Off-Line: Industry leaders share their opinions, philosophies of life and off-hours interests

Telecommunications, Feb, 2002 by Bob Dalias

Like most entrepreneurs faced with starting a company from scratch, Bob Dalias coped with the challenge of attracting talent. Not only did his lieutenants need strong backgrounds in their areas of expertise they had to demonstrate initiative, he smarter than Dalias, and most importantly have low-maintenance egos. 'Nothing is more detrimental to a company's culture than executives with egos, "the WaveSmith Networks president and CEO says.

To get the most from team members, Dalias mirrors the leadership style of his former boss at Securities Industry Automation Corp., who treated people fairly, had very high standards and demanded accountability. "No matter how successful I was," Dalias comments, "Andy Bach found ways to stretch my abilities beyond even what I expected to he capable of He showed me that hard work, dedication and never taking oneself too seriously could deliver almost any result."

Dalias earned a bachelor's degree in computer science with a minor in industrial engineering from Brooklyn's Polytechnic University. Before founding WaveSmith, he held positions at Castle Networks, Bay Networks, Crosscomm, Ungermann-Bass and Net Horizon. It was before joining Ungermann-Bass that Dalias made the transition from engineering to product marketing. "Having developed my engineering skills, I was always thinking about the business impact of my job. The business and marketing aspects opened up a new outlet; where I could combine technical know-how with a customer perspective. Making this career move gave me a well-balanced understanding of running a technology company, which is an important step in becoming a CEO, "he says.

As a marketer, Dalias emphasizes "building a product that fixes pain points today, not two years from now. "He suggests growing the company at a conservative pace and keeping burn rates as low as possible. "Times are tough for everyone," he says, "but stay focused and remember to always listen to the customer, not the hype."

* What is your company's dress code?

* Casual. The brightest Hawaiian shirts are even allowed on Fridays!

* What helps your company retain employees?

* Targeting a funded area of the carrier network--we have tremendous opportunity to seize substantial revenue early in the company's selling cycle. We also provide a working environment that promotes a work-hard, play-hard, and family-matters mentality.

* What is your favorite Disney character?

* Figment, the purple imaginary dragon. Imagination is the key to invention. Anything is possible if you don't limit your perspective.

* What is your best marketing tool?

* Public relations is one of the most effective ways to get your message out in a credible fashion. Trade shows are important in terms of "buzz" and looking good in front of the competition, but they have lost the ability to generate quality sales leads.

* Where do you plan to retire?

* I like summer and winter but need an escape from both. I hope to retire with two homes, one in Arizona and possibly the one I have in New Hampshire, with plenty of vacations in between.

* What is the biggest change you foresee in the industry over the next five years?

* RBOCs competing with cable companies for video, while cable companies go after RBOCs for voice.

* How far is your home from company headquarters?

* About 30 minutes without traffic, but we know that's impossible in Massachusetts.

* What do you consider the coolest telecom technology out there?

* Wireless, I always like being connected, although I worry about having a Web phone while driving and how dangerous I'd be.