; instead, he wants to support contractors and small business owners in the current economic environment.
simply put, backend solutions builds and implements custom automation and digital workflows that connect everyday business tools, helping companies save time, reduce costs and operate more efficiently, he said. the business goal is to make advanced automation affordable and accessible so local businesses can compete on a more level playing field.
“i love problems and then solving them with technology,” said feick.
learn more about backend solutions at backendsolutions.ca.
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