Sonia Clayton (from search Toolbox people for e-learning

Sonia Clayton (President & CEO) formed VIP in October 2001, when her friends, colleagues and former team members were laid off from their jobs due to the economic downturn of 2001 and the aftershock of September 11th. Clayton's former team members, a team formed by PhD's, Business Administrators, graphic and instructional designers, and Systems Engineers, made up 100% of the initial VIP team.




"That is when all of us got together and decided to create VIP. Not a regular consulting company, but a 'Wal-Mart concept' in the Consulting Industry, based on quality, consistency, and reasonable cost. Unity is power and we had unity among us." The objective of the company was to provide reasonably priced IT Business Solutions, but Clayton's real business was PEOPLE. In reality, VIP has become more than just the acronym for Virtual Intelligence Providers LLC. The VIP acronym also reflects Sonia's business philosophy and practice of treating her clients and her consultants as "very important people."



Clayton drew on her years of direct sales experience to get the company off the ground. Knowing the importance of motivated and happy team members, she called them "Consultants," and from her first day in business she has treated them the way she wants to be treated. "The way I gain my team members and my clients trust is by treating them with honesty, dignity and respect. That is something every client and team member deserves regardless of rank. This group is full of energy, talent and creativity. I know they have potential, and I urge them to do their best. That is why we have been good friends for a long time. How people are treated at VIP is more important to me than Profits and Losses."



As a first time entrepreneur, Clayton borrowed $5,000 to create the organization. IT consulting companies had already saturated the IT market. However, rather than competing directly with those firms, Clayton wanted to create a true alternative solution for her clients.



"At VIP we believe in the principles of low cost, high value, quality, and outstanding technical and customer services. We all work together. We create and find technical and cost effective, satisfying solutions for our customers. We work with great partners, building innovative and

affordable project tools and solutions. We keep high standards for quality and performance by maintaining trained and seasoned professionals on our staff, dedicated to strategizing and delivering high performance results.



That's the "secret recipe." Our low-overhead policy allows us to maintain affordable billing rates. We have lowered the cost of ERP consulting services for many organizations in the USA and in Latin America. We will give the IT world an opportunity to see what it's like to cut cost and still have a great implementation, a positive sense of accomplishment, and a true professional services consulting partner. We're proud of what we've accomplished, and we've only just begun.

"Being successful in business is not a matter of taking advantage of people who need your products or services. On the contrary, it is a matter of giving them value, care and attention, for a fair price, when they need it most." Clayton said.



Setting the tone of her company personally with hard work, Clayton maintains a cheerful, positive attitude. She makes sure negativism is out of her environment, while promoting an "I can do" attitude. She helps her consultants build confidence by empowering them to do their best.



"Now in the third quarter of 2005, we have grown from 1 to 55 consultants, and serve several global corporations, most of which are in the oil and gas industry. Our international reach extends from our home base right here in Houston, Texas, USA, northward to Canada, eastward across the Atlantic to Spain and includes South American countries such as Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, México, Perú and Venezuela. Among our clients are SAP Andina in Latin America, Shell International, Shell Lubricants — Pennzoil, IBM, Waste Management Corporation, Valero Energy, Premcor Refineries, Baker Hughes International, Toyota/Lexus, CEMEX, Nexen Canadian Petroleum, Hayes Lemmerz International, Weatherford International, and Continental Airlines, as well as four other major airline carriers".



Today, Virtual Intelligence Providers, LLC serves over 60 corporations. SAP documentation and training development has become the area of expertise of the company. Now, with over 5 years of industry experience and success, VIP has received several awards to include: Emerging 10 Company (E-10 Award by HMBC), Top Monority Business 2005, Houston 500 company and Sonia Clayton, herself, was recognized as "One Amaizing Woman" by the National Association of Women Business Owners, in November 2005.



Sonia Clayton holds a B.S. in Business Administratio and Human Resources Management. She is an SAP Human Resources Consultant and an SAP Change Management Expert.