N & V: The Omnia Group has been in business for 17 years. How do you compare The Omnia Group of 1985 to today’s version?
John: The Omnia Group differs in many ways, but three in particular. First, in 1985, there were only a few players in the behavioral profiling business. If imitation is the height of flattery, Omnia's success has invited a lot of interest, competition, and, well, flattery!
Second, Omnia was a pure vanilla behavioral profiling company in 1985. Today, we are the market leaders in creating electronic benchmarks of job and workplace demands. We offer selection services in a variety of instruments; we profile for career advising, partnership and team building; we do broad studies of workplaces to reduce stress and enhance productivity and morale; we offer background checks and drug screening; and we offer an extended array of management services, ranging from helping employees commit to a client's core values to employee attitude surveys (not just statistical results, but concrete recommendations for improving morale and managerial effectiveness).
Third, because of the first two, we are now 33 associates in Tampa and six in Hamilton, New Zealand, all committed to delivering the unexpected in terms of clients, helpfulness and service.
N & V: What sets The Omnia Group apart from companies that offer similar services?
John: Omnia does "self-awareness" profiles only to demonstrate that our profile is accurate. We are distinct because of the work we do with a client before profiling, to learn what the client is looking for, to understand a client's environmental factors, so our recommendation is more than a personality definition. We gather this information with extreme efficiency -- usually within a matter of minutes.
N & V: As president/CEO of The Omnia Group, what aspect of the business are you most proud of and why?
John: We have probably got the best collection of people here of any company our size. There is not one I worry about. This is, of course, due to profiling. But it is also due to our commitment to partnership management, a service we offer to all our clients.
N & V: Who or what has served as your greatest source of inspiration as you’ve guided the company through the years?
John: As a die-hard entrepreneur, I am cursed with way too much self-inspiration. The person who has helped me the most, forced me to ask -- and answer -- the tough questions, is Omnia's co-founder, executive vice president, and most importantly, my wife of 28 years, Heather Caswell.
N & V: Where do you see The Omnia Group five years from now?
John: Omnia is on the cusp of important growth. Our people, organization, products, services, loyal client base and good name poises us for growth in profiling, career counseling, management consulting, training and development -- worldwide. I predict a 10-fold increase in revenues in the coming five-year period.
