The fear of failure can be paralyzing for some in weighing risk against reward.
A baseball outfielder sees a ball quickly dropping in front of him and has two choices: leave his feet in an attempt to make a heroic catch, or catch the ball on a single bounce. Some would opt to cut their losses and allow the hit to fall, which is the safer choice. Others prefer the risk, even knowing that if you leave your feet and miss the ball, it’s rolling all the way to the fence.
Frank Cucco didn’t get to where he is by letting the ball drop.
It took less than 20 years for Cucco to grow
If this 2019 ENX Magazine Difference Maker harbors a fear of failure, he masks it well.
“I believe the main reason I have helped Impact become a major player in office technology is that I’m not afraid to take risks and put it all on the line every day,” Cucco said. “I empower and trust the recommendations and ideas of employees at Impact, and execute them quickly. I have learned it is best to be on the front of the wave, where expertise is needed and high margin can be found.”
Learning Ropes of Mismanagement
Cucco got his first taste of the industry fresh out of college. He sorted mail for Savin, ensuring they could get more favorable postage rates on their direct mail pieces. But prior to starting Impact in 1999, he had quite an experience with an employer that actually taught him how not to manage a company. Cucco saw close-up how mistreating employees will lead to job dissatisfaction, stagnant growth, zero creativity and no innovation.
Indeed, Cucco feels one of the most rewarding aspects of his job is helping others to become successful leaders. “I feel it is extremely rewarding to help others achieve their personal and professional goals, which is why we invest heavily in our employees. Promoting from within is one of the company’s core values, and I enjoy seeing employees rise through the ranks.”
That desire to empower employees to take innovative risks is a driving force behind Impact’s crossing of the $100 million barrier. But Cucco is loath to rest on his laurels. In August, the company will host Impact Optimize2019, a one-day summit that will host 1,000 C-level professionals at Navy Pier in Chicago for educational sessions and demos geared toward digital transformation.
“This is huge for a company that was built off of hardware sales,” Cucco related. “It’s exciting to see an event like this come together successfully and to look at the phenomenal evolution Impact has made in the last several years.”
Repeatable Success
Looking ahead, Cucco is seeking to sustain Impact’s excellence by making its success easily repeatable, regardless of where it goes in North America. “We want our business model to be ready to enter any market, so no matter what location you walk into, it’s recognizable, and you can expect the same quality service,” he said.
Cucco and his wife, Heidi, have been married for 31 years and have a daughter (age 28) and two sons (26 and 22). When it comes time to unwind, he can be found at a lake or ocean, where he loves to fish, water ski or just decompress. His other hobbies include skiing, hunting for pheasant, golfing and cooking.
