Name: Ken Coleman
Job Title: Chairman
Company: Sama Technologies
Q: With your vast experience, which one of your roles truly sparked your innovative spirit and why?
Well I think the one that sparked the most was when I started a company myself, and the why was my idea, I pulled together a team, got funded, built a product and sold it to people and that was really the most creative and innovative I’ve ever been.
Q: Who was the person, or persons, that influenced you the most about pursuing the path you’ve selected?
Well the foundation was my mother and my father, my father taught me the importance of hard work and my mother taught me the importance of doing the right thing. And I’ve had mentor who has helped me make decisions in my career.
Q: How important are grades/GPA for obtaining a job in this field?
Well,grades and GPA are a key indicator of two things. One would be natural, marked intelligence and talent. The other is focus and hard work. It is not the only indicator of that but it is an important one.
Q: What do you enjoy most about your work?
I have the chance to work with very bright, marked people doing very interesting things.
Q: Do you have any advice for anyone that would like to pursue the same career field as you?
There is no substitute for hard work, you have to be focused and dedicated and committed. And follow your passion.You ought to get up in the morning and be excited about what you do.
Q: Can you tell us one interesting fact that most people don’t know about you?
My grandfather was born a slave.There are two ways I think about it, one way is how dramatically different things are in two generations of my family. The second is that I wonder what they might have been if they had the opportunities that I had.
*This telephonic interview was taken by iUrban Teen Youth Mina Engquist – a 16 year old first year freshman at PCC. Mina plan on studying business with focus on supply chain management and she love writing, art and learning about the world around her*
