HUNTSVILLE—
Starting a new business in today's tough economic climate seems like a daunting task but one Huntsville woman is proving it can be done even in the highly competitive technology industry.Preetha Pulusani founded a software company called Deep Target more than a year ago in the heart of the economic downturn. She has a background in tech and when she got a chance to buy the rights to some web-based marketing software, she seized it.
Deep Target's software is designed to help banks and credit unions make more money. It uses complex models to target product offers to customers as they bank online.
Banks around the country have already signed on and Pulusani said her business is now going global, "We have several Alabama Credit Unions," Preetha said. "There's one in Tullahoma called assent Credit Union."
Pulusani readily acknowledges the challenges of building a tech start-up. She admits she made mistakes in the beginning not realizing how little money would actually be coming in. Studying with Huntsville's business incubator Biz Tech helped. So did conservative budgeting. Now, as 2010 comes to a close Pulusani is optimistic about her company's future.
Pulusani thinks Huntsville is a good place for tech-minded entrepreneurs to follow their dreams. There is so much intellectual capital in the area and lower costs associated with starting a company than in some other major tech hot-spots.
Still, Pulusani encourages anyone thinking of starting a tech company to make a plan.
"If you have energy, enthusiasm and an idea then go for it," Pulusani said, "[It's just] very important to spend some time and really understand what it takes.
To watch Michelle Stark's profile on Deep Target, click on the video link accompanying this story.
Click to learn more about Deep Target.
