Canvis

David Gion is a self-described "serial entrepreneur," starting out by creating "Hokey Pokey Hankies" in college and going on to develop computer software companies.

Gion says the Business Innovation Zone (BIZ) provided just the help he needed to build Canvis, a software business that is part of The Weitz Company, one of the nation's largest general building contractors.

Canvis, created in January 2007, focuses on software for the construction industry.

The mission of Canvis is "to have computers do what computers do best so we can have people do what people do best in the construction industry," said Gion, 38, director of the software business.

Gion has been an entrepreneur since his days as a student at Iowa State University, where he capitalized on a University of Iowa tradition in the early 1990s.  When word got around that the U of I football team danced the Hokey Pokey in the locker room, Gion created and marketed "Hokey Pokey Hankies" that fans could wave in the stands during games.

Born and raised in North Dakota, Gion graduated from Iowa State in 1993 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, with an emphasis in information technology systems.  His career as an entrepreneur continued after college.

He has jointly created five companies over the years, coming to Des Moines-based Weitz in January 2007, after running a software consulting business in North Carolina.  Weitz developed a Web-based software - Blue Fingerprint - in 2001 to make it easier for buyers to personalize features in condominiums or homes in developments such as continuing care retirement communities.

Weitz used the program internally for years and then hired Gion to take Blue Fingerprint to market. The first job was to determine whether there was a market for the program.  "The answer to that was: 'Yes, absolutely,'" said Gion.

So far, various developers have used Blue Fingerprint on 42 projects, representing 6,000 homes from Florida to Washington state.  A buyer goes to a the Blue Fingerprint Web site and uses a floor plan to choose features such as carpet color or to make changes such as adding additional electrical outlets. Gion likens it to placing sticky notes on a paper blueprint.

The program automatically creates a contract that includes the alterations.  It also helps the contractor keep track of changes to help with ordering the right amount of material, such as carpeting, and to make sure that structural alterations are built to the right specifications.

A second Canvis program, Punch It!, is being used by Weitz as a prototype. Punch It! allows a contractor to use a tablet-style computer during a final inspection of a construction job, taking notes on problems that need to be fixed. Punch It! makes the process simpler and quicker, Gion said.  Canvis also plans to develop or refine other construction-related software for the marketplace.  Eleven people work for Canvis full-time or part-time.

In an interview, Gion talked about his company and the help he received from the Biz:

Q. How did you find out about the BIZ?
A. North Carolina has a program for entrepreneurs. I wondered where entrepreneurs got together in Des Moines.  Mike Colwell (executive director of the BIZ) spoke at a breakfast club that I belong to. I talked with him afterwards.

Q. Why did you look for help from the BIZ?
A. Being a serial entrepreneur, the toughest thing to find is support. The BIZ gives you access to different thoughts. Meeting with Mike or others, you find that somebody has already been there and done that when it comes to building a business. They can say here are the pitfalls in what you're proposing. The BIZ is a hub for entrepreneurs, where you can get advice and support. It's that atmosphere that's invaluable.

Q. Was the BIZ helpful to you?
A. They've been very helpful. Mike has drawn on his experience to give advice and contribute to putting together a winning plan for the next 18-24 months. He's really you're advocate. He can introduce you to other people.

Q. How do you feel about the help that you got through the BIZ?
A. It has been very valuable, and they continue with their help. It's easily accessible. They make it easy for people to ask questions and get their ideas going.  Great ideas usually aren't developed by one person. One person may come up with an idea, but you need to bounce it off of other people. As an idea ricochets around from person-to-person, a better idea is usually formed.

Q. Where are you now in the development of your business?
A. We're beyond the start-up phase and in the initial growth stage. Demand for Blue Fingerprint is high. We've validated that there is a market. We've developed brand identity for Canvis and Blue Fingerprint.

Q. What is the eventual goal of the business?
A. Keep the company growing. We are playing to win.