The Result: After finding a job as Senior Account Executive at PEAK Technologies, Inc. Steve changed from the nice guy needing help, due to his unemployment, mortgage problems and struggling new business, to refusing to answer his phone and refusing to pay his bill for $2211.50 that was originally invoiced in Jan. of 2010. This despite DDA having carried his debt, continued his web and email services and being supportive in every way possible.

DDA was trying to help someone who had lost his job and was trying to start a new business.

Apparently it is true, No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.

The Project:

Website Design and development including content development, hosting and ongoing search engine optimization.

Steve Thornton's explanations as to why he could not pay for the work he commissioned and was very happy with:

Hello Elizabeth,

Thank you for attempting to help. I’m a little unclear how to proceed. I don’t want to lose the web site investment to-date if it is not being utilized. I do have contacts out there that can only reach me via the addresses listed below.

stevet@thorntonsolutionsinc.com
stevet@tsi-va.com

As I stated previously, my intent is to pay the balance owed to DDA regardless of what happens to me personally or to TSI. With that said, I want to be sure that I maintain my site in some shape or form until I have an opportunity to become more active with its content. If necessary, I could contact one of the mail line services to manage my website and email addresses temporarily until I fight through this financial nightmare.

If I decide to take that course of action, what has to happen on your end?

Should I be forced into personal bankruptcy, as I understand it, I will need to formally list TSI and all of its unpaid creditor of TSI. After the court’s ruling I will need to wait a period of time before satisfying and debt that I choose to honor. Apparently, the court watches financial transactions for six months or so after their ruling to insure any unanticipated income outside the allowable is in some way distributed to the creditors according to the courts discretion. After six months, I’m supposedly free to direct money as I choose.

Your feedback would be appreciated and sorry for dragging you guys into my ditch.

Respectfully,

Steve Thornton

Steve Thornton
Thornton Solutions Inc, dba TSI
804-314-7690 mobile
stevet@tsi-va.com
http//www.linkedin.com/in/stevethornton2010

-------- Original Message --------

Subject:	RE: April 2010 Payment Status: TSI: Steve Thornton
Date:	Tue, 30 Mar 2010 10:24:39 -0400
From:	Steve Thornton <stevet@thorntonsolutionsinc.com>

Hello Elizabeth and Elise,

I’m preempting your call for April to provide an updated status of my business condition. I’m making some progress in the field. One case in particular is Maryland Plastics. They are interested in my developing a label compliance program for their domestic and international vendors to insure they receive quality bar code labels internally. They also have a need to insure compliance requirements are met with their current customer base. I was planning to attempt my close last week but was notified that they needed to push our meeting back a couple weeks due to a new customer factory audit starting this week, This is actually in my favor because some of the issues I believe will be uncovered by the new prospective customer will be MP’s lack of external bar code quality control. I will do my best to leverage that presumed weakness to advocate moving ahead with the project ASAP. They are also in need of replacing (6) bar code verification devices which have been discontinued by the manufacturer and that was my original reason for calling them. Once I met with MP and began explaining how I could help with their struggles the conversation shifted to the compliance program and as a result I created the attach document for their consideration.

So why am I telling you all this? I want you to know TSI really does have sales opportunities in the pipeline. Should this opportunity be won and I expect it to be a some level, either for hardware only (net $3,000) or a combination of label compliance development services, hardware and software products (net $2,000-$4,000) then I will have the resources to pay you and the other creditor I have on the books. DDS has the largest balance and Vektr has a little less. DDS is my first priority for payment.

Elizabeth, I’m not stopping there. I have made additional contacts with business associates and others who previously suggested they may be willing to provide additional funding. I spoke to a close friend yesterday and again this morning and they want me to call them back after April 15th when they will better know how they stand with regards to investment funds.

Currently, my personal finances are a mess as one might expect and my mortgage is upside down so I also have this serious fire to put out. I will be attempting to renegotiate my note. We will see where that leads but regardless, as soon as I have received any sales revenue or investment assistance I promise to submit some form of payment depending on the amount received. I realize you must hear horror stories all the time and some I’m sure are real others not so much. I assure you, this is real but I have full faith and expectation that TSI will pull through phase and we will end up profitable in 2010.

Try to hang in there with me a bit longer. I will not default on the balance of our agreement. Thank you for your continued patience and understand.

Respectfully,

Steve Thornton
Thornton Solutions Inc, dba TSI
804-314-7690 mobile
stevet@tsi-va.com
http://twitter.com/TSI_Comply

Hi Steve,

Thank you for responding so quickly and again for your honesty.

DDA will work with you on the open invoice. David and I both know your word is good. If it would help, why not send a smaller amount to whittle the balance down once you have some money to work with. It means more work for me, but because the cycles are so long like you pointed out, this might be a more realistic approach.

Meantime, know that we are rooting for you!!!

Elizabeth

Steve Thornton wrote:
Hello Elise and Elizabeth,

I’m truly sorry for the delay. I continue to experience difficulty in closing billable sales. I have two strong opportunities with hardware potential of $13,800 and $18,000 with a projected net profit of 15% ($4,770). I also have solid leads leading to additional revenue opportunities. With that said, my forecasted net profit remains only “vapor” money until the deals are finalized and then collected. Typical sales cycles for closing equipment deals in a good economy is 60-90 days and after sale receivables tend to be 30-60 days after they close.

The reality of my situation is that I have “NO” cash available to pay the balance owed until two things happen. One, I continue to show growth with respect to the sales pipeline and two, I finalize a sale. Until that happens my financial backers are reluctant to provide new cash advances for current business debt and general expenses. Fortunately, I’m not accumulating new debt since I started the business out of my home office and I used $50k of my own money. We are currently keeping the doors open by income from my wife job and advances from my family.

As I mentioned during the previous billing cycle, I had hoped to maintain $1,000 a month until the balance was paid but regretfully I am unable to keep my promise at this time. I remain fully committed to paying all remaining debt to DDA including any additional interest charges associated with my account. I’m embarrassed that I did not manage my resources more wisely but I can’t look back now. I will do my very best to send DDA money as it is made available to me. DDA will be the first to be paid.

I have only three remaining debts that must be cleared. DDA is one, VEKTR is the second for approximately $2,000 plus a $75 monthly fee and a personal bridge loan for $12,000. However, the bridge loan is open ended as long as progress is being made. The VEKTR balance of $2000 has been stretched over 10 months. I tell you this so that you can see all I need is one or two sales and I can pay off DDA and all other outstanding debt.

I’m in the process of attempting to secure additional funds to pay everything off but nothing has opened up yet. I realize this debt load may not seem large to you but to me it is huge considering all the monies I’ve put into this project to date. I will not allow the business to fail but I need to flex not break and that is what I hope to do.

Let me know if you have a better idea or how you would like to handle this situation?

Sorry for extending you out like this. It wasn’t my intention.

Respectfully,

Steve Thornton
Thornton Solutions Inc, dba TSI
804-314-7690 mobile

DDA's responses: NOTE:this temporary situation lasted almost 2 years, and DDA was supportive and helpful the entire time, keeping his website online, his email operating and his marketing active.

Hi Steve:

I talked to David and he said DDA would leave thorntonsolutionsinc.com, (including email) up temporarily.

Hope this helps.

Regards,

Elizabeth

Hi Steve:

I just returned to the office, have not had access to email for over a week, but since Elise was on the cc regarding Thornton, I thought if you had questions she would respond.

Anyway, your email and site are reactived, and we will bill you as we normally do per our schedule for hosting both email & the website. When you are able to catch up with outstanding invoices, we can discuss the questions in your email dated 12/6.

Please respond to all (only David & I) so I know you received this. (Noting the sensitive nature, I understand why you sent the earlier emails only to me.)

Do I need a new address to send the invoice going forward?

Regards,

Hi Steve:

Am very sorry to hear about your difficulties as expressed in our last communication.

Going forward, do you still need your email? If so, that service will be $10.00 a month, billable for six months starting this month.
We do not host only email and client's sites. We are extending this as a courtesy to you if it will help.
Please let us know how you want to proceed.

Regards,

Elizabeth

Background Information on Steve Thornton of Peak Technologies, Inc.:

Steve Thornton

Title: Senior Account Executive at PEAK Technologies, Inc.
Demographic info: Richmond, Virginia Area | Industrial Automation
Current: Senior Account Executive - Mid-Atlantic at PEAK Technologies, Inc.
Past: President at Thornton Solutions, Regional Sales Manager at Microscan, OEM Account and Sales Manager at ID TECH, Vice President at Tiger Barcode S...
Education: Elon University
Summary: Energetic and goal driven technologist with a record of delivering superior results. Increasing value by leveraging advances in technology and in...

Energetic and goal driven technologist with a record of delivering superior results. Increasing value by leveraging advances in technology and innovation while maintaining customer centric, consultative strategies aimed at producing positive ROI results.

Extensive experience implementing track, trace and control processes within manufacturing, WMS, distribution and industrial automated environments. Provides engineering and management consultation services aimed at solving complex technical and quality compliance challenges within a diverse business community.

Recognized as an expert in the field of automatic identification and data collection technology providing automated solutions in accordance with industry standards, ensuring accurate cradle-to-grave traceability throughout manufacturing, warehouse and logistical processes.

Specialties

Warehouse, Inventory and Asset Manaagement Solutions
High Speed Scanning, Imaging and Vision Technology
Bar Code Symbology Specifications
Bar Code Print Quality Verification
RF / RFID Technology, Peripherals and Methodology
Mobile Data Computers, Industrial PDA, Pistol-Grip Terminals Thermal Printing, Industrial Ink Jet and DPM Technology
Industrial Print and Apply Automation
Packaging Solutions
Digital Electronic Locking Solutions
Application and Label Design Software

Experience

Senior Account Executive - Mid-Atlantic

PEAK Technologies, Inc.

Privately Held; Information Technology and Services industry
April 2011 – Present (5 months)
PEAK Technologies is an international systems integrator of supply chain automation and inventory management solutions and services delivering tangible return on investment to some of the world’s largest corporations.

PEAK’s portfolio of solutions and services include business process consulting, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems integration, wireless professional services, project management, printing/media solutions, and life-cycle support services.

President

Thornton Solutions

Information Technology and Services industry
March 2011 – April 2011 (2 months)
Recognized as experts in the field of automatic identification and data collection technology, we provide automated solutions in accordance with industry standards, ensuring accurate cradle-to-grave traceability throughout manufacturing, warehouse and logistical processes.

Regional Sales Manager

Microscan

Privately Held; Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing industry
October 2003 – October 2008 (5 years 1 month)
Managing Sales Channel in the Eastern Region of th US.

OEM Account and Sales Manager

ID TECH

Privately Held; Electrical/Electronic Manufacturing industry

March 2004 – October 2004 (8 months)
Managed OEM modification and design integration process of smartcard and magnetic stripe components into POS Terminals.
Managed sales territory and provided Auto ID consultation services.

The Project:

Background Information on Steve Thornton of Peak Technologies, Inc.:

Steve Thornton

Specialties

Experience

Senior Account Executive - Mid-Atlantic

PEAK Technologies, Inc.

President

Thornton Solutions

Regional Sales Manager

Microscan

OEM Account and Sales Manager

ID TECH

Vice President

Tiger Barcode Systems

Education

Elon University

Business