QuestChat

Date: October 20, 1998

Featuring: John-Henry Williams
President, Hitter Communications
Hernando, FL

John-Henry's featured URL is: http://www.tedwilliams.com

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 7 - 11:42:18 ]
Once the chat begins, John-Henry will attempt to answer as many of your questions as he can, but please be patient. The chat will be "moderated". This means that only a few questions will be posted to the chat room at a time. Don't worry if your questions do not appear on your screen immediately. They will be posted as John-Henry answers those ahead of you.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 8 - 11:42:57 ]
As a reminder, remember to enter "Your Handle" in the box provided, before posting questions to the chat room. Once you've done this, please let us know that you have logged on for today's chat.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 12 - 11:59:56 ]
Hello and welcome to today's Challenge Project chat with John-Henry Williams! John-Henry is president and owner of Green Diamonds Sports, Inc. - which represents the marketing interest and product line of his dad, former baseball player Ted Williams. He is also president and owner of Hitter Communications - currently the fastest growing Internet and Web Service Provider in Florida. He explains, "It's the greatest communication means I've had the ability to be personally involved with. I've never been involved with a business that is as fulfilling, as it enables me to share all of its benefits with every person I service."

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 13 - 12:00:27 ]
And now, here is John-Henry Williams to answer your questions.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 15 - 12:04:02 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Hi there Mr Williams I'm here in sunny South Africa and as amazed as I am at the technology that allows for this event, my question is, what if anything would you say is the most important thing to you've learn't in business so far in your life ?
Save your money. Overhead is the major killer in all businesses. I have the firm belief that great ideas are the most important things in business and being anle to follow through with those ideas. If financial limitations prevent those ideas from coming to fruition not only does your business suffer but also you and your surrounding personell.

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 17 - 12:14:11 ]
Here are some comments from John-Henry Williams about how he first got interested in the internet: "About two and a half years ago I first was exposed to the internet. Never had a clue what E-mail even was. Then about a year ago I finally became so frustrated with what was currently available to people wanting to experience the internet that I started my own. It has become a monster. In a little less that 12 months I have grown to over 4,000 customers and just recently have started purchasing other ISPs. My goal is 100,000 customers within two years. "

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 20 - 12:20:44 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Pity there's not enough money to go round John-Henry . Tell me, being just over a week until launch, are you a space finatic at all ? I'm sure you'd agree that despite the astronimical costs involved in such a mission, the rewards are well worth the sacrifices, or do you think otherwise . (hehe, you can tell I'm an entrepreneur)
Space is the ultimate adventure and the ultimate of answers. The more money and resources we can spend on space the better. If people really knew of all of the potential benefits space has to offer they would all agree to. It is hard to believe we actually send people to space and bring them back. I hope to see when it becomes a way of life.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 22 - 12:21:25 ]
RE: [JohnHenryWilliams] Save your money. Overhead is the major killer in all businesses. I have the firm belief that great ideas are the most important things in business and being anle to follow through with those ideas. If financial limitations prevent those ideas from coming to fruition not only does your business suffer but also you and your surrounding personell.
James, How warm is it and where are you in Africa?

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 23 - 12:22:58 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Well John reading up on what Oran just said, it strikes me that I was pretty much in the same position you were in . I'm 20 now and having studied up on computers and just finished school I saw a gap in the market for computer help so I took a chance and thankfully it paid off, I'm currently serving almost 70 individuals at the moment, it's great !
James are you a systems Administrator?

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 25 - 12:27:19 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Well John it looks like it's just you, me and Oran over there. Hehe, I'm situated in Durban which is in the province of Natal and oh it's lovely, the perfect climate, just a pity about the violence .
James, My roommate in college was from Ghana. Boy did he get us into a lot of trouble. What a wild man.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 27 - 12:33:08 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Getting back to your question John, no I'm not a systems administrator, I'm enjoying the freedom of freelancing around Durban . Basically what I specialise in is helping the average person out with computer troubleshooting, installation, internet and I sometimes help small businesses with networking and webpublishing . Hehe, why are you looking for someone over there John ?
Always looking for good people. What do you specialize in and do you have any certifications? Big question do you want to move?

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 31 - 12:40:02 ]
Mike Addo (the crazy African) is currently working on Wall Street. Last time I checked he wanted me to come up and visit him at the SP500.

[ JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica - 28 - 12:35:43 ]
LoL (that means I'm laughing in chat terms) . Your friend is many many miles away from the suburban life of South Africa, believe it or not we don't live in huts and run around naked with wild animals, we've gone up in life . The reason I say this is because I came across amusing people when I lived in England for a short 2 years, they assume we're at basic roots level, it's hilarious . By the way, is your roommate glad to now live in the land of opportunity ?

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 32 - 12:42:04 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Well John, I couldn't get into detail over it right now but give me your e-mail address or vica versa and we can discuss it that way . Yes, I'd jump at the chance of experiencing life in the States . My friends would agree but then again they think that the movie stars walk around the streets, talk about naive, I think I know better, hehe .
But the movie stars to walk around the street.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 34 - 12:47:29 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Gee John that's a hard one, my favourite food ? Hmmn, there's so many I wouldn't know where to start . I think you're asking about the food originating from here . I don't really go for it myself . Having British parents, you just can't beat those egg and chips if you know what I mean . The local food is mainly in the form of mealie pap, as they call it, it's like a ground down mealie meal which the black africans go wild for .
Sounds like baked indian pudding.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 39 - 12:57:54 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Hahaa yeh believe me John you're not missing out on much when it comes to food . Although the indians when provoked do make a nice curry ! hehe
Now there are some really good Chicken Curry dishes.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 29 - 12:37:05 ]
James, How is the food in South Africa? What is your favorite meal?

[ JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica - 36 - 12:48:53 ]
Well go for it John, I'm sure Mike Addo, whoever he is (sorry I can't recall) could teach you a few things about the stock-exchange . Speaking of the stock-exchange, my uncle before he died (chain-smoker) taught me a few things about surviving in the fast paced life of the stock-exchange . It's scary how you can lose thousands in just a few seconds if you're not watching your stock and you don't have your finger on the dial .

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 38 - 12:56:33 ]
RE: [Oran/NASAChatHost] John-Henry, do you do a lot of scuba diving? What other sports are you interested in?
Love Diving. Water is second best thing to Space. I play a lot of tennis too.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 45 - 13:02:11 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Aaaah tennis, play you a game sometime !
Sounds good

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 41 - 12:59:36 ]
We will now be concluding our chat with John-Henry Williams. Thank you for joining us online today.

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 44 - 13:01:42 ]
So I thought there would be thousands here dying to chat with me...What happened? :>)

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 47 - 13:06:03 ]
A special thanks to John-Henry Williams for sharing his time and expertise with us online today!

[ JohnHenryWilliams - 48 - 13:06:06 ]
RE: [JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica-JamesHunt/DBNSouthAfrica] Well John, been quite an eye-opening experience chatting to you, I'll never look at food quite the same way again, hehe . I'll speak to you soon, thanks for your time .
Sounds good

[ Oran/NASAChatHost - 49 - 13:06:27 ]
Please join us for our next Space Team Online chat on October 23 with Stephen Long, ISS flight controller. Check the STO chat schedule page at http://quest.arc.nasa.gov/space/chats/ for more information.