NSI looks for differences

As North Shore Innovations (NSI) approaches its second year in business, Nicole Elias, co-owner, says much of the company's success can be attributed to its motto: smaller, different, better.

Elias, with partner, Jean Rowland-Poplawski, founded the company in 1996 to provide "function-focused" customized training and data services.

Function-focused training is based on the philosophy that training works best when it builds on what the learner already knows and what they need to learn. "We're different in that we are performance developers," Elias explains. "We customize our training around a company's needs to make it performance-related. We follow our clients through the entire process, including working with them after the training is completed."

Elias and Poplawski say they have tried to blend the philosophies of academic training with business training. "We felt there was a gap in what was happening in academic training and business training. We wanted to create something that was in the middle."

"We build our sessions around the adult learner," adds Poplawski. "We try to relate the training directly to them, to make it more adult-friendly."

NSI works with a network of 18 consultants who offer training and data services for software application development, Internet web services and networking services. Clients range from government, such as the City of Toledo, to construction clients like Rudolph/Libbe, to non-profit organizations such as Junior Achievement. The majority of training is done on a company's site, although off-site training is offered to clients who need or prefer a different location.

To avoid learner burnout, training sessions rarely exceed four hours at a time.

Since the company was founded, 100% of its clients have been referral-based. "I think our success is due partly to the very close relationships we establish with our clients," says Elias. "We have relationship transactions, not just business transactions."

With the trend toward businesses becoming learning organizations, Poplawski sees continued growth and opportunity for companies such as NSI. "We're seeing an enormous shift to our type of training in Toledo."