By Dennis Jones
Staying connected on the go now poses a global challenge, with mobile consumers running the risk of paying exorbitant fees for roaming data. And therefore, BBC Business Live took the opportunity to interview our CEO, Gary Griffiths, to discuss iPass’ connectivity solution.
Griffiths summed up the iPass solution with a promise to customers, that iPass will connect them to wireless, wherever they are in the world. A promise backed up by a very big network, comprising 50 million hotspots and a global footprint across 120 countries.
Griffiths also mentioned that wireless users today are not only worried about accessing wireless on the go, but are equally concerned about the security and privacy of their Wi-Fi connection.
In a world where Wi-Fi connectivity is no longer an option but a necessity, Griffiths noted that iPass provides a cost-effective solution for a mobile workforce. And when pressed on iPass’ recent history, Griffiths offered strong partnerships and unique technology as reasons why iPass offered the greatest opportunity in the technology space today.
Life of change
The interview, then, turned to Griffiths’ own personal journey, beginning with a formative education at the United States Naval Academy. At Annapolis, Griffiths studied Aerospace Engineering, but wasn’t exactly a standout pupil. Without exactly dredging up the particulars of his collegiate record, Griffiths confessed that his “prowess” in the air was enough to make his commanding officers quickly reassign him to nuclear submarines.
Griffiths next talked about his life of change, with the personal lessons learned in leadership and integrity at Annapolis. From nuclear subs, he transitioned to business, including an impressive 16-year stint at IBM in the early days of PC’s.
IBM spurred a move to Silicon Valley to found his own tech company, a gaming startup in the early days of the internet.
When prompted, he leaves this pearl of wisdom for aspiring entrepreneurs: dedication and doing the hard work bring an idea to successful fruition.
UK viewers can see the video on the BBC web player.