Hertz is founder and CEO of the information technology consulting company New Signature and was recently named the Small Business Person of the Year by the DC Chamber of Commerce. Hertz is also known for his work with local charities including Year Up, Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship and Street Sense.
What advice would you give someone considering launching a business?
People always talk about how they want to start a business. And I say, ‘Don’t start a business for the sake of starting a business.’ You should start it because you have a great idea that makes a lot of sense. Secondly, find people you can do it with. It’s a tough road, and if you have some people you really trust and really enjoy working with that you can share that road with, it makes it much more sustainable.”
How does it feel to have received this kind of award?
Every once in a while you get a quiet moment when you can sit back and, like with these awards, you get honored. It’s a great time to be reflective of the fact that I’ve been blessed with a lot of opportunity and I’ve had the chance to build a company that has an impact, not only on me personally, but on a lot of different lives.
Why do you think it’s important to give back to the community?
If I am a smart business owner and I want to be successful, the community around me needs to be successful. If only 54 percent of students graduate on time in D.C., that’s my future work force. I have to be part of that solution to try to figure out how we can improve that graduation rate. … Secondly, this is the community I live in and I think there is a responsibility of every person in each community to give back.
