PVM IT
About the Company
PVM Inc. is a software engineering firm founded by Pat Mack in October 2010. It offers big data storage and analytics services to public and private sectors. Its customers include local police departments, statewide public safety departments, and major federal agencies like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Department of Defense (DoD). PVM specializes in projects that involve handling large datasets, and the company excels in integrating commercial IT products for military and government use. The company is based in St. Petersburg, Florida, and has built strong partnerships with companies such as Palantir, Amazon, and MicroFocus.
PVM’s partnerships allow it to provide services like cloud computing, application migration, and technical support. Though the company does not have a flagship product, it works closely with enterprise partners and continues to expand its influence in the big data space. Over the years, PVM has grown significantly, with plans for further expansion through federal certification and hiring more engineers.
Idea Behind Company
Pat Mack’s inspiration for founding PVM came from his 25 years of experience in the US Navy, particularly his frustrations with bureaucratic inefficiencies. Mack wanted to create an environment that addressed mission-critical problems without being bogged down by organizational bureaucracy. His experiences in Iraq, where he was responsible for rebuilding defense infrastructure, motivated him to focus on impactful work. Upon returning to the US, Mack found that the internal focus of military organizations did not align with the real-world needs of warfighters, sparking his desire to found a company that could solve these issues.
PVM was created with a mission to tackle problems that mattered to end users, including Mack’s former colleagues in the military. He believed in adopting the mission of the end-user as the company’s own, emphasizing customer satisfaction as the key to success. PVM’s goal has always been simple: delight the customer by understanding their needs and exceeding expectations. Mack’s military background and passion for technology were essential in shaping the company's direction.
Creating the Company
Pat Mack bootstrapped PVM in 2010 during one of the worst economic recessions in US history. With no outside funding, he focused on building a company that prioritized results and problem-solving over bureaucracy. The company’s first service offerings were based on Mack’s experience as a former customer in the military, and the focus was on how the best commercial IT products could be used for military purposes. Early challenges included overcoming the military’s institutional resistance to commercial technology, but Mack persisted by emphasizing mission alignment.
Mack's expertise in Naval engineering and computer science helped shape PVM’s core services. He emphasized that the company’s product was its people, who handle complex technical details so clients can focus on their missions. By solving real-world problems with innovative, data-driven approaches, PVM quickly gained traction with clients. Mack's early success relied on leveraging existing relationships, building trust, and providing solutions that were relevant to both military and civilian sectors.
Launching the Business
The launch of PVM was a significant risk for Pat Mack, who left the Navy to start the business. He began by working with clients he knew from his time in the military, rebuilding his credibility as an engineer and business leader. PVM’s first contracts were in the federal space, where long sales cycles and relationship-building were critical to success. Mack focused on providing value and delivering quality work, which helped him secure new clients and expand the company’s client base over time.
To grow the company, Mack kept overhead costs low and invested in legal and accounting support from the start. He faced challenges as a black tech founder, particularly in securing capital. Despite these hurdles, PVM grew steadily by emphasizing customer satisfaction and building strong client relationships. Mack also focused on retaining clients, understanding that trust and repeat business were key to long-term success.
Earnings
PVM has grown into a $6 million per year business, generating around $600,000 per month in revenue. The company’s growth has been driven by its partnerships with major companies like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Palantir, and MicroFocus. These collaborations enable PVM to offer cloud computing, application migration, and big data solutions to a wide range of clients, including federal agencies and private sector organizations.
Looking ahead, PVM plans to expand its team, increase its partnerships, and open a new office at the Maritime and Defense Technology Hub in St. Petersburg. With increasing demand for cloud solutions and data-driven problem-solving, the company is poised for continued growth.
