![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/columbia-office-1.jpg\")
If it seems like a steep hill to climb, consider this: A mere 10 years ago, then-DocuGraphics was a $3 million performer. Ever since the pandemic, the growth has been significant, from about $8 million in 2020 to $17.5 million in 2023. Granted, the company saw a major infusion with the early 2023 acquisition of Custom Cloud Solutions (CCS), a Columbia-based managed IT and cloud solutions provider. But Fimian is following the numbers, and they suggest a legitimate path toward achieving that magic number of $120 million.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe have the track record of being able to scale the growth,\u201d Fimian said. \u201cLooking ahead, that long-term financial goal of becoming a good-sized workplace technology provider isn\u2019t that far-fetched. If you\u2019re not investing in your business, not making at least 10% in net profit, you\u2019re moving backwards and treading water. A lot of the investments are paid with profit. If you don\u2019t have any profit, you cannot afford to have a warehouse that\u2019s nicely stocked or have money set aside to do an acquisition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cIf we say we want to become a $25 million company in 10 years, that\u2019s an out-of-business strategy. We need the consistent growth that\u2019s scalable and sustainable in the long run.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Levifi has grown significantly from its humble beginnings as a Xerox agency of four people. The company transitioned to a full-scale dealership and now boasts 80 employees in nine branches across the Carolinas and Georgia. Managed IT continues to play a growing role in the company\u2019s success, accounting for 20% of its overall and 30% of its service revenue. The dealer offers a host of cloud migration services, and the CCS deal has added even more firepower.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In an industry ripe with private equity acquisitions and consolidation, Levifi is committed to independent growth. Without reliance on outside capital, Levifi is on a journey to build a lasting and sustainable organization for years to come. Independence allows the dealer to retain full control over its operations, decision-making processes, and long-term vision. It fosters agility, enabling swift responses to market changes without external interference. This aligns with a commitment to Levifi\u2019s core values and mission, avoiding potential conflicts that may arise from aligning with the priorities of private equity investors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to the black-and-white and color units from Xerox and Kyocera, Levifi provides production solutions, large-format devices from Canon, and Xante flatbed and industrial UV printers, along with finishing products from MBM (cutters, trimmers, folders, booklet makers), Duplo (booklet makers) and Graphic Whizard (UV coaters). Levifi also offers content management software (DocuWare and customized SharePoint applications), Skyline Storefront web-to-print and a publishing solution from ePrint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The dealer also provides a host of video surveillance, alarm and access control systems from Verkada, as well as VoIP phone systems backed by Yealink hardware and 3CX software. Newline interactive display solutions are also an element of the dealer\u2019s expansive portfolio, which is driven by white-glove service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Levifi targets businesses with 10-plus \u201cknowledge workers,\u201d according to Fimian. Its leading client verticals are legal, real estate, religious organizations, health care, accounting, manufacturing, K-12\/higher education and local government. In-plant operations and businesses with print centers are also viable clients.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Managed IT Gateway<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s no denying the impact of last March\u2019s acquisition of CCS, a $2 million firm. The 90 new managed IT customers the deal onboarded perhaps paled in comparison to the 20 talented technology professionals who joined the team. Competition for hiring talented IT professionals can be fierce, depending on geography, so ensuring all talent would transition to Levifi was no small consideration. Still, the accompanying network operations center, IT help desk and data center combined to boost the maturity level of Levifi\u2019s managed IT proposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe went from a one-year old offering that was barely able to walk and without really having an idea of where we were going, to offering a very critical value proposition and a well-thought-through approach to running the IT side of the business,\u201d Fimian noted. \u201cWe\u2019d seen the value in it, but it took us about a year to get just three clients. And everything else but the sales and vCIO was outsourced; it was [ConnectWise] providing white-label service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith the acquisition, we had instant access to well-managed customers, a sophisticated and innovative NOC, great help desk, their own data center\u2014all the individual components you need to operate a managed IT company were in place. It would have taken us years to develop those competencies. They\u2019ve been profitable and a positive contributor to the business from day one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The deal itself, from initial overture to completion, took about 12 months. However, after just three months of talks, Fimian could tell they matched up well. CCS was about as far along in offering printers to its IT clients as Levifi was in introducing IT to its client base, so Fimian is still at the tip of the cross-selling iceberg. Interestingly, the connection was made after CCS tried to poach one of Fimian\u2019s salespeople. Since Levifi was just getting its feet wet with IT, Fimian reached out to the CCS owner to pick his brain. Fimian traded his knowledge of print in return. The more they talked, it became clear that combining operations was a viable alternative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The deal was the fifth completed by Fimian since he transformed the company from a Xerox agency to a full-fledged dealership, but it represented the first in which Levifi wasn\u2019t simply buying market share. He\u2019s open to adding IT services companies within Levifi\u2019s traditional service area. On the imaging end, he\u2019ll entertain overtures from other Xerox\/Kyocera dealers that complement the firm\u2019s geographic footprint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Production Prowess<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Levifi seems to have found a sweet spot in the mid-level of production printers. The offering constitutes 20% of the overall business, and Fimian feels it\u2019s a hedge against the decline in the general office printing environment. Back when the firm was a Xerox agent, it had access to the OEM\u2019s full production catalog without having to worry about servicing the machinery. It didn\u2019t take long for the sales force to become adept at identifying, developing and closing production-based deals. Once Levifi became a full-fledged dealer, it continued to focus on the middle class of machines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re stronger in the secondary markets as opposed to big cities, so there are fewer big-iron opportunities compared to the entry-level and mid-level production,\u201d he noted. \u201cHistorically, we\u2019ve been strong with the print-for-pay clients. We\u2019re trying to migrate into the in-plant environments, marketing departments, print shops and schools\u2014environments where we\u2019re not competing just for the lowest cost per click.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Similarly, Levifi has forged meaningful relationships with clients by helping them establish in-house print shops to save money on printing jobs that have traditionally been outsourced while making the customers more productive in the process. The production units enable schools and marketing departments to convert what was once a cost center into a profit center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yet another growth driver for Levifi began in 2022 when the company embarked on implementing the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS). Fimian says the move has provided the most impactful relief to his company\u2019s growth challenges through a process that\u2019s more logical, repeatable and scalable. The Traction model Levifi follows offers a framework for short- and long-term goal setting and organizing\/bringing clarity to the processes at the core of the business. It also helps ensure all team members are aligned with the company\u2019s goals and values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Fimian observed, \u201cIt\u2019s holding yourself accountable for what you\u2019re doing and where you\u2019re going.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the long-term goals Fimian has is to implement a new enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, one that does a better job than the most current popular title of serving dealers that rely on both imaging and IT. He pointed to Microsoft Dynamics as an inspiration to possibly devise a home-grown ERP, perhaps spawning a scalable solution for other workplace technology businesses to leverage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rebrand Buzz<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s become increasingly fashionable for dealers to rebrand, as their former names either connoted older technology or didn\u2019t accurately reflect the totality of a company\u2019s product and service catalog. Fimian felt \u201cDocuGraphics\u201d pigeonholed his firm to the imaging business. While Levifi (pronounced Levy-FI) is an invented word team members selected by vote, the bee and hive logo were picked as a nod to one of the world\u2019s first true organized work structures. It\u2019s a reflection of the dealer\u2019s core values: teamwork, integrity, optimism, innovation and fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fimian wanted the rebrand to coincide with the company\u2019s 10-year growth strategy. The CCS addition made it more important to take on an identity that was all-encompassing. The idea behind doing a rebrand was introduced by COO Josh Craig.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe wanted a name that wasn\u2019t tied to any technology or being used by anybody,\u201d Fimian noted. \u201cWe wanted something we could build a story around and make it into whatever we want it to be. And the bee logo really fits what we\u2019re doing in providing results to our clients. It\u2019s a lot more memorable to have a recognizable image than just a name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given the wondrous growth opportunities that CCS is affording Levifi, Fimian finds it easier to resist what he termed the \u201cshiny objects,\u201d those offerings that are en vogue but lack a significant track record in the dealer space. He doesn\u2019t want to diversify for the sake of diversification and feels comfortable with its workplace technology offerings. While EV chargers aren\u2019t in the cards, Fimian is always on the lookout for products and services in line with the core offerings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe don\u2019t want to become a jack of all trades and a master of none,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The plan for 2024 is 20% growth, and with no M&A deals in the immediate future and the rebrand complete, that goal will receive full focus. With the long-term sights set on $120 million, he\u2019s confident the conditions are ideal to make it happen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After all, much of the heavy lifting is now complete. \u201cWe\u2019ll focus on driving organic business growth by capitalizing on the synergies we created in the past year,\u201d he added. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Neither Time Nor Distance Apart Could Dissuade Thomas Fimian from his Version of the American Dream Not long ago, the narrative behind Thomas Fimian was that of a Swiss immigrant who became a successful U.S. business owner at the helm of an office technology dealership in South Carolina. That\u2019s an uplifting tale embodying entrepreneurial spirit, regardless of the industry. Still, don\u2019t close the book on this happily-ever-after story, because Fimian\u2019s journey has a second act that may prove more compelling than the original. Until about a month ago, Fimian was the CEO of DocuGraphics, a Xerox and Kyocera dealership based in Charleston, South Carolina. The company underwent a rebrand to Levifi, accompanied by a bee logo and hive design (more on this shortly). But the Levifi hive will be humming louder moving forward in order to achieve Fimian\u2019s ambitious 10-year goal to reach the $120 million plateau. If it seems like a steep hill to climb, consider this: A mere 10 years ago, then-DocuGraphics was a $3 million performer. Ever since the pandemic, the growth has been significant, from about $8 million in 2020 to $17.5 million in 2023. Granted, the company saw a major infusion with the early 2023 acquisition of Custom Cloud Solutions (CCS), a Columbia-based managed IT and cloud solutions provider. But Fimian is following the numbers, and they suggest a legitimate path toward achieving that magic number of $120 million. \u201cWe have the track record of being able to scale the growth,\u201d Fimian said. \u201cLooking ahead, that long-term financial goal of becoming a good-sized workplace technology provider isn\u2019t that far-fetched. If you\u2019re not investing in your business, not making at least 10% in net profit, you\u2019re moving backwards and treading water. A lot of the investments are paid with profit. If you don\u2019t have any profit, you cannot afford to have a warehouse that\u2019s nicely stocked or have money set aside to do an acquisition. \u201cIf we say we want to become a $25 million company in 10 years, that\u2019s an out-of-business strategy. We need the consistent growth that\u2019s scalable and sustainable in the long run.\u201d Levifi has grown significantly from its humble beginnings as a Xerox agency of four people. The company transitioned to a full-scale dealership and now boasts 80 employees in nine branches across the Carolinas and Georgia. Managed IT continues to play a growing role in the company\u2019s success, accounting for 20% of its overall and 30% of its service revenue. The dealer offers a host of cloud migration services, and the CCS deal has added even more firepower. In an industry ripe with private equity acquisitions and consolidation, Levifi is committed to independent growth. Without reliance on outside capital, Levifi is on a journey to build a lasting and sustainable organization for years to come. Independence allows the dealer to retain full control over its operations, decision-making processes, and long-term vision. It fosters agility, enabling swift responses to market changes without external interference. This aligns with a commitment to Levifi\u2019s core values and mission, avoiding potential conflicts that may arise from aligning with the priorities of private equity investors. In addition to the black-and-white and color units from Xerox and Kyocera, Levifi provides production solutions, large-format devices from Canon, and Xante flatbed and industrial UV printers, along with finishing products from MBM (cutters, trimmers, folders, booklet makers), Duplo (booklet makers) and Graphic Whizard (UV coaters). Levifi also offers content management software (DocuWare and customized SharePoint applications), Skyline Storefront web-to-print and a publishing solution from ePrint. The dealer also provides a host of video surveillance, alarm and access control systems from Verkada, as well as VoIP phone systems backed by Yealink hardware and 3CX software. Newline interactive display solutions are also an element of the dealer\u2019s expansive portfolio, which is driven by white-glove service. Levifi targets businesses with 10-plus \u201cknowledge workers,\u201d according to Fimian. Its leading client verticals are legal, real estate, religious organizations, health care, accounting, manufacturing, K-12\/higher education and local government. In-plant operations and businesses with print centers are also viable clients. Managed IT Gateway There\u2019s no denying the impact of last March\u2019s acquisition of CCS, a $2 million firm. The 90 new managed IT customers the deal onboarded perhaps paled in comparison to the 20 talented technology professionals who joined the team. Competition for hiring talented IT professionals can be fierce, depending on geography, so ensuring all talent would transition to Levifi was no small consideration. Still, the accompanying network operations center, IT help desk and data center combined to boost the maturity level of Levifi\u2019s managed IT proposition. \u201cWe went from a one-year old offering that was barely able to walk and without really having an idea of where we were going, to offering a very critical value proposition and a well-thought-through approach to running the IT side of the business,\u201d Fimian noted. \u201cWe\u2019d seen the value in it, but it took us about a year to get just three clients. And everything else but the sales and vCIO was outsourced; it was [ConnectWise] providing white-label service. \u201cWith the acquisition, we had instant access to well-managed customers, a sophisticated and innovative NOC, great help desk, their own data center\u2014all the individual components you need to operate a managed IT company were in place. It would have taken us years to develop those competencies. They\u2019ve been profitable and a positive contributor to the business from day one.\u201d The deal itself, from initial overture to completion, took about 12 months. However, after just three months of talks, Fimian could tell they matched up well. CCS was about as far along in offering printers to its IT clients as Levifi was in introducing IT to its client base, so Fimian is still at the tip of the cross-selling iceberg. Interestingly, the connection was made after CCS tried to poach one of Fimian\u2019s salespeople. Since Levifi was just getting its feet wet with IT, Fimian reached out to the CCS owner to pick his brain. Fimian traded his knowledge of print in return. The more they talked, it became clear that combining operations was a viable alternative. The […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":166,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1643],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59192"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/166"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=59192"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59192\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":59203,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/59192\/revisions\/59203"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=59192"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=59192"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=59192"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.enxmag.com\/twii\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/AFSP-walk-2023-Charleston-3.jpg\")
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<\/strong>
Not to be anticlimactic, but Thomas Fimian never harbored ideas about living out the American Dream. He didn\u2019t long to become a successful businessman in the United States, nor did he enter the country with just a single suitcase and $20 to his name, driven by a burning desire to \u201cmake it big.\u201d That sounds inspirational on paper. However, the truth is no less heartwarming.
Fimian previously sold software for businesses in his native Switzerland before taking a job as an administrative manager in a political party. That\u2019s where he met Corina and fell in love. Fate tested them: soon after, Corina received an offer to take a job in the states\u2014a longtime dream for her. He still had about seven months of military service obligation remaining and work projects that required completion.
As Corina boarded the plane for America, he had one thought. \u201cI knew she was the right one.\u201d
After tying up loose ends and finishing his military stint, the then-26-year-old Fimian took a flight to the United States seven months later. He found a sales position in Sumpter, South Carolina, got his work visa squared away and five years later purchased a Xerox agency in Charleston, South Carolina, which he called DocuGraphics.
Thomas and Corina\u2019s love story started in Switzerland and found a home in South Carolina. They\u2019ve been husband and wife for more than 25 years and have two beautiful daughters, Lisa and Lena.
\u201cIt was just chemistry at work,\u201d he said. \u201cGreat instinct, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"