Q: What percentage of them currently has some kind of digital portfolio on the Internet?

A: The key is to get a site like ModelWire, a professional site that only professionals can access. We don't want to make it available to the public; we think it should be only for the business professional. What ModelWire does is to make the professional's job much simpler and easier.

Q: Does ModelWire require a large technology staff?

A: We only need a few developers. When we first started, we had a technical staff of 15 people and I think they got in each other's way. After we reduced the staff, things seemed to get done faster, and everybody was on the same page. I think you don't need many technology people to the job done.

Q: So, the key to your business is not just the technology, but understanding the business process and the needs of the marketplace. Then you use technology and leverage the Internet to increase productivity.

A: Yes, that is exactly right. We customized an exact solution to meet the needs of the professionals in this industry. With the technology available today, you don't have to be super-large agency to look like one.
When we first installed the system in Brazil, they looked at it and saIdent, 'Now I will be able to send my models directly to Vogue magazine without partnering with an agency in New York to get the entrée to Vogue.'

I feel we are going in the right direction. We get converts every day. What I want to do eventually is to provide services to every segment of the industry. The models and agencies need booking, accounting and imaging services, while the client, or the end-user, need a system for finding models and other production services required for the job.