Ben Shelton was at Lotus for just over four years (1991 through 1995), during which time he served as Product Marketing Manager for Lotus 1-2-3 for DOS, Symphony, Notes Release 3, NotesSuite and, of course, Lotus 1-2-3 for Home (or "nature's perfect spreadsheet", as he still refers to it). In 1995, he left Lotus to become Director of Marketing at The Mesa Group, developer of collaborative email-based groupware systems.

Last year, Ben left Mesa to discover the rewards of his own private consulting practice, working with companies that develop Internet-related technologies as well as other companies looking to exploit their potential - particularly those in the financial services sector. "About half of my clients are producers of Internet technologies and the other half are users of it", explains Shelton. "I think this dual track gives me insights that are of great advantage to each."

Ben concentrates on helping companies focus their strategies and messages, and then produces the plans and content to execute on them. Over the past year, these services have included production of white papers, brochures, marketing plans, as well as a proposal to the board of directors of a large financial services company looking to refocus its business in response to Internet connectivity. "Some people think that the Internet gives companies a great way to share information, and they're right", he states, "but I think it's bigger than that. The emergence of the connected business world is forcing companies to reexamine their core competencies from a different angle and to develop their businesses in new and exciting directions".

Having recently moved from Boston's Back Bay to his loft in the industrial nightmare of South Boston, Ben will be the first to admit that what he enjoys most about working for himself is the ability to choose his projects. As Ben puts it, "My old boss at Lotus, Paul McNulty, used to tell me `Ben, you're good at the things you like to do'. Well, I think he was right. So I decided to make a business of it."