The birth of e@gles – our history
E@gles Computer Technology (e@gles) started from humble beginnings in 1995 as a sole proprietorship by Norris N. Parsons of Glenside, Mesopotamia, St. Vincent. In the early stages, it was a one-man consulting company supporting individuals and companies with varying Information Technology needs. It kept a very conservative stance on products, advertising with very slim budgets, with marketing depending mainly on newspaper classified ads, published reviews and direct sales, until the market and scope grew. {{more}}
Because e@gles was a one-man show, Parsons employed a Digital Voice Mail Answering Machine System as his secretary for over a year until he could have afforded to pay a secretary. So when he was out on a job, the office was closed until he returns. The company was practically started with only a used table, a used chair, a shelf of books and software, a borrowed computer, a small bit of savings and a very smart and true young entrepreneur with the vision, focus and insight of an eagle.
e@gles first opened its doors in the Kim’s Building on Grenville Street. When that building was sold e@gles was forced to look for a bigger and better location in the uptown area. The company then moved upstairs the GECCU building on Halifax Street. Later, e@gles was offered the ground floor of the new GECCU building (Old Fast Photo Building), which was taken with a little hesitation sighting the vast rent difference and size of the location. âBecause of our growth, professionalism, performance and vision, once again GECCU offered us the upstairs of the same building to host our Internet Café just over a year of occupying the ground floor. We now occupy the entire building and are looking forward to restructuring and upgrading our products and services,â Norris stated.
In August 2000, e@gles received a Certificate of Nomination, selection and participation in the Millennium 2000 Award (7th World Summit of Young Entrepreneur 2000 Award, New York USA). The Managing Director was nominated and selected by the Institute of Leadership and Development (ILD) in Canada and the World Trade Institute (WTI) USA as an outstanding young entrepreneur from around the world among 300 other Business Executives, Government Officials and Professionals for extraordinary professional work and services, software engineering, job creation and contribution to nation building.
In 1997, Managing Director Norris Parsons visited St. Lucia on the invitation of Microsoft Caribbean and took part in the Microsoft Caribbean Summit amongst other Information Technology Professionals and Business Executives.
In 1998 he visited the Republic of China on Taiwan on a special “Business Study Tour” organized by the SVG Chamber of Industry and Commerce and the Embassy of the Republic of China accompanied by three other Vincentians and other Caribbean delegations.
In 2001 he visited Japan on a special “Information Technology Study Tour” organized by the Government of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Japan. A Young Leaders follow up programme to the Caricom Heads of State Summit and Meeting 2000 in Japan.
There have been numerous published reviews and yearly anniversary coverage of the company in the weekly newspaper over the years. e@gles has grown considerably and now employs several persons with lots of other growth potential.