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INVESTING IN THE REGION
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By Debra Solomon Baker
While 4 a.m. is sleep time for most St. Louisans, this is not always the case for Tariq Ahmed
and his team at The Incredible Web Company. Young, full of energy, and with their eyes
set on becoming St. Louis’s premier software development firm, the crew sometimes works away at codes through the night and into the early morning hours to make certain their programs are bug-free. Anything short of perfection, in their view, is simply unacceptable.
 TARIQ AHMED
president & CEO,
The Incredible Web Company |
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Ahmed, 30, and Kevin Taylor, 29, joined forces four years ago to launch The Incredible Web Company. Confident they could provide a cost-effective alternative to what was currently available, they took the skills they had acquired at MCI and Union Pacific, respectively, pooled $150,000, and became business owners. Recently, they recruited Mick Madison to be vice president of business development, began their first marketing campaign, and are on track to double last year’s revenue. The firm, which customizes software for companies, currently has about 40 clients.
“We’re here to serve the business community,” says Ahmed, president and CEO. “They’ve got a huge need for software development, especially in larger corporations. It is a need greater than what internal IT (information technology) departments can pull together. A smart IT executive will see the value of using a company like ours.”
Ahmed says he wants his company to be No. 1 among IT firms. “We want to be the first name that comes to mind,” he says.
To make that happen, Ahmed and his staff work intimately with clients. If necessary, they provide a training document, but the applications are so user-friendly that often, Ahmed says, the books are unnecessary. For instance, the program they created for Ameren’s Dollar More Program—in conjunction with the United Way—had 200 users. Of those, a handful had minor questions, but the rest of the staff dove in and began working immediately.
“I am such a stickler for quality, and that is what is really going to set us apart,” Ahmed says. “It is great to watch our software be released, make a difference in the community, and make business processes more profitable. To know that your work has such a huge impact on people’s lives is very, very rewarding.”
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE INSIGHTS
If one of your subordinates were asked to describe you, what do you hope that he or she would say?
“I would be pleased if my colleagues recognized my commitment to practicing Deloitte’s Shared Values. This is important to me because at Deloitte our Shared Values—integrity, commitment to each other, outstanding value to clients and strength from cultural diversity—are the cornerstone of our success as a firm.”
MICHAEL E. ZYCHINSKI
office managing partner,
Deloitte
“Passionate about our mission to make the use of prescription drugs safer and more affordable
for all Americans.”
BARRETT TOAN
chairman and CEO,
Express Scripts
“Passionate about what he does for a living. He loves the dynamics surrounding health care. The opportunity to serve others at a time of great personal need. The challenge to convince everyone he meets that people need to take individual responsibility for managing and improving their own health. And, he approaches all of these opportunities and challenges with good humor and high energy.”
STEVE LIPSTEIN
president and CEO,
BJC HealthCare
“Tough-minded, but tender-hearted. Has a deep appreciation for talent and developing people. Is a leader who can help get us to the highest possible level of performance. I trust him.”
KEVIN C. EICHNER
president and CEO,
Enterprise Financial Services
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