the ode family

Ode Family Credits Long-Term Growth & Success to Family of Employees

December 15, 2017 | STRONGSVILLE, Ohio — Foundation Software, LLC., developer of FOUNDATION® construction accounting and project management software, received its sixth consecutive Weatherhead 100 award, marking the 11th occasion that the company has received this honor. The award celebrates Northeast Ohio’s top growing companies, but CEO and founder Fred Ode sees Foundation’s real success as more than the 104% growth in revenue and 110 additional hires for which they’re being recognized.

Ode elaborates, “With the success of a business, you can talk about numbers, market trends, economic conditions, new entry points — and these are all important. But what it honestly comes down to is people — finding the right people who have ownership of the vision and are dedicated to it. And we’ve been fortunate and have done a good job of knowing where to find those people.”

One of the biggest sources of talent has been family and friends. Foundation’s identity as a family company goes beyond having three generations of Odes active in the business. Ode also talks about a family approach with employees and a family culture that extends to employees’ relations and friends. “Many businesses shy away from hiring relatives,” he says.  “But we’ve made many of our best hires from family and friends of employees. We have husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, parents and children, and tons of friends. Exceptional individuals come from exceptional people. It’s a formula that works well for us, and our success is a true measure of that.”

As the company’s product and service lines continue to evolve with its growth, Ode points out, Foundation’s approach of building a strong family-centered culture will remain key. “We’re committed to creating a workplace that people enjoy coming to, because it helps everyone succeed. If you do what’s right for your employees, it always comes back to you in a big way.”

The Weatherhead 100 is based out of Case Western Reserve University’s Weatherhead School of Management. The annual award recognizes companies that help set the standard of entrepreneurship in Northeast Ohio. Weatherhead criteria look at both leadership and growth.

About Foundation Software

Foundation Software delivers job cost accounting, project management and mobile applications, along with payroll and bookkeeping services, to help contractors run the business side of construction. For more information on how to track critical construction information, call (800) 246-0800 or visit foundationsoft.com

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