KodHedZ Software Development, Inc. is an innovative Victoria based company with a global client portfolio specializing in application design for ASP.NET and DotNetNuke platforms. As an original DotNetNuke Core Team member Kodhedz President and Chief Architect Mark Hoskins received recognition as one of a handful of DNN experts worldwide. Chosen by internationally respected organizations such as the Hertz Corporation and Sundance Film Festival, Kodhedz has overseen fraud elimination, search engine optimization, ecommerce, and complex business processes. Since incorporating in 2005 Kodhedz’s lead man has been flown to Manhattan and Beverly Hills to train development and project management teams. His clarity in translating management strategy into technical terms facilitates cohesive, tangible goals for the disparate departments and contractors that clients depend on for project completion. Local high profile companies consult with Mark, providing referrals that are increasing Kodhedz’s visibility as a valuable leader in the IT community.
Kodhedz Software’s first two and a half years in business have shown significant growth based on annual sales, quarterly comparisons, and clientele within Canada. Even as the U.S. exchange rate plummeted from a fiscal year average of 1.235% in 2004, to 1.14% in 2005 and 2006, Kodhedz gross figures in Canadian dollars continue to rise. Between the 2004-5 and 2005-6 fiscal years, we enjoyed a remarkable increase of 38.4% gross receipts. Quarterly comparisons for October –December, our slowest period, show a steady increase of 8.9% from 2004-2005, and 55.4% from 2005 to 2006. Comparing the current period of October 1-February 12 in 2007 vs. 2006 we find another increase of 18.9%. Our Canadian client base has grown substantially as well, from 7% in 2004, 25% in 2005, to 50% in 2006.
Steps taken to implement this plan include securing a toll-free number 1-888-KODHEDZ (563-4339) which forwards to a call centre available twenty four hours a day, seven days a week for customer service and technical assistance. Overhead costs will be kept low, with the investment focus on improved technology and marketing. Mark’s primary development efforts have shifted from software sales to custom development, resulting in lucrative long term contracts with internationally recognized companies. In negotiating larger projects, Mark has honed his proposal writing methods. He has successfully completed projects of a progressively challenging scope. Additionally, Mark foresees exponential growth in customizable website hosting packages and subscription-based services, creating affordable options for a broader customer base. To this end, high priority is placed on acquiring a server, to be managed by a Vancouver company. This will allow a quick response to client needs or mechanical malfunction. To keep manpower costs to a minimum, Mark will continue to contract highly qualified associates by the project. Kodhedz has partnered with a local IT company to utilize their boardroom for formal presentations, negating the need for traditional office space.
Solid first steps toward reaching the Greater Victoria area have been made by purchasing a listing in the yellow pages of the 2007 phone book, and by joining the Chamber of Commerce. Marketing outlets that would maximize Kodhedz Software’s brand recognition in Canada and the U.S. are online resource directories, print catalogues such as Component Source, half page ads in IT and business industry magazines such as Information Week and ASP.NET Developer Pro, and radio time on stations in major Canadian cities. These are low cost, high impact methods we plan to employ over the next two years. A five page article by Mark, titled “Rapid Module Development for DotNetNuke”, was published as the third installment in a series by DotNetNuke (DNN) experts in the February 2006 issue of .NET Developers Journal. It was highlighted on the cover as a featured article, and can be viewed at http://dndj.sys-con.com/read/180968.htm The publisher has requested future submissions from Mark on advanced techniques, which Mark hopes to cultivate into a regular column.
Client satisfaction is achieved through Mark’s dedication to excellence. If necessary, he will work seven days a week to ensure launch dates are met. Appreciation of this level of service is commended in a letter from Augusto Borras, Hertz Manager of Sales & Marketing Automation, Latin America, Mexico and Caribbean.
“I would personally like to thank you for the tremendous effort that you and your company put into making our Hertz #1 Partners program a success. You managed to maintain a high level of quality while working around the clock to meet our launch date…We feel that the program is a state of the art program and are very satisfied with the way it is running.”
Mark Hoskins is a self-taught coding expert, specializing in ASP.NET with a thorough understanding of Visual Basic, SQL, web services and distributed components. Local clients have sought him out, enthusiastic to have a .NET developer in Victoria. From a humble start with no outside funding, Mark now supports a family of four in the middle class income bracket. Mark has furthered his knowledge of open source software by serving as a key developer in the formation of DNN’s versions 2, 3 and 4 releases. By participating in weekly online meetings, moderating and spearheading forum threads, and contributing five to ten hours per week of free development and planning time as a Project Lead on quality control, Mark received professional promotion and an inside preview of products and platform updates. DNN’s user base is over 394,000, is rated the fifth most popular open source project in the world, and has been sponsored by Microsoft since 2004. Mark Hoskins was listed as a contributor in the Wrox publication “Professional DotNetNuke ASP.NET Portals”, released in 2005. Mark accurately predicted an increase of public interest in leveraging open source software for savings in both time and cost. He regularly coaches clients through the complex process of upgrading versions and configuring to utilize the .NET framework within their enterprise. Mark has shared his expertise with the Victoria .NET User’s Group by leading a presentation entitled “Advanced Tips and Tricks for .NET” in 2005.
Mark Hoskins is sensitive to the changing needs of businesses seeking a stronger online presence and a streamlined infrastructure. His signature method of “clean coding” meticulously condenses lines of code, removing the extraneous data that is often the result of previous programmers’ patchwork execution. To ease future upgrades, Mark is diligent about maintaining individuality among separate functions within his programs wherever possible. This prevents the common crises faced when a single altered line of code could destroy a program, rendering useless all dependent programs.
The continuous invention of programs that fill the gaps in mainstream software functionality have provided Mark’s company with a reputation for generating fresh concepts. The subscription based Content Server, for example, provides one central online storage location for documents and images. An individual or business can file works-in-progress, accessing documents with a security code. This item may be posted on any number of websites by accessing the central file. Any time an update is made to the stored document, ALL postings of that document are automatically updated. The Kodhedz License Server generates and regulates software licenses. When a client purchases software online, a unique product license is emailed along with links to download the new software. These licenses may be viewed by product or date of purchase for error-free monitoring. Form Templates are versatile and inexpensive tools used for purposes as varied as alumni surveys or rental agent data entry. The Portal Duplicator eases the burden of creating child portals, such as in a franchise situation, by migrating large amounts of data. Mark thrives on the creative challenges presented by an ever changing technology climate, helping his clients to achieve their visions.