Hey everyone, it’s Jill Yahnite here on Beyond the Deal, where we dive deep into the strategies that take businesses further. In this episode, I sit down with my longtime acquaintance Barbara Vankirk, founder of IQ Inc., a custom software development firm she’s grown over 30 years. We chat about weathering economic storms from 9/11 to COVID, building lasting client relationships, fostering a flexible employee culture, and harnessing AI for smarter product development and skills tracking. Barbara shares how in-person connections still matter in sales, the differences in working with startups versus big corporations, and why failing fast with new tech is key. If you’re a business owner navigating uncertainty or curious about AI’s role in tech, this conversation is packed with practical wisdom. Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share your thoughts in the comments!

Guest Introduction:
I’ve known Barbara Vankirk for nearly 20 years, and it’s great to have her on the show. She’s the founder and leader of IQ Inc., a powerhouse in custom software solutions for industries like medical devices, transportation, and energy. Starting with just a handful of employees, she’s scaled it to a team of 50-70 full-timers, focusing on excellence and flexibility. Her insights on leading through economic ups and downs are spot on for any entrepreneur.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbaravankirk/ 

Key Takeaways:
• Building strong relationships is crucial, especially in tough times—stay connected with clients even when they’re not buying, and help them through personal challenges too.
• Flexibility in work culture pays off; we talked about how allowing ‘closet coders’ to work their optimal hours helped IQ thrive, even pre-COVID.
• With larger companies, adapt to their processes, but bring diverse ideas; for startups, offer more mentoring and best practices to guide their growth.
• AI isn’t a threat—it’s a tool for identifying skill gaps in employees, speeding up product development, and even matching team skills to client needs quickly.
• Face-to-face meetings still beat virtual for big-picture strategy, but screen time gets things moving faster in sales cycles.
Follow-up is key in sales; don’t let opportunities slip by not asking the right questions or collecting data for quick yes or no decisions.

Chapter Markers:
0:00 Intro
0:54 Guest Introduction
3:00 Company Growth and Overview
5:00 Economic Shifts Over the Years
6:00 Leading Clients Through Tough Times
9:00 Digging Deeper on AI and Delays
10:00 Employee Side: Conversations and Culture
13:00 Flexibility in Tech Work Pre- and Post-COVID
17:00 Building Trust and Recognition in Teams
18:00 Engaging Big Companies vs. Startups
21:00 Adapting to Processes and Trends
23:00 Face-to-Face vs. Virtual Meetings
25:00 Working with Global Clients
26:00 AI’s Impact on Business and Development
29:00 Tools for Skills and RFPs
30:00 Closing and Golf Dreams

Keywords:
Jill Yahnite, Barbara Vankirk, Beyond the Deal podcast, software development, economic shifts, client relationships, employee culture, AI in tech, custom software, IQ Inc, business flexibility, sales strategies, product development, COVID impact, startup consulting