Talking Shop with Chris Edmonds, founder of Element 74

Element 74 is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Leading the way has been its founder, Chris Edmonds. A native of Cape Girardeau, Edmonds has lived in the area most of his life except for a two-year stint in Seattle. Edmonds graduated from Cape Girardeau Central High School and Southeast Missouri State University, where he majored in philosophy and German. Southeast Missourian business reporter Brian Blackwell recently caught up with Edmonds to learn more about how he started Element 74.

Q: Tell me about your family's origin.

A: In regard to family, my ancestors immigrated from Baden Baden, Germany. They arrived in the early to mid-1800s and settled in Apple Creek area just north of Cape. My grandfather, who survived the Depression era, didn't even speak English until he was nine or 10 years old.

Q: Who has influenced you the most?

A: My grandfather, Thomas L. Meyer, who just turned 90 in December, has been the most influential. I've never seen a more dedicated man to God, family and others who has such an incredible attitude toward life and is grounded with integrity. He is who I try to model my personal and professional life after, and if I could live up to one-tenth of his legacy, then I would consider my life a success. His resilience, determination and faith can be encapsulated in the Bible verse, Jeremiah 17:7-8.

Q: If you could trade places with anyone for a day, with whom would it be and why?

A: I have two people I would like to trade places with. The first would be someone on Winston Churchill's staff in 1941 or 1942 during the height of World War II, so I could witness him in action. I admire the fact that although Churchill's life was marred with adversity and failure, he continued to fight and never surrender. The other would be J.R.R. Tolkien. Not only was he such an incredible writer, but he was also close friends with C.S. Lewis, and I would love to sit in on one of their conversations.

Q: If you could go back to any time period in history, where would it be and why?

A: Palestine in the year 32 A.D. to witness the ministry of Jesus Christ.

Q: What is something most people don't know about you?

A: Good question. I think most of my friends would say that I'm pretty transparent. Outside of work, which I do quite a bit of, I love to exercise, especially with my family. I also love traveling, scuba diving, golfing and going on mission trips. A little side story was when I was three years old, I did release the parking brake on our family car that was parked on a hill, drove it across Cape Rock Drive, down Howell Street and into somebody's kitchen. It should have killed me, but I walked away without a scratch.

Q: How did you get started in your business?

A: I started what is now Element 74 in late 1999 and early 2000. The Internet was beginning to take shape, gain momentum and literally change the world. I was convinced that eventually it would also transform the way businesses market their services and sell their products. I wanted to be on the front end of this shift in technology and business.

Q: What kind of background do you have that helped when starting the business?

A: My background consisted of software and database development, as well as experience with design and page layout. This certainly made the transition to programming and designing websites a natural fit. On the flip side, my lack of management skills early on was a huge obstacle for me. Like most business owners, I had to learn a few things the hard way.

Q: How has the economy affected your business?

A: Other than a slight drop-off in January, sales have been very strong this year, and we have even had to bring on additional staff to keep pace. Businesses and organizations are realizing, now more than ever, how important a professionally designed website is for their success.

Q: What does the future looks like, and to what or whom do you credit the growth?

A: The future at Element 74 looks extremely bright. We are very excited about the recent move to our new facility at 113 S. Silver Springs Road. We have also enjoyed double-digit growth for the last five years running, and this year appears to be no exception. Despite what the media tells us about the economy, I expect that trend to continue. The reason for our growth and success is very simple. No company or organization can be successful without exceptional people, and I have been incredibly blessed with a team of talented, dedicated and committed employees. To them I credit all of our success.