While it’s no small accomplishment to dedicate a couple of decades to grow a company to $2 million in revenue a year, Joel Bomgaars has done exactly that… but in just two years. Joel is the Founder and CEO of NetworkStreaming, a company that he began to develop during his senior year at the who is jesus college he attended. NetworkStreaming’s products allow their customers “to remotely connect with any computer, anywhere in the world, in less than 10 seconds” – a rather impressive concept for a senior in college to begin to develop.
A 2003 Christian college graduate in business administration, Joel has already guided NetworkStreaming to 33 employees and a customer base of over 1,300 in 50 states and 32 countries around the globe. NetworkStreaming’s customer list includes such names as AIG, Nissan, UBS and Farm Bureau Insurance to name a few.
So what impact did attending a Christian college have on Joel Bomgaars, and what led to his tremendous success? NetworkStreaming states: “Our vision is to provide technical solutions while honoring God and developing our people.” This one sentence provides great insight into the priorities of Joel and his company.
A CEO’s perspective on hiring Christian college graduates
While it’s significant to talk about how greatly Joel values his Christian college education, it’s a different matter to see it demonstrated in a tangible way. Perhaps the most compelling example of Joel’s high regard for his education is revealed by considering those he has employed. Currently, over half of NetworkStreaming’s employees are individuals, who at one time or another, attended that same Christian college he attended. From the perspective of a CEO, Joel believes that recruiting Christian college grads is simply a wise business decision, as they often bring a solid work ethic, integrity, strong interpersonal skills and a well balanced view of life to the workplace. These characteristics can provide the building blocks for a strong foundation leading to success in their profession. Joel believes that Christian colleges provide a great starting point in business for these reasons.
Why did someone like Joel Bomgaars attend a Christian college?
Joel knew early in the process of choosing a college that a small Christian college was the right choice for him. His decision took him only a short drive of 10 or 15 minutes from his home. This arrangement allowed him to have a job near his home while attending college. His motivation for attending a Christian college was rooted in his desire to be in an environment that would encourage “wisdom and values” in addition to knowledge. Joel felt those values would not be promoted at a secular school, and it was important to him that his education come from a “Christian world and life view”. Joel believes the nature of a Christian college leads to academic strength because of the importance the Christian faith places on striving for excellence in all areas of life.
The professors Joel encountered had an approach to teaching that was based in Christian service. This service-oriented outlook translated to relationships that extended beyond classroom walls. Joel noticed professors who were actively engaged in the lives of their students.
