Entrepreneurs start businesses for a lot of different reasons.

Rick Rubenstein, RMS Founder and President
Entrepreneurs start businesses for a lot of different reasons. When Rick Rubenstein left Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) in 1976 to begin his own business, his goal was simple independence. More than financial gain, Rubenstein was looking for a different experience. "Bottom line, I didn't want to work for someone else. The impact of any one individual's success or failure on a particular project or task is rarely felt in a large organization. I didn't want that kind of insulation," says Rubenstein. "I like the challenge and excitement of being totally accountable—of being able to see the impact of what I do immediately and directly," he notes.

Why Computers?
Rubenstein's fascination with computers began with a twist of fate and a required computer science course. While working on his B.S. in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Illinois, Rubenstein took a required computer programming course. "The class was kind of a struggle for me," Rubenstein admits, "so I think it was a case of mistaken identity that made the instructor offer me a job in the computer science department tutoring students and grading programs," he continues. The experience, however, was a pivotal one. More than the class itself, Rubenstein credits this work experience with his affinity for the power and potential of even the early computers of the late 60s and early 70s. By the time he began job-hunting in earnest after graduating in 1970, he was hooked. Over the next six years, Rubenstein worked for several computer industry companies including Basic 4 and Digital Equipment Corporation.

Add an MBA...
Convinced that an MBA would make him more marketable and lead to better opportunities, Rubenstein earned his MBA from the University of Chicago during the evening while working full-time during the day. And though he didn't know it at the time, his new-found attraction for business would prove to be a key component in his later success as an entrepreneur.

Paul Zucker, Partner and Vice President of Technology
The success of RMS is due to the strength of the Rubenstein/Zucker partnership and the team atmosphere it fosters. Paul Zucker has been Rubenstein's sole business partner for 23 years. But, in fact, the name RMS originally stood for Rick, Mike, and Steve-the three men who originally intended to start the company. While the name endured, two of the three original players-Mike and Steve-dropped quickly out of the picture.

Not long after, however, in a seemingly unlikely place, Rubenstein found the kind of partner he'd been looking for. The brother-in-law of a friend of Rubenstein's, Zucker was closing in on a BS in Computer Engineering from the University of Illinois when Rubenstein hired him to work for RMS during the summer before graduation. Recognizing in Zucker a similar spirit and inspired technical talent, Rubenstein offered him not a job, but a partnership, when he graduated in 1979.

Why RMS?
With computer engineering graduates in high demand, Zucker's opportunities were wide open. Why RMS? Zucker, like Rubenstein, chose challenge and independence over the secure, well-defined career path of working in a large corporation. "I wanted to design whole systems and actually see the smiles of satisfied customers," comments Zucker. "I love the challenge of being on the front line—of getting to know customers and their industries and really understanding their issues. There's tremendous satisfaction in coming up with the ideal solution to a client's problem and making it really work for them," he continues.

True Love of New Technology
The RMS environment also allows Zucker and his team to pursue his inherent love of new technology. In fact, their passion for exploring new technology and the freedom to pursue that passion is what keeps RMS technically current and growing in an industry known for its breakneck pace and low rate of long-term survival.

Separate Niches and Mutual Respect
How has the Rubenstein/Zucker partnership prospered despite a lightening-paced industry requiring seemingly constant change? The partnership works because of well-defined roles that mirror the talents of each partner and because of an unwavering foundation of mutual respect. "Although I did a lot of technical work in the beginning, I've never been the kind of technical wizard that Paul is," states Rubenstein. "What I've got that Paul does not, is an affinity for the business side of things. He respects my business acumen and I respect his technical expertise. We obviously talk through important decisions and exchange ideas and opinions, but we don't invade each others turf," Rubenstein concludes.