Coastal Cloud has carved out a niche in the growing field of cloud-based consulting and customer relations management
Looking back over the past five years, Coastal Cloud co-founder Tim Hale is a little surprised at how far the company has come.
“I didn’t expect it would be this successful,” he said. “I thought it would work, but I didn’t think there would be such a huge market in what we’re doing.”
Hale and his wife and firm co-founder, Sara, celebrated the company’s fifth anniversary Friday with a lot of pomp appropriate to the circumstance.
Flanked by local officials, community leaders and both members of the county’s legislative delegation, Hale said Coastal Cloud has carved out a niche in the growing field of cloud-based consulting and customer relations management and lives up to its motto “Live at the beach, work in the cloud.”
“This is a unique combination of engaging careers and quality of life,” he said. “I think we are the poster child of that and not enough companies have figured it out yet. If you can balance quality of life with a killer career, it’s a great combination.”
Although the anniversary celebration went on without Gov. Rick Scott, who was invited to Friday's event, there was no shortage of dignitaries on hand.
"This is a big day for Coastal Cloud," said Palm Coast Mayor Milissa Holland, who is also a Coastal Cloud employee. "Five years ago, it goes by in the blink of an eye."
Holland said the company's diversity and explosive growth are a showcase for the county's economic development efforts as the company has expanded to serve local, national and international clients.
The business and technology consulting firm headquartered in Palm Coast has grown to 140 employees since its founding in 2013 and did $20 million of business in 2017.
State Rep. Paul Renner congratulated the Hales, outlining three key ingredients to job creation and economic growth that are embodied by Coastal Cloud, including setting the right environment, providing opportunity, and the quality of life offered in Flagler County.
"What's neat is that the success model you have here can be duplicated," he said.
Flagler County Commissioner Donald O'Brien spoke about how Coastal Cloud has become not only a growing business in the county, but an active community partner.
"They are job creators and have invested locally," said O'Brien, who also serves as chairman of the Flagler County Economic Opportunity Advisory Council. "When a local government thinks about economic development and the companies it wants to attract, this is what an ideal prospect looks like. I think they epitomize what success looks like in economic development."
Local business community leaders also praised the Hales and the impact Coastal Cloud has made in Flagler County.
"They are by far the number one biggest success story we've ever had in Flagler County of a business started here," said Bruce Page, president and CEO of Palm Coast-based Intracoastal Bank and a former chairman of the Flagler County Chamber of Commerce. "It's good for our community that we have a nationally recognized company in our midst."
As part of the anniversary celebration, Sara Hale talked about the company's effort with CareerSource Flagler Volusia, the Flagler County Education Foundation and Flagler Schools to offer internships to high school students.
"They are the most amazing group of students," she said.
Sara Hale encouraged business owners at the event to get involved in internship opportunities.
"Every single one of you can help our students get work-based experiences," she said.
Speaking about the importance of learning and embracing new technologies, Tim Hale said that knowledge gives the next generation opportunities for success.
"If you do that, you're driving the ship," he said. "If you don't, you're getting run over by the ship."
Looking at the next five years, Tim Hale said he sees a bright future ahead for Coastal Cloud.
“I would love to double the size and if we keep going the way we’re going — and all signs are we will — the sky’s the limit,” he said.
He said the internship program is an integral part of the company’s future as well.
“We’re going to make it work here and we’re going to scale it all over the state and all over the country,” he said. “At the end of the day, this problem of connecting students to local business opportunities is everywhere.”