Why Extensitech?

Chris Cain

Founder, Solutions Architect

My name is Chris Cain, Solutions Architect and Founding Partner of Extensitech, LLC.  I began working with FileMaker in 1992 with version 2.1, and I am FileMaker Certified for version 8 through the current version.

At heart, though, I am not a “techie”. I have many years of experience as a Business Analyst and Business Consultant, and I believe that that, more than anything, makes me effective and efficient in helping you to grow and improve your business, and in building a custom software solution that caters specifically to your needs.

When I began with FileMaker, I was running a small business in Orlando, and improving the in-house FileMaker solution as needs arose. In that position, I learned about the challenges and rewards of running a small business. With less than ten employees, everyone has to “wear a lot of hats”, and I needed to learn a bit of everything: customer service, marketing, human resources, inventory management, accounting and customer relationship management, just to name a few. I also learned how to address these and other challenges using what were then emerging technologies, including FileMaker Pro.

Later, I spent several years in business analysis and business consulting for larger businesses in Orlando, Research Triangle Park in North Carolina, and Silicone Valley in California. I worked on larger projects and with enterprise-level software like Seibel, Oracle and PeopleSoft. My role was to primarily gather project requirements, help the users with the software and identify opportunities to leverage the software.

In working with these larger companies and larger projects, I never forgot my roots in small business and my experiences with FileMaker. Often, to work out or explain a particularly challenging data need or business process I’d mock it up in FileMaker.

I began to notice that many of the key features of enterprise software were also possible using FileMaker. I also noticed that although many of the business processes that were used in larger companies didn’t make sense for small businesses, there were also many that were generally unknown to small businesses because in the past, the required software was prohibitively expensive.

In 2001, I returned to Florida, resolved to work again with small businesses, and to convert the knowledge and experience from large, expensive projects to more effective, less costly projects for smaller businesses. I worked as an independent for a few years and then in 2004 formed Extensitech, Inc. (later changed to Extensitech, LLC).

I was able to quickly create software solutions for distribution companies, an agriculture company, non-profit organizations, a membership organization, printing companies, a document management company, a franchise company, a photography studio, a delivery company and many, many more. I also worked on existing FileMaker solutions, where the clients just wanted to “tweak” a solution they already had.

In each case, I listened to the clients’ needs, and built (or modified) solutions so that they worked for each client’s business. Given my experience, I am often able offer insight into other ways of doing things, from other industries and other business sizes, which you won’t get from an industry specialist.

One of the reasons I returned to Florida was that I was fed up with the attitudes found in big projects and consulting companies. The emphasis there is often on protecting the account, and booking the hours, rather than getting the job done correctly and quickly.

My attitude is that I’m either making you money, saving you money, or wasting your money. I never want to waste your money, or your trust, just to make a buck. If I can’t add value to your project, I’ll tell you so. I’ve done it before. Even once a project is started, if I see that there’s a better or less expensive way to meet your needs without my help, I’ll let you know and tell you how. I’ve done that before, too. My integrity and your trust are far more important to me that keeping your account active or billing you for more hours.

This is why at Extensitech, our free initial consult is just that: a consultation, not a sales pitch.