If you had to describe Kristin Tucker’s business philosophy in just one word, it might be this: responsive.
“The last couple of years have shown us that no one really knows what’s going to happen next. Flexibility to adapt to an ever-changing environment is key; sticking to ‘the plan’ when the world takes a sharp right turn is rarely effective,” Tucker said. “Responsiveness — to your employees, your customers, the market — is critical. If you aren’t responding to their needs, your competition will.”
Tucker is managing principal of TDK Technologies. The company provides information technology consulting and custom software development through individual staff assignments, capacity teams and deliverable-based work.
The recent pandemic hasn’t been the only disruptor in TDK’s history. The company has been through several other challenges, including two recessions and the catastrophic loss of one of its co-founders (Tucker’s husband) in 2004.
“Founding TDK Technologies in April of 2001 was a huge leap of faith for my two partners and me, but we took that leap based on the confidence we had in each other’s abilities and the business plan we had built. Little did we know what lay ahead five months later, when everything changed on 9/11,” Tucker said. “But we made it through everything that’s been thrown our way and proudly approach our 22nd anniversary this spring!”
The company recently completed a reorganization to provide better support for clients and field consultant team members. TDK’s new structure includes the creation of a service delivery organization, which provides support to clients from the moment they hire a TDK consultant through the entirety of the engagement and beyond.
The reorganization also expanded TDK’s People organization, responsible for supporting all team members and driving their culture and core values of Have Fun; Hire Quality, Deliver Quality; Do the Right Thing; Understand the Customer; and Be Transparent.
“In the technology industry, there is constant change; it sometimes takes a crystal ball to try to figure out what the hot new technologies will be,” Tucker said. “We work closely with our clients to make sure we know where they’re spending their R&D time and money, so we can make sure we have the talent/skills they need when they go to adopt a new set of tools.”
“Making this educational investment in our team members ensures they feel valued and gives them marketable skills to continue expanding their careers,” she continued. “In 2023, we plan to continue our focus on leading from a People First point of view and ensuring that all TDK team members have the opportunity to continue to grow their careers while providing excellent quality service to our clients.”
