Hartford Business Journal

August 31 - September 5, 1998

Resume

Name:
A.J. Wasserstein
Company/organization:
President, ArchivesOne in Waterbury
Hometown:
Southbury
Job History:
" I've really been an entrepreneur since business school. I started my business from scratch in 1991."
Education:
Bachelor's degree in Russian studies, Colgate University, Hamilton, New York University, 1988; master of business administration, New York University, 1990
Accomplishments:
"On a professional level, I've built a rapidly growing business with a strong emphasis and value on people. I have a great marriage with my wife - we're expecting our first child - and she's my best friend."

Document management may not seem very glamorous; but at ArchivesOne, A.J. Wasserstein takes a creative approach to customer and employee relations, and makes it fun.

Working under his preferred title - director of customer happiness - Wasserstein devised a CARE (Customers Are Really Everything) program. Top accounts receive a quarterly candy mailer, and key customers meet twice a year on a User Group Advisory Board for performance feedback.

For employees there is a monthly breakfast club, open to all for suggestions and comments; a bonus program for recruitment; and a staff smoking-cessation program. Wasserstein's creativity in caring for his employees and customers is a great way to keep his young business growing.

What was the toughest decision you had to make in your professional life?

I think the toughest thing to do - the hardest thing, I feel - is to make the right decision even if I know it's going to hurt me individually or the company. Sometimes we have to make hard decisions, where lesser people would take shortcuts and [make] compromises, and we have to stick to our morals. We have to really wear a whit hat sometimes, even if it hurts us financially.

What was the hardest lesson you learned that you would pass along?

You have to have a tremendous amount of energy, enthusiasm, leadership and patience to make things happen.

How do you define success?

Achieving the goals I set out for myself while still keeping every part of my life in balance.