David Janiszewski, founder and president of Vision Consultants, Inc., grew up surrounded by the entrepreneurial spirit. His grandfather started a tool and die company 75 years ago, which is now run by his brothers. Being the youngest of seven, janiszewski knew it would take awhile to reach a leadership position there, and he was far too motivated to wait. "I wanted a sense of accomplishment of my own - a chance to start my own business," he says.

For Janiszewski, that came in 1996 when he founded Vision Consultants, Inc., a technology company specializing in multimedia integration and video file servers. "I guarantee that you won't find another company in the upper Midwest that does what ours does," boasts Janiszewski. Today Vision Consultants has seven employees, reports sales revenues of more than $1 million for 1998 and expects to turn the corner on profitability during 1999.

Janiszewski's career began with a degree in computer science from the University of St. Thomas, a stint at Dayton Hudson's (first as a payroll systems programmer and later as a financial analyst) and four years with Deloitte & Touche. In 1992 Janiszewski joined NordicTrack as manager of office automation. Here he gained a working knowledge of the MPEG technology used to digitize analog signals into video - information that would be invaluable in creating Vision Consultants, Inc.

"Leaving NordicTrack in 1996 was exciting," he says, "because I knew exactly what I wanted to do, and that was to start my own business." He remembered the pride his father expressed during a ceremony marking the 70th anniversary of the family's tool and die business. "I heard the pride in his voice as he talked about the many employees who were living good lives as a result of working for his company," Janiszewski says. "That was the moment I decided Id go into business for myself someday so I could feel that pride, too."

Running a new business always has its ups and downs, according to Janiszewski, "but it's getting better," he says. "I'm only scared five or six days a week now."

In reality, Janiszewski doesn't seem frightened at all. He seems self-assured and confident. He learned early on to develop partnerships with companies that can provide complementary services, and he now knows the importance of managing his cash flow. "For entrepreneurs," he says, "the key is cash flow, cash flow, cash flow."

He shares two additional tips for potential entrepreneurs. "Don't plan to break even, plan to make money," he says, "and take time to develop a good marketing plan. It will be a huge benefit."

Janiszewski is pleased with where Vision Consultants is today but says he isn't building the company for personal wealth or status. Instead, his greatest pleasure comes in handing an employee a large commission check - or celebrating with another the purchase of a new house - or giving back to the community in ways known only to him. His only regret is that he hasn't learned to celebrate his successes more openly. "I still do most of my celebrating on the inside," he said, "but I'm learning."

The celebration may be on the inside, but the pride is there for everyone to see.