Why I Said Yes to Hudson Cloud Systems

By Tom Nault, CEO, Hudson Cloud Systems

I’ve taken only four roles running companies I didn’t control since we sold Open Interface North America to Qualcomm. Each of those roles, including my current position at Hudson Cloud Systems, grew out of consulting engagements where I proved my value long before being offered the job as President, CEO, COO, or a combination of those titles.

When Hudson Cloud asked me to become their CEO, I didn’t hesitate to say yes, though I first asked them if they thought they were making the right decision. I wanted the role, but I also wanted them to be confident in their choice. They were.

Before they could respond, I gave a soft yes and my head was already spinning. I had a growing consulting practice and couldn’t just walk away from my clients. I needed time to make the transition. We agreed on a start date of May 1, which gave me two months to shift priorities and keep my clients supported. It meant long hours for a while, but I was fine with that.

One of the key reasons I accepted the role was because I’ve known Behan, Hudson Cloud’s founding CEO, since his time at Microsoft in Seattle back in 2009. He was also one of our most dedicated volunteers at Exotics at Redmond Town Center, the car show we co-founded in Redmond, WA.

When Behan later moved back to New York City, he often ran startup ideas past me. We stayed in regular contact. As Hudson Cloud evolved over the years, Behan, and later Leon, would loop me in to discuss challenges the company was facing. Whether over calls or face-to-face meetings at CES, we had ongoing conversations about refining the business. Over time, I became a believer in both the company and its mission. Behan is a brilliant mind in cloud infrastructure. He sees what’s coming long before others do. HCS is the only company that can do what we do.

That kind of leadership matters to me. I only consider joining companies that have a clear ambition to lead their market and do the hard work to get there. Hudson Cloud fit that standard. I also got to know Leon, who brings a strong command of the core business as both COO and CFO. Every conversation we’ve had has been focused on solving real growth problems and building a better organization. That mindset made Hudson Cloud a perfect fit for how I work.

I’ve been asked many times over the years to take leadership roles, and while I’ve turned down most of them, this one stood out. Hudson Cloud’s pace, its ambition, and its clarity of purpose aligned exactly with what I was looking for.

Our mission is to now grow HCS within our very specific niche while exploring entirely new markets. We have a lot we want to accomplish and we’re well underway.