Joella is a visionary. Joella is an evangelist. Joella creates success.
She listened to the kernel of an idea, put together a team, sold the concept internally, and brought Alta Vista to the world. The resulting business-sold to CMGI-represents the largest single sale ever made by the company. She saw the business opportunity, initiated the project, sold a beta site and brought the first Web-based bookstore to the world. She worked with the government of the capital of Silicon Valley, saw their need and, via the web, presented the city of Palo Alto, California to the world. An idea is simply an idea. It goes nowhere without the guts and energy to push it into successful existence.
Companies are large amorphous masses. They struggle toward profit. They listen to many stories. They house many potentials for success and capitalize on few. Periodically a force pushes a company toward success. There is always a strong and knowledgeable individual behind each of these successes.
Joella pushed Digital Equipment Corporation into the World Wide Web arena, creating a separate, fully funded division four years ahead of its competition. She saw the opportunity, fought the amorphous mass and brought a new business model to the world.
She saw what the Digital Equipment Neutral Internet Exchange concept could mean to the world. She introduced it to the United States and the world. She worked with country leaders and heads of major corporations to raise worldwide awareness of the huge potential of this concept. This business is expected to gross billions annually for the rest of the history of mankind. The resulting business-sold to AboveNet-represents the second largest single sale ever made by the company.
The end of the nineties has seen the end of large profits for computer hardware focused corporations. They must expand their vision to total business solutions. Computers and wires have served us well. But wires can not interconnect the mobile communication the world has come to expect. This is the age that connects people anywhere anytime. Joella moved Compaq Computers from a vision of hardware for the masses to anywhere anytime communication for the masses.
Joella has run her own businesses. She has lived and worked in China, Mediterranean/Middle East, Europe, Africa, Latin America, and Canada. She is fully accustomed to forging successful business relationships in foreign cultures. Her national and international "relationship capital" is outstanding. Ask her-ask the participants-about the international relationships she has created.
Joella is on the advisory board of the Silicon Valley World Internet Center, and several Silicon Valley Internet startups.