Are you unemployed? Have you said “I just need an opportunity to show what I can do”? Are you willing to work hard to prove yourself? If so, keep reading…
Let’s start with the qualifications. You must have a telecom background and be in a position to start within a week or two. You must be a self starter and a team player. You must be confident in your ability to prove how valuable you can be to Zayo. You must be entrepreneurial.
The opportunity is to be part of a Zayo project team that pursues telecom economic stimulus projects. Part of the government’s stimulus package is to provide funding for broadband development for education and healthcare networks, particularly to rural places. Zayo has 20,000 route miles of fiber network, much of which reaches rural places. Earlier in 2009, Zayo raised $128M of capital and therefore has the financial wherewithal to fund large network builds.
Specifically, here is what we have in mind. We will fund a 5-person swat team of contractors. We will pay each individual $1,000 for their first two weeks of work. During this initial two weeks, we will assess each individual’s capabilities relative to the effort. The assessment is based on a simple question–can the individual help us find and win broadband initiative projects? If, at the end of each individual’s two weeks, we like with what we see, we will pay the individual $2,000 for the next two weeks of work. If we continue beyond four weeks, we will pay $2,000 for the subsequent two weeks AND negotiate a specific engagement that is tailored to the individual. We will consider the overall capability of the individual, the role they would play, and their risk/reward appetite.
We will have office space in downtown Louisville and/or in south Denver. Those outside of Colorado can work from their house or a coffee shop. People will need to use their own computer, but Zayo will pay for pre-approved out of pocket expenses e.g., travel and phone. Zayo employees will assist the team and oversee the project; however, we will be looking for the team to take as much ownership of the initiative as possible. We are also hopeful that a natural leader of the effort will emerge. The team will be expected to get up to speed quickly on how the government program works and propose a project plan for how the team/Zayo should pursue opportunities.
Why might you do this?
- You will learn about the economic stimulus package and, at a minimum, make some money as you do so.
- You will have opportunity to carve out a long term role for yourself within Zayo, either within this effort or through demonstrating your abilities in general. Note that Zayo is likely to hire additional positions in 2009. This team could be considered a farm system.
- If Zayo position doesn’t work out, you might be able to take what you learning about the stimulus package and market yourself to other companies.
What kind of backgrounds are we looking for? Business development, financial analysis, and network/construction design are among the competencies that the team will need to have. Hungry MBA would also be a great fit, whether or not they have a telecom background. This is about gathering information, making sense of it, developing a business plan, getting it funded (by Zayo), and executing.
Are you interested? If so, send me an email and I will put you in touch with the appropriate person.
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Hmmm… what should we call this?!?!?!
The Amazing RACE for Broadband
FUD FACTOR
AMERICAN ZAYO WANNABE
TOP PM
WORKMATES
STIMULUS SURVIVOR
THE REAL WORLD STIMULUS
HELL’S TELECOM
-OR-
THE ZAYO APPRENTICE!?!?!
All kidding aside THE DAN, This is pure genius. I love the theme! I like what you have done here
you know you might be obligated to start putting up youtube links of the board meetings, etc and at least you don’t have THE DONALD hair issues…well maybe you don’t..snicker, snort, cough, wheeze!!!
I bet if you asked them, Rob Hagens or Rob Powell, would be delighted to be “guest” judges
you will need to do this up right and give us, “THE DAN & HIS BLOG worshipers,” weekly updates, etc.
You cannot use “you’re fired” though….so you better come up some fancy buzz PHRASE we all can replay at all hours to tickle ourselves with.
Although very tongue in cheek humor on my part, this is a stroke of genius THE DAN. I like the concept and motivating idea!! I mean this is out of the box creative!!! Thanks for sharing it!!
LOL…I just have a hard time convincing myself I now have to call you……THE DAN!
will you have any fries with that ???
while i do agree with scott that the idea smacks of a reality show (get the video cameras ready), there is some logic to it.
but, the idea that you are going to get high-caliber quality people at $1k per week, with no other guarantees, bene’s , etc. may be a little short sighted.
Why don’t you spice it up a little and give someone a finders fee, a little vig, whatever you want to call it….an incentive?!!
For example, if someone is really successful…finding and/or a material part of securing $10m, $50m, etc. , Can they get a small piece of that (1% +/-) and maybe a chance at a job at zayo ? I think that would get people a little more motivated…
anyway, good luck on the idea and look forward to hear about the updates.
For rural broadband, you’ve almost for sure got to wireless to get coverage. Not knowing Zayo’s network, it seems providing the fiber backhaul for towers would be a logical step.
I’d think that OpenRange and Openwire would have a ton of traction here (ie: good partners), given they have been working with the federal gov’t for rural broadband funding for quite a while now. (WiMax 4G rural wireless providers)
Dave Michels wanted to say:
You may be premature. http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/mar2009/tc20090310_752736.htm
I think the positions as described, just a year ago, would not be received well. However, I am sure you will receive countless more applications than positions you have in the current economy.
It is my believe that this government initiative, and perhaps there’s more to come, is what will be required to get this market off the ground. The potential for revenue is there, but so is the risk. At least some of this risk should be mitigated by subsidy. There is also great opportunity in the fact that many of the details are yet to be finalized and the NTIA is looking for input from “interested parties”. The next meeting I believe will be on the 16th in DC. Those that take the wait-and-see approach might very well be left out. Time to get on top of the BTOP! (Broadband Technology Opportunities Program).
Rico is right; there are 4 meetings next week and 2 the following week. NTIA, RUS and the FCC are all looking for help to establish the “baseline” rules for their management of these programs. They are earnestly trying to do this quickly because they need to get funding flowing if they are to attain the high level goals of the stimulus program. It’s time to get involved (help them set up workable processes) or risk the chance of missing out completely.
Scott, nice comment. My hair is real, though a bit thinning. UFC’s “The Ultimate Fighter” does come to mind, as that is about the only reality TV competition I have watched. I have not yet come up with a name. Scott gave us some ideas–how about some more suggestions? Maybe “The Ultimate Zayo-ite”?
Pretty cool idea, bravo to Zayo for bright thinking.
J
I’m interested
As a independent contractor myself, I found the ‘bait’ nice enough to sniff, but not enough to bite on. It does sound like an interesting and sound approach for a company to take given the current economic climate… BUT…
“…$1,000 for their first two weeks of work…”
FOR THE UNEMPLOYED LOOKING AT THIS OPPORTUNITY
If your average unemployment benefit payout is 450 a week and you loose all of it if you make over 150, whether you get paid in that week or not, then your incentives for the recently unemployed that are skilled enough to cut the mustard is relatively poor if this is where you start — 500/wk. Especially since most unemployed people also pay for the their own health insurance, and might also have a family. An extra 50 bucks a week versus sitting there doing nothing and getting your UI benefit guaranteed — We don’t have to tell you what 90% would choose.
If your a contractor yourself looking at this like me, then probably not all that great of a opportunity for most if your worth your wait in salt as a contractor.
So why I think the idea Zayo has is a good one (prove yourself or die), I am right there with another poster — the initial incentives I think are a little weak to get really good candidates to support your endeavor getting broadband opportunities.
Anways, interesting stuff. Zayo is definitely a local company to keep an eye on. Nice to have run across this…and nice to see a few L3 folks still around as well.
Your right Jeff, for contract work this isn’t a great deal. It may not be a great deal for many who are unemployed. Feeding my family is at the top of my priority list, but I’m hungry for more. I’m hungry for a challenge like Zayo’s customer’s are hungry for bandwidth. I’m a firm believer that if I do my job right the money will come. I’d be interested in hearing more.
P.S. Dan, here’s a Roy Hobbs quote I like. “The only thing I know about the dark is you can’t see in it.” I’ll e-mail my resume for you to pass along.
Great Jerie. I look forward to seeing it. Ted as well.
Jeff, you are too hung up with the initial $1,000. Read my subsequent post http://bearonbusiness.com/respond-quickly . People should view the first 2 weeks as the opportunity to get up to speed and see if their is a pony in this broadband bill. Get past this gate and it will get progressively more interesting. Part of what we are looking for is people who are hungry and want to show us how valuable and entrepreneurial to be. The initial $1,000 screens out those who are not hungry enough.
Time to make those reservations to DC…. Comments are due before Apr 13.
I found Jeff’s answer to be typical of most people – there’s only so many real risk-takers. You’re looking for entrepreneurs who get the big picture, Jeff is looking for a safe income – he’s ruled himself out immediately. Most entrepreneurs start with far less than $500 per week guaranteed – they have to earn every $.
Good luck with your competition, I think it’s an innovative approach to a short-term opportunity to gain a lot of investment capital. For me, you can stick the $1000 – I’d swap it for shares in the company that got the money, pro-rata to the size of the allocation. That’s more of an incentive!
Tom,Zayo Group does have a management equity plan. It isn’t available to all employees, but there are many participants. Though I can offer not assurances, I suspect that a few members of the swat team will end up with equity prior to the end of 2009. First, we need to get to know them and they need to get to know us.
A Perspective from an Entrepreneur
Are you an entrepreneur? Many of us like to think so, but very few of us are, or even should be. Frankly, I would not wish it upon most. I’ll explain…
The risk of failure is real – an uncertain lifestyle, loss of reputation, ridicule, the loss of precious time, disbanding a great team of people; letting down family members, business partners, and investors including the loss of your own precious treasure. Yes, the risk is real.
And, YES, you must have skin in the game or you’re not an entrepreneur. I have often witnessed large sums of other people’s money wasted – vanished employers and meaningful products or services lost, or delayed. My point is that balanced risk is essential to the decision making process for the successful entrepreneur. (Otherwise, capital should be preserved or made useful to an already successful and sustainable enterprise.)
Entrepreneurial success is the antithesis of failure. Success yields a certain lifestyle, an admired reputation even accolade, flexibility on how you invest your time, building relationships, satisfying family members, partners, and investors. And, you’ll likely return a large sum of capital to your personal treasure. Yes, success is real.
The entrepreneur calculates risk against the opportunity to create value. So, here’s the recipe: a valuable product or service, capital (including your own), time, great people, and support from whom you love and depend. With precise execution (and some luck in my case), success follows.
So, I ask…
What is the risk/value proposition with Zayo?
Do you see value in broadband?
Are you an entrepreneur?
Ted, Although your questions were primarily directed toward Dan this is discussion board so I’d like to chime in.
What is the risk/value proposition with Zayo?
Hope I understand the question correctly:
Zayo’s value propositions are clearly stated on there website, “reliable fiber-based bandwidth, responsive solutions and a strong network we own.” Most in telecom know the value of ownership over a network since it reduces the number of hands involved in delivery and repair. Since, no telecom organization can provide customers with 100% outage free service success must come from how the organization overcomes those hiccups. Value propositions are only valuable if they are true. It would be interesting to see the mean time to repair reports. Wow, just realized how under-employed I am right now?
Do you see value in broadband?
Anytime you can solve a customers business problem you are providing value. Value in broadband. Absolutely. More than that, providing broadband to rural America offers customers choices, which provides monetary and intrinsic value.
Are you an entrepreneur?
Personally, I’d prefer to brand myself as a strategist. Having the ability to map out and implement a plan, yet be agile enough to make course corrections when necessary.
Have a good rest of the day Ted.
Paid to research a topic that makes the analyst more marketable? Dan’s offer alone is a stimulus package.
The greater the risk the higher the possible gain. Two weeks seems like little risk considering the subject matter being researched.
Whether you consider yourself an entrepreneur or a strategist, being comfortable with ambiguity makes one a better player in many leagues.
Don’t forget. It’s not about your net worth, it’s about your network.
My post was a suggestion and nothing more. All I was saying is Zayo’s proposition is probably not for the average person — entrepreneurs, yes, but that is what I was getting at. I think that is and was a fair comment to make (thanks Jerie Meakins for seeing my point).
Dan C. — While I see your point, I am not too hung up on the initial 1000, and all I was saying is the average person probably will be. My post was only a suggestion that some things might require tweaking to bring the real ‘creme of the crop’ in to find you opportunities. I had no interest in the proposition as it doesn’t fit for me and what I do. While I sell a fair amount of bandwidth, it’s more so I sell a complete solution, ie- procurement, architecture, and management. Do let me know if Zayo is doing any type of metro ethernet services.
Directed at you Mr. Foale — Pleasure to make your acquaintance. I find your comments comparing me to ‘typical, non-risk-takers’ very presumptuous if not rude, shallow, and biased — especially since I don’t know you, already work for myself, AND I’ve also been a Zayo customer (not to mention formerly affiliated with L3 like a lot of others here). In so far as a rebuttal, my post wasn’t an ‘answer’ as you put it, it was a suggestion for how Zayo can get better candidates under their somewhat innovative program given the harsh economy.
Lesson #1 — always treat your customers or potential customers well, like family. I can assure you, many of your sales will be coming from consultants falling out of the larger companies that displaced them, and that now contract to said large company.
Fish,
great points…hope the cherry smoothies are still coming your way.
when I first read Mr. Foale reesponse I immediately discounted anything he had to say, because I perceived it also to be very presumptuous.
Glad to see your still around Fish! Best of luck in your path, whever it takes you.
Mr. Foale,
for some of us you seem to define as non-risk takers I will only say this.
We know heart, mind and soul that The only easy day was yesterday
so before you judge the hiker, make sure you know where their boots have been.