How Showcase Central Got Started  

by Michael Stuempel, President, Emissary Computer Solutions

Emissary Computer Solutions is a computer consulting company in Tokyo, Japan. We provide a number of IT services ranging from network support to VoIP solutions to website development.

Often our clients bring us problems to which they want solutions.

Showcase Central grew out of a conversation I had with a client who was unhappy with the website of a trade-show in which his company was participating. The event lasted 5 days and he was one of several hundred participants. His company was one of the larger and more well known ones. Unfortunately (to him) the event website gave all participants equal billing - a single link. 

My client felt that the trade-show organizers should have done better than that.

Many years later, as blogs and social networking sites became more and more popular, I remembered that conversation with our client. One of my colleagues and I noticed that all these sites seemed to focus on individuals and their opinions. Advertising seemed to be tacked on to the side, bottom or the top of the page as an after-thought via a click-through banner ad.

We saw this as being a similar problem as our client had those many years ago. We thought there had to be a better way!

We decided to create a site that put the advertising first, but also encouraged individuals to participate and comment on the product or service that the company was promoting.

It seemed obvious to us that trade-shows would be the ideal place to start, but that was just the beginning.

We soon realized that individuals, charities, clubs, organizations and other businesses, both large and small could also benefit from an inexpensive, online advertising medium. We wanted to put all the advertisements together so that people could create online communities that mirrored their neighbourhood business chambers. We also wanted other virtual communities to form that had no geographical boundaries.

These were the ideas that shaped Showcase Central. We still have alot of development to do and have exciting things planned.

We would really like to hear from you regarding this concept of Showcase Central. Tell us your suggestions, your complaints and your ideas. We want Showcase Central to get better and your feedback will help us with that.

Thank You,

Michael Stuempel President Emissary Computer Solutions