10 years in the Life of GLOBAL-ROAM
An Innovative Start-up Company?

Do we still qualify as "start-up" if we are nearly 10 years old?
It certainly feels that way to us, with so much opportunity ahead of us (though hopefully we don't make as many mistakes these days)!

Are we "innovative"?
You'd be a more objective judge of this than us!

The following table has been prepared to give you an idea of how our company shareholding has evolved:

2000

The company was formed in 2000 by 3 equal partners, who saw an opportunity in the newly created Australian National Electricity Market (NEM).

2000-2004

Over this period, we gradually developed a number of software products for the NEM - and diversified into the newly created electricity market in Ontario.

Our business model was significantly, and iteratively, refined as a result of the direct feedback we continued to receive from the market.

Of the 3 partners, only Paul McArdle (our Managing Director) played an active role in the business, on a day-to-day basis.

2005

In 2005, we implemented our Employee Share Ownership Plan (ESOP), and succeeded in attracting one of our key employees to buy into the company under Round 1 of the ESOP.

3% of company shares not owned by the founders

2007

This was a year of substantial change for the company, designed to position the company for the next stage of its development.

Amongst other things:
(a)   We moved into larger office space to facilitate an expansion of our team of full-time developers.
(b)   The share register was consolidated - our Managing Director bought out one of the other founding partners. This was a positive development, providing the company greater stability in the implementation of its business model.
(c)   We had 5 other employees/former-employees join our share register under Round 2 of our ESOP offer.  Now we had 14% of company shares not owned by the founders - which was a positive development, leading to greater alignment and more beneficial input.

These 3 changes set the company up for the next stages of its development.

2008

Through this year, the changes implemented previously increasingly generated considerable gains in a number of key result areas.

Without a doubt, having expanded the shareholder base has made a significant positive contribution to the company's success.

2009

In July 2009, we completed Round 3 of the ESOP.

We did this for a couple of reasons, including the following:
1)  A number of new employees joined the company over the past 18 months; and
2)  We are seeking to build on the positive benefit already received from our 3 existing ex-employee/owners by inviting pre-selected others to join.
3)  In addition, the capital will be of some assistance as we progressively tackle some of the opportunities for ongoing business development we now see.

As a result of this round, we had 3 new shareholders join us (being employees who had joined us after Round 2).  It also resulted in an increase of the company held other than by the founders (percentage rising from 14% to 22%, which is another positive development).

2010+

We foresee a number of developments that will assist us to provide even better service to our growing number of clients in the years ahead.

More about that later....

 

If you would like further information, we'd suggest both of the following:

(a)   We've put a page together that describes our Investment Philosophy.

(b)   In April 2009, we also began blogging about what happens "behind the scenes" within the company.  Our commentary (when we have the time to post) should provide you more details about what our company is like (warts and all), from a practical perspective.