Even Brande

Can you please share with us a little about your background and what inspired you to start an information technology business in Wyoming?

After graduating with my MBA from UW I was hired by my entrepreneurship professor, Dr. Brooks Mitchell, to work for his software company, Aspen Tree Software. It was there I realized what a great place Laramie is for running a tech company. Laramie offers the two key ingredients that you need to run a tech company: Smart people and plenty of broadband.

What year did you graduate and what did you get your degree in?

Bachelor's in Business Administration 1991 and MBA 1993

Why did you decide to get your MBA here after you completed your undergraduate degree at UW?

Because my girlfriend was here and because I really missed Laramie after moving to Colorado for one year.

Tell me a bit about your experience attending the UW College of Business. What resources did you take advantage of?

The most important aspects of attending UW for me were all the professors who took personal interest in me as a student and who ended up having a huge impact on my life. I do not recall taking advantage of a lot of resources outside of the classroom or being aware that they were available. As a foreign student I was perhaps a bit clueless. I did become a member of Alpha Kappa Psi, the business fraternity and really enjoyed my involvement with that group.

What opportunities do you take advantage of as an alum? How do you stay connected?

Where do I begin? I teach here, I serve on COBAB (College of Business Advisory Board), I have a daughter who just graduated from UW, my company hires UW students, we are donors, we are involved with many other opportunities on campus. The UW community is such an important part of my life both personally and professionally.

What advice would you give to young professionals who are looking for jobs in Wyoming?

Do something that will set yourself apart from the average student. Be good at something. Have something you are passionate about. The students we hire usually come with much more than their degree. They are curious and inquisitive. They have hobbies and interests outside of school. They like to learn. They have special skills they have picked up along the way. They like to make a difference in their community.

What does a day in your life at Handel IT look like?

Since I stepped down as CEO of Handel in 2018, my days now look different. I only work part-time at Handel, usually on the days that I don’t teach in the COB. I mentor and help our CEO, and I work on special projects. This makes my job interesting since no two days are exactly alike and there are always new things to learn. Right now, I am evaluating our 401K plan since we have outgrown our existing plan. This forces me to learn all the language of this domain so I can best evaluate what our future retirement plan should look like. Next month I may be working on a new video for our marketing team. It is never boring when you don’t have a daily routine. It can sometimes be stressful too because you are often pushing yourself in areas you lack expertise.

What are some of your favorite things about Wyoming?

The people, the outdoors, and our history.

The College of Business is part of the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative Collegiate Program. Does your organization have a code of ethics or a set of guiding principles that it uses for decision-making – and if so, can you share it with us?

Absolutely. We adopted ours from the Code of the West. Handel IT shares its acronym with honesty, integrity, and trust.

Our ethics class has also adopted the Daniels Fund Ethics Initiative principles as their classroom code of conduct and are working to integrate the principles into their classroom culture. Tell me a little about the culture of your organization and how you go about developing a culture of “doing the right thing”.

That is simple. Most of our employees are born and raised in the west, so it comes already built into their DNA. People here are generally good people with high ethical standards. That reflects itself in the people we hire, most of whom are UW students or alumni.

Bill Daniels was the founder of the Daniels Fund. Mr. Daniels believed integrity and an unwavering commitment to ethical behavior provided "the ultimate business advantage." Do you think he was right?

Absolutely. I like to quote legendary Wyoming Senator Al Simpson: “Integrity, if you don’t have it, nothing else matters. If you have it, nothing else matters."

How do you encourage ethical behavior among your Handel IT staff?

Lead by example, not by words. Our CEO, Josh Becker, grew up on a farm in Scottsbluff, NE, and is about as honest as they come. He came to UW and received dual degrees in computer science and management. He is exhibit A when it comes to your definition of a high integrity individual. He leads by example and people follow.

On those occasions when integrity issues do arise, how do you hold your employees accountable?

You have a conversation to explain that what happened cannot happen again. Everyone gets a second chance. Few get a third.

Regarding your community, how do you give back and why is making a difference important to you?

My wife and I give back both in terms of our time and money. That has been an integral part of what it means to be an American ever since Benjamin Franklin founded the first volunteer fire department in 1836. We may have a lesser tax burden than people do living in other countries. We make that up by giving more in terms of our time and money. In our case we have served on dozens of boards over the years and we give to causes we believe in, of which UW is high on the list. Making a difference is so import to me I even wrote a song called “Make a Difference”.

What makes Laramie and Albany County a great place to live?

The people, the outdoors, the seasons, the history, the recreation opportunities, the work opportunities, and the intellectual stimulus created by UW.

In closing, is there a final piece of advice you would like to share with Wyoming business alumni?

I recently wrote this piece for Leadership Wyoming which is probably my favorite “life advice”: One of my favorite books is "Good to Great" by Jim Collins. An enduring theme from this book is the Hedgehog Concept. It is derived from the essay "The Hedgehog and the Fox" by Isaiah Berlin: "A fox knows many things, but a hedgehog knows one big thing" (he rolls up into a ball when threatened). In entrepreneurship, the Hedgehog Concept is applied to new business ideas. Before starting a new venture, you should answer these three questions:

• What are you deeply passionate about?
• What are you really good at?
• Can it have a positive economic impact (can you make money)?

The intersection of those three circles is your Hedgehog Concept.

From my experience, entrepreneurs who follows this principle have much greater odds for success.

Over the years I have also found The Hedgehog Concept to be powerful in many other contexts including leadership, serving your community, and even in your family.

The next time you are asked to lead, volunteer, or tasked with a new challenge ask yourself: Is this something I am truly passionate about? Is this something I am good at? Is this somewhere where I can make a difference or have a positive impact? If the answer to those three simple questions is “yes” then proceed. If not, rethink.